Introducing Portfolio-Based Language Assessment as a Standard Feature of Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) and the Cours de Langue pour les Immigrants au Canada (CLIC)

Operational Bulletin 510 – March 15, 2013 

Summary

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is planning to introduce the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA). This Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) would henceforth, become a standard feature of the following programs:

• The Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) and,
• The Cours de Langue pour les Immigrants au Canada (CLIC)

The CIC plans to introduce the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) beginning with contributions for 2013-14. The CIC plans to phase the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) over a three-year period across:

• The Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) and,
• The Cours de Langue pour les Immigrants au Canada (CLIC)

Issue

As mentioned above, the CIC plans to introduce the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA). This would address the need for a standardised in-class language assessment protocol within:

• The Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) and,
• The Cours de Langue pour les Immigrants au Canada (CLIC)

Background

The authorities had evaluated the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) in 2010. Their review had highlighted the absence of appropriate tools for measuring the impact on the participants’ language learning under:

• The Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) and,
• The Cours de Langue pour les Immigrants au Canada (CLIC)

Therefore, the authorities first conducted various pilots in Ottawa. The success of these pilots in Ottawa has resulted in the introduction of the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) across all:

• The Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) classes and,
• The Cours de Langue pour les Immigrants au Canada (CLIC) classes

Henceforth, the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) would become the standardised in-class language assessment protocol for teachers. Going forward, teachers would use this for measuring the language proficiency of the participants.

The authorities plan to implement the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) in a phased manner. This phase-by-phase rollout of the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) would cover all the regions over the coming three years.

• In the first year:
• The lead teachers would receive the training on how they could implement the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) (even as it gets introduced)
• In the second year:
• The lead teachers would train all classroom teachers on how the classroom teachers could introduce the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) into their programs
• In the third year:
• The authorities envisage that all classes would depict a complete implementation of the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA)

As could be expected, the introduction of the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) has an additional cost associated with it. The authorities have outlined this in the Negotiation Guidelines for CFP2012. People also refer to this as the Department’s national call for proposals. The other requirements associated with the implementation of the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) include:

• Training time
• Class preparation and,
• Language assessments

In addition, each student would receive a Language Companion. This is a binder, which contains:

• A portfolio section, which students could use for organising their work
• Reference materials for English as a Second Language (ESL) and,
• Other basic settlement information

The authorities would share a detailed Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) implementation plan and schedule with program officers and recipients. However, they would make this announcement at a later date.

Program officers would need to inform service provider organisations that they would need to make certain amendments in the future to:

• The Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) agreements and,
• The Cours de Langue pour les Immigrants au Canada (CLIC) agreements

The authorities would need to make these amendments for including provisions that introduce the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) in these agreements.

Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) Features and the Changes to the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) and the Cours de Langue pour les Immigrants au Canada (CLIC)

The year-wise list of changes and features concerning the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) with the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) and the Cours de Langue pour les Immigrants au Canada (CLIC) follows:

• Project Year 1 of the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA)
• The Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) coordinators would participate in the nationally coordinated Orientation to PBLA
• The Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) coordinators would select lead teachers in their program
• They would select one lead teacher per 10 classroom teachers and,
• They would select a minimum of one lead teacher per recipient
• The lead teachers would attend the four-day in-person Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) training
• The Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) coordinators would need to order Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) Language Companions for students in the classes of the lead teachers
• The lead teachers would implement the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA) in their respective classrooms
• The lead teachers would continue the nationally coordinated distance training for a duration of five hours per week
• The lead teachers would complete the individual Student Progress Reports and student interviews (‘conferencing’) at the conclusion of each term
• Project Year 2 of the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA)
• The Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) coordinators and lead teachers would participate in the nationally coordinated three-day training as a preparation for:
• The training of all classroom teachers and,
• The program-wide implementation of the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA)
• The lead teachers would provide four days of in-person training to the classroom teachers
• The lead teachers would provide ongoing support to the classroom teachers for facilitating the implementation of the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA)
• Project Year 2 and Subsequent Years of the Portfolio Based Language Assessment (PBLA)
• The Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) coordinators would need to order Language Companions for students prior the commencement of the semester
• The lead teachers would spend about five hours per week for mentoring the classroom teachers
• The classroom teachers would spend approximately five minutes per teaching hour and at least eight hours per year for:
• Conducting student language assessments and,
• Improving their assessment practices
• At the conclusion of each term, the classroom teachers would complete:
• Individual Student Progress Reports and,
• Student interviews

The authorities plan to finalise the PBLA Implementation Plan and Schedule sometime during 2013-14.

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)