Running

Head: UNIT TEST MATERIALS

Unit Test Materials
For an
Intensive English Program



Advanced Level
Unit: Early and Modern American Politics
By: Tony Abiera
INTR 617
Dr. Seaman
5/2/16

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The Context

The following test materials are for an Intensive English Program (IEP) connected to the
University of Illinois: Champaign-Urbana. IEPs are seen as the gateway into the American
education system. Many students spend time in IEPs to improve English skills, which in turn
improve TOEFL scores, and in turn improve chances for admission. At the beginning of the
semester, all new students are required to take an English placement test. Based on those
result, students are placed in levels corresponding to their performance. This semester, I am
teaching students who are at the advanced level. My class is made up of 15 students from a
variety of countries including Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, China, Kazakhstan, Brazil, and India.
Because some of these students are hoping for acceptances ranging from bachelors programs
to PhD programs, my class is made up of recent high school graduates (18 years old) to adults
with families (up to 40 years old).
Although students do not receive college credit for these classes, they are able to
receive a certificate of completion, which can be helpful for placing out of required English
language classes offered to incoming international students. With this in mind, assessment
must always be formative. Because these grades dont count for much outside the IEP program,
the best way to motivate students through tests is to create assessments that really reveal
improvement in English skills, which can positively increase their confidence in the English
language. Although this class is not a TOEFL specific class, there are aspects of the course that
teach successful TOEFL/IELTS strategies and skills. In IEP programs, it is impossible to avoid the
powerful influence of the TOEFL on my students. Many of them enroll in IEPs to solely improve
their score by a few points. The TOEFL test creates negative backwash on students and their

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performance in class. Because of that, my job, through instruction and assessments, is to teach
them how to be successful collegiate students, which can directly impact their test taking
abilitiesthe TOEFL/IELTS included.
In this teaching context, the content will be geared towards English for Academic
purposes (EAP). Because of the proximity to the University of Illinois, we are able to access
college levels materials and sync up the IEP curriculum with what a typical Freshman College
student might expect. Although tests are created for each level specifically, students are
exposed to authentic testing formats and assessment techniques for the American higher
education system.
Course Objectives
The test for this project comes at the end of a three-week unit on Early and Modern
American Politics. Although the content covered in this course varies from unit to unit, the
main objectives of the course are as follows:
1. Students will be able to effectively listen to a lecture by employing academic listening
skills and strategies.
a. The American higher-education system is geared towards lecture-style
instruction. Because of this, it is critically important for students to know how to
effectively listen to professors and intake the important information. The
following test will show whether listening skills and strategies are effectively
used by the student, specifically listening for main ideas and important details.
2. Students will be able to effectively take notes by employing strategies for writing.

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a. Listening to lectures and note taking go hand-in-hand. Students must be able to

know how to take effective notes while simultaneously listening to lectures. The
following test will assess the students notes to see whether note taking writing
strategies were effectively used with helpful organization and content.
3. Students will be able to effectively write academic Op-Ed articles on topics covered in
the units.
a. The Op-Ed is a very common writing assessment for college-level classes.
Although the topics for an Op-Ed may vary, the basic format for an Op-Ed must
be taught and practiced many times for students to succeed in writing these
genre-specific assignments. This part of the test will help students develop and
exercise their writing voice in the English language.
4. Students will be able to skim for main ideas found in academic reading texts.
a. Instead of reading word-for-word, students must learn how to skim texts for
main points. This reading skill helps students keep up with the amount of reading
required of a typical college student, while still comprehending and retaining the
content in the texts.
Rationale
The format for this test is based on authentic test materials for college-level students.
Because the objectives are not based necessarily on the content, this test format will be geared
more towards assessing the competencies in the objectives above, which are more academic
skills and strategies based. In other words, the content serves the purpose of giving students
the opportunity to practice and refine the skills and strategies for succeeding as a college,

