NYSESLAT Prep

Overview/Rationale

"The New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT) is designed to annually assess the English language proficiency of all English Language Learners (ELLs) enrolled in Grades K–12 in New York State schools."  The proficiency scores, from least to most English usage, are "entering," "emerging," "transitioning," "expanding," and "commanding."  For more information, visit the NYSED website for the NYSESLAT.

Below you will find resources for preparing your students for the NYSESLAT.   The NYSESLAT scores help us provide instructional decisions the following year based on the students' actual language proficiency for listening, speaking, reading, and writing.  As such, the goal is for students to feel comfortable and confident to show what they know.  The goal is not to 'push them' or give testing tips and tricks that may obscure their actual proficiency level.  This could lead to a reduction in needed language development support the following year.  

That said, the format of the NYSESLAT is very different from the NYS ELA, and explicit instruction in the format will allow students to best demonstrate their current English use.

Please share your best practices, questions, resources, and ideas.  We will add it to this website!

Ideas to Consider

• Help students become familiarized with the unique question format that focuses often on grammar, vocabulary understanding, and context of the language use.

• Think of the NYSESLAT as different from the NYS ELA, which is heavily focused on reading comprehension.

• Avoid stressing yourself or students.  The goal is become familiar with the format and focus of the questions, along with being serious about trying your best.

• Introduce NYSESLAT expectations bit by bit.  One day on listening, another on reading.  Break down the expectations of the Writing demand.  DIscuss the NYSESLAT Writing rubric bit by bit.  Be clear with expectations.

• Familiarize yourself with the NYSESLAT Writing Glossary (Appendix H of the NYSESLAT SAM) to gain insight into the language of the NYSESLAT Writing PLDs and NYSESLAT Writing Rubric, including the expectations for types of sentences, quality of words, coherence and so on.

• The NYSESLAT is based on the Targets of Measurement (TOMs) and Performance Learning Descriptors (PLDs)

  • • • TOMs "describe what students should be able to do at each grade band level, linked to specific targets of measurement and their linguistic purposes."

      • PLDs "link individual targets of measurement to what ELLs should be able to do at each of the five performance levels."

• The listening, reading, and writing sessions (grade 1 and higher) will revolve around a particular theme, such as geography or plants, so that students are demonstrate the use of language within a particular context for a particular reason.

Student Prep Materials 

Strive for doing listening then reading then writing, all centered around a particular theme to best model the format of each session of the NYSESLAT.  

• PS 48 NYSESLAT Prep Materials Folder

  • • Some of the materials here overlap the materials listed below.

    • Add your own "Teacher Created NYSESLAT Prep" listening, reading, and writing materials to collaborate build more materials to this folder (DOE log in)!

• Brentwood UFSD NYSESLAT materials (Updated)

  • • NOTE: These are just the student practice books.  You can use them for the speaking, reading, and writing modalities as is.

    • These resources are very helpful as they are already aligned to the TOMs and PLDs.  These materials are also in the PS 48 NYSESLAT Prep Folder.

    • The listening passages and questions are unavailable.  But often times they are using the passages from Readworks.org.  Sign up for a free account!  

• Brentwood UFSD NYSESLAT materials (Older version)

  • • Additional sample questions and passage to prepare students.

• NYSED Test Samplers 

  • • This link provides a test sampler for all grades, including proctor guide, which can help you model the specific language and vocabulary that students will need to use.

• NYSESLAT Writing Rubric, including student friendly English and Spanish

  • • The NYSESLAT writing rubric has been put into student friendly language accessible to students in English and Spanish.  Thank you, Ms. Luna, for your collaboration!

• NYSESLAT Writing Checklist (English-Spanish)

  • • Use students' home language to internalize English tasks they are expected to do.  This checklist helps them use the native language to understand the NYSESLAT writing checklist in English and Spanish.

• NYSESLAT Overview Google Slides Presentations

  • • An attempt to visually introduce the NYSESLAT to students.

