Successful A ssessm entofells In the Reg.Ed.Classroom State H igh Stakes Testing For SpecialEducation
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.
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.
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!
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
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!
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
ONLINE RESOURCES Center of Applied Linguistics www.cal.org US Department of Education www.ed.gov US Census Bureau www.census.gov Office of Civil Rights www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/ index.html WIDA Consortium www.wida.us TESOL www.tesol.org Office of ELA/National Clearinghouse for ELA www.ncela.gwu.edu ERIC Digests www.ericdigests.org Dr. Stephen Krashen www.sdkrashen.com Dr. James Cummins www.iteachilearn.com/cummins/ PennsylvaniaELL http://www.paell.com English Language Learner Knowledge Base http://www.mc3edsupport.org/community/knowledgebases/project-1.html Mobile Co. (AL) Public Schools ESL Program http://www.mcpss.com/?divisionid=2149&departmentid=2013&togglesi denav=showall Education Leadership Policy Standards Education Leadership Policy Standards http://www.ccsso.org/documents/2008/educational_leadership_policy_ Standards_2008.pdf
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