This document provides an overview of trends and best practices in Chinese language assessment for K-16 education. It introduces the Center for Applied Linguistics and its mission to improve language understanding through research. Various types of language assessments are defined, including formative and summative assessments. Innovative assessment resources for K-16 students from CAL are described, such as the Foreign Language Assessment Directory, Understanding Assessment guide, and K-8 assessments like ELLOPA, SOPA, and COPE. Additional resources for 9-16 students including the Computerized Oral Proficiency Instrument and rater training materials are also covered.

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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