For Other Professionals
Assessment of English Language Learners
Featuring Dr. Lorraine Valdez Pierce, discussing effective classroom strategies for assessing English language learners.
This webcast 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.
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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.
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.
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.
Recommended resources
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.)
Related links
- ColorinColorado.org: Reading Rockets' sister site features information for families and educators of English language learners.
Sample assessment tools
- Teacher observation checklist (48K PDF)*
- Student self-assessment rating scale (52K PDF)*
- Analytic scoring rubric (44K PDF)*
Related products from LearningStore
Assessing English Language Learners
Discover how to bridge the gap between equitably assessing linguistic and academic performance. This well-documented text examines the unique needs of English language learners and describes strategies for implementing instructional assessment of language and content.
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English Language Learners in Your Classroom
An authoritative reference for teachers facing an increasingly diverse school population that provides pre-service and in-service teachers, curriculum specialists, teacher mentors, and administrators with the necessary tools to meet the educational needs of English language learners in an inclusive classroom.
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Launching Young Readers: Becoming Bilingual
For a teacher who speaks only English, having students who speak another language can be a daunting prospect. How do teachers teach English language learners (ELLs) to read in a new language?
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Please visit our English language learners/Bilingual section of LearningStore to discover the best research-based practices for teaching ELLs.
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?
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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