In the test on precursor skills, the assessor can discontinue the exercise when the test taker does not give answers correctly for more than half of the items in the first three
consecutive sections – P-a through P-c.
4.2.1.1 Test of book and print awareness
These test items assess the Eastern Taman g adult learners‘ understanding of the
basic concept of print and printed materials. To learn how to read, the Eastern Tamang adults must first recognize that ―print corresponds to spoken language, carries meaning,
and can be reliably deciphered ‖ Ministry of Education of the State of Eritrea, 2005:11.
They also need to understand the structure of a book such as the title, the author, the table of contents, the main text, illustrations, and page numbers, as well as how to hold a book
and turn pages. Sample items for this test component are presented in the box below. P-a. Precursor literacy skills
– Book print awareness [Time allocated for reading aloud and answering the questions: 2 minutes]
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Instructions: This is a test with no student sheet. Instead, the assessor keeps a
recording sheet with test items for each test taker. The assessor shows a book to the test taker and says:
―Here is a book. I would like you to answer the following questions about this book.
‖ 1
.
Where do you find the title of this book? Please point to it.
Scoring: Correct 1
Incorrect 0
The assessor marks a tick V in the appropriate column according to the response of the test taker. If the test taker does not respond to each question after 5
seconds, mark as incorrect and move on to the next question. 2. Where do you find the table of contents in this book?
Please find and show it to me.
Scoring: Correct 1
Incorrect 0
3. Please open to page X and show it to me.
Scoring: Correct 1
Incorrect0
4. Please find and point to a period or stop marker on that page.
Scoring: Correct 1
Incorrect 0
5. Please find and point to a question mark on that page.
Scoring: Correct1
Incorrect 0 Total number of correct answers: 5
4.2.1.2 Test of understanding and interpreting illustrations
Illustrations or pictorial images depicted in written materials are important because they stimulate interest or contain meaning to be communicated to the reader.
Test items for this component assess the following abilities of Eastern Tamang adult learners: 1 the ability to perceive the literal content of a pictorial image in a book, 2 the
ability to construe meaning from that image using prior knowledge and experience, and
3 the ability to interpret the reason why that image was used. Sample test items are presented in the box below.
P-b. Precursor literacy skills – Understanding and interpreting illustrations
[Time allocated for reading aloud and answering the questions: 2 minutes]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Instructions: This is also a test with no student sheet. The assessor should
mark responses in a recording sheet for each test taker. The assessor shows a particular page of a book, which contains a picture of a childboy having diarrhea and says, ―This
is a boy. Yesterday, he ate some food that was kept uncovered and had some flies on it.
He became ill after eating the food .‖ Then, the assessor turns to the next page that
contains a picture of a mother holding a child looking ill on her lap and taking a drink from a glass, and says:
―Please look at this picture and answer my questions about it.‖ 1. What do you see in the picture?
Please tell me what you see, pointing to each part of the picture as you do.
Scoring: Correct1
Incorrect 0
[Possible answers: a motherwomanlady; a child boyson; two persons; a glass;
a glass of watersomething] The assessor marks a tick V in the appropriate column according to the
response of the test taker. If the respondent correctly identifies the persons as described above, mark as correct. If he or she mentions only the glass or a glass of water, but fails
to say anything about both persons, then mark as incorrect. If the test taker does not respond to each question after 5 seconds, mark as incorrect and move on to the next
question. 2. What is the motherwoman doing to the childboy?
Scoring: Correct1
Incorrect 0
[Answer: The motherwoman is having the childboy drink
watersomething.] 3. What do you think is the main message of this picture?
Scoring: Correct1
Incorrect 0
[Possible answers: When a child has diarrhea, we need to have them drink water;
about how to treat a child when he is ill; telling about health] When the respondent says one of the possible answers or something similar to
that, mark as correct.
Total number of correct answers: 3
4.2.1.3 Test of discerning shapes
