Level Placement in the Intensive English Program and Guidance for Level Moves
New IEP students are placed into levels based on English Placement Test (EPT) scores. The EPT has two parts:
- a 60-minute test of listening, grammar, vocabulary, and reading, from Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments, and
- a 30-minute writing test.
The EPT is a reliable test for placement in MELP, and while there will typically be a range in proficiency at each level, there have been very few level misplacements since MELP began using this test in 2007.
On rare occasion, a student may not perform his/her best on the EPT. If that happens, information from diagnostic tests can be used to adjust placements. During the first week of classes, instructors should plan on diagnostic testing to gather additional information that will verify students’ placements. If diagnostic testing reveals that a particular student is too low or too high for their placement, or if a student requests to move to a different level, instructors within the level should evaluate the student's proficiency together to make the final recommendation. Final decisions are made by the director and/or academic coordinator. The following should be considered in this process:
What is the timeline for level moves?
Level moves may only be granted within the first two weeks of classes. Ideally all level move requests should take place by the end of the first week of classes. Instructors should gather enough information by this time to verify placements and to share it within the level if a move should be considered. Level Leads should plan on scheduling a time with instructors during the first week to share diagnostic information and to discuss placements. All relevant information should be brought to the Friday faculty meeting at the end of the first week to discuss with all instructors.
If more time is needed to make an informed decision about a student, moves must be completed by the end of the second week of classes. Instructors should continue to monitor the student and be prepared to make a final recommendation by noon on Friday of the second week. The director and/or academic coordinator will check in with levels during Friday meetings to confirm level move decisions.
If a student makes a level move request that the instructors feel is not warranted, the instructors should talk to that student, explain why the placement is accurate, and discuss strategies for being successful in the level.
What information should be used to verify placements?
Diagnostic testing should include tasks and target SLOs that students will be expected to master by the end of the course. If a student is already demonstrating mastery of course SLOs and is heads and shoulders above the proficiency at that level, the student’s work should be reviewed by all instructors in the level to determine if they would be more successful at the next level. It is important to review a student’s work in light of the whole level, not just a particular class or section, to ensure that the student is indeed performing above and beyond other students in the level.
If instructors within a level agree that a move should be considered, the student’s work should also be reviewed by the Level Lead at the level into which the student is recommended to move. If additional information is needed, the student could be asked to take some of the diagnostic tests at that level.