Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Benchmarks (CLB)
Assessments
Presented by
Elena Durette, Kerry Louw and Bonnie Nicholas
EDPY 593
March 3, 2008
L2 Assessment in Canada before
the CLBA
I have a student who
At our school, if just moved from
students know the past Ontario. He was in an
tense, we put them in intermediate class
an intermediate class. there, but here he’s a
high beginner.
What are the Canadian Language
Benchmarks (CLB)?
1991: Immigration Canada report to Parliament
1992: Consultation workshops
1993: National Working Group on Language
Benchmarks
1995: Draft CLB document field-tested
2000: CLB 2000 published
Ongoing: CLB are used for Language Instruction
for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) classes, Stage
I, Benchmarks 1 through 4
Stages II and III are used at higher levels
Schematic Structure of the
Canadian Language Benchmarks
12 benchmarks, divided into three proficiency stages
The benchmarks are . . .
a descriptive scale of communicative proficiency
a framework of reference
a national standard
competency-based
criterion-referenced
learner-centred
on a continuum
task-based
subjective
analytical
The competency-based approach
Focuses on ‘what’ learners should be able to do
Source: www.sait.ca
CLBA was designed to be:
Accountable to stakeholders
User-friendly (efficient, reliable, cost-effective)
CLB-compatible
Able to place learners on a continuum
Culturally accessible (not culture-free)
Sources: Norton Pierce, B. & Stewart, G. (1997). The Development of the Canadian Language Benchmarks
Assessment. TESL Canada Journal, 14, 2.
Norton, B. & Stewart, G. (1999). Accountability in Language Assessment of Adult Immigrants in
Canada. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 56, 2, 223-244
What is the CLBA?
“a task-based assessment instrument
assesses English proficiency from Benchmark 1 to
Benchmark 8
tests English Listening / Speaking through one-on-
one interview
tests Reading by means of passage and response to
short answer / multiple choice questions
tests Writing by means of authentic, life-applicable
tasks
The CLBA is recognized by language and adult
training providers cross Canada and has
attracted international interest.”
Source: http://www.tcet.com/clba/about.aspx
CLBA materials
Source: http://www.tcet.com/clba/uses.aspx?sel=q2&cat=services
Reliability and Validity Measures
Source: Norton Pierce, B. & Stewart, G. (1997). The Development of the Canadian Language Benchmarks
Assessment. TESL Canada Journal, 14, 2.
Assessing the CLB Assessment
Tools
CLBA takes up to 4 hours and measures what a
client can do
CLBPT takes less time and measures what a client
cannot do well¹
CLBPT is “not as reliable as the CLBA. It has not
been sufficiently validated.”²
CLBPT “is validated to be reliable within 1 benchmark
95% of the time” but “the study on the test is not a
public document”. ³
¹http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGLIsh/resources/evaluation/linc/findings.asp
²http://www.sait.ab.ca/pages/cometosait/internationalstudents/pdf/CLBA1107.pdf
³private correspondence with Jennifer McKay, Project Manager, Assessment, CCLB
CLB Assessor Qualifications
Knowledge of second language acquisition:
300 hours ESL teaching experience and
ongoing PD and
formal training or professional portfolio
Experience in adult ESL assessment
Cultural sensitivity
Interview skills
Decision-making skills
Proficiency in English
Source: http://www.language.ca/display_page.asp?page_id=271
CLB Assessor Training
CLBA certification requires 5 days of
“intensive instruction, skill application and
coaching” http://www.tcet.com/clba/training.aspx?sel=q2&cat=services
CLBLA (Literacy Assessment) requires CLBA
certification, and is an additional 1.5 days of
training.
CLBPT requires a one-day training
workshop.
Cost: $750 for a license and material for 1
assessor; $325 for each assessor
Summative Assessment Manual for
Teachers (SAM) at CLB 4
Measures student achievement only after exposure to
thematical and functional instruction
For ESL teachers with adult learners in publicly funded
programs (LINC and non-LINC)
Based on the CLB framework, standards and curricula
Piloted for reliability, validity and practicality
Easy to use and administer
Learner and context-sensitive
Photocopiable
p. 3
Key Concepts in SAM Assessment
Reliable: designed to produce consistent
results if all the teacher-assessors use the
scoring criteria on the same tasks in the same
way
Valid: designed to measure what it claims to
measure - the achievement of selected CLB
standards demonstrated through familiar
topics and discourse/text formats.
SAM’s Security Considerations
“Validity depends on the security of its formal
(standardized) assessment tools.”
All teachers must ensure the security.
“Care must be taken that the test is not compromised
by rote memorization.”
Not to be viewed by unauthorized people
Should be stored in designated locked units
Integrity rests on a firm commitment of teachers to
securely handling and disposing of task copies and to
safe record-keeping.
(BUT . . . if you have $100, you can purchase a copy
from the CCLB.)
Administering a formal SAM
5-task sequence
Task 1: Speak-Listen – Student/teacher
interview (7 – 8 minutes)
Task 2: Listen (15 minutes)
Task 3: Speak (2 – 3 minutes)
Task 4: Write (20 minutes)
Task 5: Read (20 minutes)
______________
65 minutes
You be the ESL test-taker:
.
You be the ESL assessor. . .
.
SAM Reporting
Language Competency Report: reports what
the learner can do at Benchmark level and is
issued at the student’s request for reference
purposes outside of ESL programs.
Formative assessment
- ongoing feedback about how learners are doing
- identifies what they need to work on
- assists teachers with planning activities
Summative assessment
- measures achievement of specific CLB outcomes
Assessment for Learning Principles
Clear outcomes and assessment criteria
‘How’ students learn along with ‘what’ they
learn is embedded in teaching
Emphasizes progress and achievement
Shared understanding of goals (CLB CanDO
posters explain expectations)
Constructive guidance on how to improve
Self-assessment leads to self-management
Effective Assessment Practices
Lead to Significant Improvements in Learning
The CLB summary checklists at each level help ESL learners mark
language-learning progress and articulate goals.
CLB Resources for the Teacher
The CLB framework helps teachers plan units of work that support
learners to develop their communicative language skills through
real world tasks and activities.