Impact of Diagnostic Assessment on ASL skills
Question: Suppose I go ahead and schedule a Diagnostic Assessment and complete that process. Then, I schedule another ASLPI. Will the Diagnostic Assessment process increase my ASLPI score?
Answer: No, Diagnostic Assessment will not have an immediate impact on your ASL skills. Diagnostic Assessment is very beneficial because through that process you become aware of your strengths and areas needing improvement. There are, however, many factors that impact the progress you will make on improving your skills. These factors include but are not limited to motivation, interest, time availability, commitment, demands of family and/or employment, and the age at which you are learning the language.
Suppose I took an English test, and when the test was returned to me, my results included areas that I needed to improve. It would not be possible for me to immediately improve my skills. I would need to read on the areas that needed improvement, and practice writing. It would take time for me to improve my skills.
There is an interesting research article about how long it would take to achieve language proficiency equivalent to a 6-year-old native user. The article stated that if you were a second language learner, and only attended class once a week (with no other exposure to the language), it would take approximately 55 years to achieve skills equivalent to that 6-year-old native user. Attending class alone is not enough.
Developing language proficiency and improving your skills requires many things including taking classes, interacting with proficient users, and using the language as frequently as possible.
Diagnostic Assessment is a great service. It helps you to become aware of your current skills and pinpoints areas needing improvement. In a way, it’s a starting point. It is what you do with your awareness and the information learned from that point forward that will have an impact on your skills improving.
