ELPA21 - English Language Proficiency Assessment for the 21st Century Speaking Domain Skills Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An English learner participating in an ELPA21 Speaking task is shown a picture of a science experiment and asked to describe what is happening. The student responds, "Boy pour water. Girl write. It blue." Which of the following speaking skills does this student most clearly need to develop to improve their proficiency level?
- Using single words and gestures to communicate basic needs.
- Recounting a sequence of events with a beginning, middle, and end.
- Using precise, content-specific vocabulary and expanding simple sentences. (Correct answer)
- Repeating memorized phrases on familiar topics.
Correct answer: Using precise, content-specific vocabulary and expanding simple sentences.
The student is communicating basic actions but uses simple, general vocabulary ('pour water', 'write') instead of more precise, academic language (e.g., 'pouring the liquid into the beaker,' 'recording observations'). Expanding simple sentences into more complex ones (e.g., 'The boy is carefully pouring the blue liquid from the test tube into the beaker while the girl records the results in her notebook') is a key skill for moving to higher proficiency levels.
Question 2: A teacher is preparing a student for an ELPA21 Speaking task that requires them to compare and contrast two pictures. Which of the following instructional activities would be most effective for developing this specific skill?
- Asking the student to label objects in each picture.
- Having the student tell a story about one of the pictures.
- Providing the student with sentence frames like 'In the first picture..., but in the second picture...' and 'Both pictures show...'. (Correct answer)
- Asking the student yes/no questions about the pictures.
Correct answer: Providing the student with sentence frames like 'In the first picture..., but in the second picture...' and 'Both pictures show...'.
Sentence frames provide structured support that guides students in forming comparative and contrasting statements. This directly targets the linguistic structures needed for the task, helping them organize their thoughts and use appropriate transition words and phrases to articulate similarities and differences, a key task type in the ELPA21 speaking domain.
Question 3: During a scenario-based speaking task, a student is asked to explain the rules of their favorite game to a friend. According to the ELPA21 performance descriptors, which characteristic would be expected from a student at an Intermediate level of proficiency?
- Using single words or short phrases with many errors that impede meaning.
- Delivering a well-structured, detailed presentation with precise academic language and few errors.
- Using simple language to interact socially, recounting a sequence of events, and connecting ideas with linking words, though some errors may be present. (Correct answer)
- Relying heavily on gestures and pointing to communicate meaning.
Correct answer: Using simple language to interact socially, recounting a sequence of events, and connecting ideas with linking words, though some errors may be present.
Students at the Intermediate level can typically participate in social conversations, explain a process or sequence of events, and use linking words (e.g., 'first,' 'then,' 'next') to connect their ideas. While their language is functional, it may still contain grammatical errors and lack the precision of higher proficiency levels.
Question 4: Which of the following speaking tasks on the ELPA21 is designed to assess a student's ability to construct an oral argument or express an opinion with supporting reasons?
- A task that asks the student to retell a short story they just heard.
- A task that asks the student to describe the similarities and differences between two images.
- A task that presents a situation and asks the student whether they agree or disagree, and to explain why. (Correct answer)
- A task that requires the student to answer simple 'wh-' questions (who, what, where) about a picture.
Correct answer: A task that presents a situation and asks the student whether they agree or disagree, and to explain why.
This type of task directly elicits persuasive or opinion-based language. It requires the student to go beyond simple description or narration and use language to justify a viewpoint, a key skill assessed in the speaking domain, particularly at higher proficiency levels.
Question 5: A student at a Beginning proficiency level is assessed on the Speaking domain. The student's response to a prompt asking them to describe their classroom consists of pointing to their desk and saying, "My desk." This response demonstrates which typical characteristic of the Beginning level?
- Ability to deliver an oral presentation with descriptive details.
- Use of complex sentences to express a variety of ideas.
- Participation in extended discussions by building on the ideas of others.
- Reliance on single words, gestures, and short, memorized phrases to communicate. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Reliance on single words, gestures, and short, memorized phrases to communicate.
According to the ELPA21 Performance Level Descriptors, students at the Beginning level often communicate by using single words, common phrases, and non-verbal cues like pointing. Their productive language is very limited and tied to immediate contexts.
Question 6: The primary purpose of the ELPA21 Speaking domain assessment is to measure a student's ability to:
- Pronounce English words with perfect, native-like accuracy.
- Speak comprehensible English in the context of grade-appropriate academic and social activities. (Correct answer)
- Demonstrate a large vocabulary of idiomatic expressions.
- Engage in informal conversations exclusively about familiar, non-academic topics.
Correct answer: Speak comprehensible English in the context of grade-appropriate academic and social activities.
The overarching goal of the ELPA21 assessment, including the speaking domain, is to determine if a student can use English effectively to engage with grade-level content and interact in a school environment. This involves comprehensible speech across various contexts, not just pronunciation or informal chat.
