Before Slep English Test

8/12/2019 Before Slep English Test

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Educational Testing Service(ETS) is a sponsor of the SLEPtest and administers it within the Test of English as a ForeignLanguage program, which is under the direction of a policy board that was established by, and is affiliated with, the College

Boardand the Graduate Record ExaminationsBoard.

Copyright 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved.

ETS, the ETS logos, LISTENING. LEARNING. LEADING., Graduate Record Examinations, SLEP, and TOEFL are registered

trademarks of Educational Testing Service. College Board is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board.

Educational Testing Service is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

The SLEPTest Manualhas been prepared for guidance counselors, English-as-a-second-

language teachers, department chairs, evaluation specialists, foreign student advisors,

admissions officers, and others responsible for interpreting SLEP scores. In addition to

providing information about score interpretation, the Manual describes the test program and

includes instructions for administering the test.

Note: This manual is to be used with Forms 4, 5, and 6 only.

SLEP and TOEFL

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is generally taken by nonnative

speakers of English who wish to study at colleges and universities in the United States or

Canada, whereas the SLEP test is designed to assess the English proficiency of nonnative

speakers at the secondary school level around the world. The SLEP test is not a substitute

for the TOEFL test;it contains different types of questions and has a lower difficulty level.

Although a relationship may exist between performance on the SLEP test and the TOEFL

test, the two are not equivalent measures to be used interchangeably, nor should performance

on the SLEP test be used to predict performance on the TOEFL test.

Your questions, comments, and/or suggestions will be mostwelcome. Please contact us by

Mail: Educational Testing Service

SLEP Inquiries

PO Box 6156

Princeton, NJ 08541-6156, USA

Phone: 609-771-7206

Fax: 609-771-7835

E-mail: [email protected] site: www.ets.org/slep

Business hours are 8:30 AM4:30 PM, MondayFriday, New York time


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Table of Contents

OVERVIEW OF THE SLEP PROGRAM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Purpose and Use of the Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

GENERAL INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Administering the SLEP Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Ordering Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Materials Provided by the SLEP Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

SAMPLE QUESTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Section 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Section 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

ADMINISTERING THE TEST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Test Security. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Receipt of Test Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Assistants to the Person Administering the Test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Testing Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Seating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Equipment Needed for the Test Administration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Equipment Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Testing Individuals With Disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Instructions for Administering the SLEP Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

If You Are Giving The Test In Two Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

SCORING THE ANSWER SHEETS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

INTERPRETING SLEP SCORES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Scaled Scores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Percentile Ranks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Score Conversion Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Percentile Ranks Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

ADDITIONAL FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN USING SLEP SCORES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Confidentiality of Scores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Local Validation Studies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29


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Overview of the Secondary Level English Proficiency (SLEP) Program

The Secondary Level English Proficiency (SLEP) test

measures English language ability in two primary areas:

understanding spoken English and understanding written

English. It is designed for use with students entering grades

seven through twelve or community colleges whose native

language is one other than English.

The SLEP test is available to secondary schools and

community colleges worldwide for on-campus testing. This

program enables schools to purchase the test, administer it to

their own applicants and students, score the answer sheets,

and interpret the scores.

Currently, three equivalent versions of the SLEP test are

available for use when it is advisable to use a different edition

of the test for testing the same group of students more than

once.

Purpose and Use of the TestA basic assumption underlying the SLEP test is that language

ability is a critical factor in determining the degree to which

secondary students can benefit from instruction; to succeed,

they must be able to understand what is being said (by both

teachers and fellow students) and to understand both formal

and informal material written in English.

The SLEP test is not an aptitude test or a measure of

academic achievement, nor can it provide information about

the various social and psychological factors that must be

considered along with language ability in making admis-

sions and placement decisions. However, the results of

the test can be very helpful in evaluating ESL teaching

programs and making placement decisions related to thefollowing:

assignment to ESL classes

placement in a mainstream English-medium

program

exemption from a bilingual program

evaluation of students English proficiency upon

completion of ESL programs

Because institutions can administer the test when they

choose and have the results available immediately, the

test can be used to help make these decisions at any time

of the year.

The SLEP program encourages use of the test scores

by an institution or organization if such use will assist it in

making valid decisions, in terms of its own requirements,

concerning English language proficiency. However, the

institution or organization should determine whether the

SLEP test is appropriate, with respect to both the language

skills it measures and its level of difficulty, and must establish

its own levels of acceptable performance on the test.

SLEP score users are invited to consult with SLEP

program staff about their current or intended uses of the

test results.

DescriptionThe SLEP test is norm referenced. Users can therefore

compare student results with those of other students in similar

situations. Interpretive data provided in this manual and

in the technical supplement permit comparisons between

students with similar characteristics such as age, grade,

language background, and exposure to English.

The multiple-choice format was chosen primarily to

ensure reliability of results through standardization of

administrations and to eliminate reliance on the subjective

judgments of raters.

The SLEP test was developed by staff at Educational

Testing Service with the advice and assistance of a committee

of examiners composed of secondary school ESL teachers

with extensive experience teaching English to adolescent

students. The first task in designing the test was to select

the overall specifications and types of questions to be used.Of the many types considered, eight were chosen.

The test is divided into two sections, each containing

four types of questions. For the first section, the four types

of questions all use recorded samples of spoken English

to test listening comprehension and do not rely heavily

on written material. The four question types in the second

section, Reading Comprehension, are based on written or

visual materials. Section 2 includes written questions based

on a cartoon, written questions based on line drawings,

three multiple-choice cloze passages, and a literary passage

followed by questions on its content. This section also

measures vocabulary and grammar.

The choice of material for the SLEP test was based onan analysis of actual materials designed for use in American

classrooms (grades 712). In the case of some questions,

particularly the conversations used in the Listening

Comprehension section, every effort was made to use

situations representative of those encountered by students

in American secondary schools. Thus, some questions are

based on conversations that take place in various parts of

a school and deal with events that occur in each location.

Conversations may also deal with extracurricular activities

and academic subjects.

Test questions in both sections of the SLEP test are

based on information presented in or easily inferred from

the questions or from the associated passages or pictures.

Knowledge of specific subject matter is not tested, and there

are no questions that rely on literary knowledge, literary

analysis, or linguistic terminology.

Prior to final assembly of the test, all questions were

extensively pretested in pilot administrations. Only those

questions meeting rigid requirements for levels of difficulty

and discrimination power were accepted for use in final

editions of the test. For additional information about the

content validity and development of SLEP, see Stansfield

(1984).


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Technical DataThe reliability of each form of SLEP has been estimated

using an internal-consistency measure of reliability,

Cronbachs coefficient alpha. Reliabilities and standard

errors of measurement (SEM) for each section of the test,

Administering the SLEP TestThe SLEP test can be administered in its entirety or in two

separate sessions, to individuals or to groups. The time

required for the entire test is approximately 85 minutes (just

under 40 minutes for Section 1 and 45 minutes for Section

2). This includes time for students to answer the practice

questions that are provided for every question type. For both

sections of the test, the students use a test book and mark

their answers on a separate answer sheet.

