Back to EMSC Home SED Home Disclaimers and Notices

The University of the State of New York

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Albany, New York  12234

SECOND LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY EXAMINATIONS

Directions for Administering and Scoring

GENERAL INFORMATION

The general procedures to be followed in administering all Second Language Proficiency Examinations are contained in the publication Regents Examinations, Regents Competency Tests, and Proficiency Examinations: School Administrator’s Manual, 2001 Edition. This manual also provides general information concerning modification in testing procedures for students with disabilities. It is available on the Department’s web site at: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/hsinfogen/hsinfogenarch/sam2001.pdf.

Although the written tests for the Second Language Proficiency Examinations are scheduled for administration during a 3-hour examination session in the June Regents Examination period, there is no time limit. The tests are designed to be completed in less than two hours. However, proctors should give students as much time as necessary to answer as many questions as they are capable of answering.

GENERAL FEATURES OF THE EXAMINATIONS

Modern Language Proficiency Examinations. These examinations are available in French, German, Italian, and Spanish and are designed to measure learning outcomes at Checkpoint A of the State syllabus Modern Languages for Communication. The examinations include 30 credits for oral communication performance in Part 1 and 70 credits for a written test of listening comprehension, reading comprehension, and writing skills in Parts 2–4. The Teacher’s Manual for Administering and Scoring Part 1 includes specific information for selecting the Part 1b speaking tasks from the collection of tasks provided in the Sourcebook of Speaking Tasks for Part 1b. The tasks selected must be kept secure during the speaking test period, which begins on April 1 and concludes five calendar days prior to the date of the written test.

Latin Proficiency Examination. This examination is designed to measure learning outcomes at Checkpoint A of the State syllabus Latin for Communication. The examination includes 15 credits for oral skills performance in Part I and 85 credits for a written test of reading, language skills, and culture in Parts II–IV. Directions for administering and scoring Part I are provided in the Teacher’s Manual, Part I: Oral Skills. Part I is to be administered at the school’s convenience during the period from April 1 until five days prior to the date of the written test.

SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS FOR ADMINISTERING THE WRITTEN TESTS

Before the written test for a Second Language Proficiency Examination begins, the teacher should advise the students:

1.       to remove all books, notes, or other aids from their reach or sight during the test,

2.       to read the questions carefully and to follow instructions,

3.       to make sure they have completely filled in the heading of the answer sheet,

4.       to use a pen in writing their answers,

5.       not to use red ink or red pencil,

6.       not to erase answers written in ink, but to cross out the original answer with a single line and then write the new answer,

7.       to sign the student declaration at the proper time, and

8.       that any attempt either to give or receive assistance in answering any of the questions will result in the termination of their written tests.

See page 7 of this booklet for detailed instructions that must be followed to ensure that students do not use communications devices while taking this test.

No one, under any circumstances, may interpret or explain examination questions to students, nor may anyone review or comment on the answer paper of a student while an examination is in progress. In response to inquiries by students concerning the meaning or interpretation of examination questions, proctors should advise the students to use their own best judgment.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Second Language Proficiency Examination in French

Second Language Proficiency Examination in German

Second Language Proficiency Examination in Italian

Second Language Proficiency Examination in Spanish

The Teacher Dictation Copy for each examination includes the directions for distributing the test materials and administering Part 2. After Part 2 has been completed, tell the students to continue with the rest of the test.

Second Language Proficiency Examination in Latin

Distribute one test booklet, face up, to each student. Tell the students to read the directions on the cover. Then tell them to detach the answer sheet, which is the last page of the test booklet. Have the students fill in the heading on the answer sheet. When each student has finished filling in the heading, tell the students to open their test booklet and begin work.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

When students finish the written test for either the modern languages or Latin, they should sign the declaration on their answer sheet and then be allowed to hand in their test materials and leave the examination room. However, no student shall be permitted under any circumstances to hand in his/her test materials and leave the examination room before the Uniform Statewide Admission Deadline (10:00 a.m. for morning examinations; 2:00 p.m. for afternoon examinations).

DIRECTIONS FOR SCORING THE WRITTEN TESTS

The scoring key for each test provides information regarding the rating of the written tests. Teachers must use red pen or red pencil. The initials of the teacher rating each answer must be clearly written on each answer sheet.

