Administering the Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs ® Emily Evans, Center for Applied Linguistics January 2007 New Jersey Department of Education Developed

Administering the Kindergarten ACCESSfor ELLs®

Emily Evans, Center for Applied LinguisticsJanuary 2007New Jersey Department of Education

Developed by the Center for Applied Linguistics

2Administering the Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs®

Training GoalsTraining Goals

To understand the organization of the ACCESS for ELLs® Kindergarten test

To learn how to administer and reliably score the ACCESS for ELLs® Kindergarten Test


Workshop OutlineWorkshop Outline

Kindergarten Test Design and Materials

Kindergarten Test Administration Listening Speaking Reading Writing


Test Design and Administration


Features of the Kindergarten TestFeatures of the Kindergarten Test

All components are individually administered in order to stop a test component when child reaches his/her ceiling

All components are scored by the Test Administrator (TA) during test administration

Administration averages 30 minutes total per student for all components

Responses for Listening, Speaking, and Reading components are recorded by the TA

Student writes his/her Writing test response(s) directly in the Student Response Booklet


Testing Materials Testing Materials

The Kindergarten Picture Cue Booklet contains: The pictures and response options presented to the student

during the Listening, Speaking and Reading tests The Test Administrator Script for the Writing test

Kindergarten Student Response Booklet and Teacher Script contains: Test Administrator Script & Student Response Record for the

Listening test Test Administrator Script & Student Response Record for the

Speaking test Test Administrator Script & Student Response Record for the

Reading test Student Response Record (completed by student) for the

Writing test


General Test Administration ProceduresGeneral Test Administration Procedures

Student responses must be recorded and scored as they are given

If the student responds, “I don’t know,” complete the column marked N/A

You should administer and score all items in any one Part of a section of the test before making a determination about whether to continue or to stop that section and move on to the next one

While the test is designed to take an average of 30 minutes per student, kindergartners may need a couple of breaks during the test administration


In general, accommodations for students with disabilities are allowable, as outlined in the IEP

Accommodations must not invalidate the test construct (e.g., TA reads items on the Reading test to the student)

See Accommodations section of the general ACCESS for ELLs® Test Administration Manual for a list of allowable accommodations

AccommodationsAccommodations


Test SequenceTest Sequence

The Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs® test is administered in the following sequence:

1. Listening2. Speaking3. Reading4. Writing


Preparing for Test AdministrationPreparing for Test Administration

Familiarize yourself with the Test Administrator Scripts for each portion of the Kindergarten Test prior to administering the test

You will need 2 sharpened pencils: one for you and one for the student

Testing should occur in a quiet room

Use a rectangular or circular table at which to test the student

Place yourself at a right angle to the student, rather than across from or right next to the student


Kindergarten Listening Test


Format: Multiple choice (individually administered)

Scoring: Machine scored (by MetriTech)

Follow the Test Administration Script exactly, including pauses.

Keep the test going at a steady pace

If the students shows excessive hesitation in responding, mark as N/A and move on to the next item or test, as appropriate

Do NOT read a listening item more than one time

For any item on the Listening Test, you may, if necessary, remind the student to “Point to the picture that shows what I said” one time

Kindergarten Listening Test: Administration InformationKindergarten Listening Test: Administration Information


Listening Test: Practice ItemListening Test: Practice Item

Script: The boy and girl play with the ball, and then they ride their bikes.

Find the pictures that shows this in the right order. PAUSE.


Listening Test: Recording AnswersListening Test: Recording Answers

Mark as N/A if the student does not respond.

Fill in the number correct in each Part and then determine if you should continue testing.


Kindergarten Speaking Test


Individually administered to students in an interview format, like the other components

Arranged with progressively more demanding questions

Designed to take up to 10 minutes per student

Rated according to the expectations defined in the Speaking Test Scoring Rubric (Summary Chart of Task Level Expectations) as responses are given

Kindergarten Speaking Test: Administration Information (1)Kindergarten Speaking Test: Administration Information (1)


Speaking test consists of three scripted sections:1. A warm-up in which the test administrator puts the student at

ease2. The test questions 3. A wind-down in which the test administrator leaves the student

with a positive impression of his or her performance on the test

Test questions are grouped into thematic folders (identified as “Parts” within the test)

Each thematic folder includes a set of tasks and each task contains a set of questions.

Each task is aimed at eliciting speech at one particular proficiency level

Kindergarten Speaking Test: Administration Information (2)Kindergarten Speaking Test: Administration Information (2)


Kindergarten Speaking Test: Structure (1)Kindergarten Speaking Test: Structure (1)

Part Standard(s) Task 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4 Task 5

A Social and Instructional Language

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 (none) (none)

B Language Arts and Social Studies

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5


Kindergarten Speaking Test: Structure (2)Kindergarten Speaking Test: Structure (2)

A

B


Navigating the Kindergarten Speaking TestNavigating the Kindergarten Speaking Test

T1

T2

T3

If score on level is ?, Meets, or Exceeds, go to next level task.

