Federal and state legislation mandate the initial assessment of language proficiency of students who are speakers of other languages to determine whether special instructional interventions are necessary.  This type of oral language assessment also is mandated as part of the redesignation (exit) criteria for LEP (Limited English Proficient) students after they have received a program of special intervention, including English oral language instruction.  These redesignation criteria, which ensure every possibility for student success in the regular instructional program, are established by individual school districts.  One common criterion for redesignation is an evaluation of oral language proficiency using a standardized instrument.

In response to the need for such oral language proficiency tests, the IDEA Oral Language Proficiency Test I (IPT I) for grades K-6 and IDEA Oral Language Proficiency Test II (IPT II) for grades 7-12 were developed and normed.  These tests assist in the designation of a student as NES, LES, or FES (Non-, Limited, Fluent English Speaking) and, upon the student’s completion of a special intervention program emphasizing English oral language development, in the redesignation of that student into the mainstream educational program. 

There also has been a growing trend to assess the language proficiency of preschool children.  In this way, oral language needs can be determined at an early age and an intervention program begun before the child reaches the formal academic classroom.  In response to this need, the Pre-IPT–Oral English (developed to assess 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds) was published in the fall of 1988.  Dr. Constance O. Williams, Wanda S. Ballard, and Phyllis L. Tighe were chosen to be the authors of the new test.  A committee of language specialists was selected to assist in the development of the test.  The committee members were early childhood specialists and teachers in the field with many years of experience working with young children from various ethnic backgrounds.

A theme for the test was chosen and important English language skills for the young English speaking child were identified.  Test items were then written by the authors. A pilot test was developed and sent to the committee members for their comments and suggestions.  In the fall of 1987, the committee members gave the pilot test to a sample population of 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds.  The committee reviewed the results of the pilot testing, modifications were made, and a field test instrument was finalized.  The norming field study was conducted in the spring of 1988.  The data generated were analyzed; the results were incorporated in the Pre-IPT–Oral English Technical Manual.

In July of 1998, the Pre-IPT authors conducted a review of current research and curriculum.  A committee of language specialists was convened to discuss and revise the original story of the Pre-IPT–Oral English.  The authors rewrote the Pre-IPT–Oral English test items to correspond with the new story while retaining the story line format.  Numerous meetings were held during which the authors and the committee of language specialists discussed and finalized a form to be used for the pilot test.  The revised Pre-IPT–Oral English was sent to several language experts who critiqued the instrument as to content, format, and appropriateness for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds.  Their critiques were used as a guide for further discussion and changes to the test.  The committee of language specialists was involved actively in decisions made for the pilot test version.

The pilot test of the revised version of the test was conducted in February of 1999.  The authors and the committee of language specialists discussed the results and revised several items based on the data and comments received from the test reviewers and from the pilot test administrators.  The field test version was finalized and distributed to districts across the United States for the norming study in the spring of 1999.  During April and May 1999, the actual field study was conducted in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.  In July 1999, the data generated were analyzed and the norming chart established.  In 2004, a study was undertaken to update the test norms.  This resulted in the third edition of the test, which is named the Pre-IPT–Oral English, Third Edition.  This third edition test provides new 2004 norms.

The Pre-IPT–Oral English is designed to assist in the initial designation of  3-, 4-, and 5- year-olds as Non-, Limited, or Fluent English Speaking.  It also provides information to help place students in the most appropriate instructional programs.  It also may be used for redesignation at the end of an extended instructional period or for assessing a child’s progress in English oral language development.

The Pre-IPT–Oral English serves as an accurate, age appropriate, and easy-to-administer tool.  Because the test is designed for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds, it has been designed along a story line that provides opportunities for both discrete and integrative type items in a natural, dyadic conversational mode.  Most children at these ages are still in the Telegraphic and Syntactic Stages of language development, roughly equivalent to the Preproduction, Early Production, and Speech Emergence Stages.  Some children may even achieve the Intermediate Fluency or Fluency stages, especially native speakers of English.

The Pre-IPT–Oral English test assesses the proficiency of a student through sampling.  Tasks are considered adequate to represent the domains of Comprehension, Verbal Expression, Syntax, and Vocabulary.  The intent then of the Pre-IPT–Oral English is to assess the performance of students in response to items representative of common English language speech patterns, both inside and outside the classroom.  Students with different sociocultural backgrounds may respond to the test differently.  Therefore, sensitivity and understanding should be reflected in the attitudes of examiners in order to establish a comfortable and appropriate testing climate.

The Pre-IPT–Oral English assesses four basic areas of English oral language proficiency: Vocabulary, Comprehension, Syntax, and Verbal Expression.  There are five levels of difficulty tested: Levels A, B, C, D, and E.  All children are tested individually.  They either advance by levels until the test is completed or the testing stops at a proficiency level as indicated by information provided in the score box at the end of each level.  At the completion of the test, the child’s score level will be one of the following: A, B, C, D, or E.  The Content of Test Items chart shows the test items by item number placed within the skill area and difficulty level.  This matrix may be found in Appendix A, “Content of Test Items.”

The IDEA Proficiency Test Level Summary (Appendix D) shows specific oral language skills assessed on each level.  As there may be only one test item assessing a skill, the summary serves as a general indicator of the oral language competencies the student possesses.  However, this summary helps a teacher or parent quickly determine the meaning of a score level.  The summary is presented in English and Spanish in Appendix D. 

It is recommended that properly trained, credentialed teachers or other credentialed personnel administer the Pre-IPT–Oral English.  However, with proper and adequate training, instructional aides also may administer the test with a high degree of reliability.  In any case, the test examiner must be a proficient English speaker.  It is important to check federal and state regulations to be sure you are following the guidelines for your setting.

If the child is being assessed in both English and Spanish, these tests should be conducted in separate testing sessions.  The Pre-IPT–Oral English and Pre-IPT–Oral Spanish tests should not be given to the same child in the same sitting.

PRE-IPT–Oral English:
http://www.ballard-tighe.com/products/la/oralEng/preipt.asp

PRE-IPT–Oral Spanish:
http://www.ballard-tighe.com/products/la/oralSpn/preipt.asp

PRE-IPT Online Training:
http://www.ballard-tighe.com/IPTOnlineInserviceTraining/IPTOral/IPTOralTests.htm

The examiner needs a low table in a quiet area for testing each child individually.  There should be no surrounding noise or activity to distract the child.  Before starting the test, the examiner may converse with the child in a language in which the child is most comfortable.  However, when the actual testing begins, the examiner must administer the entire test in English only.

The average testing time for the Pre-IPT–Oral English is 15-20 minutes.  Time will vary depending on the promptness of the child’s responses.  Children frequently will not need to complete the test, so testing time may be very short.  It is important to remember that all test directions must be followed closely because this is a normed test.

Please see the Examiner’s Manual for specific guidelines.

Please see the Examiner’s Manual for scoring instructions. 

The following norming chart has been established for the test.  The chart takes into consideration the child’s age and Pre-IPT Score Level, and provides a Non-English Speaking (NES), Limited English Speaking (LES), or Fluent English Speaking (FES) designation for each child. 

Diagnostic Tools (Appendixes)

Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix D

Other Appendixes

Appendix C
Appendix E

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