Assessment components of writing skills Assessment components of numeracyquantitative literacy

3.3.2 Assessment components of writing skills

Writing is a critical method of communicating messages and information in various adult contexts. According to Matthews et al. in Lingua Links Library 2007, writing skills are ―specific abilities which help writers put their thoughts into words in a meaningful form and to mentally interact with the message. ‖ Writing skills require basic knowledge and skills in usage and mechanics e.g., punctuation, basic grammar and usage, and sentence structure, comprehensibility e.g., writing strategy, organization, and style, fluency, and creativity see Table 11. It is not easy to assess many of these components rigorously and objectively. Moreover, people participating in literacy programs in developing countries are likely to focus on dictation and writing simple messages or information rather than creative writing. Therefore, dictation of syllables, words, sentences with varying difficulty may be the easiest and simplest method of assessing the writing skills of adult learners in Nepal.

3.3.3 Assessment components of numeracyquantitative literacy

Numeracy or quantitative literacy is essential for adult learners to function effectively in their work and in everyday life. Matthews et al. define numeracy as ―a mastery of the basic symbols and processes of arithmetic ‖ Glossary of literacy terms in LinguaLinks. The numeracy skills test of the Training and Development Agency for Schools TDA 38 indicates several numeracy components. The numeracy test assesses three areas as follows: • Mental arithmetic – the ability to carry out mental calculations using time, fractions, percentages, measurements, and conversions; • Interpreting and using statistical information – the ability to identify trends correctly, to make comparisons in order to draw conclusions, and to interpret information accurately; and • Using and applying general arithmetic – the ability to use and apply general arithmetic correctly using time, money, proportionratio, percentages, fractions, and decimals, measurements e.g., distance, area, conversions e.g., from one currency to another, from fractions to decimals or percentages, averages including mean, median, mode, and range where relevant, and simple given f ormulae. 39 The Early Grade Math Assessment EGMA 40 assesses the following math skills: oral counting fluency, number identification, quantity discrimination, identification of missing numbers, one-to-one correspondence, addition and subtraction word problems, addition and subtraction problems, shape recognition, and pattern extension Reuben and Crouch, 2009. These test components are further described in Table 16: Table 16: Numeracy components of EGMA Test component Task description Oral counting fluency To assess the ability to produce numbers fluently The task usually begins with the number 1, and asks children to continue counting until they reach the highest number they can before making a counting error. The score is based on the last correct number the child says previous to making an error or at the end of a minute This is a timed task to elicit a fluency measure. 38 The Training and Development Agency for Schools TDA is the national agency and recognised sector body of UK, which is responsible for the training and development of the school workforce. This information was retrieved from http:www.tda.gov.ukaboutrole-remit.aspx. 39 This information comes from http:www.tda.gov.uktrainee-teacherqts-skills- testsnumeracycontent.aspx. 40 The Early Grade Math Assessment EGMA, funded by the United States Agency for International Development USAID, is a simple assessment developed to measure the extent to which schoolchildren in early primary grades are learning essential foundational math skills Reubens and Crouch of RTI International, 2009. Test component Task description Number identification To assess knowledge and identification of written symbols Students are asked to orally identify twenty printed number symbols that are randomly selected from 1 through 100 and placed in a grid. Quantity discrimination To assess the ability to make judgments about differences by comparing quantities in object groups This can be done by using numbers or by using objects such as circles and asking which group has more objects. Missing numbers To assess the learner‘s familiarity of numbers and the ability to identify a missing number in a set or sequence of numbers In this task, children are presented with a string of three numbers with the first, middle, or last number in the string missing. Children are instructed to name a missing number in a set or sequence of numbers. One-to-one correspondence To assess for enumeration and then cardinality This task aims to assess the number-word counting correspondence, and then whether a child is aware that the last number name signifies the summation of objects presented. Children are instructed to point and count all the circles no smaller than one inch in diameter, and then asked, ―How many circles are there?‖ Addition and subtraction word problems To assess the ability to solve oral word problems of addition and subtraction The assessor reads the entire word problem to a child before beginning the task. If the child needs a word problem reread, the assessor rereads it entirely. It can be reread as often as the child needs. Addition and subtraction problems To assess knowledge of basic addition and subtraction concepts and the ability to solve addition and subtraction problems presented visually In this task, children are shown a visual representation of the mathematics problem, and also have the problem read aloud to them. Children also have counters available to them. They can use any method in solving the problem. Shape recognition To assess the ability to identify specific shapes Children are asked to identify and select specific shapes when presented with an 8½ × 11- inch piece of paper containing shapes e.g., ―put a mark on each of the shapes that is a circle‖. The children were expected to respond by identifying and marking all the shapes that corresponded to the specific taskshape requested by the interviewers. The shapes used in this task were circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles. Pattern extension To assess children‘s spatial ability in their recognition of the different shapes and the embedded pattern to be added to Children are presented with a pattern and asked to select a response option for the object necessary to complete the pattern e.g., ABABA? = A or B. The assessor introduces each pattern extension task to the child and points to the blanks, asking the child which of the response options will complete the pattern. Source: Reubens and Crouch, 2009

3.3.4 Selecting test components for Eastern Tamang adult learners