1. Trends and Best Practices in Chinese Language
Assessment K-16 (K-16 中文测试信息及趋势 )
Lynn Thompson
Na Liu

2. Who we are
Lynn Thompson, Research Associate,
World Language Assessment Specialist
Na Liu, Research Associate, Heritage
Language research and Chinese language
Assessment Specialist
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3. What is the Center for Applied Linguistics
CAL’s mission is to improve communication
through better understanding of language
and culture
We provide a comprehensive range of
research-based information, tools, and
resources related to language and culture
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4. Welcome!
Today we will:
2.Provide background on the Center for Applied
Linguistics 介绍应用语言学研究中心和测试
3.Define types and purposes of assessments 定义
测试的类型及目的
4Describe innovative assessment resources for
K-16 students 介绍适合 K-16 学生的考试
4Respond to your questions! 回答问题！
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5. Next:
4 Provide background on the Center for Applied
Linguistics
4 Define types and purposes of assessments
4 Describe innovative assessment resources for
K-16 students
• Discuss how CAL’s efforts align with best practices in
language assessment
4. Respond to your questions!
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6. What is Assessment?
As instructors, we need to be able to track
our students‘ language growth.
Assessment is how we do this
Assessment = to sit beside
Assessment = the opportunity to enhance,
empower, and celebrate students’ learning
while giving guidance to instructors

7. Need for Assessment
Effective assessment
• Allows students and teachers to measure language
proficiency
• Promotes accountability among programs
• Documents success and can make an argument for
increased funding for programs.
(Carstens-Wickham, 2008; Jensen, 2007; Reese, 2010)
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8. Assessment and Instruction

9. Types of Assessment
Assessment = a collaboration between the
student and the instructor:
− monitor students' daily progress using
formative assessment,
− check in on student progress at key
points in the school year using
summative assessment.
Summative
Assessment
Formative assessment

10. Formative Assessment
Formative assessment
− Used throughout the course of instruction
− Provides feedback to the teacher,
learner, or both about the learner's
progress toward desired educational
outcomes.
The results of formative assessments are
often used in planning subsequent
instruction.

11. Summative Assessment
Summative assessment
− Generally conducted at the end of a unit
or at the end of a sequence of units
− Provides feedback to the teacher,
learner, or both about the learner's
progress towards meeting course goals
or proficiency.
Thinking of your assessment first helps you
plan your unit(s), content, and activities that
will build up to the assessment.

12. Summative Assessment
What would a summative assessment for a
unit on weather look like?
What would you expect students to be able
to do?
What communicative mode(s)?
How would you rate it?
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13. External Summative Assessment
Why?
Objective
Comparative data
Feedback to teacher/program
Stakeholders
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14. Examples of Formative and Summative Assessments
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15. Audience Survey 1
With which grade levels do you work?
What kinds of language assessments do
you use?
What kinds of language assessments do
you wish you had?
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16. Next:
4 Provide background on the Center for Applied
Linguistics and assessment
4 Define types and purposes of assessments
4 Describe innovative assessment resources for
K-16 students
4 Respond to your questions!
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17. CAL assessment resources for all levels
Foreign Language Assessment Directory
(FLAD)
Understanding Assessment: A Guide for
Foreign Language Educators
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18. Foreign Language Assessment Directory
Free, searchable directory of information
on nearly 200 tests in over 90 languages
• www.cal.org/flad
Includes information of tests’
• Appropriate grade and proficiency levels
• Languages
• Skills targeted by a test
• Information about the test’s development;
• The publisher’s or developer’s contact
information for further inquiries
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19. Standardized Chinese Tests from FLAD
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20. Understanding Assessment: A Guide for
Foreign Language Educators
Free, online tutorial for language teachers
and administrators working with all levels
Introduces key concepts in language
testing
Provides overall guidance in
• Test selection
• Using test results
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21. Understanding Assessment: A Guide for
Foreign Language Educators
Development process:
Workshops with instructors and
administrators (2006-2008)
• Focus groups with instructors and
administrators (2007-2008)
• Review by language testing experts (2009)
Currently being updated
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22. CAL K-8 Assessments
ELLOPA
SOPA
COPE
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23. What are the ELLOPA, SOPA, and COPE?
Purpose: Assess students' ability to
understand and speak a second
language
Level: Grades PreK-8
Format: Two students assessed together in
a friendly, non-stressful
environment
Time: 15-25 minutes for each pair of students
Scoring: COPE-SOPA Rating Scale (9 Junior
levels based on the ACTFL
Proficiency Guidelines)
04/24/12

