Administration and marking 
                   

This section describes how to administer and mark PAT: Punctuation and Grammar. If teachers intend to use test results to make comparisons, it is important to administer a test in the standardised way as set out below. 

                   

Preparation and planning 

                   

Before administering a test, you will need to become familiar with the test materials and requirements. This includes reading this carefully and ensuring you understand the key concepts. 

                   

On the day, we recommend that you: 

                   
  1.     administer tests in the students’ usual classroom                         
  2.     administer tests in the morning                         
  3.     check that you have the appropriate tests for your students                         
  4.     check that there are enough copies of the test booklets and their matching answer sheets                         
  5.     arrange the seating so that students are not tempted to copy each other’s answers                         
  6.     arrange the seating so that the test administrator can walk around the room     
  7.     have a supply of sharp pencils or some spare pens on hand 
  8.    have windows open for fresh air                     
  9.    hang a ‘Do Not Disturb’ notice outside the classroom door. 
                   

Note for paper testing: 

Use the printed answer sheets, not photocopies. The printed answer sheets have been carefully prepared for marking either by machine or by hand. Using photocopies is also a breach of the publisher’s copyright.                    

Table 3 indicates the amount of time required for test administration. Younger students may require more time and help to fill out their personal details on the answer sheets. 

   
See Tips for Online testing      
          

                   

Administering the tests (paper-based)       

  • When your students are seated and quiet, announce the name of the test and ask them to remove everything from their desks except for a pencil or a pen.                         
  • Students are not to use a dictionary or thesaurus during testing.                         
  • Distribute the test booklets and the corresponding answer sheets face-up.                         
  • Ask students not to write any of their personal details until directed.                         

  • When all the materials have been distributed and everyone is ready, tell the students
     to fill in the spaces provided on their answer sheets with their name, gender, school, ethnicity, year level, room, and the date. Explain how to fill in the spaces with one capital letter or digit per space. Also explain how to shade in the circles when selecting options for gender and ethnicity.      

                          

Giving instructions for the test                                 

  • Ask the students to open their test booklets to the first page—the instruction page. Tell them to follow the instructions and the example questions as you read them aloud.                         
  • When students answer the second example question, check to see that all students go to the correct place on their answer sheet to do this.   
  •  Instructions to emphasise:                
    1. Students should attempt all questions, even when they are unsure of the answer. More difficult questions are usually followed by easier questions. Encourage students to keep on trying, even when they meet a harder question.                         
    2. Students should choose the one option they think is the best answer.                     
    3. Students should not spend a lot of time shading—just enough to make their choice of   circle clear. Demonstrate this if necessary

    4.  Students should check that they are answering each question using the matching space on the answer sheet. Each separate “block” on an answer sheet matches a double-page spread in a test booklet. 

    5. If students change their minds after shading in a circle, they should carefully cross
       out the shaded circle and fill in the circle for the new answer they have selected, as described in the instructions. If necessary, demonstrate this on the board. (If their answer sheets are being machine-marked, it is important that the crossing out does not extend into the row of the question above or the question below as the scanner will pick these markings up.)                

                                  

Supervising the tests 

                   

The administrator’s role as supervisor or manager of the test environment is important.           

  • Students should not be given any assistance to answer the questions.                         
  • If a student experiences difficulty or appears unusually stressed, the test administrator should use their judgement as to whether the student should continue.                         
  • If a test is discontinued, the test administrator should make a note of this on the student’s answer sheet.                            
After the test session 
  •     Collect all answer sheets and test booklets.                         
  •     Check the answer sheets to see that students have given their personal details                    accurately.             
  •     Check the booklets to ensure there are no markings that could help or disadvantage a        future test taker.         
  •    Store the booklets for future testing.                    

Kaiako now have a choice:
  1. Manually mark the tests (see below)and refer to the hard copy Manual to use theraw score to find a student's scale score position. Stanines are provided but must be interpreted carefully in Terms 2 - 4.
  2. Enter the student responses into NZCERAssist for automated marking and receive the suite of reports for individual students/whole classimmediately

Marking by hand and constructing a student report 
  • PAT: Punctuation and Grammar tests can be marked by hand. The test marker uses the acetate marking key for the test taken and refers to Part C of the manual.                         
  • Part C contains a score conversion table and Individual Student Report template for each PAT: Punctuation and Grammar test.                         
  • The score conversion tables are used to convert test scores (the number of correct answers) to scale scores and stanines.                             
  • The Individual Student Report templates, each being a double-page A3 spread, can be photocopied and used to map students’ performance across the test.                         
  • The first page is both a marking sheet (with the answers to each question given) and a diagnostic tool for teachers to use as they mark.                         
  • A detailed classification of each question is given, alongside a description of the knowledge a student processes to answer the question correctly.                         
  • This information is carried over to page 2 of the student report where the questions in the test are grouped according to type.                         
                
                    
                
            
        

       

            
     
           
                
                    
  1.