Assessing the English Language Learner
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Running head: ASSESSING THE ELL
1
Assessing the English Language Learner.
Desiree Torres.
Saint Leo University.
ASSESSING THE ELL
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Assessing the English Language Learner.
The primary purpose of assessing the English Language learner is to monitor and gauge
their language proficiency and set educational goals. When considering ELL students, we want
to acquire background knowledge and information to help decide the best student placement,
diagnose the student’s overall content knowledge, and diagnose students’ progress in cognitive
learning, language development, and language skills. We also want to measure their
achievements in content mastery in language development to identify and develop the
appropriate support plan for the English learner.
Appropriate Assessment Procedures for ELLs.
Assessing English Language Learners (ELLs) can be done in various ways, both formally
and informally. Two common informal methods are performance-based and portfolio
assessments, used in everyday classroom activities to track progress toward educational
objectives. These methods are monitored and recorded through teacher observations and student
self-assessments.
Performance-based assessments.
ELLs can be assessed on their performance by having
them do oral reports, presentations, demonstrations, written assignments, or portfolios; teachers
can also create their assessment tools or activities to track their students’ progress. When using
these types of assessments, it’s essential to establish clear and fair rules and instructions from the
start. When accessing beginner and intermediate English Learners, it is best to streamline the
assessments and do no more than three items at a time.
Portfolio assessments
. It is
a way of systematically recording and collecting a variety of
student work overtime that could reflect growth toward a particular curricular goal. This could be
ASSESSING THE ELL
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achieved by collecting samples of written work, drawings, and teacher descriptions of student
works and formal data, checklists, and rating sheets.
Valid Language and Literacy Assessments.
One of the language and literacy assessments for ELLs in grades k-12 currently used is the
WIDA ACCESS 2.0. This assesses the four language domains: listening, speaking,
reading, and writing. DIBELS is another test administered to students that helps teachers
and schools determine how students perform on reading skills. They can also be assessed
through the F.A.S.T (Florida Assessment of Student Thinking), a progress monitoring
system. ELLs, to be considered proficient in the language, must master the language and
its physical properties (phonetics), including knowing how the sounds function in the
language (phonology); also, they have to know what the minor units of words are to form
new words (morphology), the structure of sentences -syntax- and semantics, the meaning
of words, phrases, and sentences in the English language. They should also know how the
context affects the meaning of sentences and words (pragmatics).
According to crest.org
CSE Technical Report 552, “… language may be less of an issue than the content itself
(of a test). Recommendations include the development of an academic language measure
for the purpose of establishing test-taker readiness, further research that investigates the
interaction between language and performance as well as within-group performance
differences, and the impact of opportunity to learn on content test performance.”
Advantages and limitations of assessments.
Some limitations when assessing ELLs
relate to the overall number of available measures and the domain of skills and abilities covered
by those measures. Many of those have been created as basic translations of existing English
versions, thus varying from the Spanish to the English versions of the same measure; therefore,
the content and validity may differ. Assessing the developmental level of a language could be
challenging as it varies from one language to another. Moreover, administering assessments to a
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ASSESSING THE ELL
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large number of students can also be difficult due to the need for more qualified staff. However,
assessments benefit English Language Learners (ELLs) as they help identify which students
qualify for ESL programs and track their academic progress to serve them better. Additionally,
assessments provide teachers with data on their students' needs or lack thereof, allowing them to
tailor their teaching methods accordingly.
ELL accommodations.
ELL students have an array of accommodations based on their
educational plan. They can have word-to-word translation dictionaries, speaking speed, and
clarity, which means the person offering the accommodation will slow down and pronounce each
word clearly. They are provided extra time to complete the assessments. They are also offered
reduced multiple-choice tests, open-book tests, and read-text-aloud.
ELL’s language differences and other matters.
Students who speak a different language may need additional support to succeed in the
classroom.
Students who speak Spanish, for example, have many similarities between their
native language (Spanish) and English. Both languages used the Roman alphabet, which helps
build phonemic and phonological foundations. 40% of all words in English have a related word
in Spanish (cognate words), which allows students to make connections and transfer that
knowledge into their second language. While learning to read and write, students use the same
basic process in their language as in English. Some differences can be observed, such as sentence
structure. When educating ELLs with special needs, teachers have to consider many factors,
including their preparation, professional development, legal and policy issues, and all the
accommodation and support they have to provide to these students in addition to their ELL
services. For gifted ELL students, teachers must first identify such students, deliver adequate
ASSESSING THE ELL
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services and instructional methods, and involve the community, such as school staff and the
students’ families.
Most ELLs can usually communicate socially first (BICS: Basic Interpersonal
Communicative Skills) before they can communicate fluently academically (CALP: Cognitive
Academic Language Proficiency). Social language is used every day in face-to-face situations to
interact with people. Academic Language is acquired after they develop skills such as
comparing, classifying, synthesizing, etc. This takes learners at least five years to develop CALP.
Diverse backgrounds.
English Language Learners (ELLs) from diverse backgrounds
may be misidentified because educators may need more knowledge about their cultural and
linguistic backgrounds. Therefore, educators must work closely with ELL students and their
families to gather sufficient information to assess them accurately. Informal assessments can
significantly assist teachers in tailoring their instruction to meet the specific needs of the
students.
Distinguishing English Language Learners.
In order to differentiate between giftedness,
special education needs, and language differences of English Language Learners (ELLs),
educators must ensure they have the necessary support and training to provide effective
instruction, create and administer accurate assessments, and engage with ELL families
respectfully and meaningfully. Additionally, they should update and improve their evaluation
processes and seek collaboration with other schools and colleagues with experience working
with ELL students.
ASSESSING THE ELL
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References
Assessing ELLs Part 1: The Purpose of Assessment
. (2016, July 28). So, You Think You Can
Teach ESL?
https://soyouthinkyoucanteachesl.com/2016/07/28/assessing-ells-part-1/
Anonymous. (2007, March 12).
Using Informal Assessments for English Language Learners
.
Colorín Colorado.
https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/using-informal-assessments-
english-language-learners#:~:text=There%20are%20two%20commonly%20used
Linda Espinosa. (2010, March 2).
Assessment for Young ELLs: Strengths and Limitations in
Current Practices
. Colorín Colorado; Colorín Colorado.
https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/assessment-young-ells-strengths-and-limitations-
current-practices
Park, Y., & Thomas, R. (2012). Educating English-Language Learners with Special Needs:
Beyond Cultural and Linguistic Considerations.
Journal of Education and Practice
,
3
(9),
52–58.
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1100440
Stevens, R., Butler, F., & Castellon-Wellington, M. (2000).
Academic Language and Content
Assessment: Measuring the Progress of English Language Learners (ELLs)
.
https://cresst.org/wp-content/uploads/TR552.pdf
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