A major part
of SLTI’s work is the development of foreign or second
language proficiency tests for agencies of the federal
or state governments or for larger testing companies who
desire to offer such tests to their clients. SLTI
develops customized instruments tailored to the client's
needs. SLTI can also assist clients who are involved in
test development projects. Second language proficiency
tests may assess one or more of four communicative
skills: listening, speaking, reading, or writing. These
skills are interrelated, but are nonetheless distinct.
If you need more information or
would like to discuss the possible development of a
second language proficiency test by SLTI, please
contact Dr.
Charles Stansfield at 301-231-6046 or
Cstansfield@2LTI.com.
National Geographic
Educational Publishing
NGEP publishes a series
of readers for ELLs and other students reading below
grade level. In 2007-2008, SLTI developed two parallel
forms of placement tests and exit tests for the series
under contract with NGEP. Following field testing, SLTI
also contributed sections to the test’s technical
manual.
English for Academic Purposes
Since 2007, SLTI has assisted a European test
development company in its efforts to develop and
field-test a new English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
test tied to the Common European Framework of Reference
(CEFR). SLTI has been involved in the item development,
item review, scoring, and ancillary document creation
stages for this new test.
LAS Links Spanish
SLTI developed the LAS Links Spanish for
CTB/McGraw-Hill. The LAS Links Spanish was developed as a
parallel version of the LAS Links English and is intended to
measure the Spanish language proficiency of Spanish-speaking
students in grades K-12. The LAS Links Spanish assesses
students’ Spanish language proficiency in four domains
(speaking, listening, reading, and writing), and across five
grade-level spans (K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, and 9-12). SLTI also
drafted the technical manual for the LAS Links Spanish. Both
measures were approved for use in Texas by the language
proficiency test review committee of the Texas Education
Agency.
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
Since 2005, SLTI has been a subcontractor to the NAEP Education Statistical Services Institute (NESSI). In that role, SLTI reviews NAEP Reading, Mathematics, and Science items prepared by other test development contractors. SLTI has prepared several short reports for NESSI on a variety of issues. Thus far, these have included a review of universal design principles, the use of plain English and clear language, principles of good item writing, and style and presentation issues in computer-based testing. SLTI also lends staffing support to NESSI and the National Center for Education Statistics at NAEP test development committee meetings. SLTI also developed a NAEP Style Guide for test developers and test development contractors. Additionally, SLTI is translating NAEP publications to Spanish for delivery in Puerto Rico. These include a report on the results of the 2003 and 2005 NAEP Mathematics assessments conducted in Puerto Rico.
Delaware
Department of Education
SLTI
developed, field-tested, and validated the Delaware’s
English Language Learners Assessment (DELLA) for the
Delaware Department of Education. The DELLA is an
alternate assessment of English language arts for
English language learners for grades 3, 5, 8, and 10.
GED
Testing Service
SLTI
developed multiple forms of a test of reading
proficiency in English as a second language for the GED
Testing service.
Listening Summary Translation Exams (LSTE)Between 2001
and 2006, SLTI developed, field-tested, equated and
validated a series of Listening Summary Translation
Exams in Arabic (Egyptian, Iraqi, Syrian, Algerian, and
Yemeni) for the FBI.
Federal
Court Interpreter Certification Exam
Since 2001,
SLTI has developed the Written Examination portion of
the Federal Court Interpreter Certification Exam for the
Administrative Office of the United States Courts. This
Written Examination is a 160-item screening test that is
the first phase of a two-phase examination battery for
federal court interpreters. Those who pass the test
take a live interpreting performance exam. SLTI works
with the top court interpreters in the country during
the development, field-testing, and equating of each new
set of test forms.
