Testing

English Proficiency

Vince: Good morning, Mr. Diaz. I'm ready for the test on water cycles.

Mr. Diaz: Great. But the test was yesterday. Where were you?

Vince: Oh. Well, I had to go to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned.

Mr. Diaz: Your teeth must really be clean. That's the third time this semester, isn't it?

The imaginary conversation between Vince and Mr. Diaz could help Oregon teachers determine the English language proficiency of middle school students who are not native English speakers. Part of a listening exercise, the dialogue with follow-up questions is one of 3,000 examples that are being considered as possible test items for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Gary Nave, director of the assessment unit at the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, is working with a team of educators and officials from the Oregon Department of Education to define language proficiency and identify the best ways to measure it. This summer, 50 teachers gathered in Salem to generate potential test questions that are grouped into four main categories: listening, reading, speaking, and writing. Each of those domains will be included in tests that will span five grade levels based on cognitive development, stretching from elementary through high school.

Nave and others are creating initial drafts of the tests, which will be further refined and then pilot tested in spring 2005. NWREL will be responsible for training teachers in administering and grading the tests, which will be implemented in the 2006–2007 school year.

"The main reason we're doing this is accountability as called for in No Child Left Behind," Nave explains. "We'll be able to monitor how ELL students are moving through the various proficiency levels, from the beginning stages to basic communication and on to complex communication. There's also a great benefit to teachers as we create a common definition of language proficiency that will translate into instruction and curricular materials."