Detailed instructions for administering the SLEP test are

on pages 19-22.

Ordering InformationEach order for SLEP testing materials must be submitted

on a SLEP order form and sent to the address on the form.

It must be received at ETS at least three weeks before the

requested delivery date.

To ensure prompt and accurate filling and delivery of

orders, all information requested on the order form must be

provided. An incomplete or unsigned order form will not be

processed and will be returned to the sender.

Materials Provided by the SLEP Program

The SLEP test is scored by the administering institution,which retains the test materials; ETS does not offer a

scoring service. A basic test material package is available for

Form 4, Form 5, and Form 6. Each package contains 20 test

books, 100 two-ply answer sheets, 1 SLEP Test Manualwith

instructions for administering the test and interpreting the

results, and 1 CD recording of the Listening Comprehension

questions (institutions must provide their own CD

players). Each of the items in the basic package can also be

ordered separately.

The answer sheets included in the basic test materials

package are printed in two-ply sets. The first ply provides the

four-choice answer response ovals to be used by the exam-

inees to mark their answer choices. The second ply contains

only the ovals for the correct responses. The two copies

allow for multiple records of an examinees performance;

for example, one copy of the answer sheet may be kept by

the teacher, and one in the students permanent records.

After administering the test, the teacher removes the

first ply of the answer sheet set. The answer indicated by an

examinee on the first ply automatically registers on the

second ply. Thus, the teacher can simply count the numberof marks that coincide with the preprinted correct response

pattern to determine the examinees raw score.

All SLEP testing materials are copyrighted by Educational

Testing Service and may not be reproduced in any way

without the written consent of ETS.

Important Note:The SLEP test is designed primarily for

use by accredited secondary educational institutions. Under

certain circumstances, however, the SLEP office will approve

purchase and use of the testing materials by post-secondary

institutions, training agencies, educational consultants, and

others engaged in legitimate testing activities. ETS reserves

the right to accept or reject orders for SLEP testing materials

in whole or in part.

Form

4

5

6

Section One

Listening Comprehension

Reliability SEM

.94 1.5

.93 1.6

.94 1.5

Section Two

Reading Comprehension

Reliability SEM

.88 1.8

.91 1.4

.90 1.6

Total Test

Reliability SEM

.95 2.3

.95 2.1

.96 2.2

General Information

as well as the total test, are provided below. For a further

discussion of these and other statistical characteristics of

the SLEP forms, please refer to the technical supplement,

available upon request from the SLEP office.


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Section 1

The first section of the SLEP test measures ability to understand spoken English and is about 40 minutes long. It is divided

into four parts, with four different types of questions.

Part A

For the first type of question, the student must match one of four recorded sentences with a picture in the test book. The

sentences are spoken only once and are not printed in the test book. This part contains items dealing with correct recognition

of minimal-pair contrasts, juncture, stress, sound clusters, tense, prepositions, and vocabulary.

Sample Questions

Note:Pictures are for illustrative purposes

only. Actual pictures in the test book are larger

than the samples in this manual.

1. On CD:

Look at the picture marked number 1.

On CD:

(A) The boy is typing on the keyboard.

(B) No one is looking at the computer.

(C) One of the girls is pointing to the screen.

(D) Theyre putting a computer into a box.

2. On CD:


On CD:

(A) They are taking off their sandals.

(B) They are putting hats in a box.

(C) They are dancing in a circle.

(D) They are standing against the wall.

3. On CD:


On CD:

(A) Shes looking out of the car window.

(B) Shes driving on the highway.

(C) Shes opening the car door.

(D) Shes rolling up the window.

Sample Questions

1

3

2


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4. On CD:


On CD:

(A) The flowers are growing outside.

(B) The table has been cleared off.

(C) Someone has eaten all the cake.

(D) The table is filled with cakes and pies.

Part B

These questions approximate the type of dictation exercises used frequently in English language classes: the student must

match a sentence printed in the test book with a sentence heard on the CD. The questions focus on the relationship between

structure and meaning.

Sample Questions

1. On CD:

The taller plants keep growing all summer long.

In the test book:

(A) By the summer those plants will be much taller.

(B) Those tall plants should be cut back when its warm.

(C) Once its cold the plants wont grow any taller.

(D) The taller plants keep growing all summer long.

2. On CD:

Is it too warm to wear a coat?

In the test book:

(A) Arent you going to bring your coat?

(B) Why didnt I bring my coat?

(C) Doesnt that coat look warm?

(D) Is it too warm to wear a coat?

3. On CD:

Jorge cant come over because he has a piano lesson.

In the test book:

(A) Jorge cant come over because he has a piano lesson.(B) Jorge comes over less often since he started playing the piano.

(C) Jorge played the piano when he came over.

(D) Jorges piano lesson is over, but hes still not coming over.

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4. On CD:

Many people had already left the beach before the storm.

In the test book:

(A) Few people were on the beach during the storm.

(B) The storm did a lot of damage along the beach.

(C) Many people had already left the beach before the storm.

(D) Most people did not think there would be a storm.

5. On CD:

You should have allowed more time to finish that book.

In the test book:

(A) You will have to read that book soon.

(B) You ought to finish that book on time.

(C) You should have allowed more time to finish that book.

(D) You could ask someone if they saw that book.

Part C

The questions in this part are based on conversations between students or announcements made by teachers or adminis-

trators in a school. The questions are given before the talks begin, allowing students to direct their attention to listening

for the correct answer. The questions and answers are printed in the test book. For each question, students must choose

one of four answers.

Sample Questions

1. On CD:

(Narrator) Listen for the answer to the following question. What did the girl think the homework assignment was

for math class? Here is the conversation.

(Boy) Did you figure out the answer to problem number ten in the math homework? (Girl) Number ten? I thought we were only supposed to do the first eight problems.

(Boy) Thats what the teacher said at the beginning of class, but right before the bell rang she changed the

assignment to the first twelve problems.

(Narrator) What did the girl think the homework assignment was for math class?

In the test book:

What did the girl think the homework assignment was for math class?

(A) Only problem number 10

(B) Problem numbers 1 through 8

(C) Problem numbers 1 through 10

(D) Problem numbers 1 through 12


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2. On CD:

(Narrator) Listen for the answer to the following question. Which bus will not be running this afternoon? Here is

the announcement.

(Man) Please excuse this interruption. There has been a change in the school bus routes this afternoon. The

number five bus has a flat tire, so all students who normally take the number five bus will take the

number two bus today. All those students who are changingfromthe number five bus must report to the

office sometime during periods four, five, or six to sign a change-of-bus-route form so that the bus

driver will know how many students will be on the bus.

(Narrator) Which bus will not be running this afternoon?

In the test book:

Which bus will not be running this afternoon?

(A) Number 2

(B) Number 3

(C) Number 5

(D) Number 6

3. On CD:

(Narrator) Listen for the answer to the following question. Where is Lindas new job? Here is the conversation.

(Boy) Hey, Linda, I hear you got a job at the music store in the mall. Sounds like fun. (Girl) Actually, I was offered a job at the music store. I accepted a job as a teller at the bank.