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graduate, or PhD student. Because these general objectives are unchanged from unit to unit,
students are able to improve with each achievement test given at the end of the unit. Each unit
test is worth 100 points.
The sequencing of this test is chosen in a logical way. First, all the students listen to the
lecture together for about 15 minutes. Next, students answer discrete-point items. This section
mostly tests comprehension of the lecture, but it also tests the quality of the students note
taking skills because students can refer to their notes. After the discrete-point section, the next
section requires more open-ended responses and more critical-thinking based on the lecture.
For the last take-home section, students read two texts from two different genres of reading
and then produce a writing sample. The first reading sample is in the genre of a popular
newspaper article and the second is in the genre of an academic political science article. With
these two reading texts, students are given authentic examples of what their Op-Ed can be
modeled after. This exercise is given last as a final summative and integrative assessment. A
comprehensive rubric is provided to increase test reliability, especially scorer reliability. High
levels of feedback are given to the students, which makes this assessment highly formative.
This unit assessment is designed to have a high test validity. As you will see, the
different parts of the test focus on one or several overall objectives. This class is focused on
academic English skills and strategies, which are covered in the classroom instruction. Since
these test items are geared towards assessing these skills and strategies, this test has high face
validitythey know exactly what skills and strategies they need to use to succeed in the
assessments. Lastly, this test has high predictive validity because it should assess whether or
not a student will succeed in college-level work in the future.

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Test Materials

Part I. Lecture with Note Taking
(Appendix A)

Instructions:
Watch and listen to the lecture about Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United
States (about 15 minutes). When listening, make sure to listen for the main points and
important details about Thomas Jeffersons life. Afterwards, you will answer multiple choice
and short answer questions based on the lecture.

In addition, you are required to take notes of the lecture, which you can refer to during the
multiple choice and short question sections. In your notes make sure you do the following:

Write down all the main ideas
Write down the important supporting details
Use symbols and abbreviations appropriately

Your notes will not be graded for points, only for completion. Your instructor will give you
feedback on your notes with areas of excellence and/or improvement. At the end, your lecture
notes will be added to your writing portfolio.

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Part II. Multiple Choice Questions

Name: ________________

Instruction: After listening to the lecture, circle the correct answer to these multiple choice
questions. (2 points each)

1. What was Thomas Jeffersons famous saying in the Declaration of Independence?
a. All men have the right to freedom
b. All men are created equal
c. All men have the right to a fair trial
d. All men are protected under the Constitution

2. True or False: Thomas Jefferson died a wealthy man.
a. True
b. False

3. What is true about the Republican Party?
a. Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the US, ran as a Republican, but really
believed in Federalist ideas.
b. George Washington, the first president of the US, was a Republican
c. Republicans were the most powerful political party because they had won the
last presidential election.
d. Republicans believed that the government should minimally interfere with the
pursuit of happiness of US citizens.

4. How was the presidential election tie finally broken?
a. Alexander Hamilton changed his vote and voted for Thomas Jefferson instead of
Aaron Burr.
b. Aaron Burr stepped down and allowed Jefferson to be president for the greater
good of the nation.
c. Alexander Hamilton, a political enemy of Jefferson, decided to support Jefferson
and persuade his political friends in Congress to vote for Jefferson.
d. The former president, John Adams, was given the power to break the tie and
chose to elect Thomas Jefferson over Aaron Burr.

5. What political office did Thomas Jefferson NEVER hold during his lifetime?
a. Vice President of the United States
b. Governor of Virginia
c. Secretary of State
d. Minister to England

6. What presidential act was inconsistent with Jeffersons Republican political beliefs?
a. His act of signing the Louisiana Purchase.
b. His act of reducing the military.
c. His act of reducing the national debt.

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7. Thomas Jefferson wanted to be known for three things. Which item is not included in
that?
a. Signing the Louisiana Purchase.
b. Creating the University of Virginia.
c. Writing the Declaration of Independence.
d. Supporting religious freedom.
8. True or False: Thomas Jefferson accomplished more positive things in his second term as
President compared to his first term as President.
a. True
b. False
9. What was the significance of Thomas Jefferson wearing old clothes and slippers in a
famous painting of him?
a. It showed that Thomas Jefferson did not make a lot of money unlike the first two
Presidents.
b. It showed that Thomas Jefferson was a sickly man who struggles with multiple
illnesses.
c. It showed that Thomas Jefferson was a hard worker and work late into the night.
d. It showed that Thomas Jefferson was a normal person, not like a King.
10. True or False: Thomas Jefferson owned approximately 600 slaves over the course of his
lifetime.
a. True
b. False

Total: ___/20

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Part III. Short Answer Questions 5 points each Name: ________________

Instructions:
After listening to the lecture, answer these questions in complete sentences. You will be graded
on the content quality and the grammar accuracy. You may use your notes in this section. You
will have 45 minutes to complete this section.

