CASAS Guide for Adult ESL Teachers A Resource Guide for New and Experienced Adult ESL Teachers Teacher Training Module 2016

Agenda Welcome and Introductions Introduction to CASAS Presentation of Guide Components Practice Activity Discussion of Application Ideas for use in the Classroom and Program Review

Overview What is CASAS? Competencies, Task Areas and Content Standards Registration, Orientation and Placement Accountability CASAS Testing Administration and Storage of Tests Appraisals, Pre-Tests and Post-Tests Using Test Results

SECTION 1 WHAT IS ADULT EDUCATION ESL? 4

Gather the Information What kind of agency do you work for? Is your class single-level or multi-level? What type of class is it? Is your class a single-skill or an integrated skills class? How many ESL classes are offered by your school both on- and off-site?

SECTION 2 WHAT IS CASAS? What is CASAS?

CASAS — the Organization Began in 1980 as a partnership of the California Department of Education and a consortium of local adult education agencies Nationwide, field-based consortium since 1985 Assessments used in 30+ states, Singapore, and the Pacific Rim Provides research, program evaluation, and data services CASAS stands for Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems 7

Key Components There are four key components of the CASAS system.

Assess Participants’ Needs Appraisals and Pretests Select Competencies to focus on based on testing results Target Instruction using QuickSearch Online Evaluate Competency Attainment through Post- Testing The Competency- Based Education Cycle Who are your learners? What do they need to know?

SECTION 3 COMPETENCIES, TASK AREAS, AND CONTENT STANDARDS

Competencies, Task Areas and Content Standards Create the foundation for the CASAS curriculum. Separately, they provide ◦ life skills contexts ◦ a variety of visual prompts ◦ the underlying basic literacy skills that together work ◦ as the ladder to successful attainment of the curriculum objectives.

What are Competencies? Competency Content Areas 0. Basic Communication 1. Consumer Economics 2. Community Resources 3. Health 4. Employment 5. Government and Law 6. Computation 7. Learning to Learn 8. Independent Living Skills CASAS Web site: About CASAS / CASAS Competences

The Competency Coding System Content Area 3.Health Competency Area 3.4Understand basic health & safety procedures Competency Statements Interpret product label directions and safety warnings Identify safety measures that can prevent accidents and injuries

Competency Areas Content Area Competency Area Competency Statement

Using CASAS Competencies What skills would you need to teach your students? Basic Communication ◦ Understand or use appropriate language for information purposes (to call a tow truck, identify location) ◦ Understand or use appropriate language to influence or persuade (to call employer) ◦ Respond appropriately to common personal information questions Community Resources ◦ Use a telephone or similar device to make and receive calls ◦ Use a telephone directory ◦ Interpret clock time Consumer Economics ◦ Interpret information related to automobile maintenance ◦ Understand, follow or give instructions ◦ Interpret information about automobile insurance ◦ Interpret information to obtain repairs Problem: You should start work at 9:00 a.m., but you have a car that won’t start.

Activity: Using CASAS Competencies 16 In groups, choose one of the topic areas below. List the CASAS Competencies you would teach. Life SkillsCompetencies You should start work at 9:00 a.m., but you have a car that won’t start. You must write a memo but have never done this. You need to figure out paycheck deductions. You must collaborate with a group of people you have not worked with before. You are interested in attending a musical at the Civic Center. You haven’t received the birthday card Mom sent. It could be lost in the mail. You’ve read in the newspaper there is more trouble in Iraq. Where is Iraq? You need to register to vote. Your child asks for help with math homework. You want to plan a surprise birthday party for your child. You bought and need a bottle of cold tablets and need to know how many to take.

Test Items: Task Areas Listening Task Areas (new) ◦ Picture prompt ◦ Comprehension question ◦ Predict next line of dialogue ◦ Identify true statement based on prompt

What are Content Standards? Basic Skills Content Standards identify the underlying basic skills associated with CASAS Competencies. The instructor can use these Basic Skills Content Standards when planning instruction to help students master a specific competency.

Basic Skills Content Standards Support CASAS Competencies Basic Skills Content Standard CASAS Competency

Basic Skills Content Standards and CASAS Competencies Why are Basic Skills Content Standards important to use along with CASAS Competencies? ◦ Basic Skills Content Standards identify the underlying basic skills that should be taught in conjunction with CASAS Competencies. ◦ Basic Skills Content Standards support instructional planning. ◦ Learning Content Standards helps students master a specific competency to attain their goals.

Think About It What are two or three things that caught your attention in this section? How can you use CASAS Competencies? How can you use Task Areas? How can you use Content Standards?

