ISA Administration Handbook (Oct 2022)

ISA
International Schools’ Assessment
October 2022
Administration Handbook
Australian Council for Educational Research

CONTENTS
CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................................................1
GENERAL INFORMATION ..........................................................................................................................2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................................2
Administration dates ......................................................................................................................................2
PREPARATION ................................................................................................................................................3
Materials required ...........................................................................................................................................3
Room preparation............................................................................................................................................4
Student logins ..................................................................................................................................................5
ADMINISTERING THE TEST ......................................................................................................................5
Test conditions .................................................................................................................................................5
Assistance for students ...................................................................................................................................5
Running your test session ..............................................................................................................................6
Attendance list .................................................................................................................................................7
Make-up testing ...............................................................................................................................................7
Non-standard conditions and exclusions ....................................................................................................8
TEST ADMINISTRATION ............................................................................................................................8
Mathematical Literacy: Parts One and Two...............................................................................................10
Writing Task A: Narrative/Reflective .........................................................................................................19
Reading .............................................................................................................................................................23
Writing Task B: Exposition/Argument .......................................................................................................28
Scientific Literacy ...........................................................................................................................................32
FINISHING THE ASSESSMENT ...............................................................................................................41
Checks .............................................................................................................................................................41
Non-standard conditions and exclusions ..................................................................................................41
Feedback .........................................................................................................................................................43
APPENDIX 1: MATHEMATICAL LITERACY FORMULA SHEET .....................................................44
APPENDIX 2: TROUBLESHOOTING DURING TESTING .................................................................45
ISA October 2022 Administration Handbook 1

GENERAL INFORMATION
This handbook sets out instructions for the October 2022 administration of the International
Schools’ Assessment (ISA).
This administration handbook is intended for teachers or test supervisors who will be administering
the assessment.
Please read the relevant sections of the handbook before the test administration dates to familiarise
yourself with the requirements and procedures.
Introduction
The ISA is designed to assess Mathematical Literacy, Reading, Writing and Scientific Literacy. In
general, the questions assess how well students can apply their mathematical, reading, writing and
scientific skills in the real world.
The process of administering the tests is the same for all grade levels.
Note: Some test questions appear in more than one grade level test (for example both Grade 3 and
Grade 4 tests for linking purposes). The Writing prompts are the same for all grade levels.
Administration dates
Test administration Testing dates
October 2022 Monday 26 September – Friday 14 October
Schools that cannot schedule their assessment within these dates due to vacations should email
isa@acer.org for advice.

PREPARATION
To preview and/or administer the test sessions, teachers need to log into their school’s ISA account
(https://oars.acer.edu.au/your-school-name). Further information is provided below in Running your
session.
Materials required
Teachers will require the following items to administer the test sessions:
• A computer or device with internet access.
• The school’s unique web address to log into the ISA school account
(https://oars.acer.edu.au/your-school-name).
• Their username and password.
• A copy of this Administration Handbook.
• A watch or clock showing minutes.
• Extra pens and scrap paper for students.
• Extra calculators (if using calculators) – see Calculators below.
• Books or other quiet activities for early finishers.
Each student will require the following items during the test sessions:
• A computer/device with internet access.
• The school’s ISA web address to log into the ISA school account
(https://oars.acer.edu.au/your-school-name).
• Their individual username and password (see below).
• A pen or pencil and scrap paper for notes and working out.
• A calculator for Mathematical Literacy (if routinely used) – see Calculators below.

Support materials
Calculators
The questions in the Mathematical Literacy test can be completed with or without a calculator. It is
recommended that schools adopt a consistent policy for each grade level regarding the use of
calculators for the ISA.
• If students routinely use calculators in the classroom, then we recommend that they use them in
the ISA.
• The ISA School Coordinator should advise all teachers administering the Mathematical Literacy
test whether students are permitted to use calculators.
• Student answers will not be marked differently if calculators are used.
Formula sheets
Students are not permitted to bring notes or external formula sheets into the ISA. For Grades 8, 9
and 10 only, an approved formula sheet for Mathematical Literacy is provided within the test
interface. The formula sheet is introduced to students during the practice questions. A hard copy is
also included in Appendix 1.
English dictionaries and thesauruses
Standard English dictionaries, thesauruses and word lists cannot be used for any part of the ISA.
Bilingual dictionaries
Bilingual dictionaries or other translation devices may be used during the Mathematical Literacy
and Scientific Literacy tests only. They cannot be used during the Reading or Writing tests.
Spellcheck
The spellcheck function has been disabled in all tests. Spellcheck functions provided within the
browser must also be disabled.
Room preparation
It is preferable that any clocks, posters, displays or teaching materials that students might refer to
are covered or removed from student view before the test begins. Ensure all students have the
necessary materials listed above. If necessary, reorganise seating to ensure that each student works
independently.

