Assessment of English Language Arts Teaching and Learning Presenters: Laura Fox, Shea Regian and Edwina Woods
Assessment of English Language Arts Teaching
and Learning
Presenters: Laura Fox, Shea Regian and
Edwina Woods
Peter Afflerbach and Summer Clark
44Diversity and English Language Arts Assessment
Audiences
Purposes
Contextsand Situations
Definition and Curriculum Concepts
Teachers’ Expertise
Validity andAssessment
Guide for Accommodation for Diverse Populations
Validity--altering construct of assessment
Effectivenessdiminish differences in performance
Differential ImpactEvaluation of advantage of the accommodations
FeasibilityResource allocation and adjustments
Characteristics of Effective Assessments
Which of the following are characteristics of Effective Assessments?
a. Able to address the formative and summative information for all students.b. Allow teachers to construct an accurate and detailed mental model of the
individual learner.c. Updated continually to reflect increasing development of literacy in
individual learner.d. All of the above.
“The goal of assessments is to enhance the education, and attention to the cognitive, affective, and social dimensions of assessment for diverse students is critical.”
45 Assessment Frameworks for Teaching and Learning English Language Arts in a Digital Age
What is Digital Literacy?How extensive is Digital Literacy?
Julie Coiro and Jill Castek
What evidence is needed to represent proficiency in online literacy and language arts?
Skills Disposition Perspective
❏ participation❏ collaboration ❏ distribution
❏ review, critique, respond, tag, rate, remix, record, etc.
❏ Positive dispositions are key to student success
❏ personally productive, socially responsible, collaborative
❏ adaptable, imaginative, self-directed
❏ Assessments should honor and celebrate students’ home culture and daily literacies
❏ Involve video games, narratives about characters and experiences
❏ write radio plays❏ engagement in digital
literacy
What situations or tasks can elicit such evidence?
Authentic Multidisciplinary Problems to solve
ICTs to construct knowledge, share data, and negotiate meaning
Workplace tools
blogs, wikis, email, messaging
electronic log allows evaluation of writing development
Embedded Digital Scaffolds
academically diverse students
How can this evidence be interpreted in meaningful ways?
Process, not just productonline video recording of navigation
Performance in group and individual contextcollaboration as well as comprehension
Productive Literacy Conversationsstudents and teachers working together to observe, reflect, and offer feedback
Authentic Professional Development and Assessment for Language Arts Teachers Capacity for Change
continued...
Assessing Every Child: Using Purposeful Language Arts Assessment in Diverse Classrooms
Chapter 48 Issues in the Assessment of
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students
with Special NeedsBy Laura Fox
IDEA in 2004
Cultural Influence on Test Performance
Linguistic Influences on Test Performance
RTI
Problems with the Construct of Unexpected Underachievement as Assessed with IQ Tests
Changes in the Assessment and Identification of Learning Disabilities
● Problems with the Construct of Unexpected Underachievement as Assessed with IQ Tests
● Looking at models that show how students respond to research-based interventions
● Early intervention reading programs could help culturally and linguistically diverse students
Response to Intervention
● Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) in 2004● Promotes RTI as a method to identify students with
learning disabilities and stop the use of IQ tests● When students do not respond to interventions the
assumption seems to be the child is the problem● To assess student performance consider context and
school-level models of appropriate assessment and instruction
● Assessment in RTI should encompass a wide range of language and literacy skills
Cultural Influence on Test Performance● Variance may be due to different interpretations of the
task, the problem, and the process● Standardized tests seem to show predictive data for
English speaking students● For culturally and linguistically diverse students, the
data may not show the same construct validity● These students may not the diverse background test
makers assume students have
Linguistic Influences on Test Performance● Linguistic bias on assessment● Students who are more familiar with the format of the
test may perform better● “current ELL testing practices are limited in their
effectiveness to produce valid measures of academic achievement because they are based in categorical, deterministic views of language and erroneous assumptions about the capacity of assessment systems to effectively communicate with ELL students.” (Solano-Flores, 2008)
Problematic Assessment Procedures● ELL testing results tend to be focused on English
performance and not native language performance● Struggles may be due to language acquisition issues or
context of learning● Sometimes teachers’ informal impressions can lead to
placement in special education● Teachers need to focus on how to help the students● Formative assessment through the implementation of
RTI will benefit students● Finding the needs and making the instructional
adjustments needed
Culturally Responsive Assessment● Assessment must know how students organize and
understand and express their understanding● Assessment needs to look at how particular students
make meaning ● Accommodations of various ways students have been
exposed to literacy in their homes● Incorporating the various ways students have been
exposed to literacy in the community
Chapter 49 Assessing the English Language Learner (ELL)
By Laura Fox
ELL/ESL/EFLELL ESL EFL
English language learner English as a second language
English as a foreign language
may not be a good term since students speaking English as their first language may be ELL
students are learning English as a second language
used when the language learned is not the language of the community
usually used for K-12 students
generally students who speak a language other than English
TESOL or teaching speakers of other languages is used rarely in the United States
Instructional Levels
Advanced● speaks with ease, freely and easily switches codes
0-Level English● cannot answer yes/no questions, understands no English
Beginner● answers simple questions, speaks 1-2 word phrases
Intermediate● produces simple sentences, occasionally initiates conversations
Classroom Assessment
Use this...● instructional levels to assess● leveled passages● one-on-one interviewsNot that...● Usually teacher made● Teachers may not be prepared to teach ELLs● May only be multiple choice, true/false or matching
Predicting Academic Success
● Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)- may not be predictive of success
● Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC)
● Secondary Level English Proficiency (SLEP)- used for secondary teachers
Large Scale or High-Stakes Testing● No Child Left Behind Act of 2001- lend to accountability
regulations● Allows students to test in native language for 3 three
years, but few states do● Accommodations are provided:
o small group testingo extended timeo the use of a bilingual dictionaryo the use of two version of the test for translating
The State of the Art of ELL Assessment Research● validity and reliability may be compromised● accommodations used in Special Education may help
ELLs● English proficiency is a variable● Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS)-
developed in 2-3 years● Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP)-
developed in 5-7 years