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We saw the situation as slightly different depending on whether the prospective student was a recent immigrant or visa holder or a person with several years' residence and perhaps high school or some college courses in the US. The first group is easy to identify because they must contact our admissions department to get their visas checked. We require the ESL placement test for some visa students, depending on their educational background; I include the details at the end of this message. The second group can be more difficult to identify. Our college application includes a check box so students can identify themselves as non-native speakers. The COMPASS demographic battery includes the same question. If somehow we still haven't identified a student as needing ESL placement testing, the scores on the standard COMPASS placement tests can be an indication. About half of our students are asked to do a writing sample, and when this shows problems with English syntax, our sample readers pick up on that and can check other signals, such as an unusually low score on the standard COMPASS reading test. Here's the policy stated in our catalog: Non-Native Speakers of English (English Proficiency) Admitted curricular and non-curricular students from countries other than Australia, English speaking Canadian provinces, English speaking Caribbean island nations, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, or the United States will be required to demonstrate their proficiency in English prior to enrollment. To document English proficiency, applicants may forward TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores or appropriate substitute documents to the Central Admissions and Records Office. A minimum score of 550 is required on the paper TOEFL; a score of 213 is required on the computerized TOEFL. A minimum rating of '5' on the Test of Written English is also required. Appropriate substitute documents would include completion of a post-secondary degree or the equivalent of ENG111 (English Composition) with a grade of 'C' or better at an institution located in one of the countries listed above. Non-native speaking applicants who cannot present the minimum required TOEFL score or a substitute document must schedule an ESL test with the ESL office. The college's ESL assessment will also involve a personal interview and submission of a written assignment. Questions about ESL test waivers should be directed to the ESL Department. The ESL assessment will result in one of the following: * Clearance to take the college's COMPASS placement tests with native speakers of English (no ESL classes required); * Initial placement into intensive ESL classes only (no academic classes permitted until ESL department documents preparedness); or, * Initial placement into certain ESL classes with permission to enroll in a limited area of academic subjects. Note: Admitted students with ESL requirements will be required to complete these satisfactorily prior to progressing in certain curricular programs, such as Nursing. Please refer to the Program Information section in this Catalog. F-1 Visa applicants should refer to the International Admission section in this catalog. -----Original Message----- From: Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Laura Symons Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2005 10:03 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: ESL COMPASS Hello Folks, I have an urgent question about placement testing. We are beginning an = ESL program and need to be giving the COMPASS ESL placement to the = appropriate students. Every student (who hasn't taken SAT's) takes a = placement test with us. Up until now it was the same test for everyone. = Now we have to discern which of the students need ESL and which need = the regular test. If there's anyone on the list who has a similar = situation, could you tell me what you do? I assume we are going to have = to ask addition questions of each student who comes in for placement = test. Of course, the vice president wants a report of the new = procedures by 9:00 am Monday :-) If you want to reply off list, my email is [log in to unmask] Thanks for = whatever advice you can give me.=20 Laura Symons To unsubscribe,send a message to [log in to unmask] In body type: SIGNOFF LRNASST-L To access LRNASST-L archives,point your web browser to http://www.lists.ufl.edu/archives/lrnasst-l.html To subscribe, send email to [log in to unmask] Leave subject blank.In body type: subscribe LRNASST-L To contact list owner,email [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe,send a message to [log in to unmask] In body type: SIGNOFF LRNASST-L To access LRNASST-L archives,point your web browser to http://www.lists.ufl.edu/archives/lrnasst-l.html To subscribe, send email to [log in to unmask] Leave subject blank.In body type: subscribe LRNASST-L To contact list owner,email [log in to unmask]