Assessing Linguistically Diverse Learners

Presented by Heather Vlach

Day 3

What is Assessment?

What Does Assessment Encompass?

Characteristics of Assessment

Types and Methods of Assessment

• Types

Formative Summative

• Methods

Informal Formal

Summative Assessments

• Focus on Achievement of Learning– Evaluate Student Knowledge– Appraise Effectiveness of Instructional Materials– Examine Efficiency of Learning

• Formal Methods– Quizzes, Tests – Essays, Projects, Authentic Tasks

• Informal Methods– Student Tracking

Formative Assessments

• Focused on Learning– Evaluates Student Understanding– Used to Revise Teaching and Learning Strategies

• Formal Methods– Pre-test, Self-test, Quizzes,

Surveys– Discussion Postings, Blogging, Online Journaling

• Informal Methods– Informal Student Conferencing, E-mails, Chats,

Peer Blog Responses

“When the cook tastes the soup, that’s formative. When the guests taste

the soup, that’s summative”.

Educational researcher, Robert Stake

Group Activity 1: Looking at the Assessments We Use to Create Data

About Our Students

Standardized Assessments & Linguistically Diverse Learners

Standardized Assessment Impact

Suggestions to Reduce Disproportionate Representation of Linguistically Diverse Learners

• Promote family involvement by identifying and addressing obstacles to parent participation so that linguistically diverse parents are aware of the many ways they can support the education of their children

• Create classrooms that are conducive to success for all learners by deepening the understanding of how diverse languages and cultures affect learning behaviors

• Make the curriculum relevant and build on student strengths• Increase the accuracy of referrals and evaluations by creating a clear

referral system that includes specific criteria, implementation procedures, and evaluation procedures used.

• Provide appropriate services, whether it is English language support or Special Education

• Monitor the provision of services

Recognizing Differences to Address Specific

Needs

Differentiating DiversitiesGroup Activity 2

Differentiating Diversities:Group Activity 2

• Read the article: Language Difference or Learning Disability? • Using the article for support, create a chart that represents:1. Observable difficulties a linguistically diverse student has (Use cases from your

own teaching experiences)2. Using the article for support, generate ideas of possible English Language Learner

or Learning Disabled explanations for the difficulties3. Potential interventions to support the problem

• Discuss1. Note and discuss if there are the evident patterns among the difficulties, and what

this might mean2. What are distinguishing factors that differentiate whether an ELL child’s learning

needs fall under the learning disabled or English Language Learner category? 3. What are some of the overlapping characteristics?4. Discuss how this article can be helpful to mainstream classroom teachers

What are Authentic Assessments?

Examples of Authentic Assessments

• Project-based Portfolios• Journals• Blogs• Student talk/chats• Movie-Making • Active listening• Concept maps• Open-ended questions• Voice Threads, slideshows

and presentations

• Model building• Creating a Wikispace • Measurement taking• Oral reports• Create a Podcast• Written report• Lab report• Debates• Web Site Creation

Alternative, non-standardized assessments for students to demonstrate their understanding and learning:

Implementing Authentic Assessments

This video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEZNqAKtarcwas created by a linguistically diverse student. After watching

the video, create groups of 4 to discuss the following:

• What are the implications of this video?• How do these implications apply to or

effect linguistically diverse learners?• How can you alter or change your own

classroom assessments to be representative of what linguistically diverse students need?

Group Activity 3

Questions

ReferencesCase, R. & Taylor, S.S. (2005). Language difference or learning disability? Answers from a linguistic

perspective. Clearing House, 78(3), 127-130

Choi, S., & Clark, R. E. (2006). Cognitive and affective benefits of an animated pedagogical agent for learning English as a second language. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 34(4), 441-466.

Keenan, S. (2004). Reaching English language learners. Science and Children, 42(2), 49-51.

Lacina, J. (2004). Promoting language acquisitions: Technology and English language learners. Childhood Education, 81(2), 113.

Restrepo, M.A. & Gray, S. (2007). Optimizing literacy in English language learners. Seminars in Speech and Language, 28(1), 25-34