1

TABE Complete Language Assessment System – English™

Issues in Adult ESL

• Self Esteem

• Classroom Participation

• Learning styles (collaboration vs individual)

• Fear of advancing to the next level and failing

• Challenging the comfort level

Why TABE CLAS-E?

According to a report from the U.S. Dept of Education,

there are

► 1.3 million adult ESL students enrolled yearly

► Approximately 90 Million adults without a High School

diploma or equivalency

► An estimated 44% are non-Native English speaking

4

Test Creation is a complex process that began with an analysis of a number of ESL Standards

5

Overview of TABE CLAS-E

• Standardized assessment that provides teachers with a reliable, easy-to-use system that accurately identifies the instructional needs of their ESL students

• Aligned with the NRS English as a Second Language Educational Functioning Level Descriptors, Student Performance Levels, and several state standards: FL, TX, CA, NY, AZ, MD, MA

• Aligned with TESOL Standards, Common European Frameworks and Canadian Standards

• Scores from TABE CLAS-E are linked to TABE 9&10, designed to offer your students a successful transition into adult basic education

• Assesses English proficiency levels in Four Skill Areas: Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking Skills

Overview of TABE CLAS-E

• Levels: 4 (1,2,3,4)

• Forms: 2 (A and B)

• Four Skill Areas Tested:

–Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking

• Seamless transition to TABE 9&10

Testing with TABE CLAS-E

• Step 1: Locator Interview

• Step 2: Administer Locator test (Part 1 and 2)

• Step 3: Administer appropriate Level of CLAS-E

• Step 4: Score CLAS-E Level to find out ESL Proficiency

Level

• Step 5: Place student in appropriate ESL class

8

Levels

4 Content Levels

CLAS-E Level NRS Levels NRS Functioning

levels possible

Level 1 NRS 1 & 2 1, 2, 3, 3+

Level 2 NRS 2 & 3 1, 2, 3, 4, 4+

Level 3 NRS 3 & 4 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5+

Level 4 NRS 5 & 6 1*, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

*lowest obtainable score, recommend for re-test.

9

Overview of TABE CLAS-E

Content Area Total Items

Testing Time

(Minutes)

Reading 25 25

Listening 25 20

Writing 20 20

Expository Writing Folio 5 27

Total for group administration R, W, L 75 92

Total Items Testing Time

Speaking 16 15

10

TABE CLAS-E Content Areas

11

Testing with TABE CLAS-E

Locator Interview

• The purpose of the Locator Interview: determines

which examinees should be tested with Level 1 and

which examinees go on to take the full Locator test

• The Listening/Speaking skills and the Reading/Writing

skills of students are treated independently and

should be scored as such, and the recommendations

from the evaluation chart should be followed.

12

Testing with TABE CLAS-E

Locator Test, Part 1 and 2

Administer Locator Test, Part 1 (R/W)

• Examinees who have been placed at Level 1 for Reading and Writing

from the Locator Interview do not take the Locator Test, Part 1.

• Score in Part 2 determines which level of TABE CLAS-E examinees will

take for Reading and Writing

Administer Locator Test, Part 2 (L/S)

• Examinees who have been placed at Level 1 for Listening and Speaking

from the Locator Interview do not take the Locator Test, Part 1.

• Score in Part 2 determines which level of TABE CLAS-E examinees will

take for Listening and Speaking.

13

Reading

• Uses schedules, forms, flyers, store receipts,

advertisements, product instructions, and newsletters

• Lower literacy examinees answer discrete, picture-based

items

• Assessment objectives include quantitative literacy, read

words, and reading comprehension

15

Writing

• Selected-response items:

– Gauge knowledge of English language grammar and

mechanics

– Test quantitative literacy, usage and conventions, and

sentence formation and coherence

• Constructed response items:

– Measure application of grammar and mechanics in

expository writing

– Are scored with holistic rubrics to assess expository

writing ability

17

Listening

• Presents items in a spoken format of varying

lengths, from pairs to short passages

• Examinees are addressed in meaningful work,

community, and academic situations

• Quantitative literacy, listening comprehension,

and interpersonal skills are measured

• Lower level examinees are tested in discerning

beginning and ending sounds of words

19

Speaking

• Introduces an innovative multiple-criteria scoring rubric

– Measures grammar, meaning, and appropriateness

– Scale scores will be averaged for the composite Speaking

score

• Individually administered by a proctor (10 minutes)

