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General Information

All students can participate in EL Civics instruction and assessment. However, only ESL students in WIOA II EL Civics education programs can earn payment points for passing COAAP assessments. ABE, ASE, and CTE students can earn CAEP Immigrant Integration Indicator (I3) outcome for CAEP but not payment points for WIOA II. Please see Successful Implementation of COAAPs for CAEP Agencies for a crosswalk for ABE/ASE/CTE student placement into ESL COAAP instructional levels.
Civic Objective#: 11 Program Year: 2025-2026
Civic Objective: Research and describe the cultural backgrounds that reflect the local cross-cultural society and that may present a barrier to civic participation.
TOPSpro Form #: 114C AAP #: 11.4
Assessment Type: Portfolio

Level Range

From: Beginning Low To: Advanced

Language and Literacy Objectives

Language and literacy objectives with an asterisk (*) are suitable for beginning low level students.
1 *Write and/or report personal information: name, place of birth, and native language, etc.
3 *Interview classmates about cultural information.
8 *Report about one’s own or other cultural background.
10 Ask questions of student speakers regarding cultural issues and take notes.
13 Research and describe to others how different cultures resolve various issues: (e.g., childcare, elder care, the environment, etc.).

Additional Assessment Plan Tasks

Task: 1

Description: Identify Classmates’ Cultures
After a student-to-student interview, student will complete a chart about 5 classmates including such things as:
Name
City of birth
Country of birth
Native language
Food
Holidays

Points Possible:12Level:Beginning Low - Beginning High
Scoring Rubric Points
Content A
90% correct 10
80% correct 8
70% correct 6
60% correct 4
50% correct 2
Less than 50% correct 0
Legibility, Neatness, and Spelling
Neat and legible (if applicable). Spelling or oral errors do not interfere with meaning 2
Not neat or legible (if applicable) or spelling or oral errors interfere with meaning. 0

Task: 2

Description: Interview a Classmate about Culture
Student will interview a classmate (optimally from a different culture) using 10 culture-related questions developed by the class with assistance from the instructor. Student will write classmate’s answer to each question. Sample questions:
In your culture . . .
1. What are some marriage customs?
2. What is the child’s role?
3. Which do you spend more time doing — working or spending time with family? Why?
4. What is most different from what you experience in this country?

Points Possible:20Level:Intermediate Low - Advanced
Scoring Rubric Points
Statement is appropriate, clear, complete, and has correct content. There may be errors, but they do not interfere with meaning. 2
Statement is appropriate and has correct content. It may be partially complete. There may be errors that interfere with meaning, but the statement can be understood with inference. 1
Statement is inappropriate, incomprehensible, or incorrect, or there is no statement. 0

Task: 3

Description: Identify Cultures in the Community
Given level-appropriate resources such as the internet, encyclopedias, and readings and/or using teacher prepared materials and information from class discussions, etc., student will collect a minimum of 4 pictures depicting 4 cultures in the local community and will create a booklet using the pictures (optimally the pictures will be saved from an internet source or scanned to make them digital).

Student will label the pictures with the name of the country/culture and describe each picture (IL-A in one or more paragraphs; BL-BH in sentences, phrases, or words) telling about at least 1 aspect of each culture (assigned to or selected by student).

Optimally, the booklet will be created on a computer and sent to the assessor electronically.

Points Possible:20Level:Beginning Low - Advanced
Scoring Rubric Points
Content
Addresses the task effectively. Ideas are well stated, clearly expressed and supported with concrete, relevant detail. No inference is required. Written in well-organized paragraph(s). 14
Addresses the task adequately. Some ideas may not be well stated. Contains some relevant detail. May require minimal inference. Written in an adequately-organized paragraph(s). 12
Addresses the task in a general way but may have gaps. Many ideas may not be well stated. May lack appropriate or sufficient detail or clear focus. May require some inference. May be written in loosely-organized paragraph(s). 10
Addresses the task minimally, but relation to the task is evident. May be unfocused or unclear. Little or no supporting detail. May require a substantial degree of inference. Organization of the paragraph(s) may not be clear. 8
Ideas expressed adequately in sentences, phrases, or words. Some ideas may not be well stated. May require some inference. 6
Ideas expressed minimally in sentences, phrases, or words but relation to the task is evident. May be unfocused or unclear. May require a substantial degree of inference. 4
Nothing written or content is incomprehensible or inappropriate. 0
Grammar, Structure and Mechanics
Paragraph(s) have almost no errors in grammar, structure, spelling, capitalization, or punctuation. 4
Paragraphs have some errors in grammar, structure, spelling, capitalization, or punctuation that do not distract the reader. 3
Sentences, words, or phrases have mostly correct spelling and capitalization 2
Sentences, words, or phrases have many errors in spelling and capitalization that may require the reader to infer meaning. 1
Errors make the writing difficult to understand even with inference 0
Format, Neatness and Legibility
Pictures are labeled, and writing uses appropriate paragraph indentations, etc. Writing is neat and legible if handwritten. 2
Pictures are labeled, and writing is legible but may not be neat if handwritten. 1
Pictures are not labeled, or writing does not use appropriate indentations, etc., or writing is neither legible nor neat if handwritten. 0