1. Thomas Jefferson was considered an Aristocrat. What does it mean to be an aristocrat?
(__/5)
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2. Why was Thomas Jefferson considered contradictory on his views of slavery? (__/5)
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3. Thomas Jefferson was a part of the Republican Party. How did Republicans differ from
Federalists?








(__/5)
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4. In the third presidential race, Alexander Hamilton played an integral role in determining
the final result. What do you think the phrase: the lesser of two evils means in
describing Jefferson?







(__/5)
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5. In what ways did Thomas Jefferson lessen the power of the federal government during
his presidency?








(__/5)
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6. According to the lecture, what was one positive aspect of Thomas Jeffersons presidency
and one negative aspect?






(__/5)
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Total: ____/30
**Do not forget to turn in your lecture notes**

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Part IV. Take-home Exam: Write an Op-Ed Paper
(Appendix B)

Instructions:
Read both articles on the Presidential election system in the United States. After reading
through the articles, type up a 2-page Op-Ed paper (no more than 750 words).

In your Op-Ed paper answer this question:
In your opinion, how should the American Presidential election process change?

As we learned in class, make sure your Op-Ed paper includes:

One main point
A specific recommendation
Important statistics and facts that support your point
A personal connection with your audience
Short sentences and precise language

Your Op-Ed paper is worth 50 points (based on rubric).












Final Scores for ____________________



Lecture Notes: Yes ____ No_____

Multiple Choice: ___/20

Short Answer: ___/30

Op-Ed Paper: ___/50

Total Scores: ____/100

11

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Scoring

Part I. Grading Notes on Lecture (sub-skill area)


Name: __________________

For this part, grade only on completion of notes. Give feedback in these three sections:

Organization
Notes:









Comprehensiveness
Notes:










Symbols and Abbreviations
Notes:









Additional Notes
Strengths:





Weaknesses:

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Part II. Multiple Choice Answer Key for teacher (No partial credit)

1. b
6. a
2. b

7. a

3. d

8. b

4. c

9. d

5. d

10. a

Part III. Short Answer Rubric for teacher

Answer is correct with multiple strong supporting details

Answer contains no noticeable grammatical errors

Answer is correct, but lacking sufficient supporting details

Answer contains no or very few grammatical errors

Answer is partially correct with some supporting details

Answer contains several grammatical errors

Answer is partially correct with some supporting details

Answer contains major grammatical errors that hinder comprehensibility

Answer is incorrect with some supporting details

Answer contains frequent and major grammatical errors that hinder comprehensibility

Answer is incorrect with no supporting details

Answer is incomprehensible due to grammatical errors

4
3
2
1
0

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Part IV. Rubric for Op-Ed Paper

1 = Poor
3 = Weak

Content

14

5 = Average

Name: __________________

8 = Strong 10 = Excellent
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Clearly stated recommendation

Development of Ideas
Supporting details/point
Unique contribution to discussion

Form

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Effective hook
Powerful ending
Logical progression of ideas
Coherence and unity with ideas

Style

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Engaging language
Focused and precise point(s)
Active voice
Declarative statements

Persuasiveness

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Personal connection with audience

Conviction
Demonstrative language
Memorable content

Mechanics
Grammar/sentence structure
Punctuation
Spelling
Appropriate Citations/References

Additional Comments:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Total: ___/50

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Appendix A

Lecture Transcript
http://learningenglish.voanews.com/articleprintview/3158825.html
By: Kelly Jean Kelly
Edited by: Caty Weaver

Thomas Jefferson: The Nation's Third President
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy welcomed Nobel Prize winners to the White House. He said
I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever
been gathered together at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas
Jefferson dined alone.

