Training in common assessment tools and resources took place across the province in 2000 through regional events hosted by literacy networks. Since that time, practitioners have been meeting in groups within the program itself and with other agencies to compare assessment results. As a new practitioner, it will be important to find out what types of common assessment tools are used by your program, how they are used and how reliable they are.
Initial Assessment
The initial assessment process must gather enough information about the
learner’s skills and knowledge to place him/her in the appropriate
LBS level. It also has to do it in a very sensitive way. Over-testing
or inappropriate testing can be threatening, discouraging and stressful
to new learners. LBS programs may use both formal (standardized) and informal
(teacher-developed) types of assessments. Some programs also use demonstrations.
Demonstrations used in initial assessment are usually quite narrow in
scope, i.e., they don’t take a lot of time to complete. They can,
however, provide a more rounded picture of how the learner applies knowledge
and skills to perform a realistic task. This is useful information to
collect up front as it has important implications for program planning.
One assessment tools suggested by several experienced practitioners was
CABS (Common Assessment of Basic Skills). You
can log on to the web site http://www.lleo.ca/cabs3/index.html
to find examples of demonstrations and how they can be used in initial
assessment. Another tool suggested is the Common Writing
Assessment (tool) by Norm Rowen (1997).
TASK:
Find out what is involved in the initial assessment of learners at your
program, e.g., who carries it out, where the assessment takes place, what
time limits (if any) are imposed, what subject areas are tested, what
kinds of initial assessment tools (formal, informal) are used, how the
results are interpreted, documented, and reported to the learner, and
how placement is determined. Most importantly, try the initial assessments
yourself!
notes:
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