Student logins
The ISA School Coordinator should download students’ logins and give them to the teachers before
testing.
To get started: Watch how:

1. Go to the Students page.
2. Select Login details.
ADMINISTERING THE TEST

The administration of the ISA is essentially the same for all grades. Any administrative differences
(for example in practice questions or time allowed) are noted in this handbook.
At the start of the Mathematical Literacy, Reading and Scientific Literacy tests, a small number of
practice questions are administered to familiarise students with the style of the questions, the online
delivery system and the different response formats.
Test conditions
Administrators should strictly supervise students to ensure they stay within the test interface (for
example, prevent students sending messages to each other). If possible, have the test interface on
full screen view to ensure that students do not navigate away from the test. Pressing F11 acts as a
shortcut for full screen view on most computers. Each section of the test has a distinctive coloured
band at the top of the page to assist with monitoring.
Assistance for students

Mathematical Literacy and Scientific Literacy: You may read test questions to students who are
unable to do so themselves. Translations of words may be given to non-English speaking
background students who do not have bilingual dictionaries or other translation devices.
Writing: After the orientation and discussion time at the beginning of the test, do not give students
hints about how to approach the prompt or any other advice, for example spelling of words. Any
discussion notes about a prompt should be removed from view when the test begins.
Reading: You are not permitted to read questions to students. As it is a test of reading, it is
inappropriate to read material aloud (apart from practice questions and instructions).

All tests: You may help students who are uncertain about how to provide or demonstrate answers.
Do not give students the answer to a test question, the meaning of a mathematical term, the spelling
of words, hints about how to approach a question or suggestions about what an answer might be.
Running your test session

A session contains online tests that are assigned to students. Tests remain locked for students until a
session has been started and creating a session ensures that students can only access assigned tests
when the session has been started by the teacher. This allows teachers control over when the tests
are viewed and completed.
How to run your session
Watch this short video that

summarises how to run your
ISA testing sessions.
For more instructions go to the

Help page, then Administration.
Start a session
Select the Start button to unlock the tests and enable students to begin testing.
1. Go to the Sessions page.
2. Select the session and click

Start.
Pause a session
Select the Pause button to temporarily lock the tests and restrict access during a break.
Resume a session
Select the Resume button when the students return to unlock the test.

End a session
Select the End button to end a session.
Note: When you end a session, all tests are closed and students’ responses are submitted. Students
can no longer access their tests. If you end a session prematurely, your ISA School Coordinator can
reopen the session for you so that students can access their tests again.
Session notes
A test cannot be added to a session once it has been started.
Students can be added to a session that has already started by selecting the session, scrolling to
‘Student Attendance’, and selecting Add Students.
When a student logs in an unlocked test looks like this:
A locked test looks like this:
Attendance list
When administering the ISA tests, you can mark the attendance list within each session. The
attendance list also includes a notes section where you can record any non-standard conditions that
apply to a student, or any other information relating to the test sitting.
Please note that the attendance list is used to record any important details about the
session for your records only and is not used directly for reporting. Any non-standard
conditions that are recorded in the notes within a session need to be transferred to the
Non–standard conditions and exclusions form when testing is complete.
Make-up testing
Students who are absent for any part of the assessment can be granted a make-up test but only if the
school is able to replicate ISA testing conditions. If the school can meet these conditions and provide
a staff member to administer and supervise the test, then results from make-up testing can be
included in the aggregated data, but it should be noted as a non-standard condition.
Please attempt to minimise contact between students who will sit a make-up test and those who
have completed the test.
Where a student has been added to a session, but is absent on the day of testing, pause the session
at the end of testing and resume the session when the student is ready to take the test.
Non-standard conditions and exclusions

Schools must advise ACER of any students that completed the test under non-standard conditions
and if any students should be excluded from aggregate results. Refer to Finishing the test for more
details.
Troubleshooting during testing

For assistance with troubleshooting during testing please refer to Appendix 2. If you are not able to
resolve the issue please contact the isa team at isa@acer.org
TEST ADMINISTRATION
Summarised test instructions
The test administration instructions for each test can be found in this handbook on the pages
outlined below. The instructions below are summarised versions for those familiar with
administering the tests.
Mathematical Literacy – page 10
Writing Task A – page 19
Reading – page 23
Writing Task B – page 28
Scientific Literacy – page 32

Detailed test instructions
More detailed test administration scripts are also available for the Mathematical Literacy, Reading
and Scientific Literacy tests. The scripts tell you exactly what to say to introduce the test and guide
students through each of the practice questions in the test.
You can use these detailed test administration scripts or if you are more familiar with the ISA, you can
use the streamlined test instructions in this handbook.
The detailed test administration scripts are available in the Help section of your ISA school account
and via the link below:
https://mycloud.acer.edu.au/s/WyEgHTqtZshNy4m
Password: ISAscripts2022
Practice questions
The practice questions alert students to the different question formats and how they may change
their answers. The practice questions are meant to be easy so that students can concentrate on the
format of the answers, rather than the content.
Students should complete all practice questions.