Kennedys comment shows how vividly Jefferson lives in the American imagination even
more than 100 years after his presidency and death. In the United States, Jeffersons name is
often linked to the countrys history of self-government, slavery, separation of church and
state, and public education.

Founding father
Jefferson was born in 1743 and raised in the hills and low mountains of Virginia. He was
considered an aristocrat: his familys wealth permitted him an excellent education in classic
languages, science, literature, philosophy and law. Jefferson also learned to ride horses, dance
and explore the natural world.

In the 1770s Jefferson supported the coming American Revolution. He became a member of the
Second Continental Congress and is famous for being the lead writer of the Declaration of
Independence.

The document declared the American colonies separation from England. It also asserted that
all men are created equal and have the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Jefferson went on to hold many positions in the countrys new state and national governments.
He was a governor of Virginia, a minister to France, a secretary of state for President George
Washington, and the vice president under President John Adams.

Virginia planter and slave owner
But Jefferson often wrote to his friends about how he most wanted to retire from public service
and return to his home in Virginia. In the 1760s he designed a house on a hilltop he called
Monticello the word means little mountain in Italian.

Jefferson spent most of his life changing and improving the house. He hired dozens of workmen
to build it. He also put some of his slaves to work on it.

During his life, Jefferson owned about 600 slaves. That meant about 130 lived on Monticello at
any time. They worked in Jeffersons house, tobacco and wheat farms, and on special projects
such as making cabinets and nails.

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Jefferson expressed mixed feelings about slavery. He said he disliked the practice, and that he
believed God would judge slave owners severely. In 1782, he wrote, Indeed I tremble for my
country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever

And of course, many people pointed out that Jefferson himself wrote in the Declaration of
Independence all men are created equal, yet Jefferson did not use his power to end slavery.
He expected future generations would permit slavery in the United States to end slowly.
Jeffersons words and actions on slavery are contradictory. The contradiction is especially
significant because evidence suggests he had a long relationship with a young slave at
Monticello. Her name was Sally Hemings. Most historians now believe what the Hemings family
has said all along: Jefferson was the father of Sally Hemings six children of record.

Presidential candidate: Election of 1800
Thomas Jefferson left Monticello to become the countrys third president. The election of 1800
was important for several reasons.

First, it resulted in a strange situation: both Thomas Jefferson and his running mate, Aaron Burr,
received the same number of electoral votes.

The Constitution at the time did not require electors to say whether they were voting for
president or vice president. So when the two men tied, the House of Representatives had to
decide which man would take the lead position. But their votes, too, could not determine a
winner.

The election dragged on and on. Finally, one of Jeffersons chief political enemies, Alexander
Hamilton, decided that Jefferson was the lesser of two evils. In other words, he did not like
either candidate but decided Jefferson was the better choice.

Hamilton persuaded some of his allies to support Jefferson over Burr. After six days and 36
votes, the House of Representatives gave the presidency to Jefferson.
The strange situation provoked a change to the Constitution. The Twelfth Amendment clarifies
how the president and vice president are chosen.

The election of 1800 was also important because it was a break from the earlier
administrations. The first two presidents, George Washington and John Adams, were
Federalists. In other words, they supported a strong federal government.

Thomas Jefferson, on the other hand, was a Republican although the term meant something
different in his time than it does for todays Republicans. Jefferson wanted to limit federal
government.

Historian Joseph Ellis explains that Jefferson supported the power of the states and the people
themselves.

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So, in some sense, hes going to the federal government as the head of it to say were not
going to do anything. Our job is to get out of the way and to allow the citizens of the republic to
pursue their happiness without the interference of any federal authority whatsoever.

The Federalists disagreed with Jeffersons point of view. However, they accepted the results of
the election and permitted the government to transfer peacefully.

Third U.S. president
Some Federalists may have also been comforted by Jeffersons inaugural address the speech
he gave when he officially became president. In it, Jefferson famously said, We are all
republicans we are all federalists.

Many listeners probably believed Jefferson was saying his administration would support ideas
from both Republicans and Federalists.

