SHL™ Test Taker Guide
for Avant’s Remote Proctoring Solution
Resources › Guides › Remote Proctoring › Test Taker Guide
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Technology Guide For Avant's Remote Proctoring Solution
STAMP WS/WORLDSPEAK™ Test Taker Guide
Educator Proctored TestingSTAMP 4S ▶
STAMP 4SE ▶
STAMP Pro ▶
STAMP FOR HEBREW GUIDES ▶
SHL TEST ▶
Grades 7-12 Suggested Placement Levels
Higher Ed Suggested Placement Levels
Test Taker GuidesADVANCE ▶
STAMP WS/WORLDSPEAK ▶
PLACE ▶
APT ▶
Handwritten Writing Section Guide
Proficiency Levels & Rubric/Scoring Guide
Test Taker GuidesProficiency Levels & Rubric/Scoring Guide
Arabic Translated GuidesOverview
The Avant SHL Test is an online test designed to quickly and accurately place Spanish heritage students in grade 7 through University into Spanish heritage language courses. It highlights each test taker’s strengths and weaknesses in key academic language skills that are unique to Spanish heritage students. The Avant SHL Test measures vocabulary, grammar, verb use, spelling, speaking proficiency, and writing proficiency. The Avant SHL Test requires a proctor during testing.
Remote Proctored Test Taker Steps
OFF-SITE TECHNOLOGY PREPARATION
You are responsible for ensuring the readiness of the computer you will be using for the test and that the following requirements are met:
STEP 1: Visit the Assessment Technology Guide for Remote Proctored Testing page to review technology requirements.
STEP 2: Take a SHL Sample Test to confirm your computer is configured properly and all technology preparation steps are complete before registering for the test. This will also help familiarize yourself with the layout of the test and the types of questions and prompts that you can expect.
Confirm that you can record and playback your Speaking test response
PRE-TEST: TEST TAKER ACTIONS
Your testing coordinator will send you a Registration link.
Click on the link to register
After registering for the test you will receive a confirmation email that includes your login information and steps to schedule a time to take your test.
IMPORTANT: Test takers must re-login to app.avantassessment.com/test when they are scheduled to take their test. Even if they are already in Proctortrack.
Click here to learn more about the process of setting up a SHL remote proctored test.
COMPLETING YOUR TEST
Login at the scheduled time to take the test
You will have 2 hours to complete the test. Your 2 hours will begin when you start the assessment.
On average, test takers take approximately 40 minutes to fully complete the assessment.First Section (Lexical): 10-15 minutes
Second Section (Dictation, Translation, Sentence Completion, Verb Conjugation): 40-50 minutes
Third Section (Writing & Speaking): 45-50 minutes
The Avant SHL test begins with a set of demographic questions followed by a Lexical (Vocabulary) section. After the Lexical section, the test taker will either exit the test, or with a high enough score, continue on to the Dictation, Translation, Sentence Completion, and Verb Conjugation sections. At this point, the test taker will either exit the test or, with a high enough score, continue to the last two sections: Speaking and Writing. The Avant SHL Test design diagram is available here.
Demographic questions
Lexical (Vocabulary): 1st Early Exit Point
Dictation, Translation, Sentence Completion, and Verb Conjugation: 2nd Early Exit Point
Speaking and Writing
DEMOGRAPHIC QUESTIONS
Not included in the scoring
Test takers answer a series of Can Do statements in the five modes of Communication:
- Interpretive Mode – LISTENING (Understanding Spoken Language)
- Interpretive Mode – READING (Understanding Written Language)
- Interpersonal Mode – SPEAKING (Speaking with another person)
- Presentational Mode – SPEAKING (Speaking to another person or audience)
- Presentational Mode – Writing (Writing to another person or audience)
LEXICAL (VOCABULARY)
Used to measure a test taker’s vocabulary knowledge
Contains 100 vocabulary words for the test taker to identify
After this section test takers who have not scored at a high enough level are exited
SPEAKING
You will have three (3) minutes of recording time for the Speaking response.
To record a response, click Begin Recording
- When done recording, wait two or three seconds, and then click Stop Recording
- After recording, click Listen to playback to your recording then do one of the following:
If you want to add to the recording, click the + sign
If you want to delete the recording and start over, click on the Trash Can
When the recording is complete, click NEXT to submit your recording
VERY IMPORTANT
For the Speaking Section, click Listen after recording to verify that your response was recorded properly.
If the response is inaudible or of poor quality, DO NOT CLICK NEXT.
If you see the Begin Recording button again after clicking Stop Recording, this indicates no recording was captured
Following these procedures will prevent having a speaking response that cannot be scored.
WRITING
- You will have up to 2500 characters (400-600 words) for the Writing response.
- Provide your response using the Spanish language – do not use English!
- Provide all of the information requested in the prompt and stay on-topic
- Click NEXT when you are finished with the Writing section response
Rules for Taking a Remote Proctored Avant SHL Test
Use a private testing area and turn off all noise-making devices
This is a closed-book, closed-notes test
Physical books, Online, and digital resources are not allowed (cannot refer to PDFs, DOCs, or searching the web)
Copy-paste, printing, screen capture apps/tools, messaging tools, video conferencing tools, etc. are prohibited
Scanning or taking pictures with your phone is not allowed
Digital or handwritten note taking is not allowed
You will have 2 hours to complete the assessment. Your 2 hours will begin when you start the assessment.
Food and drinks are not allowed
Complete all sections of the test until the Test Complete message appears
Completing the Avant SHL Test
You have not completed the Avant SHL Test until you see a screen that says “Congratulations! You have completed the test!” Please click the Stop Test link to logout. The final step will be to END the Proctortrack session.
Test Results
Test results are not provided directly to test takers. All testing results will be delivered directly to the testing administrator within 3 to 5 business days after test completion. Test takers will need to contact their testing administrator to receive test results.
Updated April 2022