Assessments for ELLs

Guided Response: Respond to two of your peers. What interesting or new insight can you add to your peers’ responses?

1.Jasmine Arias

Current assessments can be biased against students who are not native speakers of English in many different cases, one being the use of heavy language load, and in some cases cultural based assumptions. As explained in the video, Dr. Pierce thoroughly explained that the use of heavy language load can be that the wording or direction to the test can be an actual obstacle and will pose a problem.

 If I was to teach a unit on the water cycle I would most definitely use media visual aids to present the parts of the water cycle being: precipitation, evaporation, and condensation. Then have the students put together their own understanding of each phase and a visual aid to add on to the assignment in understanding the water cycle, which will serve to evaluate their performance in the classroom based on the lesson. I would have the students do a Venn diagram as a form of the formative assessment based on this topic.

 This class exercise meets the standard 4 of TESOLS’s 2006 language proficiency standards allowing the students to communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the area of science. They will complete the assignment gaining knowledge in the water cycle practice and personal experience of the subject by using the diagrams and preparations for completion of their assignment.

 Honigsfeld, A & Cohan, A. (2015). Serving English language learners. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education.

 Colorin Colorado. (n.d.). Assessment of English language learners [Webcast]. Retrieved from http://www.colorincolorado.org/webcasts/assessment/

2.Melba Bledsoe

How can current assessments such as standardize testing, be biased against students who are not native speakers? Because they didn’t emphasize on academic language profanely.  (Honigsfelf & Cohan,2015)

I would use visual and demonstrate. I would first show a video and stop the film at each stage, then I would have a chart that has each stage on it, then we would have a glass with precipitation in it and watch what happens, put a lid on it for condensation and then as it evaporates. I would Put an x on the chart  ,for each step. This goes with standard 4. They communicate information ,share ideals ,(honigsfeld,A.&Cohan,A.(2015)    about what they  will happen each step, leading them for success in science.

References:

Honigsfeld,A.&Cohan(2015) Serving English Learner Language Learners,San Diego, Ca:Bridgepoint education