(Boy) Well, that makes sense. Youre planning to study finance in college, right?

(Girl) Exactly. I thought it would be better to work at a place now that would prepare me for what I want to

do in the future.

(Narrator) Where is Lindas new job?

In the test book:

Where is Lindas new job?

(A) At a music store

(B) At a restaurant

(C) At a college

(D) At a bank


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Part D

The questions in this part are based on conversations recorded by American high school students that represent typical

secondary school situations. The conversations take place in various parts of a school and deal with events that typically

occur in each location. For each recorded question, the student must choose one of four answers printed in the test book.

Sample Questions

1. On CD:

(Sam) Hi, Luisa.

(Luisa) Oh, Sam. Hi. I missed you this morning in history class. Where were you?

(Sam) Thats what I wanted to talk to you about. You see, my homeroom teacher had to pack up a bunch of

science materials from our unit on electricity, so she asked me to stick around and help her.

(Narrator) Why did Sam miss history class?

In the test book:

(A) He was sick.

(B) He missed the bus.

(C) He was helping a teacher.

(D) He was doing a science experiment.

2. On CD:

(Luisa) Did Mr. Jackson say it was okay to miss his class?

(Sam) Yeahmy homeroom teacher called him and asked if he minded. He said it was okay with him if it

was okay with me.

(Luisa) Well, all we did was take notes about the Industrial Revolution.

(Sam) I know. Thats why I was looking for you. I wanted to see if I could look over your notes tonight. I can

bring them back tomorrow.

(Narrator) Why was Sam looking for Luisa?

In the test book:

(A) To give her a note.

(B) To return her science book.

(C) To ask to borrow her notes.

(D) To see if Mr. Jackson was upset.

3. On CD:

(Luisa) Oh, sure. Thats not a problem. I have my notebook right here in my ... uh oh.

(Sam) Whats wrong?

(Luisa) Well, I thought my notebook was in my backpack, but I must have left it in

Mr. Jacksons room. Id better go get it.

(Sam) Ill go with you.

(Narrator) Where are Sam and Luisa going?

In the test book:

(A) To the lunchroom.

(B) To the history teachers room.

(C) To the library.

(D) To Luisas locker.


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Section 2

The second section of the test measures ability to understand written English and is 40 minutes long. The questions cover

grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. There are four parts to Section 2.

Part A

For each question in this part, the student must match the reaction of one of four characters in a cartoon witha printed sentence.

Sample Questions

1. The beach is a perfect place for a relaxing vacation.

2. Ill finally have a chance to finish painting the garage.

3. Im looking forward to catching up on my reading.

4. I hope we stay at a campground where I can go horseback riding.

5. I cant wait to try out that new ride at the amusement park.


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Part B

For the questions in this part, the student must match a printed sentence with one of four drawings. The particular focus

of this item type is the use of prepositions, pronouns, adverbs, and numbers.

Sample Questions

1. One bird is sitting in a tree but two arent.

2. The bigger circle is in the lower left corner.

3. She is reaching up to get a box off the shelf.

4. They headed for shelter when it started to rain.

A B C D

A B C D

A B C D

A B C D


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Part C

This part of Section 2 contains two types of questions. In one, the student must complete passages by selecting the

appropriate words or phrases from a set of four choices printed at intervals in the passage.

Sample Passage and Questions

1. Most animals in the desert do not take in water from open sources

like lakes or rivers. Some of these animals may never even come upon any type of open

2. water, they have adopted other ways to obtain it. Some desert-dwelling

3. toads, for example, can take in from dew-soaked soil directly through

4. skin. Another way some desert animals deal with a lack of water is to

5. drink possible when they find water in large quantities. For

6. instance, after drinking all they can hold, some camels can for

more than two weeks in the desert without any more water.

In the second type of question, students must answer questions about the passage above for which they supplied themissing words or phrases.

Sample Questions

7. What is the main topic of the passage?

(A) Plants that live in the desert

(B) Types of desert camels

(C) How to make fresh water

(D) Surviving with little water

(A) so

(B) despite

(C) which

(D) why

(A) live

(B) they live

(C) are living

(D) that live

(A) its

(B) their

(C) his

(D) ones

(A) to survive

(B) have survived

(C) surviving

(D) survive

(A) sand

(B) water

(C) heat

(D) food

(A) as much as

(B) as many as(C) too much

(D) so much that


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8. The word adopted in line 2 is closest in meaning to

(A) attracted

(B) developed

(C) lost

(D) asked about

9. What helps camels survive in the desert?

(A) They drink a lot of water at one time when they find it.(B) They rest for two weeks before trips in the desert.

(C) They travel early in the morning, when they can soak up water from dew.

(D) The people who travel with camels pack large amounts of water.

Part D

In this part of Section 2, the student must read a short passage and answer questions about it.

Sample Passage and Questions

We stopped to buy gas and to stretch our legs. We had left home early that morning and driven for what seemed like

years. Now it was noon and the sun overhead was oppressive. The baby was crying. I wondered if we would ever

reach our grandmothers house. Father bought us bottles of something cool to drink. As we sat sipping our drinks

beneath a shady tree, he began to tell us a story.

1. What time did the family stop?

(A) In the morning

(B) At noon

(C) In the afternoon

(D) At night

2. Where was the family going?

(A) To the gas station

(B) To visit their grandmother

(C) Home from the store

(D) Back from the park

3. What was the weather like?

(A) Cold

(B) Rainy

(C) Windy

(D) Hot

4. Why does the writer mention years (line 2)?

(A) The family has been driving for a long time.

(B) The father tells his story slowly.

(C) The grandmother is very old.

(D) The writer does not remember what happened.

5. When did the father tell the story?

(A) As he was walking

(B) After he bought the drinks

(C) Before the family sat down

(D) When the family returned to the car


16/3216

Answer Key for Sample Questions on Pages 7-15

Section 1 Part A Part B Part C Part D

1. C 1. D 1. B 1. C

2. D 2. D 2. C 2. C

3. A 3. A 3. D 3. B

4. D 4. C

5. C

Section 2 Part A Part B Part C Part D

1. B 1. B 1. D 1. B

2. C 2. C 2. A 2. B

3. B 3. A 3. B 3. D

4. D 4. D 4. B 4. A

5. A 5. A 5. B

6. D

7. D 8. B

9. A


17/3217

Please read this section carefully before the actual test

administration. It explains the planning and arrangements

needed for an administration of the SLEP test and provides

the directions that are to be read aloud to the students. It is,

therefore, essential that the person administering the SLEPtest, and any assistants, become familiar with the procedures,

information, and instructions given in this manual before the

day of the test. It is important that the proctors follow the

instructions precisely to ensure the comparability of scores

across test administrations.

Test SecurityStudents to be tested should not have an opportunity to

examine a test book before they take the SLEP test. Only

authorized personnel should have access to the testing

materials, which should be kept in locked storage when not

in use. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to maintain

the security of the test materials at all times, even after

the test has been administered. Each part of the SLEP test

contains sample questions. The sample questions in this

manual may also be used to acquaint students with the

format of the test.

