Key Issue in the Assessment of ELLs

[karie.korbar]

Hello everyone, I am currently a regular education teacher pursuing my masters in English Language Teaching and Learning. For one of the assignments we have to reach out to people outside the online courseroom, so here I am!

We have been studying and discussions issues in the assessment of ELL students. One of the key issues that sticks out to me is making assessments applicable and appropriate to each different student. With so many varying levels of English, native languages, backgrounds, cultures, etc. I worry about accommodating each student while still maintaining the goal of the assessment and keeping it appropriate for the student's grade level.

What are some strategies you have seen be successful in a mixed classroom that might be made up of mostly native English speakers, as well as ELL students with varying levels of English proficiency?

 

[Tdol]

Would this be for, say, a physics class with different levels of English proficiency?

 

[karie.korbar]

Yes, I am interested in learning about how teachers of all subject areas go about assessing mixed classes. For instance, how do you make sure that an assessment is as accessible and appropriate for every student, including ELLs and native speakers, without modifying the material?

 

[Tdol]

I honestly don't see why modifying materials to cater for a specific audience is somehow a mortal sin, as long as you don't claim that something is fully authentic. If you have an audience that contains various backgrounds, why can't you modify texts a bit? I don't teach in the US school system, but if this is a demand being made, it strikes me a somewhat unrealistic.