English Placement Testing

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English Placement Testing

• By Pedram

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What do English Placement Tests do?

• Tests the skills of a student to determine the
  level of English they belong in
• Prevents students from enrolling in a class they
  are not prepared for
• Keeps things fair

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Who Needs to Take Them?

• All new students
• All students must test in basic skills if they
  plan to
• Transfer
• Earn a degree or certificate
• Enroll in basic English or ESL
• Are undecided about their educational future
• Students exempt if they have earned an Associate
  in Arts or higher degree (from USA) or have
  completed English 1A

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Which courses require Placement Testing?

• All ESL courses
• English 1A, 1B, 1C, 2, 100B, 160, 200, 150
• LART 100, 170, 200
• Reading 100, 101, 201, 202

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Taking the Test

• Choose the tests you need to take
• Photo I.D. required- passport, driver's license,
  high school yearbook (must be in English) 
• Bring Social Security number
• No appointments available
• Must report minimum 30 minutes before test time
• Doors will be closed ten minutes before test time
• No one will be admitted late
• Must stay for the entire test time 
• Bring several 2 wood pencils 
• Students who think they have learning or physical
  disability should contact Assessment Center

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Still Taking the Test

• Computerized session
• Called adaptive testing
• C.E.L.S.A Test Combined English Language
  Skills Assessment
• Not timed
• 20 sentence structure questions
• 20 reading comprehension questions
• ½ hour to take writing sample essay

Source http//www.deanza.edu/admissions/placement
/info.html
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Interview With Bert Manriquez (Director of
Assessment at DA)

• Q What happens if you are unhappy with your test
  results?
• A You cannot retake the test until 6 months
  later, unless you have a good reason for appeal
  (like felt sick or had family crisis on your mind
  at the time).
• Q How many complaints have there been about the
  tests in the past quarter?
• A About 3.

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Interview With Bert Manriquez (Director of
Assessment at DA)

• Q What were the tests like before this system?
• A Paper and pencil tests with scantron.
• Q When did DA start using this new system?
• A This past quarter.
• Q Why isnt the computer portion timed?
• A No inherent reason why tests should be timed.

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Interview With Bert Manriquez (Director of
Assessment at DA)

• Q So was there a time limit on the objective
  portion of the test for the old system?
• A Yes.
• Q Why for the old test and not for the new one?
• A The computerized testing allows for the
  questions to be randomized, therefore no time
  limit is needed since all tests are different.
• Q Is there anyone pressuring the students to
  hurry up?
• A No.

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Interview With Bert Manriquez (Director of
Assessment at DA)

• Q Why is the written portion timed then?
• A Because after a certain amount of time has
  passed, the student isnt exercising their
  skills they are only re wording their work.
• Q Who evaluates these essays?
• A The English teachers at DA.
• Q What if a student ends up in a level that is
  too hard for them?
• A He or she can take a class in a lower level
  but only if they have never passed it before.

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Interview With Bert Manriquez (Director of
Assessment at DA)

• Q Has anyone ever been allowed to take a class
  even though they missed it by just a little?
• A Yes.
• Q Why?
• A 2 point error system
• Pass/Fail
• Q Is the MC or essay
• more accurate?
• A Written, it weighs
• more too.

P
F
Error
10
3
P
Error
10
2
F
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Survey

• Were you happy with your English placement
  results?

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Survey

• Is there anything about the test you wish was
  different?
• More Questions more accurate
• The essay
• Essay question needs more time
• Do you think you were given enough time?

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Survey

• Do you think the test results adequately
  reflected the level of English you think you
  belonged in?

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Survey

• What was the best thing about the placement test?
• The essay
• It finished at one point
• Worst thing?
• Gave me a headache
• MC

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Survey

• Do you think the test was administered properly?

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Tips for Taking the Test

• Get a good nights sleep
• Eat well before the test
• Arrive prepared
• Dont be nervous-as long as you do your best you
  will be put into the level you belong in
• Try taking some sample tests here
• http//www.spjc.edu/webcentral/admit/Placement1/se
  ntence1.pdf

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Now What?

• As weve learned from the class book, tutees come
  in all shapes and sizes aka ages and ethnicities.
  Some have a hard time in the class level they
  were placed in and some not so much. It is our
  job to be patient, open, and understanding.
  Looking for strengths and weakness is an
  important aspect successful tutoring.

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What can e expect in the future?

• More computerized testing?
• More time?
• More questions?
• Our complaints will determine the changes in the
  future.
• SO SPEAK UP