NEW YORK STATE ENGLISH AS A

SECOND LANGUAGE TEST

    (NYSESLAT)

 

 

 

GRADES K-1

 

 

 

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 Test Questions:  8

 

Task Types for Students: 

 

 

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 that are very familiar to young students.

 

 

 

SCORING THE WRITING EXERCISES

 

The K-1 Writing exercises are scored holistically using a 0-2 point rating system.

 

 

Task Type 1: Single Dictated Words

 

 

Characteristics of Students Responses

2

 

The student has spelled the dictated word correctly.

1

 

The student’s response shows phonetic awareness, but the dictated word is spelled incorrectly.  (For example, the student writes “bok” or “buk” for the dictated word “book.”)

0

There is no response, or the response shows extremely limited phonetic awareness.  (For example, the student only writes “b” for the dictated word “boy.”)

 

Task Type 2: Short Dictated Sentences

 

 

 

Characteristics of Students Responses

2

 

The response shows control of the conventions of written English, such as capitalization, word spacing, and punctuation.  The response may display a small number of spelling errors that do not interfere with communication.

1

 

The response shows some attempt to use conventions of written English, such as capitalization, word spacing, punctuation, and spelling.

0

There is no response, or the response is not comprehensible as written English.

 

 

 

 

Task Type 3: Picture Description

 

 

 

Characteristics of Students Responses

2

 

The response describes most of the activity in the picture.  The response may display some spelling errors or invented spellings, but these misspellings show phonetic awareness, and the words can be identified by a trained primary-level teacher.  The response shows some control of the conventions of written English (capitalization, word spacing, punctuation), but may not be written in complete sentences.

1

 

The response describes at least some of the activities in the picture.  The response displays many spelling errors or invented spellings that may not be identifiable as words.  The response shows some limited phonetic awareness, and some attempt to use conventions of written English (capitalization, word spacing, punctuation).

0

There is no response, or the response is not comprehensible as written English.

 

SPEAKING

 

Number of Test Questions:  5

 

Task Types for Students:

 

·          Describe and comment on a picture that shows children’ feelings

·          Make a comparison/contrast

·          Express an opinion or explain a personal preference

·          Respond to a question that asks what if…

·          Describe and comment on how something works or what you would do with something

 

 

 

SCORING THE SPEAKING TASKS

 

 

 

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

 

 

SCORING GUIDE FOR K-1 SPEAKING

 

 

Score Point

Characteristics of Student Responses

2

The response is appropriate and basically grammatically correct, with generally appropriate word choices for the grade level.

 

Minor errors may occur, but they are infrequent and they do not interfere with comprehension.

 

1

The response displays noticeable errors in grammar or word choice, but the response is understandable.

 

0

There is no response, or the response cannot be understood as English.

 

 

READING

 

Number of Questions:  25

 

Task Types for Students:

 

o       Identify letters (4 questions)

o       Identify common words (7-8 questions)

o       Recognize initial, ending, medial word sounds (3-4 questions)

o       Recognize sight words (3 questions)

o       Answer reading comprehension questions based on brief passages
(7 questions)

 

Passage Types for Reading Comprehension Include:

 

o             Nonfiction passages in everyday or academic language

o             Stories or excerpts from fiction and/or poems

 

Question Types for Reading Comprehension Include:

 

o             Main idea

o             Facts or details

o             Sequence of events or stages in a process

o             Literary elements such as plot, character, or setting

 

Notes on the tasks:

 

1.      For discrete questions, teachers administer the test to their students, instructing them, for example, to “Make a circle around the word . . .”

2.      For short passages, teachers direct students to read the passages silently and then ask them questions concerning the passages.  Students circle the answers in their test books.  Most reading passages are 1-3 simple sentences in length; the longest passage may have up to six sentences.  The content is familiar to young students.

LISTENING

 

This assessment is designed to measure how well a student can understand spoken English.

 

Number of Test Questions:  24

 

Task Types for Students:

 

o       Identify common things and activities in context  (3-5 questions)

o       Identify shapes, spatial relationships, and location  (4-6 questions)

o       Recognize simple concepts, categories, and comparisons and contrasts 
(6-9 questions)

o       Answer comprehension questions about stories and poems  (8-9 questions)

 

Listening Comprehension Passage Types Include:

 

o       Brief stories and poems

    

Listening Comprehension Question Types Include:

 

o       Main idea

o       Facts or details

 

 

Notes on the tasks:

 

Teachers administer the test orally to students.  Students circle the answers in their test books.

 
 
 
 
 
 
PART II

 

 

 

 

 

 
ALIGNMENT OF LEARNING STANDARDS AND TASK & QUESTION TYPES
 
Alignment of Learning Standards and Specifications
Grades K-1

 

New York ESL

Learning Standards

Task/Item Types

Standard 1:

English for information and understanding.

 

Writing – single dictated words, short dictated sentences, picture description

 

  Speaking – Describe and comment on a picture that shows children’ feelings, make comparison/contrast, describe and comment on how something works

 

Reading – identify letters, identify common words, recognize initial, medial word sounds, recognize sight words, answer reading comprehension questions based on nonfiction passages (facts or details, sequence of events)

 

Listening – identify words for common things and activities, shapes, spatial relations, and prepositions of location, recognize concepts, categories, and comparisons and contrasts

Standard 2:

English for literary response, enjoyment, and expression.

 

Reading – answer reading comprehension questions based on fiction passages (literary elements such as plot, character, or setting)

 

Listening – answer listening comprehension questions based on brief stories and poems

Standard 3:

English for critical analysis and evaluation. 

