GUIDELINES FOR
SCORING ROOM ADMINISTRATOR
REGIONAL PRELIMINARY EVENTS
2015
The Braille Challenge is a national competition for
school-age children who read and write braille
Copyright 2014 by Braille Institute of America, Inc.
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SCORING ROOM ADMINISTRATOR
Braille Challenge Contacts
Marcy Ponzio
Braille Challenge
Contest Scoring
(323) 663-1111, Ext. 1394
M-F 8:30 am to 3:00 pm Pacific Time
(626) 286-8747
Mon.-Fri. after 4:00 pm Pacific Time
Sat.-Sun. any time
Nancy Niebrugge
(323) 663-1111, Ext. 3113
Braille Challenge Director, Programs and Services
Sergio Oliva
National Programs Manager
(323) 663-1111, Ext. 3137
Christine Pak
Braille Challenge Administrator
(323) 663-1111, Ext. 1321
All Scoring Rooms should have one person in charge, who we call the Scoring
Room Administrator. It’s your responsibility to recruit volunteer
transcribers/braillists to be trained before the event and score contests on the day
of the event, and to have additional support from volunteers who will check contest
scores and tally them.
Braille Institute will provide a print and/or braille Scoring Guidelines Booklet for
your scorers to review, and a training DVD, demonstrating how to score The
Braille Challenge®.
Five Age-Appropriate Contests
There are five contest groups: Apprentice (grades 1-2), Freshman (grades 3-4),
Sophomore (grades 5-6), Junior Varsity (grades 7-9) and Varsity (grades 10-12).
All contests are designed to be held in 25-minute-long sessions.
Apprentice and Freshman
•
Spelling
•
Proofreading
•
Reading Comprehension
Sophomore, Junior Varsity and
Varsity
• Proofreading
• Reading Comprehension
• Speed and Accuracy
• Chart and Graph Reading
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WHO DO YOU NEED ON YOUR TEAM?
YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST 1 CERTIFIED TRANSCRIBER TO REVIEW ALL
SCORED CONTESTS. It doesn’t have to be you. If you only have one on site,
they must be the scorer for the Speed and Accuracy Contest, and be available to
check scores if there are any questions during the contest. All other volunteers in
the scoring room must be proficient braille readers, except Tally Sheet and
Electronic Scoring Grid volunteers. We encourage using blind and visually
impaired scorekeepers and have included separate instructions for them in
the general Scoring Guidelines Booklet, which is available in braille.
Suggestions below are based on 60 contestants – adjust according to your
anticipated attendance to complete scoring in one afternoon. It is preferable to
have all contests scored and tallied on the day of the event, so that contestants
can be presented with their awards that day.
Number of Volunteers
Type of Volunteers
1
Scoring Room Administrator
2
Tally Sheet Volunteers
One can be the Administrator, if necessary. These
volunteers are responsible for recording contest
scores onto the Tally Sheet.
1
Electronic Scoring Grid Volunteer
This volunteer is responsible for recording contest
scores into the Excel database. They must have
computer skills.
15 Total Scorekeepers
3 (minimum)
Speed and Accuracy**
(Ideally, all scorers for S&A should be certified)
2
Reading Comprehension
4
Spelling
2
Proofreading
2
Chart & Graph Reading
2
Score Checkers to check all contests
**Based on our experience at Braille Institute, having blind scorekeepers braille
their own scoring document, as recommended in the Scoring Guidelines Booklet,
is equally efficient for all multiple choice contests, but will add time to the scoring of
the Speed and Accuracy contests. This factor should be considered when scoring
contests within a tight deadline for same-day awards.
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If possible, schedule scorers so that all of the contests for one grade level can be
corrected by the same scorer, to ensure consistency. For example, one scorer for
all Apprentice Reading Comprehension, and so on. NOTE: This does not apply to
the Speed & Accuracy contest or score checkers.
Not all scorers will be working all the time. Nevertheless, the number of scorers
specified should be planned for if at all possible. Scorers can also double as score
checkers for the other scorers’ contests.
For accuracy in scoring, all tests should be marked to show
correct answers or errors, as shown on the samples in the Scoring
Guidelines Booklet. Keeping the scoring uniform will make it
easier for score checkers, with less room for error in calculating
totals. It also will assist Braille Institute staff when performing
random scoring checks. Please be sure scorers are using the
correct point value for each of the contests. Documents are also
available on the Braille Challenge website.
