Assessing literacy
This assessment is designed to place pre-literate learners in SQA ESOL Access 2 Introduction to Beginner Literacies 1 or 2.
Beginner Literacies 1 is for learners who are unfamiliar with the Roman script. They may have variable language skills in their first language, but will have little or no knowledge of writing and reading in English.
Beginner Literacies 2 is for those who have some knowledge of the Roman script but need to develop their use of it.
A learner who completes a Beginner Literacies 1 course should go on to complete Beginner Literacies 2. A learner who completes Beginner Literacies 2 should be able to continue learning English in a group for literate learners at the appropriate level.
Procedures
Materials
Timing
Organisation and assessment
When assessing literacy, you should sit with the learner in order to work through the tasks together.
If the learner clearly cannot complete the tasks do not continue the assessment and place them in Beginner Literacies 1.
1. Point to the first item and ask the learner what is your name? When the learner responds, point to the line and ask can you write it here? If the learner is unable to do this, you should write it on a separate piece of paper, asking him/her to help you with spelling. You then ask the learner to copy it for you. Do the same with the address and phone number.
2. Point to Letters and sounds. Ask the learner to look at the letters. Point to each letter and ask the learner to tell you which letter it is. Pause at the blank space and ask the learner to tell you which letter goes in the space. If the learner can do this, point to the space and ask can you write it here? Continue with the rest of the sequence.
When you have completed the sequence, point to each letter again, but this time make the sound of the letter. After a few examples, point to a letter and indicate for the learner to give you the sound of the letter.
Then check if the learner knows the sounds of the letters by asking the following question: What letter does this word begin with?- apple, paper, November, ball, go, hot, yellow, zoo, cat, jam, Monday. Ask the learner to point to the correct letter. You may want to use pictures of some of the words.
3. Point to Numbers. Point to each number and say it at the same time. Pause at the blank space and ask the learner to tell you which number goes in the space. If the learner can do this, point to the space and ask can you write it here? Continue with the rest of the sequence. Then point to each domino and ask what number is this? Finally, say three numbers and ask the learner to write each number that you say.
4. Point to Writing words and numbers:
Point to number 1: say 'write the name of your country here'.
Point to number 2: say 'write your date of birth here'.
Point to number 3: say 'write the name of the town or city you live in here'.
Point to number 4: and the clock. Say 'what time is it? Write the time here'.
If the learner cannot complete any, or only completes a few of these tasks, then s/he should be placed in Beginner Literacies 1.
If the learner manages to complete most of these tasks, continue with the next tasks.
5. Point to Signs and numbers:
Point to the first 6 boxes with the numbers. Ask the learner to read the numbers in each one and then ask 'what is this number?'.
Ask the learner to look at the signs. Ask the following questions:
'What sign tells you that you can buy stamps here?'
'What sign tells you that you can't park here?'
'What sign tells you how to open the door?'
'What sign tells you that you can go to the toilet here?'
'What sign tells you the shop is not open?'
'What sign tells you the way to the emergency exit?'
6. Point to the reading passage. Point to each word in turn and ask if the learner can read the word for you.
7. Ask the learner to copy the first line of the text.
If the learner struggles with this part of the assessment, s/he should be placed in Beginner Literacies 2. If the learner completes the tasks, an ESOL class/group should be appropriate. The learner's level should be assessed using the reading and writing assessment.
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