MATHEMATICAL LITERACY:
PARTS ONE AND TWO
Timing
Part One
Practice questions 10 minutes
Test questions 30 minutes
BREAK
Part Two
Total time 70 minutes
Want to use a detailed test administration script?
If you want a more detailed test administration script to the one shown below,
download it via the Help section of your school account or here:
https://mycloud.acer.edu.au/s/WyEgHTqtZshNy4m.
Orientation
Start the session

Select Start on the test session to unlock the test.
Check materials
Check that each student has the necessary materials (see Materials required).
Students log in
Ask students to log in using their username and password. Ask students to confirm that their name
appears on the welcome screen to ensure they are logged into the correct account.

Introduce the test
Once they are logged in, students will see a page listing the tests that have been assigned to them.
When ready to begin, ask them to click on the Mathematical Literacy test. For example, a Grade 3
student would click on this:
Practice questions
Work your way through the practice questions with the students. Remind the students:
• That the practice questions are meant to be easy and are designed to show the different ways
they may be asked to show their answers throughout the test.
• That they should enter a response for all practice questions.
• To use the Next button to move to the next question, the Back button to go back, or select a
question using the navigation bar at the top.
• That instead of using $, Euro or other currencies, a fictional currency called Zeds is used.
Practice questions for Grades 3–6: continue below
Practice questions for Grades 7–10: page 14
Practice questions (Grades 3–6)
Practice Question 1 (Grades 3–6)
Type: Multiple choice. Action: Select the bubble next Correct response: ‘3’.
to the answer you choose.

Question type: Short answer. Action: Type your response. Correct response: ‘10’.
Use numbers not words.
Practice Question 3 (Grade 3–6)
Type: Drag and Action: Drag each label into the correct blank Correct response: Red into
drop. box. To change the contents in a box, drag out the left box, blue into the middle
the wrong label, and drag in the correct label. box and green into the right box.
Question type: Multiple choice. Action: Select two numbers. Correct response: ‘2’ and ‘3’.

Question type: Complex multiple Action: Select a response for Correct response: ‘No’ for
choice. each question. the triangle and ‘Yes’ for the
hexagon.
Grades 3 and 4 proceed to page 16 to Start Part One of the Test
Grades 5 and 6 continue below to an additional practice question
Practice Question 6 (Grades 5 and 6 only)
Question type: Short answer Action: Type your response and Correct response: ‘9’.
with working. show working in the provided space. 12 – 2 – 1 = 9 or 12 – 3 = 9 or
similar.
Grades 5 and 6 proceed to page 16 to Start Part One of the Test

Practice questions Grades 7–10
Type: Multiple choice. Action: Select the bubble next Correct response: ‘100 litres’.
Question type: Short Action: Type your response Correct response: ‘500’. 20 × 5 = 100 so
answer with working. and show working in the 100 × 5 = 500 or “5 zeds per kilogram
provided space. Use numbers multiplied by 100 kilograms equals 500” or
not words. similar.

Question type: Drag Action: Drag each label into the correct Correct response: From top to
and drop. blank box. To change the contents in a bottom: ‘140 to 149’, ‘150 to 159’,
box, drag out the wrong label, and drag in ‘160 to 169’.
the correct label.
Question type: Complex Action: Select a response Correct response: ‘Yes’ for the first
multiple choice. for each statement in the statement and ‘No’ for the second
table. statement.
Question type: Short answer. Action: Type your response Correct response: ‘155’ and ‘3’.
in each box.
Grade 7–10 continue below to Start Part One of the Test

Testing
Start Part One

After the practice questions, read the following messages to your students:
You will now answer the Mathematical Literacy Test questions. The test has two parts and we will
have a break between each part. You will now do Part One of the Mathematical Literacy Test.
Try to answer every question, but don’t spend too long on any that are too hard. Marks are not
taken off for wrong answers.
To move to the next question, select Next. To go back to the previous question, select Back.
In some cases, you may need to scroll down to see the whole question or to see the Next button.
The questions you answer will appear shaded in the progress bar. Questions that you have not
answered are unshaded. You can use the progress bar to find and go back to these questions.
If you use scrap paper, remember to copy your working onto the screen for ‘explain’ questions or
‘show your working’ questions.
Keep going until you get to the page that says ‘Stop Here’. You may go back and check that you have
answered all the questions in Part One, but you must not start Part Two. You must wait until I
announce the break.
Do not start Part Two or select Next until you are told to do so after the break.
For Grades 8–10 only, add the following statement:
A formula sheet is available in the test interface by selecting the ‘Formula Sheet 1’ tab. This appears
below the drop-down question list. This sheet is a standard formula sheet used in the senior years of
the ISA. It contains several different mathematical formulae that may be useful when answering the
questions. It is important to note that not all these formulae will need to be used. Some of them will
not be relevant to any of the test questions at all.
Ensure all students understand what to do, then read the following:
You have 30 minutes to do Part One. We will finish at [insert time]. I will advise you when there are
5 minutes left. Select Next to begin. You may start now.