NEW THIS YEAR – Unified English Braille Option for
Apprentice Contests
To support students who are just learning braille this year in Unified English Braille
(UEB), Apprentice contestants have been given a choice of taking The Braille
Challenge in EITHER English Braille, American Edition (EBAE) or UEB.
All Apprentice contestants will be asked to braille which code they are using
DIRECTLY UNDER THEIR NAME on the upper left corner of every page.
BE SURE TO USE THE CORRECT ANSWER KEY BASED ON WHICH CODE
THE STUDENT SELECTED. Please indicate which code the student used on
the Contest Face Sheet.
To simplify this option as much as possible, Apprentice Spelling will not be
impacted: we have purposely selected words that are ‘code neutral’: they will not
contain contractions that are different in EBAE and UEB. There will be one
Answer Key provided to be used for both EBAE and UEB Spelling contests.
Apprentice Reading Comprehension contests will also have only one Answer Key
for both EBAE and UEB in contracted and uncontracted versions.
Apprentice Proofreading contests will have separate Answer Keys for EBAE and
UEB, and each Answer Key will still be offered in a contracted and uncontracted
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version. Be sure to check the Answer Key for the correct code as they will be
labeled EBAE or UEB.
IT IS HELPFUL IF APPRENTICE SCORERS KNOW UEB, BUT IT IS NOT
MANDATORY, since they can refer to the answer keys provided.
IMPORTANT: Contestants may not mix codes – they must select one code for all
three contests. IF THEY MIX CODES THEY WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE
FINALS.
BIA’s lead transcriber, Marcy Ponzio, will be trained in UEB and will be offering a
training session and assistance to answer your questions.
NOTE: Contest orders are shipped out to arrive at regional event locations
approximately two weeks before event date. Be sure to check with whoever
is in charge of receiving contest materials so you can get any necessary
documents needed to conduct training for the contest scorers.
SUGGESTED SCHEDULE FOR BRAILLE CHALLENGE
PREPARATION
Two Months Before Contest Day:
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2.
3.
4.
5.
Recruit your volunteer team, based on attendance projections.
Schedule a training day for your contest scorers. IMPORTANT: Please be
sure ALL contest scorers attend the training day EVEN if they are veteran
scorers, as the Scoring Guidelines have been revised. Also, please stress
to scorers that they need to read the Scoring Guidelines booklet.
Review the current training DVD and Scoring Guidelines provided by Braille
Institute to be able to discuss on training day with your scoring volunteers.
Make sure you have enough copies of the Scoring Guidelines for all the
scoring volunteers on training day, and also for the day of the event. Be sure
your visually impaired scorekeepers have reviewed their specific
instructions and your Tally Sheet Volunteers are familiar with the
format they will be using to indicate scores.
Confirm where your scoring room will be on the day of the event, to begin
planning your set-up.
Be sure you have access to the computer you are going to use in the scoring
room, load the Electronic Scoring Grid and input sample scores to be sure
your program works. Some Excel file cells are locked to protect the
automatic calculations imbedded by Braille Institute. Check to be sure that
when sample scores are entered, a ratio score for each sample contest and
a total ratio score for each sample contestant is generated.
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6.
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8.
BE SURE TO USE THE 2015 SCORING GRID. This year’s grid includes
an embedded formula that will prevent you from generating negative
scores on Speed & Accuracy.
Identify someone as your Electronic Scoring Grid Volunteer and be sure they
are able to run this program.
Coordinate with your Regional Coordinator on the contest schedule. If
possible, Speed and Accuracy and Spelling should be the first contests
of the day. These two contests are the most time consuming to score.
NOTE: We have found it helpful to distribute Speed & Accuracy “answer keys” to
S&A scorers prior to day of event so they can familiarize themselves with content.
This seems to make day of scoring run a little more efficiently.
One Week Before Contest Day:
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Get the list of contestants expected to take each contest from your Regional
Coordinator. If possible, you or your electronic scoring grid volunteer should
enter the names of all registered contestants into the appropriate contest
category.
If not possible, this should be done early on day of the contest, before
scoring begins.
Check your order of contests to make sure you have the number you need,
and test the SD cards if you have students taking the Speed & Accuracy
contest.
