BEST
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Basic English Skills Test (BEST) Center for Applied Linguistics (202) 362-0700. For ordering materials, email laurel@cal.org
Purpose: To assess speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills of adult English language learners through Student Performance Level (SPL) 7.
Approach: BEST has two sections--an Oral Interview Section and a Literacy Skills Section--that may be given together or separately. BEST is a criterion–referenced test consisting of simulated real-life tasks such as telling time, conversing socially, and understanding labels.
Target population: BEST is to be used with adult English language learners for whom information on the attainment of basic functional language skills is needed. The BEST was field-tested with adult speakers of several languages in seven geographically diverse programs in the United States.
Administration: The Oral Interview Section is an individually administered face-to-face oral interview. The Literacy Skills Section can be administered to a group of examinees. Training is required to be able to administer the BEST.
Test length/contraints: Conducting an Oral Interview usually takes between 10-20 minutes, based on the examinee’s oral proficiency. The Literacy Skills Section takes one hour.
Comments: The BEST was initially developed by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and its Mainstream English Language Training (MELT) Project. The MELT Project produced a competency-based Core Curriculum Guide, a system of defining Student Performance Levels (SPLs), and a valid and reliable instrument for assessing adult English language learners’ English proficiency. The BEST currently has two forms (B and C) for pre- and post-testing. The BEST Oral Interview Section was replaced by BEST Plus and will be phased out by September 2006. The Literacy Section will continue to be available.