But historian Joseph Ellis points out that Jefferson did not capitalize the names of the political
groups in his speech. Instead, Ellis says, Jefferson was likely saying the American public
supported a strong system of state governments united under a federal bond.

Indeed, Jefferson led his administration by his Republican beliefs mostly. As president he
greatly lessened the power of the federal government. He cut the national debt. He reduced
the military. He disliked the power of the Supreme Court over the laws Congress made. And he
rejected appearances that made the U.S. president look like a European king.

One of the lasting images of Jefferson in the American imagination is of him receiving guests in
old clothes and slippers.

But as president, Jefferson also appeared strong and powerful when dealing with foreign
nations. Jefferson increased American naval forces in the Mediterranean to combat threats to
U.S. ships. And he permitted American officials to buy a huge area of land from France, even
though the Louisiana Purchase added to the national debt and exceeded the power the
Constitution gave the president.

In general, historians consider Jeffersons first term as president a success. Voters did, too,
because he easily won a second term.

But those last four years were more difficult. Jeffersons popularity suffered, especially when he
stopped all U.S. trade with Europe. Jefferson aimed to limit American involvement in a war
between Britain and France. Instead, he ruined the U.S. economy.
When Jefferson returned to Monticello in 1809, he was happy to leave the presidency behind.
And some people were happy to see him go.

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Criticisms and legacy

Jeffersons critics attacked both his political ideas and his personal qualities. Even friends such
as John Adams and James Madison suggested in their letters that Jefferson was too idealistic.
Federalists, including Washington and Hamilton, worried Jeffersons Republican ideas would
weaken the strong federal government and national economy they had worked hard to create.
Jefferson is also negatively linked to the history of Native Americans and slavery in the U.S. He
tried to get Indian nations to enter into treaties that ultimately took away their land. He asked
that they become more like European-Americans. And his policies made them depend on the
U.S. government.

And Jefferson took no major action to end slavery, either in his personal life or as a public
figure. In fact, historian Joseph Ellis points out that some of Jeffersons actions increased the
power of the slave-holding south and supported slavery in the western states.
Jefferson doesnt put his presidency or the Louisiana Purchase on his tombstone. He never
claims any great credit for that. Its interesting. Because what happens is this area becomes the
source of controversy that leads to the Civil War.

Jefferson instead wanted to be remembered for three things: writing the Declaration of
Independence, supporting religious freedom, and creating the University of Virginia.
For the most part, he is.

Jefferson's political opponents accused him of not being a Christian, although he said he was.
But many Americans supported Jeffersons views on the separation of church and state. He
wrote that government should worry only about acts that hurt other people; however, he said,
it does not harm him if his neighbor says, there are 20 gods or no gods. It neither picks my
pocket nor breaks my leg.

Jefferson also famously supported free public education, especially for those who could not pay
for school. He established both the idea and the architecture for the University of Virginia in
Charlottesville. The public university remains one of the top colleges in the United States.
Jefferson himself wrote proudly of these accomplishments at the end of his life. But his final
years at Monticello had many sorrows. His wife, Martha, had died in 1782 after difficulty in
childbirth. Five of the six children Martha had with Thomas Jefferson also died before him.
So while Jefferson often wrote about how much he enjoyed family life, he returned to
Monticello with only one living daughter, among those he acknowledged, and a few
grandchildren.

In addition, the cost of improving and maintaining the house, as well as the money he spent on
fine wine and good food, had ruined him financially. Eventually, his daughter had to sell her
fathers beloved Monticello and the slaves who lived there to pay his debts.
Jefferson died at Monticello at the age of 83. The last detail of his life which Americans love to
tell is that he passed away on Americas birthday, exactly 50 years after the signing of the
Declaration of Independence.

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Appendix B

Content covered in class regarding how to write Op-Ed articles
How to Write an Op-Ed Article by David Jarmul
http://newsoffice.duke.edu/duke_resources/oped.html

Two Articles on the Presidential Election process for Op-Ed Paper:

CNN News Article http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/31/politics/us-election-2016-explained/
Genre Popular news article

Council on Foreign Relations Article http://www.cfr.org/elections/us-presidential-nominatingprocess/p37522
Genre Academic political science article