Task: 4

Description: Write an Article Comparing Cultures
After doing level-appropriate research (optimally on the internet), student will complete an authentic writing task. For example, student will write an article for a student newsletter or an email or letter to the editor. In the writing task, the student will (1) write a brief account of his/her own or another cultural background, and (2) describe at least 2 similarities and 2 differences between his/her own country’s culture or other country’s culture and U.S. culture.

Sample Content:
Paragraph One: brief accounts of education, home, and family life in student’s native country, and emigration to the U.S.

Paragraph Two: how student’s life in the native country is the same or different from life in the U.S., referencing 2 of the following topics:
• Work/Employment
• Money and Banking
• Medical Care
• Discrimination
• Raising Children
• Education
• Safety
• Type of Government

Optimally, the writing task will be created on a computer and sent to the assessor electronically.

Points Possible:25Level:Intermediate Low - Advanced
Scoring Rubric Points
Content A
Addresses all parts of the task effectively. Ideas are well stated, clearly expressed, and supported with concrete, relevant detail. No inference is required. Written in well-organized paragraph(s). 18
Addresses all parts of the task adequately. Some ideas may not be well stated. Contains some relevant detail. May require minimal inference. Written in adequately-organized paragraph(s). 16
Addresses the task in a general way but may have gaps. Many ideas may not be well stated. May lack appropriate or sufficient detail or clear focus. May require some inference. May be written in loosely-organized paragraph(s). 14
Addresses the task minimally but relation to the task is evident. May be unfocused or unclear. Little or no supporting detail. May require a substantial degree of inference. May not be written in a paragraph(s). 12
Nothing written or content is incomprehensible or inappropriate. 0
Grammar, Structure and Mechanics
Almost no errors in grammar, structure, spelling, capitalization, or punctuation. 5
Some errors in grammar, structure, spelling, capitalization, or punctuation that do not distract the reader. 4
Many errors in grammar, structure, spelling, capitalization, or punctuation that may require the reader to infer meaning. 3
Errors make the writing difficult to understand even with inference. 0
Format, Neatness and Legibility
Letter: Uses standard letter format including 4 items: an appropriate date, salutation, closing, and the writer’s signature. May also include sender’s and recipient’s addresses. Writing is neat and legible. —OR— Email: —Uses standard email format including 4 items: an appropriate subject, salutation, closing, writer's contact information such as name, address, email address and phone number. —OR— Article: Has a title, and uses appropriate indentations, etc. Writing is neat and legible. 2
Letter: Uses letter format including 3 items such as a date, salutation, and the writer’s signature. Writing is legible but may not be neat. —OR— Email: —Uses standard email format including 3 items: an appropriate subject, salutation, and writer's contact information such as name, address, email address and phone number. —OR— Article: Uses appropriate indentations. May be legible but not neat. 1
Letter: Not in letter format, or writing is neither legible nor neat. —OR— Email: Not in standard email format —OR— Article: Does not have a title, does not use appropriate indentations, etc., and/or writing is neither legible nor neat. 0

Task: 5

Description: Select Work Sample
Student will choose a sample of student's classroom work to include in the portfolio and provide a brief oral or written explanation giving the reason for choosing this sample. If the explanation is given orally, assessor will provide a summary or a checklist for inclusion in the portfolio.

Points Possible:2Level:Beginning Low - Advanced
Scoring Rubric Points
Classroom work sample included and explained 2
Classroom work sample not included and/or not explained 0

Task: 6

Description: Reflect on Learning
Student will answer 3 questions (or complete a checklist, survey, or questionnaire) reflecting on student's increased ability to understand cultural differences based on what student has learned (3 simple questions requiring short oral or written answers for BL-BH and more complex questions requiring longer oral or written responses for IL-A).

Points Possible:2Level:Beginning Low - Advanced
Scoring Rubric Points
Responses are appropriate, clear, and complete. There may be errors, but they do not interfere with meaning. 2
Responses are appropriate. They may lack clarity or may be partially complete. There may be errors that interfere with meaning, but the responses can be understood with inference. 1
Responses are inappropriate, incomprehensible or there are no responses. 0

Rating Scale/Passing Scores

Total Points Possible: 69
Advanced: 62
Intermediate High: 55
Intermediate Low: 48
Beginning High: 20
Beginning Low: 16
View Civic Obj & AAP List