SECTION 4 REGISTRATION, ORIENTATION, AND PLACEMENT 11

Ask your Intake Specialist Where do students go to register at your site? When can they register? What type of appraisal is given? Who gives the appraisal? Who determines class placement for each student? How is class placement determined?

Orientation and Goal Setting When is student orientation at for your program? Are there orientation materials available for you to use? If so, where are they located? Place a master set in this packet for your reference. What goal setting activities are conducted in your program? What goal setting activities do you plan to use with your class?

SECTION 5 ACCOUNTABILITY

Department of Labor and Licensing All students who have accumulated 12 or more hours must have ◦ An Entry Record ◦ An Update Record ◦ A Pretest ◦ A Post-Test (after a sufficient number of hours)

Ask your Intake Specialist At your site, are teachers required to fill out the Enrollment Form? ◦ If not, who completes it? ◦ When must it be completed?

Why do we collect this information? Helps determine targeted instruction Promotes program improvement Provides required data for state and federal reporting 28

SECTION 6 CASAS TESTING What is CASAS testing and what is my responsibility?

Assessment Process 2. Diagnose1. Place4. Monitor3. Instruct Pretest Identify learning needs based on pretest results Screening and Appraisal Determine program, level placement Identify pretest level Post-test Select based on pretest score Monitor progress Instruction Use competencies, content standards, and QuickSearch to inform instruction

Place: Appraisals Appraisals determine readiness for a program (ESL, Civic Participation, Citizenship Preparation, etc.) and instructional level for the student identify the correct CASAS pretest level The appraisal is not a pretest, but a tool to determine the correct pretest.

Diagnose: Pretests The pretest is given upon entry into the program. “Pretest” denotes the first CASAS test administered to students after an appraisal. The pretest measures what a student knows at the beginning of your class. The results of the pretest help determine the learning needs of your students and help guide instruction. 32

Instruct Instruction is guided by test results Test Result Reports can provide: ◦ Skill level ◦ Competencies attained ◦ Competencies to attain ◦ Suggested next test QuickSearch Online ◦ Provides information on where to find curriculum materials that correlate to targeted CASAS Competencies.

Monitor: Post-Test After completing a substantial number of hours in class, you will administer a post-test (based on the State Assessment Policy.) 40-hour minimum in the state of Maryland The Post-test will be at the same, or slightly higher difficulty level as the pre-test, and will test similar competencies as the pre-test.

Ask your Intake Assessment Specialist Which CASAS test series is used in your class? Where can you access the Test Administration Manual? Which skills are tested? Reading, Listening, or both?

Test Record Bubble-in the information completely Make sure information is legible Check that the test date is correct Check that the test form is written correctly AND bubbled-in correctly. 36

CASAS Skill Level Descriptors The Skill Level Descriptors describe in positive terms what a person is able to do or learn within a range of scale scores. The scale score is determined by the raw score. The Scores in your Class Use the Skill Level Descriptors to interpret the score.

CASAS Across the Levels

SECTION 7 ADMINISTRATION AND STORAGE OF TESTS

Needed for Testing Day Needed for testing day: ◦ Test Administration Manual/Instructions provided by the Intake Assessment Specialist ◦ Test booklets for Level A Tests (Number your booklets for tracking and security purposes.) ◦ Answer sheets and #2 pencils ◦ A reliable CD or cassette player and the test CD or tape for listening tests

Getting Started Provide a quiet testing room Space students apart Maximum of 25 learners per proctor Explain purpose for testing Ease student anxiety Pass out pencils, answer sheets, and scratch paper Assist in completing the top portion of the answer sheet Demonstrate how to mark answer sheets

Give the Test Pass out test booklets if applicable. Read the test directions Review practice items Encourage test-takers to review answers Write start and end times on the board Begin the test Monitor test-takers

Timing Guidelines Appraisals –Check the administration manual for the times allotted for each section. For listening tests, timing is determined by the tape or CD used for the test. ◦ Do not stop the tape or CD until the end of each section.

After the Test Collect test booklets, answer sheets, and scratch paper Check answer sheets for completeness Count test booklets and answer sheets Dismiss learners Check booklets for marks Submit tests for scoring Review reports for any inaccurate tests

Test Security All CASAS test materials including test booklets and answer sheets (which contain marks or responses) must be stored in a locked, preferably fireproof, file cabinet. After administering assessments, teachers must return all materials immediately to the Intake Assessment Specialist. Duplication of any part of CASAS tests is prohibited

SECTION 8 APPRAISALS, PRETESTS, AND POST-TESTS

Interpreting Test Results Students’ scores are found by counting the number they got correct on the test. This score is called a raw score. Raw scores are always converted to scale scores. Scaled scores are used to determine students’ levels. Convert the raw score to the scale score using a chart like this one. All Test Administration Manuals contain the raw to scaled score conversion charts. ◦ For example, on this test form, if the raw score is 15, then the scale score is 206. Scale scores from different tests (i.e. reading and listening) should never be averaged!