Receipt of Test MaterialsWithin 24 hours of receiving the test shipment, check the

contents of each carton against the shipment notice. Notify

the SLEP program office immediately if any items are

missing. After all items in the shipment are checked, reseal

the carton with tape and lock the testing materials in a secure

storage area.

Assistants to the Person Administeringthe TestThe number of assistants needed will depend on the number

of students to be tested. There should always be at least one

assistant so that in the event of an emergency, the testing

room will not be left unattended.

Assistants should help the person administering the test

before, during, and after the test by:

checking to see that students have written their names

and other identification information correctly on theiranswer sheets

walking about the room frequently during the test

to guard against cheating and to ensure that every

student is working on the appropriate section

checking to see that the students are marking

their answers in the appropriate section of their

answer sheets

Assistants should pay attention to their duties at all times

and should not disturb the examinees by pausing too long

behind individual students or by talking during the test.

Testing RoomThe test may be administered in a classroom or

language laboratory. Test performance can be

affected by the psychological atmosphere of the testing

room. To contribute to an atmosphere conducive to maximum

performance, the room(s) used for testing should be

comfortable and free from distractions; the lighting, heat,

and ventilation should be satisfactory. Rooms with acoustical

problems should not be used for Section 1, Listening

Comprehension.

Writing surfaces are important. They should be large

enough to accommodate both a test book and an answer

sheet; no one should have to pick up or shift either one

because of lack of space. If lapboards must be used, they

should be large enough so students will not have to support

them by hand.

SeatingIn devising a seating plan for the administration

of the SLEP test, the following guidelines should be

considered:

All examinees should face the same direction, and

they should be seated so they cannot exchange

information or see their neighbors responses. All

chairs in a row must be directly behind those inthe preceding row. There should be at least 4 feet

(1.3 meters) between any two students.

The person administering the test and any assistants

must have unimpeded access to each person

being tested.

Left-handed students should be seated in a separate

row or in the last seat of each row of right-handed

students. If chairs with left-hand tablet arms are not

available, each left-handed student should be seated

with a vacant chair to his or her left.

On the day of the test, the students should be directed

to seats at random (alternating from side to side

or from front to back of the room) to avoid any

possibility of friends carrying out a pre-arranged

cheating scheme. Students should not be allowed to

select their own seats or to change seats after they

have been seated.

Administering the Test


18/3218

Sample seating plans are shown below.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

4' 4'

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

4' 4'X XXX

Plan IA: level seating Plan IB: level seating Plan II: elevated seating

4'

4'

Plan III: tables

More than 12'6' or less

SEATING PLANS: X = EXAMINEE

Equipment Needed for the TestAdministrationThe materials needed to administer the SLEP test include

those purchased from ETS and those supplied by the institu-

tion administering the test. The following checklists should

be used to ensure that everything needed is available.

Checklist Materials: Purchased from ETS SLEP Test Manual, with instructions for administer-

ing the test, scoring the answer sheets, and computing

scores

Test books

Answer sheets

CD for the Listening Comprehension section

Note: Check that the test books, answer sheets, and

CD are for the same form.

Checklist Materials Supplied by

Administering Institution

A reliable watch for timing Section 2

A clock (alarm clock-size or larger) in the event a

testing room does not have one. There should always

be at least two timepieces in each testing room as a

check against mistiming.

Playback equipment for the Listening Comprehension

section a CD player that reproduces sound with

minimum distortion

Loudspeakers to improve audibility, if necessary (i.e.,

if more than 15 are tested)

Several black, soft-lead pencils, erasers, and a pencil

sharpener

Equipment PreparationBecause a script for the Listening Comprehension section is

notprovided with the test materials, it is essential that the

playback equipment be in working order.

If the playback equipment works well but the actual test

recording is not satisfactory the first time it is used, print

defective on the label and return the CD to ETS with a

letter describing the defect. (Depending on when the defect

is discovered, you may have to postpone the administration.) It is usually helpful to use an external loudspeaker

that is, a separate speaker not built into the CD player.

An external loudspeaker should always be used if more than

15 students are to be tested. Most CD players are equipped

with an earphone jack. To connect the external speaker, plug

the speaker wire into the earphone jack on the CD player.

External speakers of radio and other stereo equipment can

usually be used for this purpose.

Testing Individuals With DisabilitiesThe SLEP program office recommends that alternative

methods of evaluating English language proficiency be

used for individuals who cannot take the SLEP test under

standard conditions. For example, in the case of hearing

impairment, the examinee may be able to take only the

reading comprehension section. Criteria such as past

academic record (especially if English has been the language

of instruction), recommendations from language teachers

or others familiar with the applicants English proficiency,

and/or a personal interview or evaluation are suggested in

lieu of SLEP scores.

If an institution receives a request to test individuals with

disabilities, the test administrators should ensure the student

is provided with reasonable accommodations.

Examples of reasonable accommodations include:

extended testing time (all tests are timed)

additional rest breaks

writer/recorder of answers

sign language interpreter (for spoken directions

only)


19/3219

Instructions for Administering theSLEP TestRead aloud to the students all directions printed in boxes,

pausing where four dots appear to allow time for the

procedure described to be carried out. You should read the

directions slowly, and you may repeat them if necessary. Do

not depart from these directions or answer any questions

about the content of the test, and do not translate from English

any instructions for the students. Scores of all students testedwill be comparable only if SLEP is administered under

standardized conditions. It is, therefore, essential that the

instructions and timing be strictly adhered to.

When everyone has been admitted and seated, say:

During the test you may have nothing on your

desk EXCEPT your test book, answer sheet,

and pencils. Place all other materials where they

cannot be seen. Try to answer every question in

the test, but do not be concerned if you cannotanswer all of them. If you are not sure of the

correct answer to a question, make the best

guess you can and go on to the next question.

If the complete test is given in one session, say:

There will be no rest break during the test.

If the test is given in two sessions, say:

There are two sections in this test. The Listening

Comprehension section will be given now; the

Reading Comprehension section will be given

________ (give instructions according to your

plan).

Continue the directions:

I am now going to give you the answer sheets.

These answer sheets are two-ply sets. DONOT separate the sheets; mark your answers

on the top sheet.

Distribute one answer sheet set to each student. When you

have finished and everyone is ready, say:

Does everyone have a pencil?. . . . (Give a pencil

to anyone who does not have one.)Use only your

pencil when you write on your answer sheet.

Be sure all your marks are heavy and you

completely fill in all the necessary ovals. If you

make a mistake, make an X through the oval

you wish to change and then completely fill in

the new answer oval.

Continue the directions:

Now, look at the box at the top of your

answer sheet and write your name on the line

provided. . . .

On the two lines under your name, writeyour age and your present class or grade

level. . . . Next, on the line labeled Native (First)

Language, write the name of your native

language. . . . On the next line, write todays date

(give the date). . . .

Now I am going to give you the test books.

When you get your test book, read the directions

on the back cover. Do NOT open your test book

until I tell you to do so, and do not write on it.

Give one test book to each student individually. When you

have finished, say:

After you have read the directions, look up at

me. . . .

