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LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENT What, Why, How?

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENT - … measures of oral language proficiency than ... grammar, vocabulary, ... Student Oral Language Observation Matrix

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LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENT

What, Why, How?

What?

Language Proficiency Assessments are intended to: ¨  Measure relative language proficiency in areas

related to listening, speaking, reading, and writing ¨  Relative language proficiency is purported to be

measured related to a native speaker of the language of the same age

¨  May also be used as measures of developing bilingualism

Why Assess?

¨  For compliance with relevant laws, and state/federal policies (e.g. Lau, NCLB)

¨  To determine HOW MANY students are ELLs (NEP, LEP, FEP)

¨  To evaluate growth in English over time ¨  To drive instruction

How do we assess?

Formal language assessments (large scale) ¨  Used for compliance (NEP, LEP, FEP) and program

identification (ESL/ELD, bilingual, dual language) ¨  May be used to measure growth ¨  Difficult to use to drive instruction ¨  LAS, IPT, Woodcock-Muñoz ¨  CELA (2006-2012); ACCESS (2013)

How do we assess?

Informal Assessments ¨  Used to drive instruction

¨  Used to get different information on students ¨  Used to measure growth

Informal Language Assessment: Student Oral Language Observation Matrix

(SOLOM)

SOLOM - Overview

¨  Is a rating scale that can be used to assess an individual’s command of ORAL language on the basis of observations and interview questions

¨  Purpose is to collect ‘natural’ language samples (not academic language). ¤ Natural language measures are considered more

reliable measures of oral language proficiency than discrete point tests

¤ Sensitive to growth and change over time in oral language

¨  Conducted individually

SOLOM - Overview

¨  Can be used to determine instructional needs in regards to ORAL language development

¨  Can easily be adapted into multiple languages (thus, a bilingual measure)

¨  Should be administered by person who scores a “4” or above

SOLOM

Advantages ¨  Based on interview/

observations ¨  Yields diagnostic

information (work on grammar, vocabulary, etc.)

¨  Open ended questions (not discrete point)

¨  More comfortable way to assess students

¨  More enjoyable for students

¨  Can be used with multiple age groups

Disadvantages ¨  1 on 1 administration

¨  Time consuming

¨  Inter-rater reliability

¨  Favors out-going students (shy students may not talk as much)

¨  Avoidance strategies of L2 learners

¨  Assesses only oral language (not reading/writing)

SOLOM

¨  Measures five aspects of oral language proficiency: ¤ Comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, pronunciation,

and grammar

Activity to familiarize yourself with the SOLOM

In pairs/triads

¨  Create a chart that describes each of the 5 aspects of Oral Language Proficiency from low to high level of proficiency

1.  Put the five aspects in order vertically: 1)Comprehension, 2) Fluency, 3) Vocabulary, 4)Pronunciation, and 5) Grammar

2.  Put the levels in order horizontally from lowest (1) to highest (5) for each aspect (color coded)

3.  Compare your chart to another group and discuss differences and make adjustments if needed

Scoring the SOLOM

¨  Scored on a scale of 1-5 for each aspect of oral language proficiency

¨  Students are assigned an overall score with a range of 5 through 25

¨  Add scores in each of the categories ¤ Example: ¤ Comprehension 4 + Fluency 3 + Vocabulary 3 +

Pronunciation 2 + Grammar 1 = 13 Total ¤ Divide by 5 ¤ 13 divided by 5 = 2.5

Interpreting the Outcomes

Range will be from 0-5 ¨  Overall scores of 0-1 = NEP ¨  Overall scores of 2-3 = LEP ¨  Overall scores of 4-5 = FEP It is possible to assess relative bilingualism

Protocol for giving the SOLOM

¨  See handout bottom of page 2, section “PROTOCOL”, “SCORING”, and “Interview Questions”

Try it out!

¨  Read the SOLOM transcript between Wendy (teacher) and Ramón (student who is taking the SOLOM)

¨  In pairs - decide where Ramón falls on the rubric ¨  Calculate a score for each category and an overall

score ¨  Discuss what the instructional implications are for

Ramón ¨  Take notes on sheet

Ramón: Talking Points

¨  Scores for each area ¨  Strengths ¨  Needs and instructional implications

SOLOM Student Oral Language Observation Matrix

Student’s Name: _________________________________________ Grade: _____________ Date: _________________

Overall Score (English): ________________ (Spanish): ______________

1 2 3 4 5 Comprehension Cannot be said to

understand even simple conversation.

Has great difficulty following what is said. Can comprehend only “social conversation” spoken slowly and with frequent repetitions.

Understands most of what is said at slower-than normal speed with repetitions.

Understands nearly everything at normal speech, although occasional repetition may be necessary.

Understands everyday conversation and normal classroom discussions without difficulty.

Fluency Speech is so halting and fragmentary as to make conversation virtually impossible.

Usually hesitant; often forced into silence by language limitations.

Speech in everyday conversation and classroom discussion is frequently disrupted by the student’s search for the correct manner of expression.

Speech in everyday conversation and classroom discussions is generally fluent, with occasional lapses while the student searches for the correct manner of expression.

Speech in everyday conversation and classroom discussions is fluent and effortless approximating that of a native speaker.

Vocabulary Vocabulary limitations so extreme as to make conversation virtually impossible.

Misuse of words and very limited vocabulary make comprehension quite difficult.

Frequently uses the wrong words; conversation somewhat limited because of inadequate vocabulary.

Occasionally uses inappropriate terms and/or must rephrase ideas because of lexical inadequacies.

Use of vocabulary and idioms approximates that of a native speaker.

Pronunciation Pronunciation problems so severe as to make speech virtually impossible.

