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