Get materials needed from your Regional Coordinator. Be sure you have
braille copies available for visually impaired scorers. This should
include:
a. A copy of the Maximum Scoring Sheet -- make copies for all your
scoring room volunteers.
b. One copy of each contest for each grade level in print and braille.
c. Answer keys for all contests to keep in the scoring room.
d. IMPORTANT: These copies of contests and answer keys MUST
BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL AND IN A SECURE LOCATION UNTIL
THE DAY OF THE EVENT. THEY ARE NOT TO BE SHARED WITH
ANYONE.
e. Proctor Instructions booklet for reference.
f. Scoring Guidelines booklet.
Create a Tally Sheet for each contest grade level (see attached sample on
following page). This helps you track details on contest day, such as getting
all contests you expected, or if a contestant is taking the wrong contest level.
Confirm the schedule of contest times to finalize planning your day.
Organize materials for your scoring room set-up:
- enough tables, chairs – SEE “Day Before Contest Day,” item 4.
- Red pencils, sharpener, and writing tablets (DO NOT SCORE IN PEN)
- calculators, to track tallies
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7.
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10.
- dictionary, to confirm if there is more than one acceptable spelling
- and snacks! -- SEE “Day Before Contest Day,” item 4.
Check with Regional Coordinator that all Permission Forms are completed,
signed and organized by grade level.
Confirm date and time with your volunteer team to be sure they are
ready, know when to arrive, and how long they will be staying.
Be sure proctors have set margins on braillewriters for 8 ½” X 11” paper.
Regional Coordinators are being asked to ensure that all brailler margins are
set for a 28-cell line.
Be sure to have extra braillewriters with paper already in them for backups in
case there is a malfunction with a contestant’s braillewriter.
Day Before Contest Day:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Confirm the Electronic Scoring Grid is loaded and running on your scoring
room computer. You or your volunteer will copy and paste the final list
of names and ID#s of all registered 2015 contestants from the
Registration Log into the appropriate contest category of the Scoring
Grid. If not possible, this must be done early on day of the contest, before
scoring begins. BE SURE TO USE THE 2015 SCORING GRID. This
year’s grid includes an embedded formula that will prevent you from
generating negative scores on Speed & Accuracy.
Label an area in the scoring room for Answer Keys by contest grade level,
contracted or uncontracted, and for Apprentice, if for EBAE or UEB or both.
We recommend creating a labeled box for each category. You can also use
these boxes for completed contests ready for scoring and waiting for an
available scorer -- so everything is all in one place.
Double check that you have enough copies of the Maximum Score Sheet for
each scorer and score checker, and enough answer keys.
If possible, set up your scoring room with boxes, tables, chairs and computer
with Electronic Scoring Grid. You will need at least one table to place boxes
for the contests and answer keys. You will also need enough tables for
scorers, score checkers and your tally sheet / electronic scoring grid
volunteers. Be sure you have a workspace as well. Set up enough tables for
scorers to allow for plenty of space around each scorer. We recommend no
more than two per table. Lastly, we recommend a SNACK TABLE -- coffee,
sweets, water, sodas, etc.
Be sure your visually impaired scorekeepers have a brailler or slate and
stylus and braille paper available to create their own score sheets.
On Morning of Test:
1.
2.
Check with Regional Coordinator to confirm any additions or deletions of
contestants in each contest. Electronic scoring grid volunteer should make
necessary changes on Scoring Grid and Tally Sheets.
Place answer keys in proper grade level boxes.
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3.
4.
5.
Be sure you have one copy of each contest with you -- BUT DO NOT
distribute them or place them in the boxes. They are for your reference only.
Review procedures to be followed by all volunteers – how they receive
contests and answer keys, how to mark and check scores, and the person to
whom to return contests.
Give each scorer and score checker a copy of the Maximum Score Sheet.
Suggested Scoring Room Procedures
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Runner brings contests to you, as the Administrator.
Check that Contest Face Sheet is filled out, and that a contestant’s name
is on each page of the contest. Only one Contest Face Sheet is required
for each contest per contestant regardless of number of passages, etc.,
completed.
Give contests and answer keys to available scorer, clarify any questions. For
Apprentice, check which code the student indicated under the name
and provide the corresponding Answer Key – EBAE or UEB, contracted
or uncontracted.
Scorer grades contest and totals score, checks score against Maximum
Score Sheet, marks it on first page of contest and Contest Face Sheet, and
initials it.
