"BEST Plus 2.0 is an individually administered, face-to-face oral interview designed to assess the English language listening and speaking proficiency of adult English learners in the United States.” (Adapted from https://cal.org/aea/bp/) This training is for practitioners looking to become a new BEST Plus 2.0 test administrator and scorer.
The BEST Plus 2.0 administration and scoring training is conducted across two days (seven hours total) as an online facilitated training. There are four requirements that must be completed by the deadline established by the Center for Educational Assessment at UMass (CEA) to become certified to administer the BEST Plus 2.0 test. The deadline to submit all the requirements to become certified to administer and score the BEST Plus 2.0 is Friday, October 20th, 2023.
***Given the timing of this training, you must register by Thursday, August 31st to receive paper copies of the materials via USPS. Registration will close on Thursday, August 31st to allow time for mailings. Please see the SABES calendar for future training dates, or email Kat Tremblay at kattremblay@umass.edu to discuss possible exceptions.
The requirements are as follows:
- Attend the two 3.5 hour online facilitated training sessions via Zoom.
- Complete homework activities as necessary.
- Participate in a 90-minute, small group meeting after the training sessions to review scoring using the rubric and practice using the software.
- Practice administering the test with a minimum of ten participants.
- Participants must include five non-native speakers and five other individuals that may include non-native speakers.
- These practice tests may not be administered as pre- or post-assessments. To access these tests, trainees must use the BEST Plus 2.0 software.
- Obtain a passing score on the assigned scoring activity. You will receive access to the scoring activity after you participate in the small group meeting.
***Participants must have access to a PC running Windows XP or higher and be able to install the BEST Plus 2.0 software (links to software download and installation instructions). The BEST Plus 2.0 software is not compatible with Apple devices. If you have questions, please contact the CEA at aclstesthelp@umass.edu.
Approximately two weeks prior to the training, participants will receive an email from the CEA to confirm a mailing address via a link to an online form. You will be asked for a mailing address, home or work, where the CEA can ship training materials to you in the days leading up to the training.
***Given the timing of this training, you must register by Thursday, August 31st to receive paper copies of the materials via USPS. Registration will close on Thursday, August 31st to allow time for mailings. Please see the SABES calendar for future training dates, or email Kat Tremblay at kattremblay@umass.edu to discuss possible exceptions.
Please note: Participants are asked to arrive 5 to 10 minutes early in case of technology issues, but at a minimum must arrive on time for both sessions and must attend both sessions in their entirety to complete the first requirement of the certification. In addition, participants are expected to complete one hour of self-study between Day 1 and Day 2 of the training.
There is an online prerequisite for this training. See below for more information.
- ACLS-funded practitioners who need to be trained as BEST Plus 2.0 test administrators
This professional development activity/course is designed for:
The BEST Plus 2.0 administration and scoring training is conducted across two days (seven hours total) as an online facilitated training.
This training is for practitioners looking to become a new BEST Plus 2.0 test administrator.
After completing the seven-hour online training, each participant must successfully complete each of the following:
- Participate in a 90-minute small group meeting after the training sessions to review scoring using the rubric and practice using the software.
- Complete homework activities as necessary.
- Practice administering the test with a minimum of ten participants.
- Participants must include five non-native speakers and five other individuals that may include non-native speakers.
- These practice tests may not be administered as pre- or post-assessments. To access these tests, trainees must use the BEST Plus 2.0 software.
- Obtain a passing score on the assigned scoring activity. You will receive access to the scoring activity after you participate in the small group meeting.
You are encouraged to speak with your program director or ESOL coordinator prior to registering.
- Recognize the importance of assessing students' language abilities
- Administer and score the BEST Plus 2.0 computer-adaptive oral interview
- Run the BEST Plus 2.0 Test Administration Program
- Interpret BEST Plus 2.0 scores
Upon completion of this professional development activity/course, you will be able to:
- English fluency level of SPL 9 or above
- Experience and comfort interacting with non-native English speakers
- Basic comfort level with computers
- Completion of the Assessment Basics webinar (approximately 30 to 40 minutes)
- Practitioners must complete the webinar prior to the first day of the BEST Plus 2.0 training.
- Access to a PC running Windows XP or later with BEST Plus 2.0 software installed.
- The BEST Plus 2.0 software is not compatible with Apple devices.
- Practitioners who do not have access to a PC should consult with their program director before signing up for this training.
UMass is managing registration for this training to ensure that as many programs as possible have access to this training.
- This training is capped at 21 participants, and only two people per program will be permitted in this training.
- If more than two participants from a single program sign up, the third participant (and any subsequent individual who signs up from that program) will be placed on a waitlist and contacted for interest and availability for a training at a later date.
ONLINE
MA
United States
