NEW YORK STATE ENGLISH AS A

SECOND LANGUAGE TEST

(NYSESLAT)

GRADES 9-12

TEST SPECIFICATIONS

WITH LINKS TO STANDARDS

Updated October 30, 2003

Prepared by Educational Testing Service

Copyright © 2003 Educational Testing Service.

Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

PART I

TEST SPECIFICATIONS

for

WRITING

SPEAKING

READING

LISTENING

WRITING

Number of Writing Tasks: 8

Task Types are:

• Prewriting for a story/essay
• Writing the story/essay
• Editing a piece of writing

Notes on the tasks:

1. (Except for the student’s name) dictated words are of one syllable.

2. Dictated sentences include a declarative descriptive sentence, a declarative sentence with a direct object, and a question.

3. The picture for question 8 shows activities familiar to young students.

SCORING THE WRITING EXERCISES

The 9-12 Writing exercises are scored holistically using a 0-1-2-3 point rating system for prewriting and editing and a 0-1-2-3-4 point rating system for writing a story/essay.

Task Type 1: Prewriting for a story/essay

Score	Characteristics of Students Responses
3	The student: completes the brainstorming chart according to the instructions writes in all organization boxes provides an appropriate rationale for the way he or she filled in the organization boxes
2	The student: completes the brainstorming chart according to the instructions writes in all organization boxes. attempts to give an appropriate rationale for the way he or she filled in the organization boxes, but the rationale may be incomplete or insufficiently described OR, the student: completes either the brainstorming chart or the organizational boxes according to the instructions gives an appropriate rationale for writing about the changes in a particular order
1	The student: writes something relevant to the topic in at least one of the boxes in the brainstorming chart writes in at least one of the organization boxes does not provide an appropriate rationale for writing about the changes in a particular order
0	There is no response, the response does not address the questions at all, or the information is irrelevant or incoherent.

Task Type 2: Writing the essay/story

Score	Characteristics of Students Responses
4	The student’s response: is completely and easily comprehensible; has an appropriate main idea or theme provides appropriate and specific details, examples and, if required, supporting evidence; and develops in a coherent and connected way contains language that flows in well-developed sentences, with some variety in sentence structure shows well-developed vocabulary resources (the student usually finds appropriate words to convey meaning) displays few errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation; errors do not interfere with communication
3	The student’s response: is comprehensible, though the reader may have to make an effort to understand it; has an identifiable main idea or purpose provides some appropriate details, examples and, if required, supporting evidence; and develops in a coherent and connected way is written entirely, or almost entirely, in complete sentences; displays some variety in sentence structure shows emerging vocabulary resources (the student often finds appropriate words to convey meaning) displays some errors in grammar (for example, in the use of articles and prepositions), spelling and punctuation, but these errors do not impede communication
2	The student’s response: is somewhat comprehensible but often requires a marked effort on the part of the reader to understand it; may lack a main idea often fails to provide appropriate details, examples, or evidence displays little or no variety in sentence structure; the writing may be choppy or abrupt shows basic vocabulary resources; errors in word choice sometimes interfere with communication displays frequent errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other conventions, and avoids more difficult structures; errors may interfere with communication
1	The student’s response: is often incomprehensible; has no main idea or clear purpose; and may not address every part of the question/prompt provides few, if any, details, examples, or evidence contains few, if any, complete sentences; the writing may seem inappropriate or incoherent shows a limited range of vocabulary, which interferes with communication shows little control of grammar and of the conventions of written English
^0	The student’s response is not recognizable as written English, does not address the question at all, or is completely irrelevant or incoherent.

Task Type 3: Editing a piece of writing

SCORE	Number of Errors the Student Corrects Properly
3	10 - 12
2	6 – 9
1	3 – 5
0	0 - 2

SPEAKING

Number of Test Questions: 5

Task Types for Students:

o Narrate a story based on a 4-picture sequence*

o Describe and interpret information in a chart or graph*

o Give directions based on a map

o Ask appropriate questions in school or social situations

o Provide information and assistance

o Explain actions, choices, and decisions

o Make an argument/speak persuasively

o Express an opinion or explain a personal preference

o Make a comparison/contrast

* Asterisked item types will appear in each form.

SCORING THE SPEAKING TASKS

The 9-12 Speaking tasks are scored holistically using a 0-1-2-3 point rating system. The administrator of the tasks scores each task after the student has finished speaking.

