ESL improves testing method
Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006
BENTONVILLE — Arkansas has a better tool to assess immigrants’ English skills, but first, testers must learn how to use the tool.
Arkansas uses the Basic English Skills Test to determine class placement for adults taking English as a Second Language courses. The test has traditionally been conducted with a tester asking the person the test questions orally. The answers were then recorded on paper. Though the test is still administered in an oral fashion, with the new BEST Plus, the test answers are now recorded entirely on a computer.
Northwest Arkansas Community College’s Department of Adult Education hosted a class Monday for people from all over the region who offer the ESL test. There will be a similar class in Little Rock on Tuesday, but NWACC was able to offer the class in northwest Arkansas because of the large number of ESL programs in the area, said Ben Aldama, director of NWACC adult education. "They recognize we have a need for this kind of training," he said.
The class, facilitated by Stephanie Stauffer, a trainer and developer for the Center for Applied Linguistics in Washington, D. C., taught participants how to use the new program, including actually administering the test, then interpreting the results. "It’s more prescriptive. When the test was on paper, it just followed an outline, but this program goes on to the next question based on the (previous question’s) answer," Aldama said.
The new program will automatically calculate the test results to determine what class the person being testing should be placed in — a task previously done by hand.
Georgieann Darter, an ESL examiner at NWACC, was learning the new program Monday. "I like some of the changes," she said. "I like that it will score it for you and assign the levels. There’s no second guessing to do."
Lynn Stanberry is in the process of being ESL examinercertified for the community college. She said the program was easier to learn than she thought it would be.
Bruce Singleton and Laufrain Taylor from the Literacy Council of Western Arkansas both participated in the training. "It was a lot more convenient," Taylor said of being able to drive to NWACC from Greenland (Singleton came from Fort Smith) rather than having to go to Little Rock.
Both Singleton and Taylor were pleased with the new software. "It’s still subjective, but it does a good job," Singleton said.
The BEST Plus program will be implemented statewide in July.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
