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Assessment of English Language Learners
This free webcast is available online anytime.
It is made possible by AFT Teachers, a division of the American Federation of Teachers, as part of a Colorín Colorado partnership between AFT and Reading Rockets.
Featuring Dr. Lorraine Valdez Pierce, discussing effective classroom strategies for assessing English language learners.
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Program description
This 45-minute webcast is a thorough introduction to assessment for teachers of English language learners. Dr. Lorraine Valdez Pierce will discuss performance-based standardized assessments; assessment as a tool for informing instruction; use of assessment to reinforce reading comprehension; and student self-assessment and self-monitoring.
Dr. Lorraine Valdez Pierce will also provide practical advice on how ESL and classroom teachers can collaborate when assessing English language learners and making decisions based on those assessments. Tips on record keeping and rubrics are also included.
Moderator
Delia Pompa is the moderator of this webcast. She is the Vice President of the Center for Community Educational Excellence at the National Council of La Raza.
Presenter
Lorraine Valdez Pierce is an Associate Professor in the Graduate School of Education at George Mason University. She focuses on designing curriculum and assessment procedures for English language learners at the Center for Language & Culture. She has also published articles in TESOL Journal, TESOL Matters, and Educational Assessment.
Recommended readings
The articles and books below were chosen by Reading Rockets to help you learn more about this issue. The links to Amazon.com are provided for your convenience, and a portion of your purchase helps support Reading Rockets. Thank you!
Articles about assessment of English language learners
- Performance-Based Assessment: Promoting Achievement for English Language Learners (68K PDF)*, by Lorraine Valdez Pierce (George Mason University)
- English Language Learners and High-Stakes Tests: An Overview of the Issues, by Bronwyn Coltrane (Center for Applied Linguistics)
- Assessment Portfolios: Including English Language Learners in Large-Scale Assessments, by Emily Gomez (Center for Applied Linguistics)
- Assessment and Accommodations for English Language Learners: Issues and Recommendations, by Jamal Abedi (Journal of School Improvement)
Books by our presenter
- Authentic Assessment for English Language Learners: Practical Approaches for Teachers, by J. Michael O'Malley and Lorraine Valdez Pierce (Addison Wesley)
- Assessing English Language Learners, by Lorraine Valdez Pierce (National Education Association)
Additional books
- Scoring Rubrics in the Classroom, by Judith A. Taylor & Jay McTighe (Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.)
- A Teacher's Guide to Standardized Reading Tests, by Lucy Calkins, Kate Montgomery, Beverly Falk, and Donna Santman (Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann)
- Testing for Language Teachers, by Arthur Hughes & Michael Swan (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.)
Discussion questions
- Discuss ways that assessment can promote learning.
- Generate your own definition of "performance-based classroom assessment."
- Share strategies you currently use that encourage students to monitor their own learning.
- How do a child's native language literacy skills help them acquire literacy skills in a second language?
- Is there a system in place at your school to assess native language literacy skills?
Sample assessment tools
- Teacher observation checklist (48K PDF)*
- Student self-assessment rating scale (52K PDF)*
- Analytic scoring rubric (44K PDF)*
Related links
- ColorinColorado.org
Reading Rockets' sister site features information for families and educators of English language learners.
The Reading Rockets Professional Development Webcast Series is a production of WETA. The Reading Rockets project is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.
This program was produced by WETA/Reading Rockets, which is solely responsible for its content. The views expressed in the program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of WETA/Reading Rockets, our funders, or our partners.
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