Master of Arts, University of Toledo, 2014, English (English as a Second Language)

This paper discusses the research and design of a new composition placement test to better fit the rapidly growing population at an intensive English program. The previous placement test no longer fit because it was designed for a much smaller student population. After reviewing the research, new versions of prompts and instructions were designed to use the curriculum directly as criteria, against which to measure a student's placement. This will decrease the occurrences of misplacement due on discrepancies between language skills, reading ability and writing ability, for example. The new prompts and instructions consider variables of content, linguistic accessibility, task difficulty/variety, and transparency regarding writing evaluation. This can inform any IEPs that are going through similar growing pains with the dramatic increases in international students in the US, year after year

Committee: Douglas Coleman (Committee Chair); Anthony Edgington (Committee Member); Alexander Wrege (Committee Member) Subjects: English As A Second Language