Appraisals and Progress Tests Appraisals (Placement tests) Pre- and Post-Tests (Progress Tests) Level B Progress test items are clustered at a specific level. Appraisal test items are widely distributed along the CASAS scale. The items range from very easy items to difficult items

Pretests Pretests should be administered during registration Pretest results serve as a baseline to determine instructional needs

Ask a Supervisor or Lead Teacher When is the pretest given at your site? If the pretest is not given at the time of registration, when are you instructed to give the pretest in class? Who is responsible for determining which post- test to give each student? CASAS Handbook for Adult ESL Teachers – California Edition

Post-Test Overview Use Suggested Next Test Report or Score Conversion Chart to select post-test form. Administer post-test after approximately 70 to 100 hours of instruction or when your program has determined it is appropriate to post-test. 40- hour minimum for Md 51

Ask your Intake Assessment Specialist Who is responsible for determining which post- test to give to each student? If the post-test is administered in your class, when are you instructed to give it? Does your site have a testing calendar? If so, get a copy and place it in this handbook. About how often do you post test your students? (Every quarter, before major holidays, etc.) What can you do to ensure that students who are absent during post-testing eventually get tested?

Assessment Process Summary Use Oral Screening (ESL students only) Administer appraisal Use Suggested Next Test chart to select pretest Administer pretest Use test results to inform instruction about students’ needs After appropriate number of hours spent in instruction, use Suggested Next Test chart to select post-test Administer post-test

Test Preparation Guidelines No entity (individual, school, program or business enterprise) may use or copy displays, questions, or answers that appear on any CASAS test to create materials to teach or to prepare students to answer CASAS test items. CASAS encourages use of the Competencies, Content Standards, Quick Search Online, and other materials to link assessment, curriculum, and instruction.

Test Preparation Guidelines Inappropriate Strategies ◦ Teaching to a particular test item ◦ Teaching specific vocabulary in a test item ◦ Limiting curriculum to what the test covers

CASAS Sample Test Items An instructional tool to: ◦ Familiarize students and teachers with CASAS format ◦ Practice test taking skills using sample test items ◦ Practice marking the answer sheet Sample test items for Levels A, B, and C ◦ Life Skills Listening 5 to 6 test items per level for each skill area Not a predictor of performance Download at no cost from the CASAS Web site at

SECTION 9: USING TEST RESULTS

An Integrated Systems Approach Instructional Support Materials 58 Accountability

Key Component: Instruction Competencies ◦ Provide diagnostic reports for teachers and learners Quick Search ◦ Helps identify effective instructional materials Teacher’s Guide ◦ Assist teachers in understanding and using the CASAS system

Using Test Results Identify students’ instructional needs Choose competencies and Content Standards to target instruction Use Quick Search software to locate instructional materials

Practice Activity: Planning Outside the Box Item Number Competency Area of Test Item Alternate Competency Area Alternate Topic Areas 1.8.2Interpret bank procedures, forms, writing checks Talking to the Police Accessing Community Resources Consumer Resources Paying off a parking ticket Paying a library fine with a check Writing a check for over-the- counter medicine 3.2.1Filling out a Family Medical History Form If only 40% of your students answered a question about writing checks correctly, how could your class practice this skill when the class is currently studying “Talking to the Police?” Or, you are teaching a unit on Health. How could you use “writing checks” in Health?

Finding Instructional Materials Scope and Sequence in your textbook ◦ Correlated to CASAS competencies QuickSearch Online

Use QuickSearch to find Resources Leading text series’ titles are correlated by CASAS competencies, instructional level, type of learner (ESL, ABE, ASE), mode of instruction and linked within the database to selected CASAS pre- and post assessments. Quick Searches can be done for instructional materials by: ◦ Skill area ◦ Program (including Civics, Family Literacy, Workplace) ◦ Specific CASAS assessment series, i.e. Life and Work, Year of publication of instructional materials ◦ Websites for learners

QuickSearch by Competencies CASAS Handbook for Adult ESL Teachers – California Edition Competency selected for this report:

Training Objectives Review Basic understanding of ◦ Adult Education ESL and LCMC ◦ CASAS’ role at LCMC  Competencies, Task Areas and Content Standards  Registration, Orientation and Placement  Accountability  Administration and Storage of Tests  Appraisals, Pre-Tests and Post-Tests  Using Test Results

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