Very hard to understand because of pronunciation problems. Must frequently repeat in order to make himself or herself understood.

Pronunciation problems necessitate concentration on the part of the listener and occasionally lead to misunderstanding.

Always intelligible, though one is conscious of a definite accent and occasional inappropriate patterns.

Pronunciation and intonation approximates that of a native speaker.

Grammar Errors in grammar and word order so severe as to make speech virtually unintelligible.

Grammar and word order errors make comprehension difficult. Must often rephrase and/or restrict himself/herself to basic patterns.

Makes frequent errors of grammar and word order, which occasionally obscure meaning.

Occasionally makes grammatical and/or word-order errors which do not obscure meaning.

Grammatical usage and word order approximates that of a native speaker.

Student Examples

¨  Edgar ¨  Raquel ¨  Use their scores to determine LEPness and

Bilingualism

SOLOM Student Oral Language Observation Matrix

Student’s Name: _________________________________________ Grade: _____________ Date: _________________

Overall Score (English): ________________ (Spanish): ______________

1 2 3 4 5 Comprehension Cannot be said to

understand even simple conversation.

Has great difficulty following what is said. Can comprehend only “social conversation” spoken slowly and with frequent repetitions.

Understands most of what is said at slower-than normal speed with repetitions.

Understands nearly everything at normal speech, although occasional repetition may be necessary.

Understands everyday conversation and normal classroom discussions without difficulty.

Fluency Speech is so halting and fragmentary as to make conversation virtually impossible.

Usually hesitant; often forced into silence by language limitations.

Speech in everyday conversation and classroom discussion is frequently disrupted by the student’s search for the correct manner of expression.

Speech in everyday conversation and classroom discussions is generally fluent, with occasional lapses while the student searches for the correct manner of expression.

Speech in everyday conversation and classroom discussions is fluent and effortless approximating that of a native speaker.

Vocabulary Vocabulary limitations so extreme as to make conversation virtually impossible.

Misuse of words and very limited vocabulary make comprehension quite difficult.

Frequently uses the wrong words; conversation somewhat limited because of inadequate vocabulary.

Occasionally uses inappropriate terms and/or must rephrase ideas because of lexical inadequacies.

Use of vocabulary and idioms approximates that of a native speaker.

Pronunciation Pronunciation problems so severe as to make speech virtually impossible.

Very hard to understand because of pronunciation problems. Must frequently repeat in order to make himself or herself understood.

Pronunciation problems necessitate concentration on the part of the listener and occasionally lead to misunderstanding.

Always intelligible, though one is conscious of a definite accent and occasional inappropriate patterns.

Pronunciation and intonation approximates that of a native speaker.

Grammar Errors in grammar and word order so severe as to make speech virtually unintelligible.

Grammar and word order errors make comprehension difficult. Must often rephrase and/or restrict himself/herself to basic patterns.

Makes frequent errors of grammar and word order, which occasionally obscure meaning.

Occasionally makes grammatical and/or word-order errors which do not obscure meaning.

Grammatical usage and word order approximates that of a native speaker.

X

X

Edgar

X

X

X

X X

X

X

X

8 Spanish = 4 English = 3.2

SOLOM Student Oral Language Observation Matrix

Student’s Name: _________________________________________ Grade: _____________ Date: _________________

Overall Score (English): ________________ (Spanish): ______________

1 2 3 4 5 Comprehension Cannot be said to

understand even simple conversation.

Has great difficulty following what is said. Can comprehend only “social conversation” spoken slowly and with frequent repetitions.

Understands most of what is said at slower-than normal speed with repetitions.

Understands nearly everything at normal speech, although occasional repetition may be necessary.

Understands everyday conversation and normal classroom discussions without difficulty.

Fluency Speech is so halting and fragmentary as to make conversation virtually impossible.

Usually hesitant; often forced into silence by language limitations.

Speech in everyday conversation and classroom discussion is frequently disrupted by the student’s search for the correct manner of expression.

Speech in everyday conversation and classroom discussions is generally fluent, with occasional lapses while the student searches for the correct manner of expression.

Speech in everyday conversation and classroom discussions is fluent and effortless approximating that of a native speaker.

Vocabulary Vocabulary limitations so extreme as to make conversation virtually impossible.

Misuse of words and very limited vocabulary make comprehension quite difficult.

Frequently uses the wrong words; conversation somewhat limited because of inadequate vocabulary.

Occasionally uses inappropriate terms and/or must rephrase ideas because of lexical inadequacies.

Use of vocabulary and idioms approximates that of a native speaker.

Pronunciation Pronunciation problems so severe as to make speech virtually impossible.

Very hard to understand because of pronunciation problems. Must frequently repeat in order to make himself or herself understood.

Pronunciation problems necessitate concentration on the part of the listener and occasionally lead to misunderstanding.

Always intelligible, though one is conscious of a definite accent and occasional inappropriate patterns.

Pronunciation and intonation approximates that of a native speaker.

Grammar Errors in grammar and word order so severe as to make speech virtually unintelligible.

Grammar and word order errors make comprehension difficult. Must often rephrase and/or restrict himself/herself to basic patterns.

Makes frequent errors of grammar and word order, which occasionally obscure meaning.

Occasionally makes grammatical and/or word-order errors which do not obscure meaning.

Grammatical usage and word order approximates that of a native speaker.

X

X

Raquel

X

X

X

X X

X

X

X

8 Spanish = 3.2 English = 2

IDEA!!!

¨  Monitor growth over time (see handout, Oral Language Summary Profile Using SOLOM)

¨  You may use the SOLOM and compare/contrast to CELA outcomes

¨  You may use the SOLOM to learn more about children’s bilingualism - CELA only assesses English