[Bestplus] scoring question

Fri Feb 4 12:37:35 EST 2005

Hello to everyone! It's nice to be back in contact with everyone!  It's
interesting - everyone must be doing their mid-year testing, because
there has been a flurry of questions here, and a couple to my office,
too!

I agree with Betty and Jane for Q.1

For Betty's 2nd point, I guess I'm a bit confused too. I only remember
ever having "Tell me about this picture" as the set-up for the picture.
The "Tell me something you do everyday" set-up is one of the 6 standard
questions before there is even a picture. Perhaps folks were confusing
the two, thinking the prompts were mixed up. But, even if that were so,
I would repeat the question (thereby automatically lowering LC to a 1)
and if the answer was still way off base, then zero it out. But if there
is a partial understanding of the setup question, I'd then score it
according to the other criteria (complexity and communication).

As for the last point, wow, this is quite touching and difficult. I
think giving the person the choice to reschedule is a good way to go.
I'm not sure the response would be different on a different
administration, but at least the person would have some time to
"distance" herself from the actual first time she heard it. Whew. Who
said adult ed isn't a powerful thing???

Regards, Janet

________________________________

From: bestplus-bounces at lists.literacytent.org
[mailto:bestplus-bounces at lists.literacytent.org] On Behalf Of Betty
Stone
Sent: Friday, February 04, 2005 11:27 AM
To: Schwerdtfeger, Jane; 'iris.broudy at SDH.state.ma.us';
Bestplus at lists.literacytent.org
Subject: RE: [Bestplus] scoring question

Hi-

I, too, thought all the pix just asked "Tell me about this picture."
However, a few of the testers seemed to recall (granted all the
questions were from recall/notes taken during our October testing round)
that there was some kind of set-up. If that's not true then the
questions and the answers are easier to deal with, no?  

Thanks, Betty :)

"Schwerdtfeger, Jane" <JaneS at doe.mass.edu> wrote:

	Hi, Betty--these are great questions too--I'll see what carol
has to say, also...

	I think your scoring of Question 1 makes sense to me.  I'm
confused on the 2nd question though--is it a picture they are responding
to? Don't they have to respond to "tell me about this picture?" then?
Are there other questions associated with the picture prompts?  I may be
misunderstanding your question.  I'm okay with the off script responses
if testers know to not go too far off and to only do it in situations
(pretty extreme, like the one you describe) like this.  Very sad, poor
woman.  Having to take a test sounds like adding insult to injury, so I
appreciated the fact you acknowledged how hard things must be.

	Thanks, Betty--

	Jane

		-----Original Message-----
		From: Betty Stone [mailto:bjstone13 at yahoo.com]
		Sent: Friday, February 04, 2005 10:56 AM
		To: Schwerdtfeger, Jane; 'iris.broudy at SDH.state.ma.us';
Bestplus at lists.literacytent.org
		Subject: RE: [Bestplus] scoring question

		Hi All,

		I'm so glad you brought up a question, Iris. I have one
too.

		And I'm glad I haven't lost my touch...I would have
"zeroed out" the answer in Spanish, because the student has to respond
in English. I do recall being able to gently prompt "in English?" to
probe whether the student is able.

		Here are a few questions:

		1.Tester: "How do you decide if you need to see the
doctor?"

		Student: "I just call and make an appointment."

		At our last calibration meeting, we discussed and came
to a score of 1-1-3 (or maybe 2 for comm. if there were difficulties)

		The tester who brought the question up was dealing with
how far/close was the response to the question. The group decided that
LC was partial (1), complexity was simple sentence (1).

		2. Tester: (shows picture of jogging/baby carriage)
"what do you do in your spare time?"

		Student: answers by describing the picture--not really
responding to the set-up. 

		Without the ability to "go off the script" and confirm
that the student does these things in her spare time, and is not just
talking about the picture, we don't really know if this is a LC 2 or a
0. What would you score?

		What do you all say? 

		Here's a poignant one for the anecdotal files:

		In response to "what do you do everyday?"

		Student sadly described in detail taking husband to
chemo treatments.

		We agreed that after that, it would be totally
appropriate to acknowledge the difficult situation, ask the student if
she were "OK", and also ask "Do you want to continue (the test?)" Some
kind of human transition seems imperative in such a situation.

		Any disagreement/problem with these "off script"
comments?

		Thanks, I love this list, and everyone who helps us all
be better at BEST Plus!

		Betty

		P.S. Could you all please change my email to
bstone at k12.somerville.ma.us

		We are being required to use our K12 accounts for work
purposes. Many thanks.

		"Schwerdtfeger, Jane" <JaneS at doe.mass.edu> wrote:

			Hi, Iris--I heard back from Carol Van Duzer--she
said score this type of
			question zero across the board. She also said
this will be covered in their
			revised manuals, that are due out soon, so it
sounds like others had
			questions about that kind of scoring issue also.
Thanks for asking--hope
			you're well--

			Jane

		Betty J. Stone
		ESOL Program Administrator
		SCALE - Somerville Center for Adult Learning Experiences
		167 Holland Street, Somerville, MA 02144
		Phone: 617-625-6600, Ext. 6933
		FAX: 617-623-8528
		bstone at K12.somerville.ma.us
<mailto:bstone at K12.somerville.ma.us> 

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Betty J. Stone
ESOL Program Administrator
SCALE - Somerville Center for Adult Learning Experiences
167 Holland Street, Somerville, MA 02144
Phone: 617-625-6600, Ext. 6933
FAX: 617-623-8528
bstone at K12.somerville.ma.us <mailto:bstone at K12.somerville.ma.us> 

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