During Part One
If students tell you that they have finished during the allowed time, advise them to check their
work.
Ensure that the students do not start Part Two.
After 25 minutes of test time:
• Instruct students that they have five more minutes to work on Part One.
• If more than two or three students have not finished you may allow up to five minutes extra.
More than 10 minutes of additional time must be noted as a non-standard condition.
At the end of testing time:
• Instruct students to stop working.
• Ask students to move to the screen at the end of Part One that says ‘Stop Here’ and not to
select Next.
• Optional: Ask students to close their test browser for added security during the break. Note:
Student responses will be saved for when they login again to complete Part Two.
Short break
Students should now have a break of between 15-30 minutes.
• Select Pause on the session to restrict access to the test during the break (refer to Running
your session).
• Please ensure the room is secure during the break.
Start Part Two

Select Resume on the session to unlock the test. Students may need to login again to resume the test.
Read the following messages to students:
We will now start Part Two of the Mathematical Literacy test. Log back into the test. Use the
progress bar to select the place where the stop sign is (shown by the symbol ‘i’ on the progress bar).
You must not go back to Part One.
Try to answer every question in Part Two, but don’t spend too long on any that are too hard. Keep
going until you get to the ‘End of Test’ screen. If you have time, select Go Back and use the progress
bar to review your work or try to answer any questions you may not have answered. Do not select
Finish until you are told to. Once you select Finish, you will not be able to return to the test.
You have 30 minutes to do Part Two. We will finish at [insert time]. I will advise you when there are
5 minutes left. Select Next to begin. You may start now.

During Part Two
work. Make sure that they do not select Finish.
End Part Two

• Advise students that they have five more minutes to work on Part Two.
• Remind students that when they reach the ‘End of Test’ page, they will be able to see how
many questions they have answered. They can select Go Back to answer any questions they
have missed or change any answers.
• If more than two or three students have not completed Part Two, you may allow an
additional five minutes for them to complete the test. More than 10 minutes of additional
time must be noted as a non-standard condition.
At the end of testing time:
• Advise students to stop working and select Next to reach the ‘End of Test’ page and select
Finish at the bottom right of the screen to return to the ‘Active Tests’ page.
• Ask students to log out by clicking the drop-down arrow beside their name at the top right
of the screen and selecting Log out.
At the end of the test

When testing is finished:
• Check that all students have selected Finish and have logged out.
• Complete the attendance list for the session and end the session if all tests in the session are
complete.
• Complete the Non-standard conditions and exclusion form, if required.
• Complete the Teacher Feedback Survey for this test.
• Refer to Finishing the Assessment for more details.
END OF MATHEMATICAL LITERACY TEST INSTRUCTIONS

WRITING TASK A:
NARRATIVE/REFLECTIVE
Writing Task A is a narrative/reflective task. Students are provided with a short prompt about a
topic. The prompt is the same for all grade levels.
Writing Task A is introduced with a short class discussion.
There is no practice section for the Writing tests.
Time is not allocated for detailed planning or substantial redrafting. It is expected that students’
work will be their first draft. However, they are encouraged to spend the last five minutes of the test
proofreading and editing their work
Students’ writing is assessed on the quality and development of their ideas, their language
proficiency and their spelling.
Timing
Discussion (all grades) 10 minutes
Writing time (grade 3 – 4) 40 minutes
Total time 40 – 50 minutes
Orientation
Start the session

Check materials
Students log in
appears on the welcome screen to ensure they are logged in to the correct account.

Introduce the test
Once they are logged in, students will see a page listing the tests that have been assigned to them.
When ready, ask them to click on Writing Task A. For example, a Grade 3 student would click on
this:
Ask students to select Start test and check that everyone has the following writing task showing:
Testing
Short class discussion

Conduct a short discussion (no more than 10 minutes) on the picture and the different ideas and
associations it prompts. Do not write ideas on the board.
You could start the discussion with the following:
On the screen you can see a picture of a cat looking into a mirror. The cat sees itself in the mirror as
a lion looking back. Use this picture as an idea for a story or reflective piece of writing. Do not write
a piece giving your opinion.
• The picture can be the most important idea in your writing, or just part of your piece.
• Your piece can be about something that has happened or that might happen.

• You may want to give your piece a title.
Make your piece interesting for someone else to read.
Let’s think about the picture. The picture shows a cat which sees itself as a lion. Here are some
questions to think about:
• What is the cat seeing?
• Why is the lion in the mirror?
• What is the cat thinking? Your story or reflective piece might be about how the cat sees itself. It
seems to see itself as big, powerful and brave as a lion. The cat might believe that he or she is a
lion.
• Maybe the lion is a real lion – it is not a reflection of the cat.
You might write about your cat, a lion, or things that this picture reminds you of.
Does anyone have any ideas about the picture? Think about these questions again: What is the cat
seeing? Why is the lion in the mirror? What might the cat be thinking?
Make sure students understand that they must write a story or reflective piece and not an opinion
piece or an argument.
Start the test

After the brief discussion, read the following message to students:
There is no practice section for this test.

