Note: This project is completed

The Development of Exit Assessment Tools for Canadian Language Benchmarks levels 7 to 10

Project Description

The Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks (CCLB), with funding from Citizenship and Immigration Canada, is developing exit assessment tools for use by teachers of Enhanced Language Training and other higher level programs. These tools are being designed to assess achievement in speaking, listening, reading and writing upon exit from programs that address benchmark levels 7-10. To provide greater versatility, parallel versions of sets of tasks are being developed to reflect community, workplace and academic language use and themes.  Since the tools will be parallel to one another in levels of difficulty, they can be used interchangeably to allow greater flexibility for the ESL teachers.

The exit tools are being developed by a team of experienced task writers who are familiar with learners in ELT and other higher level language programs. The writers are under the guidance of a national advisory committee of Canadian Language Benchmark experts from across Canada, who have demonstrated expertise in Canadian Language Benchmarks, test measurement and design, as well as experience working with learners in higher level language and workplace training programs.

Assessment materials for CLB 9 and 10 have not been available to teachers of higher level ESL programs. The Exit Tools currently being developed by the CCLB will address this gap.

The CLB 7 to 10 Exit Tools will be piloted in the late summer and fall, with the final product available in the spring of 2007.

For more information, contact info@language.ca.

Funding provided by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.