BEST Plus
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BEST Plus Center for Applied Linguistics 1-866-845-BEST (2378), best-plus@cal.org, [1]
Purpose: To assess speaking and listening skills of adult English language learners.
Approach: BEST Plus is intended to assess interpersonal communication using everyday language. BEST Plus integrates current knowledge in the assessment of speaking and listening skills with the latest knowledge and practice in educational measurement.
Target population: Adult English language learners who may or may not have received an education in their native language or in English, but who need to use English to function in day-to-day life in the United States. An adult is defined as anyone 16 years of age or older and not in secondary school. BEST Plus was field-tested in 27 programs in eight states and the District of Columbia.
Administration: BEST Plus is an individually administered face-to-face scripted oral interview. BEST Plus comes in two versions—a computer-adaptive assessment on CD or a semi-adaptive print-based version.
In the computer-adaptive version, the test items are delivered via a computer. The test administrator asks the examinee a question presented on the computer screen, listens to the examinee’s response, uses a rubric to determine the score for that item, and then enters the score into the computer. The computer then selects the next test item, choosing items most appropriate for the examinee according to the scores entered for each response.
In the print-based version, a brief locator test determines the level of test items (Level 1, 2, or 3) that will be the most appropriate for the ability level of the examinee. These test items are arranged in fixed-form levels. The test administrator asks the examinee each item on the selected level test using the same scoring rubric as is used with the computer-adaptive test.
Training is required to be able to administer BEST Plus.
Test length/contraints: Administering BEST Plus averages between 5-20 minutes depending on the proficiency of the examinee.
Comments: BEST Plus is an adaptation of the Basic English Skills Test (BEST) oral interview. Communicative language functions assessed range from providing personal information to giving and supporting opinions. Completed test scores are expressed in terms of a BEST Plus scale score and Student Performance Levels (SPLs) 0-10, which can be correlated to the National Reporting System (NRS) levels. Because of the large item pool in the computer-adaptive version and 3 forms (A, B, and C) of the print-based version, BEST Plus is appropriate for pre- and post-testing. In the print-based version, a complete score report can be obtained by entering scores from each item into the BEST Plus Score Management Software.
