Standardized Proficiency Tests in English Second Language

Standardized Proficiency Tests in English Second Language: Intermediate Level (Grade 7-9) and Advanced Level (Grade 10-12)

S. Reinecke & E. van der Schyff

Description

The purpose of a proficiency test is to determine a testee’s knowledge and skill with regard to a defined field of experience or subject matter not attached to a specific syllabus. These tests are specifically intended to assess language proficiency levels as scaled against the typical levels of proficiency attained by pupils at different school standard levels. It s fairly self-evident that language proficiency levels are not attained solely as a result of curricular activities but also as a result of extra-curricular language contact and use.

Intermediate Level

This test is meant to determine the proficiency level of English Second Language testees with in the range of Junior Secondary Language proficiency levels (i.e. Grade 7, 8 and 9). This is in fact the operational definition of ‘Intermediate’.
The content includes those tasks that fall within the capabilities of English Second Language pupils at the Junior Secondary Level. It was attempted to make the test widely applicable by avoiding specific scholastic learning content.

Advanced Level

This test is meant to determine the proficiency level of English Second Language testees within the range of Senior Secondary Language proficiency levels (i.e. Grade 10, 11 and 12). This is in fact the operational definition of ‘Advanced’.
The content includes those tasks that fall within the capabilities of English Second language pupils at the Senior Secondary Level. It was attempted to make the test widely applicable by avoiding specific scholastic learning content.

Norms

Norms are provided in the form of stanines, percentile ranks and T scores.

Test material