IPT Oral Tests: Administration

To recap, here are some important rules and tips to keep in mind when you administer the IPT Oral Test:

Read the Examiner’s Manual thoroughly before administering the test for the first time.
Before administering the test, become familiar with the entire instrument by giving at least one practice test, for example, to a colleague.
Before testing begins, you may converse with the student in whichever language the student feels most comfortable. However, once the actual testing begins, you must administer the entire English test in English and the entire Spanish test in Spanish.
Sample test items are provided to help orient the student to the test. You should give this section even if you start the actual test from a later section than the first. The student’s performance on this section does not affect his or her score.
A test item with the item number circled requires a picture from the IPT Test Pictures.
Directions to the examiner are printed in italics and in parentheses.
Accept as correct:

only those responses that match the answer printed in the “Student responds/Respuestas correctas” column
any of the responses listed when two or more are listed and separated by slash marks
one-word responses when vocabulary is being tested and the answer line does not specify a sentence
longer and/or more complex responses than expected when the expected answer is included in the response and the student’s response is comprehensible
responses that include the underlined portion of the expected answer
responses that are contractions if they are grammatically correct in context
variations on pronunciation if the response is comprehensible and the correct meaning is conveyed

If the student gives no response or does not appear to understand the test item, repeat that item one time only, unless the text of the item clearly says that it may not be repeated.
If the student answers with a word that is similar in meaning to the correct answer, you should say, “Can you think of another word that means about the same thing?/¿Puedes pensar en otra palabra que sea lo mismo?”
Use the indented, italicized supplemental question or statement (when it is provided):

if at first the student gives a partially correct answer; or
if the student does not respond to the test item after it has been repeated once.