For more information, contact:

Laurie McVittie (905-279-0024 ext. 1268)

Links

• Assessment Centres in Canada (Outside Ontario)
• ELTPA Inter-Rater Reliability Study 2010
• TESL Presentation 2009

Other websites:

• Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks (CCLB)
• Citizenship & Immigration Canada (national site)

Citizenship & Immigration Canada - Provincial/Territorial sites:

• British Columbia; www.gov.bc.ca
• Manitoba: www.gov.mb.ca
• New Brunswick: www.gov.nb.ca
• Newfoundland and Labrador: www.gov.nf.ca
• Nova Scotia: www.gov.ns.ca
• Nunavut: www.gov.nu.ca
• Ontario: www.ontario.ca www.settlement.org
• Prince Edward Island: www.gov.pe.ca
• Quebec: www.souv.gc.ca
• Saskatchewan: www.gov.sk.ca
• Northwest Territories: www.gov.nt.ca
• Yukon: www.gov.yk.ca
• Alberta: www.gov.ab.ca

• Canadian Language Benchmarks Assessment (CLBA)
• Canadian Language Benchmarks Placement Assessment (CLBPT)
• Canadian English Language Benchmarks Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN)

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ELTPA FAQ

Assessment

1. What Instructions do the students receive for writing tasks?
   1. As candidates have already completed the pre-requisite of attaining scores of Benchmark 6 or higher in either the CLBA or CLBPT they should already be aware that instructions are included in task assignment. Candidates are advised to make sure they answer the questions completely.  Remember this assessment is intended for individuals who have achieved Benchmark 6 and higher.
2. With the listening test do they have a list of questions to answer?
   1. The administration of the ELTPA (6-10) Listening follows a “foregrounding” protocol.  The candidate is prompted to first produce context independently, and if required, the assessor will then ask a series of guided questions to allow the candidate full opportunity to be successful in the task.
3. In the writing how much is context, grammar based?
   1. Scoring of the Writing tasks is based on bands as defined by the Canadian Language Benchmarks.  These bands offer descriptors that are task based in relation to the global descriptors for each of the Benchmarks targeted by the assessment, and as such, grammar (control of complex structures, etc.) will indirectly affect the overall  (holistic) quality of the writing.
4. Does the subject of the presentation create discussion?
   1. The assessor is trained to foreground this task following a protocol to ensure that the candidate has heard and understood the definition of the topic and what is required.  If required, an example is provided to support the definition.
5. Do candidates require an assessment prior to the ELTPA (6-10) to determine if they are at least a Benchmark 6?
   1. Yes.  The accepted assessments are the CLBA, CLBPT and CELBAN.  Protocol requires that the candidates must score a minimum of Benchmark 6 in all competencies.  This ensures that the ELTPA will only be attempted by the candidates who are likely to cope with the challenges of this demanding assessment.  Teacher-assigned Benchmarks of at least 6 may be accepted (General Proficiency Checklists or the CLB 5-10 Exit Assessment Tasks).
6. What does “designed for ELT programs” mean?
   1. When the ELTPA (6-10) was developed, there were few higher level language training programs specific to its use.  Development of the ELTPA was jointly funded by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities and the Centre for Education and Training in response to needs expressed by ELT providers in Peel and Halton Regions of Ontario for a reliable assessment tool that would identify benchmarks 8 and higher.  Another accepted term used by practitioners is HLLT – Higher Level Language Training.
7. Are the questions personalized in each individual assessment?
   1. YES.  For each task leading up to the Presentation and Elaboration, the emphasis is on the participant’s personal experiences.  The expectation is that the assessor will elicit a personalized point of view towards the presentation topic and support his/her opinions based on experience and insight into the topic.Assessors follow a prescribed protocol during the assessment to introduce each task and engage the candidate to produce a speech sample commensurate with their language abilities.  The purpose is to maintain high a level of communication by challenging the candidate at threshold.  The assessment moves quickly and efficiently to CLB Stage 3.
8. What role do cultural/social and pronunciation difficulties figure in the benchmark placement?
   1. The candidate’s speech is evaluated by the assessor, using a set of bands that address overall production as outlined in the CLB document. The individual tasks have socio-cultural implications which the candidate is given the opportunity, through a series of five tasks, to engage in.  In order to be successful in addressing the individual task requirements, whether written or oral, the candidate will be expected to demonstrate a degree of socio-cultural sensitivity and understanding of Canadian norms.   

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