SCORING GUIDE FOR 9-12 SPEAKING

SPEAKING 3-2-1-0 SCALE

Score	Characteristics of Student Responses
3	The student’s response: is completely and easily comprehensible is coherent is fluent provides appropriate and specific details and/or examples shows well-developed vocabulary resources (the student can usually find the right word) may display grammatical mistakes (for example, in the use of articles or prepositions), but mistakes do not generally interfere with communication may display an accent, but errors of pronunciation and intonation do not interfere with communication
2	The student’s response: is comprehensible, but may require effort on the part of the listener develops in a somewhat coherent way is somewhat fluent provides some appropriate and specific details and/or examples displays a basic, but not wide or extensive vocabulary (the student sometimes cannot find the right word) grammatical errors sometimes interfere with comprehension may display errors in pronunciation and/or intonation that interfere with communication
1	The student’s response: is somewhat comprehensible presents limited ideas (the student has difficulty expressing a complete thought without prompting) is spoken haltingly (the student usually does not produce no more than one or two words at a time) provides few, if any, details or examples shows a very limited range of vocabulary, which interferes with communication (the student often cannot find the right word) makes numerous grammatical errors that interfere with communication shows little control of pronunciation, intonation, or stress
0	The student gives no response, gives a response that cannot be understood as English, or does not demonstrate an understanding of English.

READING

Number of Questions: 25

Task Types for Students:

o Reading comprehension passages with multiple-choice questions. Students mark their answers on a multiple-choice answer sheet.

o Passage Types

· Fiction/Literary (1-3 passages)

· Graphic (1-2 passages)

· Non-fiction (1-3 passages)

Note on Passage Types

· Among the nonfiction, fiction, and graphic passages, test item writers and test assemblers are encouraged to include passages that reflect cultural patterns and norms in the United States and /or the cultures and perspectives of immigrants to the United States.

o Question Types That Must Be Represented:

· Main Idea/Topic Summary

· Detail/Fact

· Vocabulary

· Sequence of Events/Process

· Inference/Prediction

· Reference/Antecedent

· Cause/Effect

· Interpretation

· Literary Elements such as Plot, Character, or Setting

Question Types That Will Also Be Represented, as Appropriate:

· Author’s Purpose

· Literary/Genre

· Fact versus Opinion

LISTENING

Number of Test Questions: 24

Stimulus material for the Listening test is presented on an audiotape. Students mark their answers on a multiple-choice answer sheet.

Stimulus Types:

· Picture Description (4-8 Questions)

· Informative/Academic (6-8 Questions)

· Literary Text (2-4 Questions)

· Social Interaction (8-12 Questions)

Question Types:

· Matching Statements with Pictures (At least 4 questions)

· Listening Selectively for a Specific Purpose (At least 3 questions)

· Listening for Main Ideas (At least 4 questions)

· Listening for Details (At least 6 questions)

· Making Inferences/Predictions (At least 3 questions)

Notes:

Stimulus material for the Listening test is presented on an audiotape. Students mark their answers on a multiple-choice answer sheet.

PART II

ALIGNMENT OF STANDARDS AND TASK & QUESTION TYPES
Alignment of Standards and Specifications

Grades 9-12

New York ESL Learning Standards	Task/Item Types
Standard 1: English for information and understanding.	Writing – Prewriting, writing the story/essay, editing Speaking – Narrate a story based on a picture sequence, describe and interpret information in a chart or graph, give directions based on a map, make a comparison/contrast Reading – Nonfiction passages in everyday or academic language, passages presenting information in a graphically organized form (including charts, graphs, maps, and calendars), inference, sequence of events or stages in a process, compare, contrast, categorize information, vocabulary Listening –Informative/academic, matching statements with pictures, listening selectively for a specific purpose, listening for main ideas, listening for details, making inferences/predictions
Standard 2: English for literary response, enjoyment, and expression.	Reading – Stories or excerpts from fiction and/or poems, literary elements, such as plot, character, setting, or theme, predictions or inferences based on literary works, interpretation of literary meaning, literary genres Listening – Literary text, listening for main ideas, listening for details, making inferences/predictions
Standard 3: English for critical analysis and evaluation.	Writing – Writing the story/essay Speaking – Make an argument/speak persuasively Reading – Main idea, facts or details, author’s purpose, understand syntax, referents, and antecedents Listening – Making inferences/predictions based on in spoken text
Standard 4: English for classroom and social interaction.	Speaking – Ask appropriate questions in school or social situations, provide information and assistance, explain actions, choices, and decisions, express an opinion or explain a personal preference Listening – Social interaction
Standard 5: English for cross-cultural knowledge and understanding.	Reading – Passages that reflect cultural patterns and norms in the United States and/or of the cultures and perspectives of immigrants to the United States Listening – Social interaction

WRITING

ALIGNMENT OF TASK TYPES WITH

THE NEW YORK STATE ESL LEARNING STANDARDS

Task Types

NYS Learning Standards for English as a Second Language