Informal Language Assessment Suggestions Please

Status
Not open for further replies.

TeresaTeaches

New member
Joined
Jun 6, 2015
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Hello. I am currently a first grade teacher in a general education English class. I have 25 students and 21 speak another language at home in addition to or instead of English. In my class this year, half of the students speak Spanish while at home while the remainder speak a variety of languages from their families homes in Africa. As the number of ELL increases each year, I have decided to get a masters in English Language Learning and Teaching.

I am hoping you can share an informal language assessment that I can use to identify the needs of my students. Our school has a Dual Language program to learn English and Spanish and we have ESL services. Each year we have some parents that feel their child would be better served in a general education English class and write English on the Home Language Survey. There is a student in my class that began first grade identified as at risk. After working with her, I realized she did not understand what I was saying. It took several meetings with the mother before she shared that her daughter had attended preschool in the Santa Domingo and Head Start program receiving instruction in Spanish. I feel that I did not do the best I could as a teacher because I was unable to identify her needs. I asked if she could take the incoming assessment and was told this was not possible as her Home Language Survey stated English.

Can you please recommend a resource I can use in the class informally to assess a students language proficiency? I am hoping to use what is learned with the assessment to develop small group or individual learning centers to support language development with the first grade curriculum.
Thank you in advance for your help. I am open to all suggestions. Even though we only have two weeks left, I will be teaching summer school. Many of our summer school students are ELLs and hopefully what I learn here can be used to support them also.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
If you Google English placement tests, you will find stuff that is available, and you might be able to find something that could help.

I am not familiar with your educational system, but is there no way of changing the Home Language Survey if it is not correct?
 

TeresaTeaches

New member
Joined
Jun 6, 2015
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Tdol- Thank you for your quick response. I did google for possible suggestions. I was hoping someone had a favorite or one they found valid and accurate.

It is a recent trend in our neighborhood. The parents do not want their children to be placed in the self contained ESL classes. In the past, the children in these classes have not done as well on the state assessments used in promotion decisions. Parents feel that if they are in the general education English classes beginning in kindergarten they will be better prepared in third grade.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
I'm afraid I work with postgrads and professionals, so I doubt that what I use would be much use. Let's see who else comes through.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top