BLE 531 Assessment of Limited-English-Proficient Students

Course Description

This course introduces issues related to the assessment of students who are second language learners. The relationship between teaching and assessment, progress reporting, content area testing, program interventions, and the role of parents will be addressed

Topics and Objectives

Assessment Foundations

· Examine the continuum of assessment and instruction as an integrated approach

· Identify Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) standards as they relate to assessment

· Review the International Reading Association (IRA) and National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Joint Task Force Assessment recommendations

· Identify the purposes of assessment

· Compare and contrast formal and informal assessment approaches

· Examine the benefits of performance assessment

· Identify where assessment biases can occur

Second Language Acquisition and Assessment

· Examine second language acquisition stages/characteristics that impact instruction and assessment

· Identify differences between Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) and the relationship to assessment

· Review the relationship between first language proficiency and second language proficiency

Content Area Instruction and Assessment

· Examine a variety of authentic assessment tools and determine how they can be used across the curriculum

· Analyze the importance of teaching content and language simultaneously

· Examine the various techniques between expository text and narrative text

· Identify curriculum challenges of content area instruction and assessment

· Identify principles of assessment

Writing Assessment

· Describe the developmental stages of the writing process

· Analyze the impact of listening and speaking on writing development and assessment

· Examine current research on effective writing assessments

· Examine appropriate writing assessments for second language learners

Reading Assessment

· Describe the developmental stages of the reading process

· Analyze the impact of listening and speaking on reading development and assessment

· Identify current research on best practices for reading assessments

· Examine appropriate reading assessments for second language learners

Normal Language Development versus Learning/Language Disorders

· Identify difficulties in distinguishing normal language development versus learning problems

· Examine research on length of time needed for second language learners to "catch up"

· Examine a variety of oral language proficiency tests

· Distinguish natural language acquisition difficulties encountered across cultures regarding English language development

Standardized and Informal Assessments

· Examine the importance of academic language development and assessment

· Identify appropriate uses of formal and informal assessments in teaching

· Identify reasons for under representation of Second Language Learners (SLL) in gifted programs

· Determine appropriate assessment techniques for placement of SLL students

· Analyze the use of performance assessments, including portfolio development, for determining individual student goals and objectives

Parental Involvement

· Identify current research and best practices for parental involvement

· Examine implications for development of parental involvement

· Analyze aspects of effective parent and community programs

· Develop a model parental involvement program