In Canada we have national Canadian Language Benchmarks - a standard used by
the ESL community for the designing programs, curriculum, assessment and
placement since 1996.  We wanted to do more to put this information in the
hands of learners so they could better manage and understand their own
progress.  Two new tools have proved invaluable in achieving this objective.

The Canadian Language Benchmarks 12 levels were synthesized into 'Can Do"
lists for each of the 4 skill areas (reading, writing, speaking, listening)
and put on posters.  We recommend that at least 3 levels be put up in a
classroom to enable learners to track their progress - where they have come
from and where they need to get to next. We also produced Can Do Checklists
based on the posters for teachers to use with learners for self-assessment,
goal setting and learner conferencing.

You can download the can do checklists for free from the learners area of
our website at if you'd like to see our model
 http://www.language.ca/display_page.asp?page_id=412 and the posters can be
ordered through our website - but the content is the same.  Although there
are 12 benchmark levels we have 8 levels in posters and can do checklists.
We're now working on levels 9 and 10.

Often when I visit an ESL program I see the full range of posters up in a
common area - and many teachers have reported tremendous success.  Learners
often co-relate what's going on in the classroom to the outcomes on the
posters.

Pauline McNaughton
Executive Director / Directrice executive
Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks/Centre des niveaux de competence
linguistique canadiens
200 Elgin Street, Suite 803 / 200 rue Elgin, piece 803
Ottawa, ON K2P 1L5
T (613) 230-7729 F (613) 230-9305
pmcnaughton at language.ca
<http://www.language.ca/>

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  -----Original Message-----
  From: assessment-bounces at dev.nifl.gov
[mailto:assessment-bounces at dev.nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Marie Cora
  Sent: December 5, 2005 5:45 PM
  To: AssList
  Subject: [Assessment] Measuring outcomes


Hi everyone, I'm reposting part of a message that was sent by Jennifer
Harper at the end of this past October.  She asks about measuring outcomes.
Several email replies noted sources of student goals and other resources for
surveying students.  How do you measure success in your program?  Do you
depend on test results to help you?  Do you use other methods?  Do you use a
combination of tests and something else?marie  >We are trying to find ways
of measuring outcomes.  We decided >that it is best for literacy students to
set their OWN >goals.  One way we have decided to measure outcomes is

>through a goals sheet.  We would ask the students their goals >in the

beginning of the program, and then interview them to >find out when they
have achieved their goals.  All of this >information would be recorded and
used as a way of measuring >success.> >That is our main way of measuring
outcomes.  Do any of you >have interesting methods of measuring outcomes in
literacy >programs that you would be willing to share?> >Thanks in
advance,>Sincerely,>Jennifer Harper>JLHarp21 at aol.com

  (nifl archives:  http://www.nifl.gov/nifl-assessment/2005/  Oct. 26 and
27, 2005)




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