When everyone is ready, say:

Look at the letters and numbers after the word

Form in the upper right corner of your test

book. Now, copy these letters and numbers onto

your answer sheet, on the line labeled Test

Book Form Number. (Show the group where to

find the form designation on the test book and where

to write it on the answer sheet.) Does everyone

understand what to do?. . . .


20/3220

After everyone has finished writing the form number, say:

Remember that you should have nothing on

your desk but your test book, answer sheet,

pencil, and erasers. You may not make notes in

your test book or on your answer sheet, and you

may not use note paper. Be sure that you markyour answers only in the proper places on your

answer sheet. If you find something wrong with

your test book during the test, or if you need

another pencil, raise your hand.

Each of the two sections in this test has a

different time limit. During the time allowed

for a section, you must work only on that

section. Even if you finish before time is called,

you must stay in your seat until everyone is

dismissed.

You may not ask any questions once the

test begins. Please raise your hand now if you

have any questions or do not understand. . . .

Answer any questions students may have about procedures,

then say:

The first section of the test is Listening Com-

prehension. All the directions for this section

are given on the recording you will hear in amoment. At the beginning of the recording,

each of the speakers will make an introductory

statement. If you cannot clearly hear these

statements, raise your hand immediately so I

can make adjustments. Once the test begins, I

cannot make any changes.

Find the answer spaces for Section 1 on your

answer sheet. Now open your test book to the

directions for Section 1 and read along as they

are read on the CD.

Start the recording. Make any necessary adjustments or

seating changes after the completion of the introductory

statements (which may be replayed if necessary). It is very

important that you make any necessary adjustments at this

time so all students can clearly hear the recording.

BEGIN THE TEST.

You (and/or your assistants) should walk around the room

as soon as the students begin working to be sure everyone is

working on the correct section and is marking the answers

in the appropriate area, and in the appropriate order, on the

answer sheet.

At the conclusion of Section 1, you will hear the speaker

say End of recording. Turn off the machine. If you are giving the test in two sessions, go to the

directions on the next page.

If you are giving the complete test in one session,

Section 2 should be started as soon as the recording for

Section 1 is completed. After you turn off the machine, say:

Stop work on Section 1. During the next 45

minutes you may work only on Section 2. Do

NOT work on Section 1. Turn to the directions

for Section 2 in your test book, read them, and

begin work.

After exactly 45 minutes, say:

Stop work. Close your test book and keep it

closed. Do not put your answer sheet inside

your test book.

Now look over your answer sheet carefully.

Be sure all the marks you made are dark and

completely fill the ovals. I am going to collect the test books first and

then the answer sheets. No one may leave the

room until all materials have been collected

and counted, and you may not talk until you are

dismissed.

Collect the test books and then the answer sheets; be sure

you have the correct number of each. As you collect the

answer sheets, check to be certain that each examinee has

completed the identification information at the top of the

answer sheet. When you can account for all materials,dismiss the students.


21/3221

IF YOU ARE GIVING THE TESTIN TWO SESSIONS:

Immediately after you turn off the machine, say:

Stop work on Section 1. Close your test book

and keep it closed. Do not put your answer

sheet inside your test book.



completely fill the ovals.

I am going to collect the test books first and


room until all materials have been collected,

and you may not talk until you are dismissed.

Collect the test books and then the answer sheets. As you col-

lect the answer sheets, check to be certain that each examineehas completed the identification information at the top of

the answer sheet. When you are sure you have the correct

number of test books and answer sheets, say:

Section 2 of the test, Reading Comprehension,

will be given ________ (give instructions according

to your plan). You may leave now.

SECTION 2, READING COMPREHENSION

Note: If students are to use a separate answer sheet for

Section 2, give them the new answer sheet after they have

been admitted and seated, and have them complete the

identification information at the top of the answer sheet.

Skip the next instruction and read the subsequent instructions

aloud.

If the students are to use the same answer sheet they

used for Section 1, after everyone has been admitted and

seated, say:

I am now going to give you your answer sheet.

When you get your answer sheet, check to

make certain it is the same one you used for

Section 1.

When you are certain that everyone has provided the

identification information at the top of his or her answer

sheet, say:

When you get your test book, read only the

directions on the back cover. DO NOT open the

test book, and do not write on it.

Hand one test book to each student individually. When you

have finished, say:

After you have read the directions, look up at

me. . . .

When everyone is ready, say:

Does everyone have a pencil? (Give a pencil to

anyone who does not have one.)Be sure to use

only your pencil to mark your answers to the

question, and make your marks heavy enough

so that you completely fill in the oval spaces.

Now remove from your desk everything but

your test book, answer sheet, and pencils. You

may not make notes in your test book, on your

answer sheet, or on note paper. Remember to

mark your answers only in the proper places on

your answer sheet. If you find something wrong

with your test book during the test, or if you need

another pencil, raise your hand.

You must work ONLY on Section 2. Do not

look at Section 1 during this part of the test.

Try to answer every question, but do not be

concerned if you cannot answer all of them.

If you are not sure of the correct answer to a

question, make the best guess you can and go

on to the next question. If you finish Section 2

before time is called, you must stay in your seat

until everyone is dismissed. You may not ask any

questions once the test has begun.

Please raise your hand now if you have any

questions or do not understand. Do not open the

test book yet. . . .


22/3222

Answer any questions students may have about procedures,

then say:

You will have 45 minutes to work on Section 2.

Find the answer spaces for Section 2 on your

answer sheet, open your test book to Section 2,

and begin work.

You (and/or your assistants) should walk around the room

as soon as the students begin working to be sure everyone is

working on the correct section and is marking the answers

in the appropriate area, and in the appropriate order, on the

answer sheet.

After exactly 45 minutes, say:

Stop work. Close your test book and keep it

closed. Do not put your answer sheet inside

your test book.



completely fill the ovals.

I am going to collect the test books first and


room until all materials have been collected

and counted, and you may not talk until you

are dismissed.

Collect the test books and then the answer sheets. As you

collect the answer sheets, check to be certain that each

examinee has completed the identification information

at the top of the answer sheet. When you are sure you have

the correct number of test books and answer sheets, dismissthe students.

Scores of all the students tested will be comparable only if

the SLEP test is given under the same conditions as those

followed in administrations of the test from which statistical

data were gathered. Before scoring the answer sheets, scan each one for

improper markings. Wherever a student has clearly indicated

more than one answer to a question, draw a horizontal line

through all answer spaces for that question with a colored

pencil. If a student has partially erased one choice and it is

clear that another choice is the intended answer, erase the

extra mark so it will not be scored.

The two-ply answer sheets for the SLEP test are designed

for hand scoring;they cannot be scored by machine.

