ESL Assessment
ESL teaching strategies include ESL assessment modifications. These modifications support student learning.
There is a difference between a test and an assessment. Our ESOL students depend on us to use ongoing strategies through which their learning is monitored, and that is a foundation of an ESL assessment.
Here are ESOL teaching resources, plus how to revise assessment and objectives for English Language Learners.
Imagine that you are a second language learner in China. You are taking a history class. You know some conversational Chinese, and you understand some of what the teacher is saying.
You have memorized the appearance of the content area vocabulary, and you have written translations for the key terms in the margins of the handouts.
Now it’s test day - will it be an ESL assessment or not? You have studied the essential concepts, and you think that you are ready. Surely the teacher will hand out a text that utilizes ESOL teaching resources.
Unfortunately the history teacher hands out a class exam with no pictures or timelines; there is just a long string of Chinese characters written in an unfamiliar style.
You recognize some, but not all of the characters. The format is essay. You are not sure if you can use your translation dictionary on the test, but you don’t want to ask the teacher during the test.
Despite your best preparations, you are doomed.
Assessment and ESL
The academic English language used on content tests is more difficult to understand than conversational English.
According to research, it takes 4-7 years for English language learners to successfully acquire this academic language.
They do not have sufficient vocabulary yet to be successful. They need structured ESL Vocabulary Exercises.
In the meantime, these ESOL students need to demonstrate their content learning, but how?
ESOL Teaching Resources for
Assessment Modification
By making assessment modifications, content teachers can support learning in all students, including English language learners.
To help a student read the test, content teachers should:
1. Use an easy-to-read font and size.
2. Use clear, simple directions.
3. Break up complicated complex and compound sentences into shorter, more manageable sentences.
4. Avoid non-essential idioms in test questions.
5. Make a clear connection between a pronoun and the noun it is referring to.
6. Where written responses are needed, break up extended response prompts into clear parts or steps.
To help a student respond to test questions:
1. Just like on achievement tests, encourage beginning and intermediate ESOL students to use translation and/or English/English dictionaries to understand test questions and answer options.
2. Provide a limited choice or word bank of possible answers (multiple choice questions, matching).
3. Avoid the True/False format. These items often require a detailed understanding of grammatical signals (words, context, punctuation) to determine the truth of a statement.
4. Avoid long essay responses. Allow graphic organizers and charts as alternative extended responses.
5. Where written responses are needed, please be patient when deciphering sentence structure, grammar, and spelling.
ESL assessment modification does make a difference.
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