    • Comprehensive Version and Short Version

• Test Format Templates

  • • Templates for creating listening, reading, and writing questions aligned to the NYSED TOMs and PLDs.  

    • Use the NYSED NYSESLAT Samplers and Brentwood UFSD NYSESLAT materials to devise model language for the questions/prompts (i.e. "Which group of words...").

    • NYSESLAT Listening Template (make a copy)

    • NYSESLAT Reading Template (make a copy)

    • NYSESLAT Short Response Writing Template (make a copy)

      • • • Rubric for student use and understanding in English and Spanish

    • NYSESLAT Extended Response Writing Template (make a copy)

      • • • Rubric for student use and understanding in English and Spanish

    • Steps for use and tips.  Please ask Mr. Czarka for more information:

      • • Make a copy of the template.  

        • Change the title, passage link, prompts, etc. to align to newly selected passage (ideally connected to your current unit of study, which research demonstrates improves comprehension).  

        • Add a note or link in the passage title (listening and/or reading) or "footer" (writing) to the location/source for the passage utilized in the development of the questions/prompt.

        • Readworks.org is useful for finding passages that are differentiated (audio, pre-reading activities, different languages for directions, etc).

        • Share your Teacher Created NYSESLAT Prep Materials in this folder.

NYSESLAT Prep Teaching Tips/Ideas

• Use different voices to read the listening passages aloud so students are familiar with English from different sources.  Readworks.org already does this.  Ask your family and friends too!

• Consider what unit your class is learning about, and (as loosely as needed) provide passages about that theme.  Just make the connection, using similar vocabulary!  Is is a science topic? Art?  

• One passage and/or modality a day...and it does not need to be a whole teaching period.  More frequent provides time for students to 'acclimatize' to the skills required.

• Discuss the NYSESLAT Writing rubric in small sections...focus on parts of it during a single session.  Discussing it all will make the eyes blur over (yours too!) :)

• For the writing component, remember to read aloud the passage they will use as a springboard.  Typically this should be the same passage they recently used for reading component prep.

• Incorporate the questions into game format to increase engagement.  

  • • Yes, familiarize students with the specific format and layout of the NYSESLAT.  

    • But also, deepen their skills and confidence by embedding the questions into Nearpod, with a "Draw It," or "Time to Climb" activity.  Or maybe a Kahoot!  Or create a BrainPOP Quiz Mixer after 'listening' to a BrainPOP movie.  

Additional Resources for ELLs

• Advanced Literacies:  "Advanced literacies refers to the skills and competencies that enable communication in increasingly diverse ways and promote the understanding and use of text for a variety of purposes." 

• Learning English Picture Dictionary: This document can be downloaded onto student iPads or printed, to provide students with a lot of the 'survival' or 'social/school interaction' English they need to become comfortable in English school environments.

• Newcomer Writing Template (make a copy): Support newcomers with visuals and vocabulary to confidently begin writing in English around the content/theme being taught in class.

• PS 48 ELL List (DOE log in required): This document provides a list of the school's ELLs, alongside tons of linked resources for supporting their growth.

• Approved Bilingual Glossaries: Use these bilingual glossaries to learn the important words in Math, ELA (English), Science, and Social studies in the home language and ENGLISH! :)  And here are some suggestions for using the Bilingual Glossaries if you want to use them as a tool.  Students can use them on the NYS ELA and Math exams.

• My Bilingual Vocabulary Journal: Help students use build meaning in English with the other languages they know.  Research supports using the native language(s) to learn a new language (like English!).

• ENL Units of Study: Learn about the required ENL support time ('units of study') an ELL in New York State must receive, including the use of home language to support new language (English) learning.

Support NYSED in Test Development 

• Amazing Professional Opportunity ALERT! Help NYSED and the test developer refine the test through structured feedback based on your classroom experiences.  NYSED wants teacher input!  Really!  I have done this multiple times.  I learn a lot as well from the experience.  Ask me about it.

Return to Teacher Support. Shareable link: https://tinyurl.com/48nyseslat