Modern Language Proficiency Examination, Part 4

Description. In Part 4, the students are to choose two of the three writing tasks. Each task requires the students to write a note in the target language that satisfies the purpose of the task. The note must contain a minimum of 30 words. Students are to write their responses to Part 4 on the answer sheet.

Scoring. Part 4 is worth a maximum of 10 credits, 5 for each of the two required responses. Score responses according to the writing rubric provided on page 4. The rubric describes a continuum of proficiency from Level 4 (most proficient) to Level 1 (least proficient) on each of four criteria, called dimensions: purpose/task, vocabulary, structure/conventions, and word count. A score of zero is also possible for a dimension if the response falls below the criteria for Level 1. If a response receives a score of zero on the purpose/task dimension, the entire response receives a score of zero.

A student’s raw score on each dimension is determined by evaluating the student’s response to the task in terms of the characteristics for that dimension. The raw score represents the extent to which the response exhibits proficiency on the dimension. For each task, the student’s raw score is converted to credits using the conversion chart provided below.

For example, if a student received a performance-level score of 3 on the dimension purpose/task, a score of 2 on the dimension vocabulary, a score of 2 on the dimension structure/conventions, and a score of 4 on the dimension word count, the student’s total raw score would equal 11 (the sum of the four performance-level scores). According to the conversion chart, a raw score of 11 represents a converted score of 4 credits for the question.

The student’s final score for Part 4 is calculated by adding the converted scores for each of the two tasks selected by the student. Enter the total Part 4 score in the lower box of the last page of the student’s answer sheet and also in the upper right corner of the first page of the student’s answer sheet, under the “Credit Earned” section for Part 4.

The rubric, word-count guidelines, and a sample score sheet are included in these directions. Further information about Part 4, including samples of the tasks and scored student papers with commentaries, is provided in the publication Second Language Proficiency Examinations for Modern Languages: Test Changes and Sampler. This document is available on the Department’s web site at: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/pub/publote.html.

SECOND LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY EXAMINATIONS: MODERN LANGUAGES

Part 4: Writing

Rubric

·         Note that a zero can be given in any of the dimensions when a student’s performance falls below the criteria described for the performance level of 1.

·          If a student’s response receives a zero in the dimension of purpose/task, the student should receive no credit for that question. Please keep in mind, however, that students may employ a wide array of strategies to accomplish the purpose of the writing task, using a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures.

SECOND LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY EXAMINATIONS: MODERN LANGUAGES

Part 4: Writing

Word-Count Guidelines

·         Names of people and numbers, unless written as words, are not included in the word count.

·         Place names and brand names from the target culture count as one word; all other places (K-Mart) and brand names (Pepsi, Coke) are disregarded.

·         Contractions count as one word.

·         The salutations and closings of notes written in the target language are counted. [There is no penalty if students do not use salutations or closings.]

·         Commonly used abbreviations in the target language are counted.

Examples and Word Counts

SECOND LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY EXAMINATIONS: MODERN LANGUAGES

Part 4: Writing

Checklist

Please refer to the full writing rubric for definitions of each level.

   Question No. ______             Question No. ______

Question No.   Question No.

Total Raw Score   ________     ________

(maximum is 16)

Converted Score   ________    ________

(maximum is 5)

·         Note that a zero can be given in any of the dimensions when a student’s performance falls below the criteria described for the performance level of 1.

·         If a student’s response receives a zero in the dimension of purpose/task, the student should receive no credit for that question. Please keep in mind, however, that students may employ a wide array of strategies to accomplish the purpose of the writing task, using a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures.

Use of Communications Devices

At the beginning of each test administration, proctors must read the following statement to all students taking secondary-level State examinations:

For Principals and Proctors:

Any student observed to be using any communications device while taking a State examination must be directed to turn it off and put the device away immediately. In order to allow for all possible outcomes of procedural due process, the student should be allowed to complete the examination.

The incident must be reported promptly to the school principal. If the principal determines that the student was using a communications device during the test administration, the student’s test must be invalidated; no score may be calculated for that student.

The incident must be reported in writing to the Office of State Assessment, as is the case for all testing irregularities, misadministration, or other violations of State testing policy and procedures.

________________________________

Note: Some students with disabilities may use certain recording/playback devices only if this accommodation is specifically required as a provision of the student’s Individualized Education Program or Section 504 Accommodation Plan. If not, the general policy on communications devices as provided above is in effect, and the school may not allow the use of any such equipment.