In the Reg.Ed.Classroom State H igh Stakes Testing For SpecialEducation

Transcription

1 Successful A ssessm entofells In the Reg.Ed.Classroom State H igh Stakes Testing For SpecialEducation

2 Every class is an English class to an ELL! Assessment accommodations may produce more valid test results, but DO NOT replace instructional opportunity! The job of the regular ed. teacher is to assess content not language proficiency. Regular ed. teachers need to check with the ESL teacher to confirm ELLs levels of language proficiency. It is important for teachers to remember the VAST p difference between SOCIAL and ACADEMIC language.

3 Appropriate Assessment Accommodations Use active voice, not passive. Use present tense. Use high frequency vocabulary. Avoid idioms and colloquialisms. Use concrete, not abstract language. Provide synonyms for difficult words. Test Construction Shorten the test; focus only on KEY concepts. Test only what was taught the way it was taught. Supply a word bank. Avoid TRUE/FALSE questions. Limit matching to groups of 5 or less. Reduce multiple choice options. Watch for cultural bias. Test Administration Read the test orally. Allow more time or give in multiple sessions. Give individually or in small groups. Allow use of a bilingual dictionary.

4 Why not avoid paper-pencil tests altogether? Use alternate assessments! Performance ---- Authentic Projects, group work, graphic organizers, portfolios, journals, games, checklists Don t forget Teachers need to water down the language, not tthe content! t!

5 State Testing: What do you need to do? Use ALL allowable testing accommodations Timing/Scheduling g Setting Presentation Review assessable content Align your curriculum Teach the language of testing: key words and phrases How to approach a multiple choice question Test format

6 IDIEA LEPs must be assessed using materials and procedures that determine the extent to which the child has a disability and needs special education, not the child s English language skills. All ELLs are LD! That s LANGUAGE DIFFERENT, NOT LEARNING DISABLED!

7 ELLs and Learning Disabled students look much alike in the regular classroom: They don t speak much have slower response time have difficulty following directions have weak vocabulary skills have poor visual memory have limited attention span retain information poorly have a low frustration tolerance have below grade level performance in spelling, reading, math, content t areas Adapted from National Center on Educational Outcomes, Univ. of Minnesota

8 ONLINE RESOURCES Center of Applied Linguistics US Department of Education US Census Bureau Office of Civil Rights index.html WIDA Consortium TESOL Office of ELA/National Clearinghouse for ELA ERIC Digests Dr. Stephen Krashen Dr. James Cummins PennsylvaniaELL English Language Learner Knowledge Base Mobile Co. (AL) Public Schools ESL Program denav=showall Education Leadership Policy Standards Education Leadership Policy Standards Standards_2008.pdf

9 RESOURCES Ariza, Eileen. (2009) Not for ESOL Teachers: What Every Classroom Teacher Needs to Know about the Linguistically, i Culturally, ll and Ethnically Diverse Student. t Of Oxford Of Oxfordshire: dhi Oxford Of University Ui i Press. Beŕube, Barney. (2000) Managing ESL programs in rural and small urban schools. Alexandria, Va.: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. Bouchard, M. (2005) Comprehension Strategies for English Language Learners. New York: Scholastic. Curtin, E., (2009). Practical Strategies t for Teaching English Language Learners. Upper Saddle River: Merrill/Pearson. Diaz-Rico, L. T. (2008) Strategies for Teaching English Learners. Boston: Pearson Education. Herrell, A. L & Jordan, M. (2008) 50 Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Johnson, Jean. "The Principal's Priority." Educational Leadership 66.1 (Sept. 2008): Himmele, P., & Himmele, W. (2009). The Language-Rich Classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development Peregoy, S. F. & Boyle, O. F. (2008) Reading, Writing and Learning in ESL, 5 th ed. Boston: Pearson Education. Reiss, J. (2008) 102 Content Strategies for English Language Learners. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Rothenburg, C. & Fisher, D. (2007) Teaching English Language Learners: A Differentiated t Approach. Pearson: Upper Saddle River, NJ. Smiley, Patricia & Salsberry, T. (2007) Effective Schooling for English Language Learners: What Elementary Principals Should Know and Do. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.