As we all know, assessment and evaluation is commonly used to monitor and report student progress. Assessments serve as a way to confirm that students have gained new knowledge from the instruction provided. Assessments are also used to inform educators on instructional decisions to be made. Modifications of instruction can be made properly according to students’ needs when using assessment results as a guide.
For bilingual students who are learning English as a second language, multiple measures should be utilized because according to researchers Ovando, Collier and Combs, this would provide educators with a “fuller picture of a student’s academic strengths and weaknesses” (2003). Here are various types of assessments that can assist.
Performance-Based Assessments
Performance-based assessments are based on classroom instruction and everyday tasks. You can use performance-based assessments to assess ELLs’ language proficiency and academic achievement through methods such as:
- oral reports
- presentations
- demonstrations
- written assignments
- porfolios
Portfolio assessments
Portfolios are practical ways of assessing student work throughout the entire year. With this method, you can systematically collect descriptive records of a variety of student work over time that reflects growth toward the achievement of specific curricular objectives. Portfolios include information, sample work, and evaluations that serve as indicators for student performance. By documenting student performance over time, portfolios are a better way to crosscheck student progress than just one measure alone. Portfolios can include:
- Samples of written student work, such as stories, completed forms, exercise sheets, and descriptions
- Drawings representing student content knowledge and proficiencies
- Tapes of oral work, such as role-playing, presentations, or an oral account of a trip
- Teacher descriptions of student accomplishments, such as performance on oral tasks
- Formal test data, checklists, and rating sheets
What is Sheltered Instruction?
Tools for Assessment
Some tools that may be used for assessment are as follows:
Journals– Reading and writing are exemplified through a journal that is kept by the student. Progress is displayed through a consistent pattern of written entries of various topics.
Rubrics– A rubric is similar to a chart or matrix that lists requirements for a particular assignment and allows for assessment and evaluation of projects, written assignments, oral presentations, and almost any task assigned in the classroom.
Checklists-A checklist is a list of requirements that should be marked as the student completes or includes each one accurately.
KWL/ KWHL Charts-Charts that contain three to four columns to display the KWL; What I KNOW, what I WANT to know, and what I have LEARNED. KWHL; What I KNOW, what I WANT to know, HOW I can gather this new information, what I have LEARNED.
Running records (K-8)– A running record allows you to assess a student’s reading performance as she/he reads from a benchmark book. The benchmark books are chosen ahead of time and only the first 100-150 words are read aloud to the teacher. The teacher makes a detailed record of the students’ oral reading performance which includes fluency, words per minute, errors made, reread sections, etc.
Graphic organizers– Graphic organizers are valuable instructional tools that are flexible and endless in application. Graphic organizers show the order and completeness of students’ thought process and understanding.
Check out the following link to access frequently asked questions on ESL and Bilingual Law in New Jersey.
https://hctutorial.com/esl-and-bilingual-frequently-asked-questions/
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