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English as a Second Language Acheivement Test

Students in kindergarten through grade 12 who have been placed in ESL and bilingual classes. They will continue to receive ESL and bilingual services until their scores on the NYSESLAT indicate that they have gained sufficient proficiency in English to participate productively in an English-only program.

The NYSESLAT is administered via both individual and group administration, depending on the subtest. The NYSESLAT has five levels: K-1, 2-4, 5-6, 7-8 and 9-12. It contains Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing subtests.

The Reading subtest is administered in a group and asks students to answer questions about stories printed in their test books.

The Writing subtest is administered in a group and asks students to write and perform writing exercises in response to questions and stimuli in their test books.

The Listening subtest is administered in a group and asks students to select the correct response to a picture and/or dictated word or statement.

The Speaking subtest is administered individually and asks students to respond to a dictated word or statement or to a picture.

The NYSESLAT is used to evaluate English proficiency of ESL and bilingual students.

are test results

The results are reported in raw scores, scale scores and performance levels.

• Raw score. The number of correct answers.

• Scale score. The number of correct answers is converted to scores on a common scale so that achievement can be compared across grade levels.

• Performance levels. There are five performance levels that show how students have mastered the knowledge and skills that make up the learning standards. The five performance levels are:

Proficient	Students who are proficient function fluently in listening, reading, writing and speaking; their skills are equal to those of native English speakers at their appropriate grade-level. These students have attained the skills necessary to participate in an English-speaking classroom.
Transitional	Transitional level students are approaching fluency in all four areas but need support with the most difficult skills and aspects of language.
Advanced	Students at the advanced level are able to use skills at a higher level than intermediate students. Although their knowledge and use of English is at a more advanced level, mistakes are made, usually involving more subtle use of language and more difficult levels of vocabulary and grammar.
Intermediate	Students functioning at the intermediate level have better English skills than students at the basic level; however, their skills are often not well developed and they make significant errors in the four skill areas.
Beginning	Students functioning at this basic level are simply at the beginning level in the four skill areas. The students’ English skills are minimal.

Teachers and principals use the results from the NYSESLAT to help decide whether or not a student will exit ESL/Bilingual services.