[blindkid] ACT/(PLAN = Pre-ACT) & SAT/PSAT Questions

Bonnie Lucas lucas.bonnie at gmail.com
Thu Oct 18 05:35:28 UTC 2012


When we asked the TVI who was going to administer a test to another student
in the district, it simply came down to the TVI's not really wanting to work
on Saturday. Though it seems unfair to me, I can certainly understand this
reasoning. Aubrie said it wasn't as hard as she thought it would be.
However, for the first time, she used extended time mostly because it takes
more time to go back and find lines in the reading section. Actually, it
made her pretty mad that she had to use the extended time since she hasn't
had to do that in the past. 

-----Original Message-----
From: DrV [mailto:icdx at earthlink.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2012 9:39 PM
To: Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
Subject: Re: [blindkid] ACT/(PLAN = Pre-ACT) & SAT/PSAT Questions

Thanks Pat,
The braille PSAT & pre-test arrived today (down to the wire!) V was excited
to share that the graphics for the PSAT pretest were MUCH better than those
of the PLAN.
Based on what we shared of our experience with the PLAN, the district called
the PSAT folks & they actually do allow the proctor to clarify.
Does anyone have any insight into why braille PSAT test-takers have to miss
a day of classes, rather than take it on Saturday like the rest of the kids?

Eric 

On 10/16/12 6:06 AM, "Pat Renfranz" <dblair2525 at msn.com> wrote:

>Sorry- PSAT. I assume the SAT and AP exams would be similar, but don't 
>know--like you say, one stops assuming at some point.
>
>In our case, the Braille practice tests came with the 2012 test; if the 
>school doesn't have the practice tests yet, do they have the real test?
>
>Whoever is transcribing answers onto the answer sheet needs to know how 
>to enter "student-produced response questions" in the PSAT math section.
>There
>are specific instructions on how to do so in the test guide, but I 
>would not assume any given teacher/proctor would review the guide, 
>thinking the test is all multiple choice.
>
>Another thing to be aware of: the College Board uses different language 
>for extended time than other tests she has been exposed to: "100% 
>extended time"
>means double time, 200% is triple. People at the school don't seem to 
>understand this, so we will be having a discussion with them today. It 
>feels like we are re-inventing the wheel.
>
>The pre-ACT test situation sounds patently unfair.
>
>Good luck to Vejas on Wednesday!
>Pat
>
>
>On 10/15/12 11:29 PM, "Eric Vasiliauskas" <icdx at earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>> Thanks Pat. Which braille practice test are you referring to: ACT? SAT?
>PSAT?
>> or PLAN?
>
>V takes the PSAT Wednesday (since all kids who take the PLAN in
>> Braille
>format have to take it on Wednesday instead of Saturday like
>> everyone
>else, he will pretty much miss all his classes that day ->
>> who's
>insightful decision was that?) We still haven't received the pretest
>> that
>is supposed to accompany the Braille PSAT - the school is hoping it
>> will
>come tomorrow

>
>For all you with younger kids - exposure to (& mastery
>> of) graphics of all
>sorts is important: on the PLAN (Pre-ACT) my son says that
>> virtually the
>whole science section was based on graphics: charts, tables,
>> graphs, etc.
>For this they are on their own & can't ask for clarification.
>
>V
>> states that a number of the graphics in the PLAN were not labeled
>properly,
>> making them hard or impossible to understand. He says there was
>one bar graph
>> in which all the bars were short & the all the same size.
>
>Also there was a
>> portion of the language arts section that was confusing.
>The directions
>> referred to underlined words or phrases. V kept searching
>for the braille
>> underline symbol, then after a while realized that for the
>PLAN test they
>> decided to note underlining by embossing a LINE embossed
>ABOVE the words or
>> phrases. This would not seem to conform to my
>understanding of accepted
>> transcription standards.
>
>The combination of the above 2 irregularities is
>> what makes me question if
>they actually used a certified transcriber for the
>> PLAN test. (I learned
>to stop assuming long ago :-(
>
>We'll see how Wednesday
>> goes

>Eric
>
>
>On 10/15/12 6:58 PM, "Pat Renfranz" <dblair2525 at msn.com>
>> wrote:
>
>>Eric,
>>Not sure about proofing, but C has been using the 2010 Braille  test 
>>for practice, and she says the graphics are excellent. They are 
>>prepared  on a very high end type of swell paper, so lines are lines, 
>>and dots are  dots.
>>There is also a description of the figure, so that she knows what to  
>>look for (example: this is circle with an equilateral triangle drawn  
>>within it).
>>She has not noticed any problems with the Braille. The line  numbering 
>>system used on the verbal section is a little difficult, but  useable.
>>C's test will be proctored by the TVI. Her TVI considers this to be  
>>part of the school "experience," not as extracurricular.
>>Pat
>>
>>
>>On
>> 10/14/12 11:52 AM, "Eric Vasiliauskas" <icdx at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi
>> All,
>>> My son took the PLAN (pre-ACT) on Saturday & will be taking the
>> PSAT
>>> Wednesday. This is the first time our district is administering
>> these
>>>to a
>>> braille-using student (at least in this century).
>>> On behalf
>> of my son, I¹d appreciate any insights/thoughts you have on
>>>the
>>>
>> following:
>>> 1.     Based on what my son shared about the graphics &
>> formatting, do
>>>any
>>> of you know if the Braille version of these National
>> Standardized Tests
>>>are
>>> produced & proofed by certified transcribers?
>>>
>> 
>>> 2.    Who in your experience typically proctors these tests? How
>> often
>>>is
>>> the TVI?
>>> 
>>> 3.    How much clarification is the proctor
>> allowed to give? My son had
>>>been
>>> specifically instructed that he could
>> not ask for any clarifications,
>>>but it
>>> seemed like for some of the
>> graphics, not all the information was there
>>>or
>>> presented properly in the
>> braille version.
>>> 
>>> 4.    What do you perceive the role of the TVI to be
>> leading up to these
>>> tests, preparing for these tests, & potentially in
>> their administration
>>>(is
>>> this considered in the TVI world to be an
>> "extracurricular" activity or
>>>part
>>> of a student's educational
>> experience)?
>>> 
>>> Thank you,
>>> Respectfully,
>>> EricV
>>> 
>>> 
>>>
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