Next-Generation Summative English Language Proficiency Assessments for English Learners: Priorities for Policy and Research

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikyung Kim Wolf ◽  
Danielle Guzman-Orth ◽  
Maurice Cogan Hauck
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Next Generation

Aligning English Language Proficiency Standards With Content Standards: Shared Opportunity and Responsibility Across English Learner Education and Content Areas

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (8) ◽  
pp. 534-542 ◽  
Author(s):  
Okhee Lee
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Content Standards ◽  
Content Areas ◽  
Disciplinary Practices ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
English Language Proficiency Standards ◽  
K 12

The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 mandates that English language proficiency (ELP) standards align with content standards. As the fast-growing population of English learners (ELs) is expected to meet college- and career-ready content standards, the purpose of this article is to highlight key issues in aligning ELP standards with content standards. The overarching question is how to align ELP standards with academically rigorous and language-intensive disciplinary practices of content standards while respecting and maintaining the nature of the discipline within each area. I begin by describing contributions and shortcomings of content standards and ELP standards. Next, I propose consideration of three components in aligning ELP standards with content standards: (a) norms of disciplinary practices across content areas, (b) developmental progressions of disciplinary practices across K–12 grade levels or bands and across content areas, and (c) language use across levels of English proficiency. For each component, the challenges in establishing alignment and potential trade-offs in addressing these challenges are discussed. Finally, I highlight how these challenges present opportunities for substantive collaboration between EL education and content areas to move these fields forward and ensure ELs achieve academically rigorous content standards while developing ELP.

Borrowing legitimacy as English learner (EL) leaders: Indiana’s 14-year history with English language proficiency standards

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trish Morita-Mullaney
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language Development ◽  
Content Standards ◽  
Critical Leadership ◽  
English Language Proficiency Standards ◽  
K 12

English language proficiency or English language development (ELP/D) standards guide how content-specific instruction and assessment is practiced by teachers and how English learners (ELs) at varying levels of English proficiency can perform grade-level-specific academic standards in K–12 US schools. With the transition from the state-developed Indiana ELP/D standards adopted in 2003 to the World Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) English language development standards adopted in 2013, this paper explores Indiana’s ELP/D standard’s 14-year history and how its district EL/Bilingual district leaders have interpreted and implemented these two sets of standards between the school years 2002–03 and 2015–16. Using critical leadership and feminism within a narrative design, EL/Bilingual leaders illuminate distinct leadership logics as they mediate and implement ELP/D standards in their districts. Academic content standards are regarded with greater privilege, complicating how EL/Bilingual leaders can position ELP/D standards. Restricted by this standards hierarchy, EL/Bilingual leaders found limited educational venues in which to discuss the performance-based nature of ELP/D standards. Implications for assessment, policy, and leadership preparation are discussed.

scholarly journals Building a Framework for a Next-Generation English Language Proficiency Assessment System

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikyung Kim Wolf ◽  
Phil Everson ◽  
Alexis Lopez ◽  
Maurice Hauck ◽  
Emilie Pooler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Proficiency Assessment

Aspects of Technical Adequacy of an Early-Writing Measure for English Language Learners in Grades 1 to 3

2020 ◽  
pp. 153450842094715
Author(s):  
R. Alex Smith ◽  
Erica S. Lembke
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
First Grade ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Technical Adequacy ◽  
Writing Curriculum ◽  
Native Languages ◽  
English Only

This study examined the technical adequacy of Picture Word, a type of Writing Curriculum-Based Measurement, with 73 English learners (ELs) with beginning to intermediate English language proficiency in Grades 1, 2, and 3. The ELs in this study attended schools in one Midwestern school district employing an English-only model of instruction and spoke a variety of native languages. ELs completed two forms of Picture Word in the fall, winter, and spring. The criterion measure, a common English language proficiency assessment, was administered in the winter. Results indicated that Picture Word was not appropriate for the first-grade EL participants but showed promise for second- and third-grade ELs.

scholarly journals English Language Proficiency and Content Assessment Performance: A Comparison of English Learners and Native English Speakers Achievement

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 198
Author(s):  
Suzi Keller Miley ◽  
Aarek Farmer
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Language Arts ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Language Arts ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Subsequent Performance ◽  
Scale Scores ◽  
Achievement Levels

As a result of the accountability requirements established in Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Educational Act (ESEA) legislation, English Learners (ELs) are expected to make progress in both content area academic achievement and English Language Proficiency (ELP). In Tennessee ELs progress is measured by administering WIDA-Access to assess English language proficiency, and Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) standardized assessments to measure content academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the performance levels of ELs who achieved the exit criteria on WIDA-Access state mandated English proficiency assessment and their subsequent performance on English Language Arts and Math TCAP assessments. Specifically, a comparison of EL’s achievement on TCAP was compared to the achievement on TCAP of non-ELs. Independent samples t-tests were performed on data from 302 elementary and middle school ELs and non-ELs that participated in WIDA-Access and TCAP assessments in 2015. Data analyses concluded that English Language Arts and Math TCAP scale scores were significantly different between ELs and non-ELs. Achievement levels in both English Language Arts TCAP and Math TCAP for ELs, who achieved the exit criteria on WIDA-Access, were lower than the achievement levels of non-ELs. Discussions of the findings in this study along with implications of using these assessments to measure ELs growth is provided in relation to the increased demands on measuring both the academic achievement and English language progress for ELs.

English Language Proficiency Standards Aligned With Content Standards

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 317-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Okhee Lee
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Content Standards ◽  
Federal Legislation ◽  
Content Areas ◽  
Disciplinary Practices

As federal legislation requires that English language proficiency (ELP) standards are aligned with content standards, this article addresses issues and concerns in aligning ELP standards with content standards in English language arts, mathematics, and science. It starts with a brief description of federal legislation for alignment between ELP standards and content standards along with challenges of ensuring alignment. Then, it highlights how current efforts to ensure alignment center on the language used to engage in disciplinary practices of content standards. Next, taking a perspective on ELP standards from the vantage point of content areas, the article presents a critique of ELP standards developed by the two major consortia of states, WIDA and English Language Proficiency Assessment for the 21st Century (ELPA21). Specifically, the critique focuses on how each consortium addresses two aspects of alignment: (a) disciplinary practices across content areas and (b) cognitive expectations across proficiency levels. Both consortia fall short in accurately reflecting disciplinary practices and maintaining consistent cognitive expectations. Lessons learned from this critique offer recommendations for the field to move forward in ensuring English learners capitalize on the opportunities and meet the demands for both content and language learning presented by content standards. As the challenges in ELP standards development lie squarely at the intersection of content and language learning, the article ends with a call to action for closer collaboration between language and content educators.

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