OTELA Training
Grades 3-12
General Information for
Test Administrators
Columbus City Schools
2014-15
General Information
• Schedule and Time Allotments
– Test administration window:
• January 12 – February 27, 2015
• Make-ups for absentees are permitted as long as they are in the
testing window.
• Any given test must be given in one school day (e.g., the reading
test must be completed in one day)
What You Will Need
Directions for Administration (DFA)
The Directions for Administration
(DFA) are in Appendices A-D
(Note: The scripted directions that are
in bold print must be read verbatim to
students)
Assessment Schedule and Time
Allotments
Approximate OTELA Test Times
Grade
Band/Level
Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing
(group)
(individual)
(group)
(group)
3-5
30-35 minutes
25-35 minutes
25-30 minutes
35-40 minutes
6-8
30-35 minutes
25-35 minutes
25-30 minutes
35-40 minutes
9-12
30-35 minutes
25-35 minutes
25-30 minutes
35-40 minutes
Breaks: Test administrator’s discretion, but each assessment is
designed to run from 25-40 minutes without interruption, so no break
is recommended.
Administration Tips
• Read Quick Start Guide
• Read through all the Oral scripted
directions for each of the four
assessments prior to administering the
test.
• Fill in all students group numbers(room
numbers) and test form numbers before
administering
• Make a copy of the Pupil Accountability List for
Proctors to check off which students took which
sections each day
Preparation for Administering the Reading
Assessment
Assessment Materials
You will need the following for each student taking the Reading assessment:
1.Student test booklet (and replacements in case of defective booklets)
2.Student answer document
3.Two #2 pencils with erasers
4. No Dictionaries!!
Students will encounter three types of items during the Reading assessment. The
administrator will read instructions pertaining to the entire Reading assessment
before testing begins. The three types of items are as follows:
Short Passages.
These items test the student’s ability to understand information in short reading passages.
Instructions.
These items test the student’s ability to understand directions.
Longer Passages.
These items test the student’s ability to understand information in longer reading passages.
Preparation For Administering the Writing
Assessment
Assessment Materials
You will need one of the following for each student taking the Writing
assessment:
1.Student test booklet (and replacements in case of defective booklets)
2.Student answer document
3.Two #2 pencils with erasers
4. No Dictionaries!!
Students will encounter three types of items during the Writing assessment. The
administrator will read instructions pertaining to the entire Writing assessment
before testing begins. The three types of items are as follows:
Open Ended. Students write responses to prompts.
Revise and Edit. Students choose the best answer to correct grammar and
usage errors in passages.
Graphic Organizers. Students answer questions about graphic organizers.
Preparation for Administering the
Listening Assessment
Assessment Groups
You may assess as many students as can fit in the classroom and meet the
conditions described in the “Security concerns and procedures” section of
the test administration manual.
Assessment Materials and Equipment
You will need one of the following for each student taking the Listening
assessment:
An audio compact disc player to play the Listening Prompt CD
• The player must provide adequate clarity and volume so that all students in
the administration can hear the Listening tasks clearly.
Make sure that you test the sound quality of the prompting recording
before the administration to identify an appropriate volume setting.
Pauses and repeats are already included on the CD’s
**Remember batteries may be needed for CD players with no cords.
•
•
•
•
Student test booklet (and replacements in case of defective booklets)
Student answer document
Two #2 pencils with erasers
No Dictionaries!!
Preparation for Administering the
Speaking Assessment
Assessment Groups
•Because you will be scoring each students’ oral responses in real time, the
Speaking assessment will need to be administered individually.
•The ESL Department will contact middle and high school principals to let them know
if proctors will come out to their buildings to assist with the speaking portion.
Equipment
You will need an audio compact disc player to play the Speaking Prompt
CD.
• The player must provide adequate clarity and volume so that the students
in the administration can hear the speaking tasks clearly.
• Make sure that you test the sound quality of the prompting recording
before the administration to identify an appropriate volume setting.
• No Dictionaries!!
• Students are not to handle the tests in any way whatsoever (students
should not walk down to the testers with their own books)
OTELA Accommodations and Special
Versions
Accommodations – LEP student with IEP/504 Plan
(Accommodations should always be related to the student’s
specific disability and or specifically identified in the student’s
IEP or 504 plan may be provided in conjunction with those
listed below)
**Note: any student with an IEP may need to be tested in a separate room.
• Scribe – Reading, Writing, Listening
• Read Aloud – by Test Administrator for Reading and Writing –
cannot read the reading passage aloud
• Only for students scoring a 1,2 or 3 on the last Reading and Writing sections of OTELA
• Extended Time
• Small Group or Individual Administration
• Special Versions (Modified Test Booklets)
– Large Print
– Braille
OTELA Accommodations and
Special Versions
• Dictation of Responses (Scribe): Students who are unable to write due to
a disability are allowed to dictate their responses to a transcriber or into an
audio recorder for the Reading, Writing, and Listening OTELA. The
student’s answers should be transferred onto the student’s original answer
document. Scribing must follow Ohio’s guidelines.
• Extended/Adjusted Time: The OTELA is an untimed assessment (except
for the Listening Section- the CD may not be stopped or repeated). For
students whose attention span or behavior interferes with regular testing
sessions, test administration may be altered to allow for a number of shorter
testing sessions. Testing may also be stopped and continued at a later time
if behavior interferes with the testing session (but must be completed later
that same day). The time of day the test is administered may also be
adjusted to be most beneficial to the student. All testing sessions MUST be
completed within the allotted testing window.
• Individual/Small Group Administration: Tests may be administered to a
small group or an individual requiring more attention than can be provided in
a large group administration.
Things to Remember
Before You Begin:
• Verify that you have received the correct number of assessment materials from your STC.
An overage of 10% will be sent to each district.
• Gather and organize all necessary materials: student test materials, supply of sharpened #
2 pencils (pens may not be used), the DFA, Speaking Scoring Guide, Listening and
Speaking Prompt CDs, and silent work for students.
• Arrange for a quiet, comfortable, well-lighted, distraction-free setting in which to assess
students. (Check acoustics for listening section).
• Decide whether to give students breaks between the assessment sessions.
• Be aware that if assessment groups exceed the numbers specified for each section of the
assessment, a proctor must be present in addition to the test administrator (remember; 30
to 1 ratio of students to test administrator is max).
• Bilingual Assistants may only speak English during the test.
• Bilingual Assistants may not be test administrators. There must be a certified teacher in
the room with them.
• Start the test early, especially the Reading and Writing, so lunch is not an issue.
Returning Test Materials
• During the last session, have proctors separate
the answer documents and the test booklets
• The test booklets need to be in numeric order
• The answer documents should be in
alphabetical order according to the Pupil
Accountability List.
• Make sure their Pupil Accountability Check Lists
are complete!! (these checks need to be
transferred to the official PAL)
– Write T for each test a student takes without accommodations
and M for tests with accommodations (NO check marks please!)
ODE Link for OTELA
• http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Testing/OhioTest-of-English-Language-Acquisition-OTELA