To start writing, select the box below the prompt. Type your piece of writing in this box. You may
use some scrap paper to jot down ideas before you start writing.
You should write the best first draft that you can. If you make a mistake, just correct it. If you don’t
know how to spell a word, spell it as best you can.
Your piece will be judged on your ideas, how well you develop your ideas, the way you use
language and your spelling.
You can scroll up and down in the box to review your piece and make changes. You can expand the
text box by dragging the bottom right hand corner of the screen.
[For grades 3 and 4]: You have 40 minutes to complete your piece of writing and I will tell you
when you have 10 minutes left.
[For grades 5 to 10]: You have 30 minutes to complete your piece of writing and I will tell you when
you have 10 minutes left.
You may start now.
During the test


End the test
After 20 minutes of test time (30 mins for grade 3 and 4):
• Advise students that they have 10 minutes remaining.
• Advise students that they have five minutes remaining.
• Remind them to proofread and edit their writing carefully for spelling and punctuation if
they have time. Students may use this time for proofreading and editing, but they may
choose to continue writing.
• If more than two or three students have not finished, you may allow an additional five
minutes for them to complete the test. More than 10 minutes of additional time must be
noted as a non-standard condition.
At the end of the testing time:
• Advise students to stop working and select Next to reach the ‘End of Test’ page. Then select
Finish at the bottom right of the screen to return to the ‘Active Tests’ page.
• Ask students to log out by selecting the drop-down arrow beside their name at the top right

complete.
END OF WRITING TASK A INSTRUCTIONS

READING
Timing
Orientation
Start the session

Check materials
Students log in
Introduce the test

When logged in, students will see a page listing the tests that have been assigned to them. When
ready, ask them to click on the Reading test. For example a Grade 10 student would click on this:

Practice questions
• To use the Next button to move to the next question, the Back button to go back, or
alternatively, to select a question using the navigation bar at the top.
Practice questions (all grades)
Practice Question 1
Type: Multiple choice. Action: Select the bubble next to the Correct response:
answer you choose. ‘Summer’.
Practice Question 2
Question type: Short answer. Action: Type your response. Correct response: ‘Warm and
shallow’.

Practice Question 3
Question type: Short answer. Action: Type your response. Correct responses: ‘Swim’
and ‘Dive’.
Practice Question 4
Question type: Multiple choice Action: Select the bubble Correct response: Decide whether
and short answer. and type your response. or not sea turtles are clever and give a
reason.

Testing
Start the test

After the practice questions, read the following message to students:
You will now answer the Reading test questions.
Try to answer every question, but don’t spend too long on any that are too hard. Marks are not
taken off for wrong answers. To move to the next question, select Next. To go back to the previous
question, select Back. In some cases you may need to scroll down to see all the available information
or to see the Next button.
answered are unshaded. You can use the progress bar to find and go back to these questions.
Keep going until you get to the ‘End of Test’ screen. If you have time, select Go Back and use the
progress bar to review your work or complete any unanswered questions. Do not select Finish until
you are told to. Once you select Finish, you will not be able to return to the test.
You have 45 minutes to complete the test. We will finish at [insert time]. I will advise you when you
have five minutes left. Select Next to begin. You may start now.
During the test

End the test

• If more than two or three of your students have not finished, you may allow up to five
minutes extra. More than 10 minutes of additional time must be noted as a non-standard
condition.
Finish at the bottom right of the screen to be returned to the ‘Active Tests’ page.

complete.
END OF READING INSTRUCTIONS

WRITING TASK B:
EXPOSITION/ARGUMENT
Writing Task B provides a topic for an argument or opinion piece. The topic is the same for all grade
levels taking the ISA.
Writing Task B is introduced with a short class discussion or orientation.
There is no practice section for the Writing tests.
Time is not allocated for detailed planning or substantial redrafting. It is expected that students’
work will be their first draft. However, they are encouraged to spend the last five minutes of the test
proofreading and editing their work.
Students’ writing is assessed on the quality of the ideas and arguments ideas they use to support
their opinions, the way they structure and organise their ideas and their language proficiency.
Timing
Discussion (all grades) 10 minutes
Total time 40 – 50 minutes
Orientation
Start the session

Check materials
Students log in

Introduce the test
ready, ask them to click on Writing Task B. For example a Grade 3 student would click on this:
Ask students to select Start test and check that everyone has the following writing task showing:
Testing
Short class discussion

Conduct a short discussion (no more than 10 minutes) on the picture and the different ideas and
associations it prompts. Do not write ideas on the board.
You could start the discussion with the following:
On the screen you can see the topic for writing about your opinion. The topic is ‘Children don’t
need to attend school. They can do it all online.’ There are some more sentences underneath. Follow
along while I read these sentences.
Write a piece saying what you think about the question. ‘Should all schooling take place online?’
Consider what is good about online learning and what you would miss out on if you only attended
school online.
Write a piece that gives your opinion. Do not write a story for this piece of writing.
Write about whether you think children need to attend school or if they can do it all online. What is
your opinion about this? You need to give reasons to show why you think this way. You can think
whatever you want about the question, but you must give good reasons to support what you think.

