Competency 4
Category I
Assessment of learning or for learning? Balanced, summative, interim and formative assessments will be used to evaluate for application to the needs of English language learners. Participants will understand how to effectively monitor and evaluate for ELL student learning and language needs, and use the data to plan for effective instruction with. After an introduction to multiple types of assessment and methods of using data, teachers will learn to teach to support a rapid turnaround of language results among their ELLs. Participants will identify the affects of assessment and assessment behaviors among ELL students, to include linguistic bias, assessment accommodations, data analysis, and federal and state assessment policies. The use of formative and summative assessment criteria to plan and prepare with also requires the use of reliable data. Teachers that are actively and systematically use this data can understand the academic performance of their students to include ELLs and other struggling learners, thus leverage for effective progress monitoring. Participants will be introduced to multiple assessment types that include formative, summative, microdata, macrodata, feedback and other assessment vehicles to produce data that lead to responsive instructional decisions. Participants will learn to find and use this data effectively to meet the unique needs of their English language learners.
Course Outcomes:
- Plan and practice with various assessment types, tools, and resources appropriate for ELLs with diverse backgrounds and levels of proficiency to further teaching and learning among English language learners.
- Match grade-level assessment criteria to standards-aligned curriculum and instruction.
- Monitor student learning to move up individual student performance, focusing primarily among ELLs.
- Glen and apply valuable information about student performance from data, focusing on ELLs.
- Distinguish among ELLs with learning disabilities, giftedness, Tiers 1, 2, and 3, and struggling learners in need of intervention.
- Use data for planning and preparation to teach English language learners effectively.
- Evaluate the needs of ELL students to align best instructional strategy to those needs.
- Develop working knowledge and understanding of the purposes for ESOL assessment and the role of cultural diversity at multiple levels of proficiency.
- Become familiar with, and develop working knowledge of, a variety of assessment procedures appropriate for ELLs of diverse backgrounds and at varying levels of English proficiency.
- Explore and practice with scenarios that include accommodations and allowances for ELLS at various levels of proficiency.
- Use performance-based assessment tools and make decisions with them about curriculum in order to measure the progress of ELLs and their literacy development.
- Distinguish among criterion-referenced assessments and norm-referenced; bias in test development and design.
- Develop strategies for teaching and developing appropriate test-taking skills to ELLs.
- Use authentic assessments with real life application to develop the language and literacy skills in ELLs.
- Evaluate and monitor work against assessment criteria.
- Use assessment criteria against performance standards and use this information to reflect on practices to improve teaching focused primarily at ELLs.
- Effectively communicate strategy to articulate learning and instructional goals to ELL students, while demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness to their needs.
- Use the tools of tiered evaluation and instruction to close achievement gaps for their ELL students.