Remove the top ply of the answer sheet set and count

the number of marks that coincide with the preprinted

correct responses. This is the number of correct answers the

examinee has chosen, and it is the examinees raw score.Any clear spot showing only the letter in the oval or a line

drawn through the oval is to be counted as a wrong or omitted

response. To check the raw score, be sure the number of

correct responses and the number of omitted and incorrect

responses equal the number of questions in the section.For each section, write the number of correct responses in

the appropriate box at the bottom of the answer sheet. Then,

using the conversion table for Form 4, Form 5, or Form 6

(pages 24-26), convert the raw score for each section to the

scaled score for that form. Write the scaled score for each

section in the appropriate box for the section. The scaled

scores for Section 1 and Section 2 should then be added to

obtain the scaled score for the total test.

The use of scaled scores allows direct comparisons to be

made among scores on all forms of the SLEP test, and thus,

in effect, adjusts for differences in difficulty that may exist

from form to form.

Scoring the Answer Sheets


23/3223

Interpreting SLEP Scores

Scaled ScoresScores for the SLEP test consist of a score for each section

and a score for the total test. In order to interpret the scores,

the raw scores (number of correct responses) for each section

of the test must be converted to scaled scores. Scores foreach form of SLEP are on the same common scale. SLEP

scaled scores are neither the number nor the percentage

of questions answered correctly. They provide a common

yardstick on which to evaluate how well a student performed

on that section of the test, regardless of the particular form

that was administered.

For all forms of SLEP, the minimum and maximum scaled

scores are the following:

Lowest Scaled

Score

Highest Scaled

Score

Listening

Comprehension 10 32

Reading

Comprehension10 35

Total 20 67

While it is possible for a student to achieve a scaled score of

10 for each section of the test, with a minimum total scaled score

of 20, the maximum possible scaled scores for the Listening and

Reading Comprehension sections are 32 and 35, respectively.

The maximum possible total scaled score is 67.

The score conversion tables on pages 24-26 should be used

to convert raw scores on different SLEP forms to the commonscale described above. The conversion tables were derived by

a statistical procedure known as equating. Because alternate

forms of the same test may differ slightly in difficulty, the

equating process adjusts the resulting scaled scores such that

no student is advantaged or disadvantaged by the particular

form of the test that was administered. It is important that

you use the appropriate conversion table for the form you

have administered in order to convert a students raw scores

correctly. For example, an examinee who receives a raw score

of 52 (52 correct answers) on the Listening Comprehension

section of Form 4 would receive a scaled score of 18 for this

section. The same Listening raw score on SLEP Form 5 equals

a scaled score of 21 for this section; on Form 6 it results ina scaled score of 19 for the section. Using the scaled scores

obtained by referring to the score conversion tables ensures

that the scaled scores on alternate forms of the test represent

comparable levels of language proficiency.

Percentile RanksComparing a students scores to the known minimum and

maximum possible scores provides limited information;

more appropriate comparisons can be made by referring

to percentile ranks. The percentile ranks for SLEP scores

shown on page 27 can be used to compare one students

performance with that of other students who have taken the

test. These percentile ranks are based on the performance

of 1,650 nonnative English speaking students enrolled in

U.S. public schools in grades seven through twelve during

February and March 2003. From this table it can be determined, for example, that

if a student obtains a scaled score of 27 on the Listening

Comprehension section, that student has performed better

than 80 percent of the students in the norm group. Similarly, if

the scaled score obtained by the student is 28 on the Reading

Comprehension section, the student has performed better than

92 percent of the students in the norm group. Finally, the total

score for this student is 55 (sum of 27 and 28) corresponding to

a percentile rank of 91, which can be interpreted as an overall

performance better than 91 percent of the norm group.

The scores for the SLEP test are not perfectly precise ability

indicators. An individuals scores can vary just by chance

from one test administration to another, even when there is nochange in the students true ability. The index that is commonly

used to describe the degree of precision in a measurement is

called the standard error of measurement. The standard error

of measurement for the SLEP total score is approximately two

scaled score points (see table on page 6). About two-thirds of the

obtained scores can be expected to fall between one standard

error below the true score and one standard error above the

true score. This means that if a students true ability score

(the score the student would earn if the test could measure his

or her ability with perfect precision) is, for example, 55, the

chances are two out of three that the students obtained score

will be between 53 and 57 (55 plus or minus 2).

Naturally, variation in scaled scores due to less than precise

measurement can also affect an examinees rank within a

distribution. The greatest variation in rank usually occurs with

scaled scores near the mean. Thus, a two-point change in a

scaled score near the mean may move an examinee as much

as 11 percent within the distribution, while the same two-point

change in a scaled score at either end of the distribution moves

the examinee only a few percentile ranks. The degree of change

in rank within a distribution depends on the spread of scores

within the distribution. Thus, local norms should be developed

whenever possible.

Although percentile ranks provide some additional

information that can aid in the interpretation of an examineesscore, more relevant comparisons are made with the scores of

examinees that have similar characteristics. Tables comparing

students by grade, gender, native language, length of residence

in the United States, duration of English study (both in the

United States and outside), and type of program enrollment can

be found in the technical supplement available on request. The

supplement also reports the results of a validity study comparing

teachers evaluations of students with their SLEP scores.

As such, there are no passing or failing scores for the SLEP

test. Each school should make its own decisions regarding the

use of SLEP scores to help in placing students or in deciding

the courses of study in which students should enroll.


24/3224

SECONDARY LEVEL ENGLISH PROFICIENCY TESTSCORE CONVERSION TABLE

Form 4

35 20

34 20

33 19

32 19

71 35 31 18

70 35 30 18

69 35 29 17

68 35 28 17

67 35 27 16

66 34 26 16

65 34 25 15

64 34 24 15

63 33 23 15

62 33 22 14

61 33 21 14

60 32 20 13

59 32 19 13

58 31 18 12

57 31 17 12

56 30 16 11

55 30 15 11

54 29 14 10

53 29 13 10

52 28 12 10

51 28 11 10

50 27 10 10

49 27 9 10

48 26 8 10

47 26 7 10

46 25 6 10

45 25 5 10

44 24 4 10

43 24 3 10

42 23 2 10

41 23 1 10

40 22 0 10

39 22

38 22

37 21

36 21

35 11

74 32 34 10

73 31 33 10

72 30 32 10

71 29 31 10

70 29 30 10

69 28 29 10

68 27 28 10

67 27 27 10

66 26 26 10

65 25 25 10

64 25 24 10

63 24 23 10

62 23 22 10

61 23 21 10

60 22 20 10

59 22 19 10

58 21 18 10

57 21 17 10

56 20 16 10

55 19 15 10

54 19 14 10

53 18 13 10

52 18 12 10

51 17 11 10

50 17 10 10

49 17 9 10

48 16 8 10

47 16 7 10

46 15 6 10

45 15 5 10

44 14 4 10

43 14 3 10

42 14 2 10

41 13 1 10

40 13 0 10

39 12

38 12

37 12

36 11

Listening Comprehension Reading Comprehension

Raw Scaled Raw Scaled Raw Scaled Raw Scaled Score Score Score Score Score Score Score Score