Ensure students understand that they can express any opinion they like about the topic if they
support it with good reasons and that there is no right or wrong answer. Do not make any notes for
the students (for example on the board).
The discussion could involve questions such as:
• Why do you think that?
• Do you have a different opinion?
• What reasons do you have for thinking that?
• Do you agree with what (student’s name) said?
• Why might students have different opinions about this topic?
Start the test

After a brief discussion, read the following message to students:
There is no practice section for this test.
To start writing, select the box below the prompt. You should type your piece of writing in this box.
You may use some scrap paper to jot down ideas.
You should write the best first draft that you can. If you make a mistake, just correct it. If you don’t
know how to spell a word, you should spell it as best you can. You need to write what you think
about the question. Make sure that you include reasons for your opinion. Your writing will be
judged on the ideas you use to support your argument, how well you explain your point of view
and the way you use language.
You can scroll up and down in the box to review your piece if you want to make changes. You can
expand the text box by dragging the bottom right hand corner of the screen
[For grades 3 and 4]: You have 40 minutes to complete your piece of writing and I will tell you
when you have 10 minutes left.
[For grades 5 to 10]: You have 30 minutes to complete your piece of writing and I will tell you when
you have 10 minutes left.
Remember that you need to write about your opinion on the topic and give reasons to support your
opinion.
You may start now.
During the test


End the test
• Instruct students that they have 10 minutes remaining.
After 25 minutes of test times (35 mins for grade 3 and 4):
• Remind them to proofread and edit their writing carefully for spelling and punctuation.
Students may choose to continue writing.
• If more than two or three students have not finished, you may allow an additional five
minutes for them to complete the test. More than 10 minutes of additional time must be
noted as a non-standard condition.

complete.
END OF WRITING TASK B INSTRUCTIONS

SCIENTIFIC LITERACY
Timing
Orientation
Start the session

Check materials
Students log in
Introduce the test

ready, ask them to click the Scientific Literacy Test. For example a Grade 6 student would click on
this:

Practice questions
• To use the Next button to move to the next question, the Back button to go back, or select a
question using the navigation bar at the top by selecting the question number.
Practice questions for Grades 3–6: continue below
Practice questions for Grades 7–10: page 36
Type: Multiple choice. Action: Select the bubble next Correct response: Fourth option
to the answer you choose. – ‘They all have two eyes.’

Type: Short answer. Action: Type your response. Correct response: ‘Lion’.
Question type: Complex Action: Select a response Correct response: ‘Yes’, ‘No’ and
multiple choice. for each question. ‘No’.

Type: Matching exercise. Action: Drag the columns into Correct response: Shortest to tallest:
the correct location on the graph. ‘Frances’, ‘Ashley’, ‘Robin’.
Question type: Matching Action: Drag the pencil to the Correct response: 'Ice’ to 'solid',
exercise. correct answer. 'steam' to 'gas' and 'water' to 'liquid'.

Question type: Hot spot. Action: Select the correct part Correct response: Snow at the
of the picture. The selection will top of the mountain.
be highlighted in green.
Grade 3–6 continue to page 39 to Start the Test
Type: Multiple choice. Action: Select the bubble next Correct response: ‘Moon’.

Question type: Drag and Action: Drag the correct object into Correct response: 'Star’.
drop. the blank box.
Question type: Hot spot. Action: Select the correct part Correct response: The object on
of the picture. The selection will the outermost circle.
be highlighted in green.

Question type: Matching Action: Drag the pencil to the Correct response: 'Ice’ to 'solid',
exercise. correct answer. 'steam' to 'gas' and 'water' to 'liquid'.
Type: Short answer. Action: Type your response. Correct response: ‘Lion’.

Question type: Complex Action: Select a response Correct response: ‘Yes’, ‘No’, ‘No’.
multiple choice. for each question.
Grade 7–10 continue below to Start the Test
Testing
Start the test

After the practice questions, read the following messages to students:
You will now answer the Scientific Literacy test questions.
Carefully read the information provided before attempting to answer the questions.
Try to answer all the questions, even if you are not sure of the answer. Marks are not taken off for
wrong answers. Don’t spend too long on any that are too hard.
To move to the next question, select Next. To go back to the previous question, select Back.
In some cases you may need to scroll down to see all the available information or to see the Next
button.
answered are not shaded. You can use the progress bar to quickly find and go back to these
questions.
Keep going until you get to the ‘End of Test’ screen.

