The Arizona English Language Learner Assessment (AZELLA)

Overview of AZELLA

Who is an ELL?

What is AZELLA?

How is AZELLA used?

How is the SCORE reported?

How can teachers use the AZELLA scores?

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ELL Assessment HistorySchool Years 2005-2006

Statewide SELP implementation

School Years 2007-2009AZELLA Form AZ-1

School Year 2009-2012AZELLA Form AZ-2

School Year 2013AZELLA Kindergarten Placement Test Revised Spring 2013 Reassessment

School Year 2014Revised AZELLA Placement TestRevised Spring 2014 Reassessment

Who is an ELL?

An ELL student is one who has been:

• Identified by the Home Language Survey

o First language of student, oro Language spoken at home, oro Primary language used, is other than English

• Taken the state assessment, AZELLA

• Scored less than PROFICIENT

AZELLA IN – AZELLA OUT

Program entry and exit is based on AZELLA scores.

SEI Classroom

Mainstream Classroom

“Proficient” on A

ZELLA

What is AZELLA?

• Tests the Arizona English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)

• Determines eligibility for ELL services and informs ELL program placement (entry)

• Is used to measure annual progress in English language acquisition

• Is used to report language proficiency levels in the domains of Listening, Reading,

Writing, and Speaking• Provides for a proficiency determination used to establish reclassification (exit)

• Informs classroom placement and instructional program

• Is used for state and federal reporting and accountability measures

Arizona’s state test for English language proficiency: AZELLA

Listening

Speaking

Reading

Writing

Pre-Emergent/Emergent

Basic

Intermediate

Proficient

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AZELLA Domains(sub-tests)

AZELLA Proficiency Levels

Built on English Language Proficiency Standards

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Domain

Proficiency Levels

Two Types of AZELLA

• Placement tests

o Given when student first enrolls in Arizona schools

• Reassessment tests

o Given each year in the spring to measure progress toward English fluency

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Items on the AZELLA

• Listening

o Administered by playing a CDo Multiple choice items

• Reading

o Multiple choice items

• Writing

o Multiple choice itemso Extended response items – paragraphs

• Speaking

o Administered by telephoneo Open ended responseso Repeat items

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Reading Domain

• Reading items are all multiple choice.

• Many Reading test items are constructed around a reading passage and have two-to-four test questions associated with that passage.

• Based on Lexile levels, each Stage includes a range of grade-appropriate passages to cover the multiple grades included in the Stage test.

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Writing Domain

• Writing items include a mixture of multiple choice and open-ended responses. Every Writing sub-test includes two or three opportunities for students to provide extended writing responses.

• A variety of modes are used for the extended writing responses including Narrative, Expository, Persuasive, and Functional. These items require a well-constructed, on-topic paragraph response.

• Students are provided with blank scratch paper so they may organize their thoughts and draft their responses before writing their final responses on their answer pages.

• Rubrics are used to score the open-ended Writing items. 12

Speaking Domain

• The Speaking test is delivered by telephone. Students are asked a series of open-ended questions, followed by 10 repeat items. All items are scored electronically, based on the AZELLA scoring rubrics.

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Listening domain

• The Listening test is delivered on a CD. Students listen to a variety of passages and for each passage are asked to mark their answers to one or two related multiple choice questions on their answer pages.

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Stages

• AZELLA tests are structured the same as the ELPS, by grade span. Each grade span is defined as a STAGE.

o Stage I = Kindergarten

o Stage II = Grades 1-2

o Stage III = Grades 3-5

o Stage IV = Grades 6-8

o Stage V = High School

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AHeader info

BStudent

demographic information

CStudent score

information

DStudent proficiency

level and ELL designation

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What is the Student Report?

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OVERALL PROFICIENCY

LEVEL

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TOTAL COMBINED

SCORE

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READING & WRITING SCORES

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How Does a Student Qualify as Proficient?

• 3 criteria to be determined OVERALL ENGLISH PROFICIENT:

o Combined Score = Proficiento Reading Score = Proficiento Writing Score = Proficient

Proficient

How is AZELLA Used?

• To identify ELL students

• To inform classroom placement

• To inform instruction based on the Arizona English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)

• To measure annual progress in English

• To exit ELL students from ELL programs

• As a measurement and accountability tool

How can Teachers useAZELLA

with the ELP Standards?

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Using the AZELLA report with English Language Proficiency Standards

• Proficiency levels on the score reports reflect the attainment of the skills detailed in the ELPS.

• Any single administration of the AZELLA cannot test ALL the proficiency levels of all the Performance Indicators within the Standards. The full set of Performance Indicators that are tested are represented by a limited number of items.

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• Educators should use the AZELLA results to find a tentative starting point for each domain in the ELPS for each of their ELL students.

• Using classroom assessments, educators can more precisely determine which of the Performance Indicators in the ELPS the student has achieved.

• The goal is to accelerate English language acquisition by progressing systematically through the ELPS from the student’s starting point to achievement of the High Intermediate skills.

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At grade 4 the student scored Pre-Emergent, Emergent, and Basic proficiency level in writing.

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Instruction should begin with the Pre-Emergent, Emergent, and Basic Performance Indicators from Stage III of the ELPS.

The goal is to progress to High Intermediate.

Conclusion

• AZELLA identifies ELL students and informs classroom placement.

• AZELLA measures annual progress in English and determines exit.

• The AZELLA score reports are essential tools for designing instructional programs for ELLs.

• AZELLA is used as a measurement and accountability tool.

• AZELLA is used to inform instruction based on the Arizona English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS).

Conclusion

• The AZELLA score reports are essential tools for designing instructional programs for ELLs.

• Student achievement is maximized when all stakeholders, including administrators, ELL Coordinators, teachers, and parents work together to provide a structured and evidence-based plan for each ELL student.

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Resources

Additional resources are provided on the ADE website at:

• http://www.azed.gov/standards-development-assessment/arizona-english-language-learner-assessment-azella/

• http://www.azed.gov/english-language-learners/

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References

Arizona Department of Education: Standards and Assessment (n.d.). Guide to Navigating and Using AZELLA Reports. Retrieved from http://www.azed.gov/standards-development-assessment/arizona-english-language-learner-assessment-azella/

Johnston, M. (2013). Background on the Arizona English Language Learner Assessment [PowerPoint slides]. From Standard Setting Committee Work. Phoenix, AZ

Kelley, K. D, (2010). AZELLA Overview [PowerPoint slides]. From Sheltered English Instruction Workshop. Flagstaff, AZ