IUPUI ESL Placement Test

Overview:

The IUPUI ESL Placement Test is comprised of four sections. The first three sections are the three parts of the ACT ESL Placement Test, a comprehensive computerized-adaptive testing system that helps place postsecondary students into approprirate ESL courses to maximize their chances for success. (For more information, see: http://www.act.org/esl/index.html; http://www.act.org/esl/overview.html.) These parts include:

1. ESL Grammar/Useage Test: This test assesses a student's ability to recognize and manipulate Standard American English in two main areas: sentence elements, and (b) sentence structure and syntax. Further information and sample questions can be found at this website: http://www.act.org/esl/format/grammar.html. Scores on this section place students into one of four grammar proficiency levels. Proficiency level descriptions can be also be found at this website.

2. ESL Reading Test: This test assesses a student's ability to recognize and manipulate Standard American English in two main categories: (a) referring (reading explicitly stated material), and (b) reasoning (inferential reading). Scores on this section place students into one of four main reading proficiency levels. Further information and sample questions can be found at this website: Proficiency level descriptions can be found at this website: http://www.act.org/esl/desc/reading.html.

3. ESL Listening Test: This test assesses a student's ability to understand Standard American English. Listening tasks increase in difficulty across multiple proficidency levels with the rate of speech, vocabulary, diction, and use of idiomatic and metaphorial language all increasing at higher levels. As listening stimuli increase in length at the highest levels, students are allowed to take notes as they would in a lecture setting. The intent of the test is to measure listening skills rather than short-term memory. Further information and sample questions can be found at this website: http://www.act.org/esl/format/listen.html. Scores on this section place students at one of four listening proficiency levels. Profciency level descriptions can be found at this website: http://www.act.org/esl/desc/listen.html.

The fourth part of the IUPUI ESL Placement Test is a written essay. This test assesses a student's ability to write on a specific topic in a limited time period (45 minutes). The topic allows students to use personal experience and observations to complete the essay. Scores on this section place students into one of four writing proficiency levels. Writing proficiency level descriptions cna be found at this website: (TBA).

Placement Criteria:

Placement decisions are made considering all four sections of the IUPUI ESL Placement Test. TOEFL composite, essay and part scores, IELTS scores, and GRE verbal scores are also weighed when available, and can influence placement decisions.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

The following rubrics are used as general guidelines when determining whether ESL classes are appropriate and, if so, which courses students are expected to take in order to help them achieve the basic level of English proficiency necessary to be able to reasonably function in an academic setting. [NOTE: Particularly high or low scores in one skill area may influence overall placement decision. The ESL Program reserves the right, based on experience and consideration of specific circumstances, to deviate from the guidelines as it deems best.]

Undergraduates

Grammar Score
<63 Proficiency Level 1 Not ready for classes at IUPUI
63-73 Proficiency Level 2a ENG G010 (and ENG G009)
73-85 Proficiency Level 2b ENG G011
>86 Proficiency Level 3 ENG G011 not required (if reading >90)

Reading Score
<65 Proficiency Level 1 Not ready for classes at IUPUI
65-77 Proficiency Level 2 ENG G010 (and ENG G009)
78-90 Proficiency Level 3 ENG G011
>91 Proficiency Level 4 ENG G011 not required (if grammar >86)

Listening Score
<62 Proficiency Level 1 Not ready for classes at IUPUI
62-74 Proficiency Level 2 ENG G009 (and ENG G010)
75-91 Proficiency Level 3 ENG G012
>91 Proficiency Level 4 ENG G012 not required

Essay Score
1 Proficiency Level 1 Not ready for classes at IUPUI
2 Proficiency Level 2 ENG W001
3 Proficiency Level 3 ESL W131
4 Proficiency Level 4 Regular ENG W131 is an option

Graduate and Graduate Non-Degree
Grammar Score
<63 Proficiency Level 1 Not ready for classes at IUPUI
63-73 Proficiency Level 2a ENG G010 (and ENG G009)
73-85 Proficiency Level 2b ENG G011
>86 Proficiency Level 3 ENG G011 not required (if reading >90)

Reading Score
<65 Proficiency Level 1 Not ready for classes at IUPUI
65-77 Proficiency Level 2 ENG G010 (and ENG G009)
78-90 Proficiency Level 3 ENG G011
>91 Proficiency Level 4 ENG G011 not required (if grammar >86)

Listening Score
<62 Proficiency Level 1 Not ready for classes at IUPUI
62-74 Proficiency Level 2 ENG G009 (and ENG G010)
75-91 Proficiency Level 3 ENG G020
>91 Proficiency Level 4 ENG G020 not required

Essay Score
1 Proficiency Level 1 Not ready for classes at IUPUI
2 Proficiency Level 2 ENG W001
3 Proficiency Level 3 ENG G013
4 Proficiency Level 4 ENG G013 not required

SIS ADVISING CODES

PLACEMENT CODES FOR ESL

*NOTE: Graduate and Graduate Non-Degree Students who need W131 as a prerequisite for their programs may substitute ESL W131 for G013.

ENG G015 - ESL Pronunciation - may be taken at any point. Students taking ENG G009 and ENG G010 should take ENG G015 the same semester.