Speaking – Express an opinion or explain a personal preference

 

Reading/Listening – main idea, inference, prediction

Standard 4:

English for classroom and social interaction.

Speaking – Express an opinion or explain a personal preference, respond to a question that asks what if…

Standard 5:

English for cross-cultural knowledge and understanding.

This standard is not tested explicitly, but as appropriate, is embedded in the stimuli and prompts.

 

WRITING

 

ALIGNMENT OF TASK TYPES WITH

THE NEW YORK STATE ESL LEARNING STANDARDS

 

 

 

Task Types

NYS Learning Standards for English as a Second Language

 

 

Single Dictated Words

 

Standard 1, Performance Indicator 11

·         “…[Use] some elements of the ‘writing process’ such as …writing letters, words, and simple sentences.”

 

Short Dictated Sentences

Standard 1, Performance Indicators 11, 12

·         “…[Use] some elements of the ‘writing process’ such as . . . writing letters, words, and simple sentences.”

·         “Become familiar with some conventions of American English …[including] grammar, . . . spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.”

 

Picture Description

Standard 1, Performance Indicators 5, 10, 11, 12

·         “…[R]espond to questions to obtain and provide information and meaning.”

·         “Demonstrate a basic understanding of facts.”

·         “Express and develop ideas and understanding using some elements of the ‘writing process’ such as …writing letters, words, and simple sentences.”

·         “Become familiar with some conventions of American English …[including] grammar, . . . spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.”

 

SPEAKING

 

ALIGNMENT OF TASK TYPES WITH

THE NEW YORK STATE ESL LEARNING STANDARDS

Task Types

NYS Learning Standards for English as a Second Language

ALL

Standard 1, Performance Indicators, 5, 8, 12, 15

  • “Formulate, ask, and respond to questions to obtain and provide information and meaning.”
  • “Present ideas clearly in oral, graphic, or written form.”
  • “Become familiar with some conventions of American English. Such conventions include grammar, pronunciation, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.”
  • “Apply self-monitoring and self-correcting strategies for language production…”

Standard 4, Performance Indicators 3, 5, 6, 12

  • “Request and provide information and assistance, orally…, for personal, social, and academic purposes.”
  • “Explain actions, choices, and decisions in social and classroom situations.”
  • “Understand and use some basic oral communication strategies in American English. Such strategies include indicating lack of understanding, restating or asking for restatement, requesting clarification, and asking how to say something new.”
  • “Apply self-monitoring and self-correcting strategies in social and classroom interactions. Such strategies include asking questions, starting over, rephrasing, and exploring alternative ways of saying things.”

Make a comparison/

contrast

Standard 1, Performance Indicators 4,7

  • “Compare, contrast, and categorize to gain a deeper understanding of information and objects.”

Describe and comment on a picture that shows children’s feelings

Standard 1, Performance Indicator 10

  • “Demonstrate a basic understanding of facts.”

Express an opinion or explain a personal preference

Standard 3, Performance Indicator 6

  • “Speak persuasively and clearly with attention to appropriate grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.”

Standard 4, Performance Indicators 2, 5

·          “Describe, read about, participate in, or recommend a favorite activity, book, song, or other interest to various audiences. Such audiences include peer, class, teacher, and other adults.”

·          “Explain actions, choices, and decisions in social and classroom situations.”

 

Respond to a question that asks what if…

Standard 4, Performance Indicator 5

·         “Explain actions, choices, and decisions in social and classroom situations.”

Describe and comment on how something works

Standard 1, Performance Indicator 10

  • “Demonstrate a basic understanding of facts.”

 
READING

 

ALIGNMENT OF TASK TYPES WITH

THE NEW YORK STATE ESL LEARNING STANDARDS

 

Task Types

NYS Learning Standards for English as a Second Language

 

Letter Recognition

Standard 1, Performance Indicator 1

·         "[U]se basic reading . . . strategies [including] . . . recognizing sight words . . . and . . . understanding letter-sound relationships."

Word Recognition

Sight Words

Questions Based on Short Reading Passages

Standard 1, Performance Indicators 1, 4, 5

  • "[U]se basic reading . . . strategies to make text comprehensible and meaningful.  Such strategies include predicting; previewing; reviewing; recognizing sight words . . . using context clues, cognates, and an understanding of letter-sound relationships."
  • "Compare, contrast, and categorize to gain a deeper understanding of information and objects."
  • "[R]espond to questions to obtain and provide information and meaning."

LISTENING

 

ALIGNMENT OF TASK TYPES WITH

THE NEW YORK STATE ESL LEARNING STANDARDS

 

Task Type

NYS Learning Standards for English as a Second Language

Identify Words for Common
Things and Activities

 

Standard 1, Performance Indicators 1, 4

·          "[U]se basic . . . listening strategies . . . [including] listening selectively; listening for a specific purpose; listening for main ideas and details."

·          "Compare, contrast, and categorize . . .”

Identify Shapes, Spatial Relations, and Prepositions of Location

 

Standard 1, Performance Indicators 1, 3, 4

·          "[U]se basic . . . listening strategies . . . [including] listening selectively; listening for a specific purpose; listening for main ideas and details."

·          "Select information appropriate to the purpose of the [task]."

·          "Compare, contrast, and categorize . . .”

Recognize Concepts, Categories, and
Comparisons and Contrasts

 

Standard 1, Performance Indicator 1, 3, 4

·          "[U]se basic . . . listening strategies . . . [including] listening selectively; listening for a specific purpose; listening for main ideas and details."

·          "Select information appropriate to the purpose of the [task]."

·