[Bestplus] RE: [Best plus] Language Complexity vs. Grammar

[Schwerdtfeger, Jane]

Hi, Kevin--
This seems more like a "1" score to me in language complexity, for the
reasons you give.  But I also think whatever score it gets in language
complexity, the score for communication is also affected by grammar in an
example like this.  The grammar makes it harder to follow, and you would
have to do some filling in to understand the response.  So whatever score it
gets in LC would be tempered by the communication score.  I'd give it a 1 in
LC and a 2 in Communication.

What do others think? 

Jane


-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin O'Connor [mailto:koconnor at framingham.k12.ma.us]
Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 12:29 PM
To: bestplus at lists.literacytent.org
Subject: [Bestplus] Language Complexity vs. Grammar


Hi All,

	I am wondering about something: testers who have worked with tests
that reflect a grammar-structured curriculum often wonder where grammar fits
in with the BEST Plus.  Of course, Language Complexity would be the most
likely area; it is not all about grammar, but grammar is involved when we
look for subordination, etc.

But there was a specific follow-up question that I wanted to double-check.
Suppose a learner gives an answer that is perhaps something like "he buy
food in the supermarket  He like to go to supermarket THROUGH his car, FOR
he can carry all the food back home".

This answer is:

1)- made up of several sentences
2)- uses a prepositional phrase 
3)- Attempts to use a subordinate clause ("For" instead of "because").

However, the phrase is badly worded- clearly it is an attempt to answer
using a preposition and a dependent clause (elements of a 3), but it is not
a "Well-formed sentence" (which scores a 2); 

Should this be given a 1 or a 2?  Do we weight the ATTEMPTED but flawed
complexity of the sentences or do we look mostly at what is grammatically
sound in the answer?

I thought that it should be a 1, because they are not "Well-formed
sentences" but I promised to ask the List.

Any thoughts?

Kevin O'Connor
Assessment Specialist
Framingham Adult ESL
508-626-4282

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