If you have time, select Go Back and use the progress bar to review your work or try to answer any
questions that you have missed.
Do not select Finish until you are told to. Once you select Finish, you will not be able to return to the
test.
You have 45 minutes to do the Scientific Literacy test. We will finish at [insert time]. I will advise you
when you have five minutes left. Select Next to begin. You may start now.
During the test

End the test

• If more than two or three of your students have not finished you may allow up to five
minutes extra. More than 10 minutes of additional time must be noted as a non-standard
condition.

complete.
END OF SCIENTIFIC LITERACY INSTRUCTIONS

FINISHING THE ASSESSMENT
Checks
Once testing is finished, please check to ensure that:
• All assigned online tests have been completed (the students have selected Finish). Tests left
unfinished may not be marked.
• All sessions have been ended. This ensures that all tests within the session are submitted for
marking.
• The Non-standard conditions and exclusions form has been completed (where relevant).
• The Teacher Feedback Survey has been completed (see Feedback section below).
• ACER has been advised once the assessment has been completed.
Non-standard conditions and exclusions

Schools are required to list the details of any student who completed the assessment under non-
standard conditions and advise if any students should be excluded from aggregate results.
Submit non-standard conditions and exclusions via the link below:
https://www.acer.org/au/isa/nonstandard-conditions-exclusions-form
Non-standard Conditions
Non-standard conditions relate to the administration of the assessment. They include variations to
the standard testing conditions of the assessment such as special support, use of a scribe and
disruptions. Examples of valid non-standard conditions are provided in the table below.
Acceptable non-standard conditions Unacceptable non-standard conditions
“15 minutes additional time” “5 minutes additional time”

Additional time of 10 minutes or more is outside of Additional time of less than 10 minutes is within standard
standard testing conditions and should be recorded as a testing conditions and does not need to be recorded.
non-standard condition.
“The student completed the test with a scribe” “The student completed the test with a scribe due to
a broken wrist”
The use of a scribe is outside of standard testing conditions
and should be recorded.

Underlying reasons for non-standard conditions should
not be included when recording a non-standard condition.
“The student used a dictionary” “The student used a calculator”

The use of a dictionary is outside of standard testing The use of a calculator is within standard testing
conditions and should be recorded. The student may also conditions and does not need to be recorded.
need to be excluded from aggregated results.
“The student left halfway through the testing “The student was absent for the testing session”
session”
It is not necessary to record a total absence from the test as
This circumstance would impact the results of the student a non-standard condition.
and should be recorded.
“The student completed the test in a separate room” “The student sat the test under special conditions”
This describes circumstances outside of standard testing A specific description of the circumstances and how they
conditions and should be recorded. differ from standard testing conditions is required.
“The student had a translator” “The student has dyslexia”

The use of a translator is permitted in the Mathematical This is not a valid non-standard condition, as it does not
Literacy test, but not in the other learning areas. It should describe any changes to standard testing conditions and
be recorded as a non-standard condition. personal details should not be included.
Useful tips:
o If teachers have recorded a non-standard condition in the session attendance sheet, these
will need to be transferred to the Non–standard conditions and exclusions form.
o Multiple entries can be made by selecting ‘Add another response’ in the form.
o To maintain data privacy, you will need to add each student’s ISA ID (rather than their
name). ISA ID’s can be downloaded from the Students tab in your ISA account.
o A note will be included in the individual report for all students that tested under non-
standard conditions to alert teachers and parents to factors they may need to take into
consideration when interpreting the student’s results.
Exclusions
An exclusion should be recorded when a student’s test results should not be included in the
aggregate scores of the school. This may be for the whole assessment or for a particular test.
Students who are excluded will receive an individual report and appear on the class report, but
their results will not contribute to the class mean scores or the school mean.
The decision to exclude a student from the results is at the discretion of the school. An exclusion
should be recorded where it is determined that including the results would not be appropriate or
comparable to the testing cohort.
A generic reason should be provided to explain why it is appropriate to exclude the student
from aggregate results, for example if:

• the student fell ill during the testing session and was unable to complete a test.
• the level of support the student was given was too extensive for this student’s data to be
comparable with that of other students.
ACER will decide if the exclusion is appropriate based on the information provided by the school
and will seek further clarification from the school where required.
Feedback
Feedback is important to ACER and teachers who administer the assessment are encouraged to
complete a Teacher Feedback Survey using the link below.
https://www.acer.org/isa/isa-teacher-feedback-survey

APPENDIX 1: MATHEMATICAL LITERACY
FORMULA SHEET
Diagram Description Formula

The Pythagorean rule for a
c right-angled triangle with sides
a a2 + b2 = c2
a, b and c, where c is the
b hypotenuse.
Area of a rectangle with

b Area = a × b
length a and width b.
a
Area of a triangle with
h 1
perpendicular height h and Area = b×h
b base b. 2
The circumference of a circle

Circumference = 2 × π × r
with radius r.
r
The area of a circle with
Area = π × r 2
radius r.
Volume of a cuboid
h (rectangular prism) with Volume = l × w × h
w length l, width w and height h.
l
Surface area of a closed
r cylinder with radius r and Area = 2 × π × r 2 + 2 × π × r × h
= 2 × π × r × (r + h)
height h.
h
Volume of a cylinder with
Volume = π × r 2 × h
radius r and height h.
Surface area of a sphere with

Area = 4 × π × r 2
radius r.
r
Volume of a sphere with 4
radius r. Volume = × π × r3
3
22
Note: You can use 3.14 or 7
as an approximation for the value of π.

