The two test administrators who give you the U-ADEPT evaluate your speaking performance. They rate your test performance in three ways:

They give you a holistic score, which indicates whether you pass or fail the test. They give you analytical scores, which provide useful feedback about your

speaking ability. They score your teaching skills, giving you useful information about your

effectiveness as a teacher.

The tables below describe the criteria used for the holistic, analytical, and teaching assessments.

Holistic scoring

There are three passing scores on the U-ADEPT: Near Native, High Pass, and Pass. A score of Pass is the minimum level of proficiency accepted for certification as a teaching assistant.

Scores Description of Criteria

Near Native Proficiency

The speaker is near native in listening and speaking proficiency. He or she discusses a range of topics with clarity and ease and uses appropriate colloquial and idiomatic language and appropriate grammatical forms and functions. Communication breakdowns are rare.

High Pass

The speaker can handle any communicative situation and get his or her message across. Non-native pronunciation and intonation patterns do not impede comprehensibility. The speaker produces occasional errors in grammar forms and functions and in vocabulary choice, but none that interfere with communication. When communication breakdowns occur, they are easily and successfully repaired.

Pass

The speaker can handle most communicative situations with minimal difficulty. Pronunciation and intonation patterns may interfere with comprehensibility, but the speaker can compensate when difficulties arise. The speaker's use of grammar forms and functions and vocabulary are adequate, although not as well controlled, as sophisticated or as varied as a speaker with a rating of Pass. Communication breakdowns occur, but the speaker has a range of repair strategies and can compensate adequately enough to convey the message.

Inadequate Oral Proficiency

The speaker has difficulty with some or all of the criteria listed above. Problems with listening, pronunciation, grammar, and/or word choice frequently interfere with the speaker's ability to convey ideas successfully; the delivery is halting. The speaker lacks the ability to compensate adequately when communication breaks down. A student who receives this score needs time and exposure to English to acquire better speaking skills and could probably benefit from training in oral communication.

Lack of Oral Proficiency

The speaker could not produce enough data for evaluation or exhibited severe difficulty in some or all of the areas assessed. A student who receives this score needs time and exposure to English to acquire better

speaking skills and will benefit from training in oral communication.

Analytical Rating

The criteria listed below describe the discrete elements of a spoken performance. The purpose of this discrete-point analysis is to identify your strengths and weaknesses so that you know what to focus on as you continue to improve your spoken English. These scores are for diagnostic purposes only.

After your U-ADEPT test, the evaluators will rate you on a scale of 1 to 5 for each item listed below, with 5 indicating near native proficiency and 1 indicating severe problems.

Analytical Rating: Five Categories Listening

Comprehension Ability to understand questions and comments and provide appropriate responses and feedback.

Comprehensibility Pronunciation, including consonants, vowels, intonation, rhythm, and sentence and word stress

Language Usage Mastery of grammatical forms and functions and appropriate word choice

Communicative Competence

Ability to negotiate meaning, manage content and use appropriate interaction skills; successful compensatory strategies; attention to context, purpose, clarity of ideas, and audience.

Overall Fluency Smoothness, flow, and pacing

Assessment of teaching skills

While the U-ADEPT is a test of speaking proficiency and not teaching effectiveness, the raters will observe your skills as a classroom instructor. The abilities listed below will be rated but NOT factored into the holistic score used to determine readiness for the classroom. You can use this feedback to self-reflect on your teaching skills.

After you complete the U-ADEPT, the evaluators will rate you on a scale of 1 to 5 for each item listed below, with 5 indicating a high level of competence and 1 indicating severe problems.

Teaching Skills: 4 categories Preparation Evidence of planning for the teaching simulation

Clarity of Explanation Ability to organize and transmit technical information clearly

Fielding Questions and Ability to handle questions and successfully negotiate

Interacting with Students meaning in the classroom setting

Presentation Skills Effectiveness of eye contact, body position and language, voice projection, use of visuals

Interpreting your U- ADEPT results

A score of Near Native, High Pass or Pass certifies that you are capable of providing classroom related services in your graduate department. Your graduate department will decide whether or not to award you a teaching assistantship and what type of services you will perform. Please note that the English Language Institute does NOT participate in this decision.

A score of Inadequate Oral Proficiency or Lack of Oral Proficiency means that you have not yet fulfilled the English requirement for a teaching assistantship at The University of Akron. These two scores indicate that you need more time to develop your spoken English. The analytical ratings will show you which aspect of oral proficiency you should improve

Your score report

Your score and feedback will usually be available within 24 to 48 hours after you take the test. On the report form, you will see your holistic score, your analytical ratings, the evaluation of your teaching skills, and a short commentary aobut your U-ADEPT performance.

The ELI will send two copies of the score report to your department, one for your department to keep and one for you. The ELI will also forward a copy of your results to the Graduate School