25/3225


Form 5

35 17

34 17

33 17

32 16

71 35 31 16

70 34 30 15

69 33 29 15

68 32 28 15

67 31 27 14

66 30 26 14

65 29 25 13

64 29 24 13

63 28 23 12

62 28 22 12

61 28 21 12

60 27 20 11

59 27 19 11

58 27 18 10

57 26 17 10

56 26 16 10

55 25 15 10

54 25 14 10

53 25 13 10

52 24 12 10

51 24 11 10

50 23 10 10

49 23 9 10

48 23 8 10

47 22 7 10

46 22 6 10

45 21 5 10

44 21 4 10

43 21 3 10

42 20 2 10

41 20 1 10

40 20 0 10

39 19

38 19

37 18

36 18

35 13

74 32 34 13

73 31 33 12

72 30 32 12

71 30 31 11

70 29 30 11

69 29 29 11

68 28 28 10

67 28 27 10

66 27 26 10

65 27 25 10

64 26 24 10

63 26 23 10

62 25 22 10

61 25 21 10

60 25 20 10

59 24 19 10

58 24 18 10

57 23 17 10

56 23 16 10

55 22 15 10

54 22 14 10

53 21 13 10

52 21 12 10

51 20 11 10

50 20 10 10

49 20 9 10

48 19 8 10

47 19 7 10

46 18 6 10

45 18 5 10

44 17 4 10

43 17 3 10

42 16 2 10

41 16 1 10

40 15 0 10

39 15

38 15

37 14

36 14




26/3226


Form 6

35 19

34 19

33 18

32 18

71 35 31 17

70 34 30 17

69 33 29 16

68 33 28 16

67 32 27 16

66 32 26 15

65 31 25 15

64 31 24 14

63 31 23 14

62 30 22 13

61 30 21 13

60 29 20 12

59 29 19 12

58 29 18 11

57 28 17 11

56 28 16 10

55 27 15 10

54 27 14 10

53 27 13 10

52 26 12 10

51 26 11 10

50 26 10 10

49 25 9 10

48 25 8 10

47 24 7 10

46 24 6 10

45 23 5 10

44 23 4 10

43 23 3 10

42 22 2 10

41 22 1 10

40 21 0 10

39 21

38 20

37 20

36 20

35 11

74 32 34 11

73 31 33 10

72 30 32 10

71 29 31 10

70 28 30 10

69 28 29 10

68 27 28 10

67 27 27 10

66 26 26 10

65 26 25 10

64 25 24 10

63 24 23 10

62 24 22 10

61 23 21 10

60 23 20 10

59 22 19 10

58 22 18 10

57 21 17 10

56 21 16 10

55 20 15 10

54 20 14 10

53 19 13 10

52 19 12 10

51 18 11 10

50 18 10 10

49 18 9 10

48 17 8 10

47 17 7 10

46 16 6 10

45 16 5 10

44 15 4 10

43 15 3 10

42 14 2 10

41 14 1 10

40 13 0 10

39 13

38 12

37 12

36 12




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PERCENTILE RANKS FOR SLEP SCORES(Based on the Performance of 1,650 Nonnative Students tested in Public Schools in the U.S. during

February and March 2003)

35 99+

34 99+

33 99+

32 99+

31 98

30 96

29 95 28 92

27 88

26 84

25 78

24 73

23 67

22 59

21 54

20 48

19 39

18 33

17 25

16 20

15 14

14 9

13 6

12 4

11 2

10

67 99+

66 99+

65 99+

64 99+

63 99+

62 99+

61 99+ 60 98

59 97

58 96

57 94

56 93

55 91

54 88

53 86

52 83

51 80

50 77

49 74

48 71

47 68

46 65

45 61

44 58

32 99+

31 99+

30 98

29 94

28 87

27 80

26 75 25 68

24 64

23 58

22 53

21 47

20 42

19 38

18 33

17 29

16 25

15 22

14 18

13 15

12 11

11 9

10

Listening Reading Total Test Comprehension Comprehension

% with % with % with % with Scaled Lower Scaled Lower Scaled Lower Scaled Lower

Score Score Score Score Score Score Score Score

43 56

42 52

41 49

40 46

39 43

38 40

37 36 36 33

35 30

34 27

33 25

32 23

31 20

30 18

29 16

28 13

27 11

26 10

25 8

24 6

23 4

22 3

21 2

20


28/3228

A school that uses SLEP scores should consider certain factors

in evaluating an individuals performance on SLEP and in

arriving at SLEP score requirements that are appropriate for

the institution. The following guidelines are presented to assist

schools in arriving at reasonable decisions.

Base the evaluation of a students readiness to

begin academic work on all available relevant

information, not solely on SLEP scores.

SLEP measures an individuals ability in several

areas of English language proficiency. The test is

not designed to provide information about scholastic

aptitude, motivation, language-learning aptitude,

and cultural adaptability. However, evidence of

an individuals ability on these variables may be

available and should be considered when determining

an appropriate educational placement.

Do not use rigid cut-off scores in evaluating a

students performance on SLEP.

Because test scores are not perfect measures of a

persons ability, the use of rigid cut-off scores should

be avoided. The standard error of measurement should

be understood and taken into consideration in making

decisions about an individuals test performance or

in establishing appropriate critical score ranges for

the schools academic demands.

Consider section scores as well as total scores.

The total score on SLEP is based on the scores on the

two sections of the test. While a number of students

may achieve the same total score, they may have

different section scores, which could be significant.

For example, a student with a low score on the

Listening Comprehension section, but a relatively

high score on the other section, may have greater

initial difficulty in lecture classes or in situations that

depend heavily on comprehension of spoken English.

Similarly, it may not be appropriate to place a student

with a low score on the Reading Comprehension

section in a course that requires a great deal ofunsupervised reading.

Consider the kinds and levels of English proficiency

required in different classes of study and the

resources available at the school for improving

the English language skills of nonnative speakers.

All subjects may not require the same level of lan-

guage proficiency in order for students to perform

acceptably.

Students in technical courses may be successful even

though their scores are lower than those obtained

by students entering courses requiring high verbal

proficiency. For instance, mathematics may require

a lesser degree of English language proficiency thansocial studies.

Consider SLEP scores in interpreting a students

performance on other standardized tests.

Students with limited English-speaking ability are

frequently required to take other standardized tests,

such as tests of reading skills, intelligence, and general

achievement. In such cases, SLEP scores may be

helpful in interpreting the scores obtained on other

tests. If an individuals SLEP scores are low and

the score on another test is also low, one can infer

that performance on the other test might have been

impaired because of deficiencies in English.

Confidentiality of ScoresScores obtained by persons taking the Secondary Level

English Proficiency Test should be released by the institution

administering the test only with the informed consent of the

individuals. Under federal privacy legislation, institutions

are obligated to maintain data about an individual, such as

test scores, on a secure basis and to limit access to such data

to authorized recipients. Each student should be informed

that certain faculty members and others directly concerned

with the students education may have access to thisinformation. Summary data or combined data for groups of

examinees should be released with discretion to appropriate

groups or agencies and only for the purpose intended.

Local Validation StudiesThe establishment of appropriate standards of language

proficiency for placement through the use of SLEP scores

can have a favorable effect on the success rate of nonnative

English-speaking students. However, such standards should

be supported by the collection of data based on the student

population in a particular district or at a particular institution.

