Spanish Heritage Language (SHL) Test Scoring Rubric Guide

Overview

The Avant SHL test Writing and Speaking responses are evaluated by Avant Certified Raters using the rubric shown below. Writing and Speaking scores in the 5-7 range are a result of a test taker having scored sufficiently high on the lexical recognition, dictation, partial translation, sentence completion, and verb conjugation sections of the test.

Avant SHL Rubric:

	Content and Organization 30%	Structures 30%	Vocabulary 20%	WRITING Spelling and Mechanics 20%	SPEAKING Pronunciation and Fluency 20%
Strong (7) Advanced-Mid	Original, good, and clear organization. Focuses on the topic. Arguments are well presented and developed. Conclusion is well sustained and logically follows the arguments. Transition among sections is evident, smooth and clear.	Appropriate sentence structure. No basic errors (agreement, tense, pronouns) and overall minimal amount of other errors. Use of complex structures (e.g., passive voice, “se” pronoun, relative clauses, conditional clauses) and appropriate connectors.	Varied vocabulary and appropriate rhetorical formulas. Low frequency Spanish vocabulary used extensively and well. No use of borrowed words or incorrect translations; almost no word-choice errors.	Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization are correct almost all the time.	Superior pronunciation with correct inflection. Native-like accent with high level of fluency; pace similar to a native speaker, ease of expression assists in comprehensibility of response.
Good (6) Advanced-Low	Adequate information, good presentation although some ideas are not completely developed or not well organized. Shows logical coherence. Arguments and conclusion follow a clear development. Some transition elements among sections.	Good sentence structure. No basic errors but some errors in complex grammatical structures. Use of simple and compound tenses, subjunctive and conditional mood, with few errors. Some connectors are present.	Good vocabulary with few low frequency words and appropriate use of rhetorical formulas. No use of borrowed words, few word choice errors.	There are infrequent errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.	Very good pronunciation with mostly correct intonation. Accurate accent with high level of fluency; good pace used with only slight pauses or hesitation that do not detract from the overall message/response.
Fair (5) Intermediate-High	Ideas are presented but not fully developed. Lack of supporting detail or incorrect evidence provided. Ineffective order of presentation, somewhat disjointed organization, unclear coherence. Few transition elements among sections.	Problems with sentence structure; presents some basic grammatical errors. Compound verbs and subjunctive not used correctly or absent. Some transfer of structures from another language.	Vocabulary comprised of mostly high frequency words. Basic vocabulary is correct, but some word choice errors. Frequent transfer from another language.	There are frequent errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization but most of the time meaning is not affected.	Good pronunciation with only a few errors. Intonation is not native-like. Mostly accurate accent with some noticeable errors. Occasional hesitations or pauses, with some successful self-correction.

	Fair (5) Intermediate-High	Good (6) Advanced-Low	Strong (7) Advanced-Mid
Content and Organization 30%	Ideas are presented but not fully developed. Lack of supporting detail or incorrect evidence provided. Ineffective order of presentation, somewhat disjointed organization, unclear coherence. Few transition elements among sections.	Adequate information, good presentation although some ideas are not completely developed or not well organized. Shows logical coherence. Arguments and conclusion follow a clear development. Some transition elements among sections.	Original, good, and clear organization. Focuses on the topic. Arguments are well presented and developed. Conclusion is well sustained and logically follows the arguments. Transition among sections is evident, smooth and clear.
Structures 30%	Problems with sentence structure; presents some basic grammatical errors. Compound verbs and subjunctive not used correctly or absent. Some transfer of structures from another language.	Good sentence structure. No basic errors but some errors in complex grammatical structures. Use of simple and compound tenses, subjunctive and conditional mood, with few errors. Some connectors are present.	Appropriate sentence structure. No basic errors (agreement, tense, pronouns) and overall minimal amount of other errors. Use of complex structures (e.g., passive voice, “se” pronoun, relative clauses, conditional clauses) and appropriate connectors.
Vocabulary 20%	Vocabulary comprised of mostly high frequency words. Basic vocabulary is correct, but some word choice errors. Frequent transfer from another language.	Good vocabulary with few low frequency words and appropriate use of rhetorical formulas. No use of borrowed words, few word choice errors.	Varied vocabulary and appropriate rhetorical formulas. Low frequency Spanish vocabulary used extensively and well. No use of borrowed words or incorrect translations; almost no word-choice errors.
WRITING Spelling and Mechanics 20%	There are frequent errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization but most of the time meaning is not affected.	There are infrequent errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.	Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization are correct almost all the time.
SPEAKING Pronunciation and Fluency 20%	Good pronunciation with only a few errors. Intonation is not native-like. Mostly accurate accent with some noticeable errors. Occasional hesitations or pauses, with some successful self-correction.	Very good pronunciation with mostly correct intonation. Accurate accent with high level of fluency; good pace used with only slight pauses or hesitation that do not detract from the overall message/response.	Superior pronunciation with correct inflection. Native-like accent with high level of fluency; pace similar to a native speaker, ease of expression assists in comprehensibility of response.

Updated: December 2023

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