Scorer brings graded contests and answer keys to you. All scored contests
must first be given to you, as the Administrator.
You separate out the answer key and return it to the appropriate box, then
give contests to score checkers.
Score checker checks contests for accuracy of point values and addition.
Also provides a second check to be sure scores are not higher than point
values listed on the Maximum Score Sheet.
Contests are reviewed by Braille Institute, so all scoring errors must be
marked directly on the contest or noted on an attached braille document.
If the score checkers find no error, they bring contests to the Tally Sheet
Volunteers. If they find a discrepancy, they return the contests to you, the
Administrator, for final review.
NOTE: The totaling of scores for all contests should be done twice – once
by the scorer and reviewed once by the score checker.
Tally Sheet Volunteers record scores on the Tally Sheet.
Tally Sheets and contests are returned to you for final check that numbers
are accurate. You keep completed contests.
You give Tally Sheets to Electronic Scoring Grid Volunteer, who enters
scores into the Excel Scoring Grid.
Once all scores are entered in the Scoring Grid, you determine winners
based on highest Total Ratio Score and report them to your Regional
Coordinator. Tally Sheets should be returned to you.
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14.
TIE BREAKERS: In the event of a tie, with two or more contestants
matching in total rank, the contest will be decided by the highest rank in the
“Speed and Accuracy” contest. This will apply to Sophomore, Jr. Varsity,
and Varsity.
For Apprentice and Freshman, the tie breaker will be decided by the
highest ranking in the “Proofreading” contest.
TRAINING GUIDELINES AND TIPS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONTESTS
For Spelling Tests:
1. ANSWER KEYS MUST BE USED BY EVERYONE WHEN SCORING
SPELLING CONTESTS. SCORERS MAY ASSUME THEY KNOW HOW TO
SPELL A WORD CORRECTLY, HOWEVER, ALL WORDS MUST BE
COMPARED TO THE BRAILLE ANSWER KEY.
ALSO, SOME CONTESTANTS MAY HEAR A WORD DIFFERENTLY THAN
WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID. AND EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY HAVE
SPELLED IT CORRECTLY, IF IT IS NOT THE WORD BEING TESTED, IT IS
MARKED AS AN ERROR. THE WORDS MUST MATCH EXACTLY WITH
WHAT IS ON THE BRAILLE ANSWER KEY.
2. If the dictionary confirms a student has accurately given an acceptable spelling
that differs from the answer key, the student is awarded the points.
3. One Answer Key works for both Apprentice Spelling in EBAE and UEB.
For Speed & Accuracy:
1. Ideally, all scorers for this contest should be certified braille transcribers.
2. AGAIN, THE ANSWER KEY MUST BE USED WHEN SCORING THIS TEST
IN ORDER TO CATCH MISSED OR EXTRA WORDS AND PROPER
PUNCTUATION, ETC.
3. If the dictionary confirms a student has accurately given an acceptable spelling
of a word that differs from the answer key, the student is awarded the point.
4. All errors must be marked on the contest pages or noted on an attached
braille document, and a final score calculated before it gets checked.
5. Passages may be scored as completed by contestants. You may choose to not
wait until all passages are completed before scoring them. If each completed
passage is delivered individually to checkers, scorers MUST MAKE SURE ALL
THE PAGES FOR THAT PASSAGE ARE STAPLED TOGETHER AND THE
CONTESTANT’S NAME IS ON EVERY PAGE.
6. The final score for all completed passages for a contestant should be marked
on the Contest Face Sheet and initialed before it goes to you, the Administrator.
Again, only one Contest Face Sheet is required.
7. There is a two-point deduction for each error.
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TO RETURN CONTESTS
Please return all contests and SD cards immediately after your event is
finished and all scoring (if applicable) has been completed. This should be
done within a week from event date.
When packaging contests for return delivery to Braille Institute, all contests for
each contestant should be rubber banded together or put into one envelope.
Each contest must have one completed Contest Face Sheet attached. Each
contestant bundle must include an attached signed and completely filled out
Permission Form.
Be sure the Contest Face Sheet and Permission Form are marked to indicate
if a contestant took a below grade level or uncontracted braille contest, or
EBAE or UEB.
You may keep contest materials for future use as practice samples. However, DO
NOT PUBLICLY DISTRIBUTE OR SHARE CONTEST INFORMATION UNTIL
AFTER MARCH 13, 2015.
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