learndirect Test Information Guide The National Test in Adult Numeracy

Transcription

1 learndirect Test Infrmatin Guide The Natinal Test in Adult Numeracy 1

2 Cntents The Natinal Test in Adult Numeracy: Backgrund Infrmatin... 3 What is the Natinal Test in Adult Numeracy?... 3 Why take the Natinal Test?... 3 Where can I take the test?... 3 When can I take the test?... 3 The Test Frmat... 4 What des the test invlve?... 4 The nline test... 4 The nline practice tests... 5 The paper test... 6 The answer sheet... 7 Taking the Test... 9 Arranging t take the test... 9 Special arrangements fr learners with disabilities... 9 Starting the test... 9 Ding the nline test... 9 Ding the paper test Cnduct during the test What if? Are dictinaries and cmputer spelling checkers permitted? Hw will I learn my results?

3 The Natinal Test in Adult Numeracy: Backgrund Infrmatin What is the Natinal Test in Adult Numeracy? The Natinal Test in Adult Numeracy assesses yur numeracy skills at Entry level, Level 1 r Level 2. It is available t all adults in the cuntry. The qualificatin yu will gain if yu pass is recgnised natinally by clleges and emplyers. Yu can take the Natinal Test using a cmputer this is knwn as nline testing r e-testing r n paper, whichever yu prefer. A number f different rganisatins, knwn as awarding rganisatins, ffer the Natinal Test. Why take the Natinal Test? The Natinal Test is a natinally recgnised qualificatin. It will give yur tutr r yur emplyer a picture f yur strengths in literacy, and it is prf that yu have reached a certain level. It can help yu t gain access t further training curses. Where can I take the test? Yu can take the test in any learning centre. If yu d nt knw where yur nearest centre is, yur tutr will be able t tell yu. If yu wish t take the nline test and yur learning centre des nt ffer it, there will be ther centres near yu that d. Ask yur tutr fr mre infrmatin. When can I take the test? The written test is available every mnth in learning centres. Yur tutr will have a list f dates and will register yu fr the date f yur chice. If yu want t take the nline test, yu can arrange a suitable time with yur tutr. 3

4 The Test Frmat What des the test invlve? The test cnsists f 40 questins. All the questins are multiple-chice. This means that each questin gives yu 4 answers t chse frm; nly ne answer is crrect. The test takes 1 hur 15 minutes. The nline test Yu need nly basic cmputer skills t d the nline test. Belw is an example f an nline test questin fr Numeracy Level 1. Questin Surce text Pssible answers Online test questin Each test questin has three parts: The actual questin yu re being asked; yu shuld read this carefully befre answering. A surce text, such as table r a graph, which the questin is based n; yu need t refer t this t answer the questin. Fur answers fr yu t chse frm. 4

5 When yu ve decided which answer is crrect, yu click n it. Yu wn t be tld whether yu ve answered the questin crrectly. Yu just g t the next questin. A number f questins are based n the same surce text, s dn t be surprised when yu see the same ne appearing again. The questin shwn here is frm a test prduced by City and Guilds, which is ne f the awarding rganisatins that ffer the Natinal Test. The nline practice test Yu can access the nline practice test frm yur Preparing fr Testing curse, r yur tutr may lad the practice test frm the awarding rganisatin s website r a site called mve n. Yu can take as many practice tests as yu want. The practice test is the same as the real test except that yu can check yur answers. Quit buttn End buttn X r crrect This screen mark appears displays at the as end questin f the test. is answered Click n each questin t get further feedback. 5

6 The Quit buttn allws yu t exit frm the practice test. When yu click n it, a pp-up bx appears asking if yu re sure yu want t exit frm the test. Yu click Yes t exit r N t return t the questins. If yu exit the test befre answering all the questins, yu wn t be given yur practice test scre. The paper test This is an example frm the paper test: Surce text Questin Answers Extract frm a paper test The test is made up f a number f surce texts, such as graphs, charts r tables. Each surce text is fllwed by a grup f questins, asking yu smething abut the surce text. Each questin includes fur answers. Read each questin carefully t make sure 6

7 yu understand what s being asked. Then refer t the surce text t answer the questin. When yu ve decided which answer is crrect, yu need t mark it n the answer sheet, which is a separate page that yu ll be given at the start f the test. The answer sheet This is an example f an answer sheet: Sample answer sheet 7

8 The answer sheets vary in appearance depending n which awarding rganisatin yu re ding the test with, but they all have a similar structure. In the tp half, yu will have t fill in sme infrmatin, such as yur name and yur exam ID number. If yu re nt sure what yur exam ID number is, ask yur tutr. The bttm half f the answer sheet includes a set f clumns cntaining rws that crrespnd t the test questins. Each rw has a bx fr each pssible answer t the questin: A, B, C and D. Here, fr example, is the rw fr questin 1 (Q1): The answer sheet will include instructins that tell yu hw t mark yur answers; be sure t read these carefully because the methd varies. The answer sheet will als specify whether yu must use a pencil r a black r blue pen t mark yur answers. In the sample sheet shwn, yu put a line thrugh the bx using a black r blue pen. In this example, fr questin 1 we thught that B was the right answer, s we drew a line thrugh bx B. We ve cmpleted the answer sheet as far as questin 14 t give yu an idea f what it shuld lk like. Yu need t be careful when filling in the answer sheet. Make sure the answer bx yu are marking is fr the crrect questin. If yu skip a questin, make sure yu als skip that questin n the answer sheet. T avid mistakes, it s a gd idea t try t answer every questin in turn and t mark them in rder n the answer sheet. 8

