Assessing Achievement with the ELL in Mind: Key points of Unit 1
The first unit of the Coursera Assessing Achievement with the ELL in Mind
course focused on key issues concerning the assessment of ESL students in mainstream classes. These issues are covered in depth in the remaining five units of the course.
Note 1: The left column below is a brief summary of the key points of the Coursera unit. The right column contains
my suggested links to further information and advice on the same content.
Note 2: ELL = English language learner. The corresponding acronym used elsewhere on this site is ESL student = English as a second language student. [ More ]
Note 2: ELL = English language learner. The corresponding acronym used elsewhere on this site is ESL student = English as a second language student. [ More ]
Unit 1: Introduction to Authentic Assessment with the ELL in Mind
Key issues in assessment
The key issues concern:
- differentiating the various purposes of assessment (essentially whether the assessment is formative or summative);
- understanding the particular challenges of assessing the content knowledge and skills of ESL students (these include determining the level of language proficiency needed in order to complete the task, and deciding what accommodations are appropriate in each case);
- devising ways to address these challenges in assessments that are both authentic and as little modified as possible to allow ESL students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
Points to note:
- ESL teachers are happy to advise on the likely difficulty of an assessment in terms of its language demands, and to suggest modifications or alternatives that do not involve the substantial production of written text.
- A fair assessment for ESL students may involve accommodations such as the ESL teacher preteaching key words or reviewing some questions in advance. A common accommodation is allowing the ESL student extra time to complete the assessment.
- ESL students develop self-confidence through success in assessments that allow them to show what they have learned and can do, even if their English proficiency is as yet limited.
More on assessment issues
Assessing ELLs in ... Mainstream Classrooms
A helpful overview of the various strategies you can adopt to create fair assessments for ESL students.
A very useful site that, in its own words, is "a how-to text on creating authentic tasks, rubrics, and standards for measuring and improving student learning".
A good introduction to the use of portfolios as a fair and authentic way to keep a record of ESL student achievement and progress. (.pdf)
Preparing ESL-friendly worksheets and tests
From elsewhere on this website: A page of advice on how to ensure the comprehensibility of the assessments you set.