ESOL Initial Assessment Pack

Procedures

Assessing reading in a one-to-one situation:

• Choose an appropriate level for the learner based on the speaking component.
• Ask the learner to read the texts and answer the questions using short answers.
• If a learner scores less than 50% on a text, ask them to complete the level below.
• If the score is approximately 80% or above, ask them to try the next level. Continue in this way until a pattern of marks gives an indication of the learner's level.
• Learners should be advised not to spend longer than five minutes per text or ten minutes for the higher-level text.

Assessing reading in a group situation:

Either
If you started with the writing assessment, you can choose an appropriate level of text based on the writing done by the learner.

Or

• Learners should start at the first reading level.
• Ask the learner to read the texts and answer the questions using short answers.
• Allow the learners to work through the levels to a point where they experience difficulties.
• Learners should be given no longer than twenty-five minutes to complete the task.
• Learners must write the start and finish time of the task on their paper.

Or

• Learners should self select which text they want to start with.
• Learners should be given fifteen minutes to complete as much of the assessment as possible from the text they choose to start with.
• Learners must write the start and finish time of the task on their paper.

Materials

• One copy of the reading assessment per learner.
• Pens for learners.
• Answer Key.

Assessment

• The levels indicated are entry points to learning at that level.
• A learner who does not complete the beginner task does not necessarily have a literacy difficulty. It may be that they simply have no English at all, although the literacy task should be completed to check this.
• In order to cope with an academic/vocational course in another subject, the learner needs to achieve the Entry Higher task with a minimum of 9 marks.
• For all other tasks the learner should achieve approximately 80% in order to progress to the next task.
• An answer key is provided but if you feel a learner has provided an alternative but equally suitable answer then accept the learner's answer.

Return to Contents