Address: 940 Willamette St #530, Eugene, OR 97401, USA
Phone: +15413389090
Sunday: Closed
Monday: 7AM–5PM
Tuesday: 7AM–5PM
Wednesday: 7AM–5PM
Thursday: 7AM–5PM
Friday: 7AM–5PM
Saturday: Closed
Doug Stone
Using the Avant test to benchmark student progress along the proficiency continuum has had a multilevel, hugely positive impact on my teaching and students. I teach in a middle school language program which is entirely focused on helping students acquire and use language based on up-to-date research in second language acquisition (we do not teach linguistic knowledge, give no grammar/vocabulary worksheets, nor teach grammar out of context i.e. no early forced accuracy). Unfortunately our two main feeder high schools are focused on the latter, not the former. Viewed through the lens of a program built on old-fashioned linguistic knowledge/early forced accuracy, my students' progress along the proficiency continuum has been all but invisible to them without the objective results of reliable, valid third party testing. I always knew that my students were moving well along the proficiency continuum and the Avant test has provided objective confirmation which is based on our World Language Standards and ACTFL guidelines. The fact that it is so reliable and valid of an assessment that it is one of only a few tests accepted by the Global Seal of Biliteracy has had a huge impact on our program's credibility. This credibility was deepened last year when several students (learned all of their Spanish in my room) qualified for, and received, their Global Seals of Biliteracy at Functional level, after only 240 hours of middle school language classes. Another 10 of the 25 students tested came very close, scoring composite scores between 4.75 and 5.75. (the composite score for this self-selected group of 25 was 4.45-solidly in intermediate low). This concrete evidence of acquisition has helped build a base of supportive parents who previously believed that just by nature a high school program is built on better language teaching principles than a middle school program. Going hand in hand with this is the fact the the Avant test has informed my teaching. It has been a process. The test gives me useful feedback on areas I need to improve in my teaching. This in turn results in students becoming more proficient with the language. It has likewise served as a motivation to look for better, more efficient and engaging acquisition activities to help students acquire language and use it to communicate. I highly recommend making the Avant test a part of any language program. The idea that the only proficiency benchmarking that happens in any program occurs when the AP test is given is quite absurd if you think about it. Frankly at that point, it is too late to adjust. And trying to create in-house tests which match the reliability and validity of a test like Avant is equally absurd. I think any teacher whose classroom is acquisition based (proficiency, CI) will find themselves like me, pleasantly surprised, and wholly affirmed, by the progress their students are making towards language proficiency.
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Typically, test takers complete each section of the Avant STAMP test in 25-30 minutes or about two hours for a 4-skill test.
The Avant STAMP tests consist of about 30 reading and 30 listening questions as well as 3 writing prompts and 3 speaking prompts (where applicable).
Avant offers 4S / 4-skill testing (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) in the following languages: Arabic, English, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (Simplified and Traditional), Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Spanish. 4Se / 4-skill testing is offered for younger/elementary school children in the following languages: Arabic, Cantonese, English, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (Simplified and Traditional), Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Spanish. WS / Writing and Speaking testing is offered in the following languages: Amharic, Armenian, Chin (Hakha), Chuukese, Czech, English, Filipino (Tagalog), French, Haitian-Creole, Hawaiian, Hmong, Ilocano, Kannada, Korean, Marathi, Marshallese, Samoan, Somali Maay Maay, Somali Maxaa, Spanish, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Vietnamese, Yup'ik.
Avant offers train-the-trainer options for analyzing testing data as well as custom report preparation with presentations for your organization's leadership.
Avant ADVANCE is offered as a training for educators or other professionals learning to understand the testing data and use it to grow and strengthen their language learning programs. Avant MORE Learning is offered with many free professional development opportunities to build and grow a more holistic approach to language learning programs--including what happens before and after testing.
No. Avant offers more than 20 less commonly taught languages in writing and speaking tests. They are also developing tests in three skills and, coming this fall, you will be able to get most STAMP tests in any combination of the four skills.
Avant's STAMP tests are considered more affordable than others and bulk pricing is available. For pricing information or to make a purchase, please contact our Sales team through the Contact Us form on our website.
Avant STAMP 4S is computer-adaptive, meaning that the level of question difficulty that a student is presented with is based on the number of correct answers they have logged so far in the assessment. The testing engine automatically adapts to each student's level, up or down, as the test progresses. In addition, prompts for the productive skills (Writing and Speaking) are based on the proficiency level attained for the corresponding receptive skills (Reading and Listening). This approach was pioneered at Avant Assessment, the first company to develop commercial-grade, multi-stage, computer-adaptive tests for language learning, beginning in 2001.
Avant STAMP 4S is used by educators or language program instructors to measure student growth and evaluate programs, empowering informed decision-making around professional development and instructional planning. It is also taken by students who can use it to qualify for their state Seal of Biliteracy, for credit by exam in a number of states and districts, or the Global Seal of Biliteracy.
Avant STAMP stands for Standards-Based Measurement of Proficiency and is a web-based test that assesses language proficiency. An Avant STAMP 4S test has four sections – Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking, and the results of this test inform test takers and educators about learning progress and program effectiveness. Avant STAMP 4S test items are based on real-world, everyday situations. Avant STAMP 4S measures a test taker’s language ability according to Benchmark Levels that are based on national standards. Test results will indicate the level of proficiency achieved for each section of the test.
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