Autor: UNOi

Fecha: 15 de mayo de 2012

Ten questions to check English fluency

By Elaine Gallagher, Ph.D. I. INSTRUCTIONS TEACHER: LOOK FOR:   How quickly do they respond to each question?  3 – 5 seconds is the goal. […]

By Elaine Gallagher, Ph.D.

I. INSTRUCTIONS

TEACHER: LOOK FOR:

 

  1. How quickly do they respond to each question?  3 – 5 seconds is the goal.
  2. Do they answer automatically in English? … They should answer in English if they are addressed in English.
  3. Is their response grammatically correct? YES or  NO.  (Like being pregnant: you either ARE or you AREN’T)
  4. Is their vocabulary/word use appropriate for their grade level?

 

*With ten randomly chosen students per grade level, we will get a good view of a cross-section of our student body. Don’t have teachers choose who will answer, as they may tend to choose their BEST students.

 SCORING:

 Highest is 40 points  =  10 questions  x  4 points

Lowest is 10 points  =   10 questions  x  1 point

 

GOAL: 30 points  for 85% of our students

 

NOTE: Students do NOT need to answer in complete sentences. Conversation-like, short responses are acceptable.

 

POINTS EXPLAINED

 

4 = Exceeding expectations (prompt response, in English, no grammatical errors, high vocabulary for the grade level, with near-native pronunciation)

3= Meeting expectations ( 3-5 second response, answering in hesitant form, but all in English, one grammar error only: such as ‘he” for ‘she” or ‘is’ instead of ‘was’), basic vocabulary, typical of one learning a language, a slight Spanish accent)

2= Below expectations (More than 5 seconds, but does respond, partially in Spanish, but then switches to English, 2 -4 grammar errors, low vocabulary, poorly pronounced)

1= Absolute beginner ( more than 5 seconds to respond or does NOT respond, answer is all in Spanish with maybe 1 or 2 English words, grammatical errors making it difficult to understand, low level, very basic words (such as ‘yes’, ‘no’, ‘go’, ‘school’ ‘teacher’, etc. or no vocabulary in English)

 

II. ORAL QUESTIONS     

 Date: _____________________            Total score: _____________

STUDENT NAME: _________________________________________      

GRADE_____      SCHOOL: __________________________________

ENGLISH METHOD/SYSTEM BEING USED:   __________________

 

As you can see, there are optional questions, depending on the age / grade level of the child.

 

You choose which question(s) to ask among the several choices for each of the 10. Some are easier than others. If students answer any ONE from the several questions offered, they receive credit for a correct answer based on the 1-4 scoring guide.)

 

QUESTIONS / SCORING MATRIX : Circle the points received on   each question;  then add them for a final score.                                                          

1.     Hi!  What’s your name?  What color is this? (Show something.) What is two plus three?  Four  x  six?      

                   1                2                 3                 4      

2.     Who is your English teacher?  What is your mother’s name? What grade are you in?

                   1                 2                 3                 4

3.     How old are you now? When is your birthday?  What kind of party do you want for your birthday?

                  1                 2                 3                 4      

4.     What are you studying right now? What are you doing now?

        Tell me about your friends.  What is this a picture of?  (Show a picture of dog or a cat, or anything that is appropriate for the age group you are testing.) (Clip art has some great pictures for you to use.. or a magazine picture.)

             1                 2                 3                 4      

 5.     Where do you live? (Street address is OK.)What city / state do you live in? What is the name of our school?  What country do we live in?    

                  1                 2                 3                 4      

 6.     What do you want to be when you grow up? (‘I don’t know’ IS appropriate.)

          What does your father or mother do?  How do you help in your house?

             1                 2                 3                 4

7.     What subject do you like best? What is your favorite subject?

         What toys or games do you like?

             1                 2                 3                 4      

 

8.     What do you like to eat?  What do you watch on TV? What is your favorite program on TV..or your favorite book or movie???

                  1                 2                 3                 4      

9.     What do you do for fun when you are not in school? At home, what do you do?

                   1                 2                 3                 4      

10.         Tell me about your family. Who lives with you in your house? Do you have brothers or sisters? (Go beyond a simple ‘yes’, ‘no’….Tell me about them.)

                   1                 2                 3                 4