Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English Promising Futures (2017) / Chapter Skim
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11 Promising and Effective Practices in Assessment of Dual Language Learners' and English Learners' Educational Progress
11 Promising and Effective Practices in Assessment of Dual Language Learners' and English Learners' Educational Progress
Pages 401-430
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From page 401... ...
There is a gap, however, between these professional standards, developed by consensus among relevant disciplines in the scientific community, and how assessments of DLLs/ELs at the individual student and system levels are actually conducted. Current practices vary across 1 When referring to children ages birth to 5 in their homes, communities, or early care and education programs, this report uses the term "dual language learners" or "DLLs." When referring to children ages 5 and older in the pre-K to 12 education system, the term "English learners" or "ELs" is used.
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From page 402... ...
The chapter ends with the committee's conclusions on promising and effective assessment practices for DLLs/ELs. ASSESSMENT OF DUAL LANGUAGE LEARNERS A central tenet of selecting appropriate assessment instruments is that the purpose of the assessment must guide the choice of measures, the method of data collection, and the content of the assessment (Espinosa and Gutiérrez-Clellen, 2013; Peña and Halle, 2011)
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From page 403... ...
on fair assessment of DLLs, including the use of developmental screenings, the need for linguistically and culturally appropriate assessments, a focus on improving curriculum and instruction with multiple methods and measures, the use of multidisciplinary teams that include qualified bilingual and bicultural assessors collecting data over time, the need for caution when interpreting results of standardized assessments, and inclusion of families in all aspects of the assessment process. Virtually all experts on ECE assessment have cautioned against the use of single assessments at one point in time to identify young children's developmental status and learning needs across multiple domains of development (Daily et al., 2010; Meisels, 1999; National Research Council, 2008)
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From page 404... ...
. DLLs' first and second language and literacy development also has been linked to differences in home language experiences (Hammer et al., 2011)
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From page 405... ...
. Given the large variations in preschool DLLs' amount and quality of English exposure as well as home language development (see Chapter 4)
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From page 406... ...
. Thus before making a referral decision, assessors need to consider each DLL's language abilities in both the home language and English: if the child is very delayed in English but shows typical skills in the home language, the child most likely has had few opportunities to learn English and needs systematic high-quality English language development (see Chapters 4 and 6)
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From page 407... ...
. Assessment Purposes and Procedures for Preschool DLLs Language Proficiency ECE assessors must first determine a DLL's proficiency in both English and the home language, as well as the distribution of knowledge across the two languages, in order to design appropriate language interventions (Ackerman and Tazi, 2015)
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From page 408... ...
. ECE assessors need to understand thoroughly the process of first and second language acquisition, the stages of second language acquisition during the preschool years, and the influences on dual language development (see Chapter 4)
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From page 409... ...
Observations and insights from other staff members who speak the child's home language and have frequent contact with the child can also be collected through questionnaires or family interviews. The DRDP (California Department of Education, 2015b)
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From page 410... ...
Act of 2001, when states were required to administer annually ELP assessments aligned with ELP standards of the state in the domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Additionally, the law mandated that the ELP standards be aligned with the state's academic standards.
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From page 411... ...
reclassify -- monitor students' ELP until they meet the ELP performance standard, at which point students may be considered non-EL. Language assessment for ELs in K-12 settings focuses on the assessment of English, but assessment of academic literacy in the home language is also useful.
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From page 412... ...
. Noting concerns about the validity of oral language assessments, Thompson concludes that assessments of children's home language may play a useful role "if we frame the results not as providing information about what students lack, but as providing information about the resources students bring to the classroom," rather than serving as a measure of their language proficiency across all contexts (p.
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From page 413... ...
While Title I regulations were being developed as this report was being written, it is clear that whatever mecha nisms each state uses to ensure the quality of Title I academic assessments through its peer review process will apply in significant measure to the ELP assessment now that it is part of Title I accountability.3 Another change in ESSA is the requirement in Title III for standard ized statewide entrance and exit procedures for identifying ELs.4 As noted above, there is considerable variation not just across states but often across 3 A summary of EL assessment final regulations as of early 2017 under ESSA can be found at https://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/essa/essaassessmentfactsheet1207.pdf [February 23, 2017]
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From page 414... ...