• Uses picture-based stimuli

• Work and life skills

– Phone competency

– Expressing opinions and abilities

– Providing descriptions and instructions

• Includes critical thinking

21

Scoring Options

•Hand-scoring with stencil or answer key

•Hand-scoring with SCOREZE

•TestMate® TABE – scan answer sheet for

immediate reports

22

CLAS-E Reports-TestMate

• Student Individual Report

• Item Analysis Report

• Student Pre-Post Report

• Student Prescriptive Report (to McGraw-Hill All Star)

• Rank List Report

• Group List Report

• Assessment Summary Report

23

CLAS-E Score Types –With TestMate

• Number Correct (NC)

• Raw Score (RS)

• Scale Score (SS)

• Objective Mastery (OM)

• Standard Error of Measurement (SEM)

• National Reporting System (NRS) ED. Functional LV.

• Student Performance Level (SPL)

• Predicted TABE score

• Recommended Criteria for EXIT (RCE) from ESL Instruction

• Alternate Criteria for ESL EXIT (ACE)

24

Individual Diagnostic Profile

25

Individual Diagnostic Profile

26

Recording Reading and Writing Answers

Linking TABE CLAS-E and

TABE 9&10

• Goal: To establish a relationship between TABE CLAS-E and

TABE 9&10 and to provide a predicted scale score for ESL

students on the TABE 9&10 Level M Reading and Language

tests.

• The Study: 925 examinees in 22 locations across the country

were administered both TABE and CLAS-E.

• A univariate ordinary least-squares regression method was

used to estimate a linear relationship between CLAS-E and

TABE.

• Results: Include an estimated TABE Reading and Language

Scale Score and also a Standard Error Estimate Range.

Linking Study for TABE CLAS-E and TABE 9/10

• Exit vs Transition

• TABE CLAS-E Level 4 only

• Recommended Criterion – CTB recommends that a

student demonstrate proficiency in 3 of 4 sub-tests.

• Alternative Exit Criteria – Each Subtest has a higher exit

criteria when used individually.

• Validation Study included 200 teacher ratings for

participants in the Equating Study were analyzed and

reviewed by both CTB and external ESL experts

Exiting TABE CLAS-E

30

Teacher’s Resource Guide, Volume 1:

• Administration and Instructional Planning Resources

– Administration and instructional planning

– Items illustrating content

– Items classifications by objectives

– Key terms

Professional Development and Instructional Guidance

Teacher’s Resource Guide, Volume 2:

• Classroom Tasks and Lessons

Three basic themes:

80 Classroom Tasks (Community & Work related)

- 36 Community tasks - 32 Work tasks - 12 Education tasks

– Lesson Plans

– Teaching Tips

– Checklists

31

Professional Development and Instructional Guidance

32

Why is TABE Complete Language Assessment System-English Unique?

• TABE’s 45+ year reputation of high quality assessments

• Integration with leading instructional packages

• Excellent item development, research, and psychometric processes (reliability & validity)

• Complete assessment system with tests, score reports, and teacher guidance; easy to use

• Successful transition opportunity to adult basic education

• Complete assessment system with tests, score reports, and teacher guidance

TABE Updates for new Standards

• TABE Adaptive

– No Locator – No E,M,D,A – No 9/10

– No Out of Range Scores

– Under NRS review announcement expected by Summer

– Include field test items for ongoing research

– Reading, Math (Applied & Computation) and Language tests initially

– Adaptive engine will select test questions base on the student response on the previous question

– Shorter testing time but diagnostics similar to the Complete Battery

• TABE Online

– New FREE Formative tests being added in Summer 2014

► Aligned to new College and Career Readiness Standards

► Included new Technology Enabled items used in HSE tests

– Prescriptive Report similar to TestMate TABE being developed

– New interface for the main administrative website

33

TABE Next Version?

• Currently TABE 9/10 (paper and online)

– NRS approved through 2017

• New Version needs NRS and State approval

• Content alignment for TABE 11 & 12

– Common Core / College and Career Readiness

– OVAE/OCTAE Adult Ed Standards

– High School Equiv

• Levels and Forms - Development scope work to begin

– Higher level content above the current Level A???

– Paper forms for 11, 12 and maybe 13??

► New Forms (rolled out over time from a collection of unscored test items from TABE Adaptive and TABE Formative tests)

For More Information

Contact

– Mike Johnson,

TABE National Manager

(630) 789-4586

mike.johnson@ctb.com

Or visit

www.ctb.com/tabeclas-e

800-538-9547