24. ELLOPA, SOPA, and COPE
Goal: To find out what students CAN DO with
the language they are learning
Context: Simulate real-life communication
rather than mastery of specific forms or
content (achievement).
ELLOPA SOPA COPE
Grades PreK-2 Grades 2-8 Grades 5+
04/24/12

25. Comparison Chart ELLOPA and SOPA Tasks
and COPE Cue Cards
ELLOPA SOPA COPE
Task 1: Fruits Task 1: Fruits ---
Task 2: Answering
Task 2: Talking to Panda Card 1: Introductions
Informal Questions
Task 3: Description Task 3: Description Card 2: School Day
--- --- Card 3: Class Project
Task 4: “Three Little Pigs” Task 4: “Goldilocks” Card 4: Future Trip
Card 5:
--- ---
Book or Movie Plot
--- --- Card 6: An Accident
Task 5: School
Task 5: School Rules Card 7: School Rules
Rules
--- --- Card 8: An Apology
Wind down: TPR Wind down: TPR Wind down

26. COPE/SOPA Rating Rubric
Nine “Junior” proficiency levels
 Criteria
• Oral Fluency
• Grammar/Language Control
• Vocabulary
• Listening Comprehension
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27. Training Options for K-8 CAL Assessments
For ELLOPA and SOPA:
 Live workshops
 Online training courses
For COPE:
 Live workshops
www.cal.org/ela

28. Additional Assessments
Assessment of Interpersonal
Listening/Speaking, Interpretive Reading,
Interpretive Listening, and Presentational
Writing
http://www.aappl.org/

29. Additional Assessments
NOELLA
Online assessment of listening, reading,
writing, and speaking
Multiple-choice format for listening and
reading
Prompt for writing and speaking
For more information: http://
casls.uoregon.edu/pages/tools/noella.php
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30. Additional Assessments
YCT (Youth Chinese Test)
Consists of a writing and a speaking test
For more information:
http://english.hanban.org/node_8001.htm
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31. Resources available
for 9-16 students and teachers
Computerized Oral Proficiency Instruments
Self-access rater training materials for
teachers and raters
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32. Computerized Oral Proficiency Instrument
(COPI)
A computer-based, semi-adaptive test
Currently being developed for Chinese
Tests oral proficiency according to ACTFL
Proficiency Guidelines – Speaking
(Revised, 1999)
Intended for use with native English-
speaking students in later years of high
school, college or adults
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33. Computerized Oral Proficiency Instrument
(COPI)
Begins with student self-assessment
Computer algorithm and student choice
allows for moderate adaptation of test level
Student responds to 7-11 tasks
Tasks are automatically stored for later
rating
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34. Resources for rating oral proficiency
Online courses
Face-to-face workshops
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35. Online course on Assessment Literacy
Assessment for Language Instructors: The
Basics online course
Offered Annually
•Purposes for assessment
•Validity
•Reliability
•Practicality
•Impact
Audience
• Language instructors and administrators
• Limited prior language assessment experience
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36. Face-to-face workshops
Popular topics
• Understanding assessment
• Developing formative assessment
• Aligning assessment and instruction
• Performance assessment in the classroom
• Using CAL assessments
Delivery
• On demand when commissioned by institutions
• Regularly scheduled through grant-based
projects
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37. Additional Assessments
STAMP
Computer-adaptive test that measures
student proficiency with language
according to Benchmark Levels 1 through 5
which are related to ACTFL Performance
Guidelines at the novice to intermediate
levels (appropriate for Grade 7 and above)
http://www.stamptest.net/stamp0708/stamp
test/
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38. HSK
HSK (Basic): Listening, Grammar, and
Reading
HSK (Elementary-Intermediate): Listening,
Grammar, Reading, and Comprehensive
HSK (Advanced): Listening, Reading, and
Comprehensive, with writing and speaking
For more information: http://
www.hsk.org.cn/index.aspx
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39. Resources
Handout has online assessment
resources and descriptions of our
courses and workshops
http://
www.ecb.org/worldlanguageassessment
/
Contact Lynn Thompson
lthompson@cal.org
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40. Thank You!
Questions?
Comments?
Na Liu nliu@cal.org
Lynn Thompson lthompson@cal.org
Margaret E. Malone mmalone@cal.org
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