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