In most cases, moreover, this high-stakes decision is based on a single assessment, often administered when the student enters school in kindergarten or 1st grade and in practice even prior to the start of the school year during the registration period. An unfortunate chain of events can affect ELs in K-12 schools when their oral home language ability is assessed without due concern for the appropriateness of the assessment instrument and systematic consideration of observational data on language use.
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From page 415... ...
This is also is a high-stakes decision for states and their LEAs with consequences for students. As described in Chapter 2, under ESSA Title I, states are required to devise and implement EL accountability models that not only identify ELs based on their performance on ELP assessments but also monitor their growth in English proficiency over time, along with their readiness to exit/transition from EL to non-EL status.
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From page 416... ...
These recommendations are of special importance as resources that can support the validation of classroom-based assessments of ELs' readiness to transition to non-EL status and monitoring of potential English language learning needs associated with earlier EL status that remain after students are reclassified. The bottom line is the need to know how to interpret ongoing evidence from large-scale ELP assessments, large-scale content and supplemental assessments, and local teacher-based and observation protocols to improve teachers' and LEAs' confidence that ELs are ready to function linguistically and academically with sufficient fluency to attain demanding academic standards with proper learning supports.
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From page 417... ...
7. States in consortia should move toward a common English proficiency performance standard on any shared ELP assessment and acknowl edge variability of other EL reclassification criteria and processes across states.
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From page 418... ...
This language states that ELs "shall be assessed in a valid and reliable manner and provided appropriate accommodations on assessments administered to such students under this paragraph, including, to the extent practicable, assessments in the language and form most likely to yield accurate data on what such students know and can do in academic content areas, until such students have achieved English language proficiency."5 ESSA requires states to adopt challenging academic standards tied to assessments of proficiency in language arts/reading and mathematics administered annually in grades 3-8 and once in high school. An assessment in science at least once in elementary, middle, and high school also is still required.
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From page 419... ...
The National Research Council (2011) also produced a comprehensive review of research and issues in this area, with a focus on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
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From page 420... ...
. Most of this work has pursued translation of English-version test items into students' home languages.
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From page 421... ...
As a result, a major retooling of assessment theory and methods may be needed to develop scientifically robust models for designing and implementing assessments and for establishing assessment validity -- particularly with regard to assessments directly serving student instruction and language development. Challenges are entailed in meeting educational goals for assessments and validating assessments for all students, regardless of background, but especially for ELs because every assessment is in part a language assessment (American Educational Research Association et al., 1999)
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From page 422... ...
with an eye toward future research needed for a more fine-grained understanding of what ELs know and can do and importantly, as with formative assessments, what they might be able to do next toward mastery of content and domain knowledge given their language proficiency (Bailey and Heritage, 2014)
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From page 423... ...
CONCLUSIONS Conclusion 11-1: To conduct an accurate assessment of the develop mental status and instructional needs of dual language learners/English learners, it is necessary to examine their skills in both English and their home language. During the first 5 years of life, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers require developmental screening, observation, and ongo ing assessment in both languages to support planning for individualized interactions and activities that will support their optimal development.
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From page 424... ...
Validity evi dence is required to demonstrate that an ELP assessment appropriately measures the expected academic language demands of the classroom. Conclusion 11-4: The appropriate use of assessment tools and prac tices, as well as the communication of assessment results to families and decision makers, requires that all stakeholders be capable of under standing and interpreting the results of academic assessments adminis tered to English learners in English or their home language, as well as English language proficiency assessments.
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From page 425... ...
. Enhancing young Hispanic dual language learners' achievement: Exploring strategies and addressing challenges.
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From page 426... ...
. Developmental Assessment of Young Dual Language Learners with a Focus on Kindergarten Entry Assessment: Implications for State Poli cies.
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From page 427... ...
. Assessing English Language Learners: Bridges to Educational Equity: Connecting Academic Language Proficiency to Student Achievement.
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From page 428... ...
. Psychometric challenges in assessing English language learners and students with disabilities.
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From page 429... ...
. Assessing preschool dual language learners: Traveling a multiforked road.
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From page 430... ...
. Assessing English Language Learners: Theory and Practice.
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