9 Taking the Test Arranging t take the test Yu shuld arrange a suitable date and time fr yur test with yur tutr; make sure yu remember the date and time yu ve chsen. If yu have prblems befre the test such as illness, childcare prblems r difficulty getting t the test, dn t wrry. Just talk t yur tutr, wh will be nly t happy t help. Special arrangements fr learners with disabilities If yu have a disability that will affect yur ability t take the test, yu need t speak t yur tutr befre arranging t take the test. Yur learning centre can make special arrangements with the awarding rganisatin fr learners wh are disabled, blind, partially sighted, deaf r dyslexic. These are the arrangements that can be made: Extra time t cmplete the test Braille and enlarged print papers A scribe t write dwn answers dictated by yu A wrd prcessr withut a grammar and spelling checker A transcript if the yur handwriting is illegible Nte that the nline tests d nt at present include special features t make them accessible t peple with disabilities. Starting the test The test will be supervised by a supervisr knwn as an invigilatr. At the start f the test, the invigilatr will explain anything yu need t knw abut the test and what t d t get started. Ding the nline test Befre the start f the nline test, yu will be given time t lg n t the cmputer and read the instructins. 9

10 When yu lg n, yu will be asked t type in the ID number yu have been given. (If yu dn t have this number, make sure yu tell the invigilatr.) Yur details will then appear nscreen. Yu shuld check that these details are crrect. Once yu have lgged n, infrmatin and instructins n the test will display. Yu shuld read the instructins carefully, and if yu have any questins at all, yu shuld ask the invigilatr fr help befre the test starts. Yu will have 1 hur 15 minutes t d the test. During the test, yu will be able t keep track f hw much time yu have left using the timer nscreen. Yu can d rugh wrk n a sheet f paper; this must be handed in at the end f the test. As sn as the time is up, the test will stp and a message will appear telling yu that it is finished. Yur tutr will tell yu if yu have passed r failed. If yu pass the test, yu will als be given a certificate. Dn t wrry if yu fail the test, yu can try again. It s a gd idea t speak t yur tutr abut sme extra learning r practice befre yu take the test again. 10

11 Ding the paper test If yu are taking the paper test, yu will be given time befre the test starts t read the instructins. The first sheet f the test paper will lk smething like this: At the tp, it will tell yu which test yu are taking and the level. Yu need t check that this is the test yu want t take. Then yu shuld read the instructins carefully, and if yu have any questins, ask the tutr befre yu start. 11

12 Yu must nt pen the paper until yu are tld t d s. Yu will have 1 hur 15 minutes t d the test. When the time is up, the invigilatr will tell yu t put dwn yur pen r pencil and will cllect yur test paper and answer sheet. Cnduct during the test Yu will have t fllw sme rules when yu sit the test: 1. Yu must arrive n time. If yu are late, yu may nt be allwed t take the test. It s a gd idea t arrive at the test rm at least 10 minutes befre the start f the test. 2. Take with yu int the test rm nly the equipment which yu have been tld yu need fr the test. Yu cannt brrw anything frm anther candidate during the test. 3. Leave anything yu d nt need r which is nt allwed (such as ntes r mbile phnes) utside the test rm r with the invigilatr. 4. There may be ther peple taking the test at the same time. Yu must nt talk t them nce the test has started r cmmunicate with them in any way. 5. Yu may d rugh wrk n paper prvided. Yu must hand in this rugh wrk at the end f the test 6. Yu must stay in the test rm until the invigilatr tells yu that yu can leave. If yu are allwed t leave befre the end f the test, yu will nt be able t cme back in. 7. If yu try t cheat r if yu break the rules in any way, yu culd be disqualified. What if? If yu arrive late, reprt t the invigilatr, wh will decide whether yu can still take the test. If yu think yu are ding the wrng test, tell the invigilatr at nce. 12

13 If yu have any prblems during the test, yu need t speak t the invigilatr. They will nt be able t help yu d the test itself, but they ll give yu any assistance they can. If yu are unwell and cannt cntinue with the test, yu can make arrangements t take the test at anther time. If yu re ding the nline test and having prblems with the cmputer, tell the invigilatr. Are calculatrs permitted? Fr sme questins a calculatr will appear in the nline test. Fr the paper-based test yu are nt allwed a calculatr. Hw will I learn my results? Yur results will be sent t yu by pst. Yu will be given either a pass r a fail. Yu will nt be given a scre. If yu pass the test, yu will als be given a certificate. Dn t wrry if yu fail the test, yu can try again. It s a gd idea t speak t yur tutr abut sme extra learning r practice befre yu take the test again. 13