Part A

T1

T2

T3

T4

T5

If score on level is Approaches or No Response, go to Task 1 of Part B.

If score on level is ?, Meets, or Exceeds, go to next level task.

If score on level is Approaches or No Response, discontinue the Speaking Test.

END

Part B


Sample Speaking Test PartSample Speaking Test Part

What the student sees in the Picture

Cue Booklet:

What the TA reads and records in the Response Booklet and

Teacher Script:


Speaking Test ScriptSpeaking Test Script

The TA reads aloud all bold text in the script. Text in regular font (not bold) includes staging and

navigation instructions to the TA. These instructions are not read aloud.

Questions introduced by “if necessary” are available to you if you need more evidence from the child to determine your rating

Sample of Script


Task Level ExpectationsTask Level Expectations

Every task and question asked the student is based on a set of expectations for what the response will look like. The TA rates each task holistically, considering the response to all questions in the task.

Areas of speech around which scoring expectations are based: Linguistic Complexity

Expectations of the quantity and organization of the student’s verbal response

Vocabulary Usage Expectations of the student’s use of appropriate vocabulary for

grade level and proficiency level; refers to language quality Language Control

Expectations of the student’s control of English grammar, word choice in context, and the English sound system; refers to language quality


The Scoring ScaleThe Scoring Scale

Speaking Test Scoring Scale

Exceeds Exceeds task level expectations in quantity and/or quality

Meets Meets all task level expectations in quantity and quality

ApproachesApproaches task level expectations, but falls short in quantity and/or quality

No ResponseNo response; response incomprehensible; student unable to understand directions

Detailed instructions on how to interpret the scoring scale are contained in the ACCESS for ELL(s) District and School Test Administration Manual and in the PowerPoint module titled Administering the ACCESS for ELLs® Speaking Test

“Meets” is highlighted on the scale to emphasize that Meets is the expected score. Tasks are designed to elicit speech that will meet (rather than exceed) all expectations of the proficiency level it targets.


Scoring Rules (1)Scoring Rules (1)

A rating of Meets or Exceeds receives a point value of 1. There are no extra points awarded a score of Exceeds. The Exceeds rating indicates a strong expectation that the

student will be able to respond with at least a Meets rating to the following task in the test. Demonstrating language quantity or quality expected at a higher level than the current task on the rubric warrants a score of Exceeds.

A rating of Approaches or No Response receives a point value of 0. The 0 point value reflects the fact that the student did not

respond, responded with “I don’t know” or in the native language, or fell short of meeting any of the Task Level Expectations.


Due to the adaptive nature of the test, the TA must make a rating immediately after the student responds to the last question in a task. If unsure whether to score a response Meets or Approaches, the

? (question mark) box can be marked. Then administer the next task; if the response to the next task scores Meets or Exceeds, go back and rate the previous task (the one with ? marked) Meets. If the response to that next task scores Approaches or No Response, go back and rate the previous task Approaches. It is not necessary to erase the mark in the ? box, but ultimately a rating must be assigned to that task.

The rating represents the student’s performance on the complete task, not on individual questions in the task.

Scoring Rules (2)Scoring Rules (2)


Kindergarten Reading Test


Kindergarten Reading Test: Administration InformationKindergarten Reading Test: Administration Information

Format: Multiple choice (individually administered)

Scoring: Machine scored (by MetriTech)

Follow the Test Administration Script exactly


Reading Test: Practice ItemReading Test: Practice Item

Teacher Script:What the student sees in the Picture

Cue Booklet:


Kindergarten Writing Test


The Kindergarten Writing Test is an adaptive, constructed-response test (individually administered).

While administering the Writing Test, it is necessary only to determine whether a student qualifies to advance to the next task.

Scoring and recording for each task should be completed after the student has finished the entire Writing Test.

Kindergarten Writing Test: Administration InformationKindergarten Writing Test: Administration Information


More Information on Kindergarten WritingMore Information on Kindergarten Writing

Please see the stand-alone Scoring the ACCESS for ELLs® Kindergarten Writing Test PowerPoint for more Writing test details and scoring practice.

For more information, please contact the WIDA Hotline:1-866-276-7735 or www.wida.us/helpform

World Class Instructional Design and Assessment, www.wida.us

Center for Applied Linguistics, www.cal.org

Metritech, Inc., www.metritech.com

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Administering the Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs ® Emily Evans, Center for Applied Linguistics January 2007 New Jersey Department of Education Developed