APPENDIX 2: TROUBLESHOOTING DURING
TESTING
Reopen a session
If during the test administration a session is ended prematurely before all students have finished a
test, staff with the role of ISA School Coordinator have permission to reopen the session. Students
will not be able to log in and complete any unfinished questions until the session is reopened.
To reopen a session: Watch how:
1. Go to the Sessions page and

choose a session.
2. Select Reopen.
Reopen a test
If during the test administration a student selects ‘Finish’ prematurely, staff with the role of ISA
School Coordinator have permission to reopen the test for the student to continue.
To reopen a test: Watch how:
1. Go to the Students page and

select a student.
2. Select Tests.
3. Find the test and select the

actions tab.
4. Select Reopen.
Useful tips:
o Once the test has been reopened, the student will be able to complete the test when they next
log in. They will be able to resume the test from the last unanswered question. Any answers
they had previously selected will appear.
o The student may need to refresh the browser to see the updated active test on their screen
once they have been reopened.

Internet connection and resuming tests
If the internet connection drops out while students are testing, or if a student needs to exit the test
for any reason (such as a fire drill or other emergency), they will be able to resume the test from the
last unanswered question.
Students will need to log back in with the same username and password and select the test they
were working on (which will appear as ‘incomplete’ in their Active Tests window) and be able to
resume the test from the last unanswered question.
General troubleshooting
Where you come across common problems, such as slow response times, display or functionality
issues, try some of the troubleshooting options below. These may work individually or in
combination, so it is important to try all the steps if problems persist.
• Run the OARS browser exam on the student’s device to immediately identify possible
causes of the problem.
• End the OARS session (https://oars.acer.edu.au/logout) and log in again.
• Perform a ‘hard refresh’ of the browser.
o Windows: CTRL + F5
o Mac/Apple: CMD ⌘ + SHIFT + R
• Clear browser cache, close the browser and re-open.
o Windows: CTRL + SHIFT + DEL
o Mac/Apple: CMD ⌘ + SHIFT + DEL
o Or open the browser Settings or Options menu and select Clear browsing
data/history.
• Enable cookies from the browser Settings or Options menu.
• Load the page in a different web browser.
• Load the page on a different device.
• Shut down and restart the device.
• Reduce the number of students testing simultaneously, especially if sharing a single wireless
internet connection.
• Stagger student logins to reduce the connection load on the network. The bandwidth
required for the student login process is greater than that required to administer the tests.
Reporting technical problems

If the troubleshooting steps in the previous section do not resolve the problem, please contact the

ISA Team. In order to investigate and resolve the issue as quickly as possible, we ask that you
complete the online technical report form via the link below and provide as much information as
you can: https://forms.gle/2mLKX1891TynXZmD6.


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ISA

International Schools’ Assessment

Australian Council for Educational Research

ISA October 2022 Administration Handbook 1

October 2022 Monday 26 September – Friday 14 October

ISA October 2022 Administration Handbook 2

• A computer or device with internet access.

• Their username and password.

• A copy of this Administration Handbook.

• A watch or clock showing minutes.

• Extra pens and scrap paper for students.

• Extra calculators (if using calculators) – see Calculators below.

• Books or other quiet activities for early finishers.

• A computer/device with internet access.

• Their individual username and password (see below).

ISA October 2022 Administration Handbook 3

• Student answers will not be marked differently if calculators are used.

English dictionaries and thesauruses

ISA October 2022 Administration Handbook 4

To get started: Watch how:

ADMINISTERING THE TEST

Assistance for students

ISA October 2022 Administration Handbook 5

Running your test session

How to run your session

To get started: Watch how:

Watch this short video that

For more instructions go to the

To get started: Watch how:

1. Go to the Sessions page.

2. Select the session and click

ISA October 2022 Administration Handbook 6

When a student logs in an unlocked test looks like this:

A locked test looks like this:

Non-standard conditions and exclusions

Troubleshooting during testing

Mathematical Literacy – page 10

Writing Task A – page 19

Writing Task B – page 28

Scientific Literacy – page 32

ISA October 2022 Administration Handbook 8

Students should complete all practice questions.

ISA October 2022 Administration Handbook 9

Practice questions 10 minutes

Test questions 30 minutes

Test questions 30 minutes

Total time 70 minutes

Want to use a detailed test administration script?

Start the session

ISA October 2022 Administration Handbook 10

• That they should enter a response for all practice questions.

Practice questions for Grades 3–6: continue below

Practice questions for Grades 7–10: page 14

Practice questions (Grades 3–6)

Practice Question 1 (Grades 3–6)

ISA October 2022 Administration Handbook 11

Practice Question 3 (Grade 3–6)