This information may be useful in raising or lowering the

standard as necessary.

Institutions that use SLEP scores should collect informa-

tion on subsequent performance by students who are placed

in mainstream classrooms. Scores may be compared to a

variety of criterion measures, such as students ratings of

the adequacy of their language skills for study in English,

or classroom teachers ratings of the adequacy of students

language skills. Expectancy tables can be used to show the

distribution of performance on the criterion variables for

students with given SLEP scores. Thus, it may be possible

Additional Factors To Consider In Using SLEP Scores


29/3229

to depict the number or percentage of students at each SLEP

score level who attain a certain language proficiency rating

as assigned by teachers, or who rate themselves as not being

hampered by lack of English skills while pursuing a regular

program of study. When analyzing and presenting such data,

one should take into account the subject in which students

are enrolled.

Subscores may also be taken into consideration when

studying the validity of SLEP score standards. For coursesthat require much reading, the Reading Comprehension score

may be particularly important. Assessment of the relationship

of subscores to the criterion variables can further refine the

process of interpreting SLEP scores.

To be useful, data on subsequent performances has to be

collected for relatively large numbers of students over an

extended period of time. Districts or institutions that have

only a small number of nonnative English-speaking students

each year, or that have only recently begun to require SLEP

scores, may not find it feasible to conduct the recommended

studies. In such cases it may be helpful to seek information

and advice from those who have more extensive experience

with SLEP, to consult the normative data in this manual andthe technical supplement, or to refer to other studies about

the SLEP test. (See References below.)

References

Cowell, W. R. Applicability of a simplified three-parameterlogistic model for equating tests. Paper presented at the

annual meeting of the American Educational Research

Association, Los Angeles, April 1981.

This paper reports on a study comparing the effects of

three small sample equating models with the linear equating

model that was used to equate scores on different forms of

SLEP. The three small sample models investigated were a

three-parameter logistic model, a simplified item response

theory model, and a one-parameter Rasch model. Item data

were obtained from examinee responses to 16 SLEP pretest

forms administered in the fall of 1979 and from 2 operational

test forms administered in 1980 and 1981. The results indi-cate that differences among the small sample models were

minimal. Somewhat larger differences were found between

small sample and linear equating models for scores in the

lower half of the distribution for the Listening Comprehen-

sion section.

Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal

structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16,297-334.

DeAvila, E., and Duncan, S. The Language Assessment

Scales. San Rafael, CA: Linguametrics Group.

DeBoe, M. Secondary Level English Proficiency (SLEP)

Test. The ORTESOL Newsletter. 6(3), 1983, p. 14.

This review of SLEP focuses on the unusual language

tasks required by the test. It concludes that these tasks assess

functional understanding more directly than tests that use

written or oral passages and comprehension questions. It

suggests that SLEP be considered by junior colleges as well

as secondary schools.

DiFiore, J. V. Specifications for a listening-dictation item-type. University of Florida, unpublished masters thesis,

1980.

The author analyzed 56 SLEP multiple-choice dictation

items provided by ETS in order to determine the characteristics

of discriminating items. The items that functioned best had

distractors that resembled their keys in four areas: word

position, syntax, semantics, and phonology. Good distractors

used the same word as the key at the beginning and at

the end of the sentence. They also used parallel syntactic

constructions.

Ilyin, D. Performing it more naturally may make it easierand more accurate. Paper presented at the Fifth Annual

Language Testing Research Colloquium, Ottawa, March

1983.

The paper compares the SLEP and Comprehensive

English Language Test for Speakers of English as a Second

Language (CELT) Listening Comprehension sections in

terms of item type, content characteristics, student and

teacher reactions, and actual test results based on some 250

adult students. The author concludes that SLEP is a more

integrative test containing more natural language tasks, and

that it distinguishes better between different instructional

levels than the CELT.

Ilyin, D., Spurling, S., Carleton, P., and Seymour, S. Do

older adults do it differently? Paper presented at the

Seventeenth Annual TESOL Convention, Toronto, March

1983.

This paper examines the relationship between cloze

and other language proficiency tests and variation in this

relationship by age and high school graduation status.


30/3230

The SLEP and several other commercial tests were

administered to a group of 257 adult students. SLEP showed

the highest reliability of any of the measures. The results

suggest that among adult learners, age and formal education

influence the configuration of language proficiency.

Siegel, B. Using an exam as a means not an end in ESL.

Northern New England TESOL Newsletter, 3(1), 1983,

pp. 1-2.

This test review describes how SLEP can be used as a

teaching activity. The author concludes that SLEP is a useful

addition to the classroom far more useful than even the

test maker might realize.

Sloan, S. Lets look at SLEP. Secondary Schools SIG

Newsletter, 5(1), 1982, p. 5.

The reviewer describes SLEP and discusses appropriate

uses. The review concludes that SLEP is a useful measure of

listening and reading that, taken with other data, can help a

trained person in planning a language program. (This review

also appeared in CATESOL News, August 1982.)

Stansfield, C. Reliability and validity of the Secondary

Level English Proficiency test. System, 12(1), 1984.

This article describes the history of SLEP, the development

of the test specifications, and the performance of each

item type and the total test during an administration ofSLEP to students in several countries. Several innovative

formats are discussed, including multiple-choice cloze and

multiple-choice dictation. Also reported are the findings of

a validity study that involved the analysis of test scores and

demographic data for U.S. public school students.

Wilson, K. M. Uses of the Secondary Level Proficiency

(SLEP) Test: A Survey of Current Practice (TOEFL

Research Report No. 43). Princeton, NJ: Educational

Testing Service, 1993.

Provides information regarding testing practices and

purposes, characteristics of examinees, test users perceptionsof the principal strengths and limitations of the test and test

manual, and the extent and nature of local studies concerned

with validating the SLEP test.

References (continued)

Wilson, K. M., and Tillberg, R.An Assessment of Selected

Validity-Related Properties of a Shortened Version

of the Secondary Level English Proficiency Test and

Locally Developed Writing Tests in the LACCD Context.

Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service, 1994.

This is the report of a study undertaken to obtain empirical

evidence regarding aspects of the validity and usefulness for

ESL placement of (a) a shortened version of the SLEP Test,

being used for ESL placement by colleges in the Los Angeles

Community College District and (b) locally developed and

scored writing tests.

Wilson, K. M., and Graves, K. An Assessment of Validity-

Related Properties of the Secondary Level Engl ish

Proficiency Test and Measures of ESL Speaking and

Writing Abilities in the Temple University-Japan Context.Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service, 1995.

This study was concerned with analyzing inter-

relationships among measures of basic ESL macroskills,

namely, Listening Comprehension (LC) and Reading

Comprehension (RC) scores provided by the correspondingly

labeled sections of the SLEP test; ratings of ESL speaking

proficiency based on locally developed interview procedures;

and ratings of ESL writing proficiency based on locally

collected writing samples. The analyses were based on

data for some 1,600 native-Japanese speakers applying for

admission to Temple University-Japan, which offers an

English-medium program of academic instruction.


31/32


32/32

Documents

Before Slep English Test