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Rubric for Assigning Students to Alternate Standards for Instruction and Assessment (MDE)

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Rubric for Assigning Students to Alternate Standards for Instruction and Assessment (MDE)

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What translation program is the right fit? 

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What translation program is the right fit? 

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Flyer created by Amie Van Horn of Livonia Public Schools.

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“We have been very pleased and fortunate to have Liaison Linguistics as a business partner to help us meet our needs for interpreters. Their efficient professionalism, prompt response and, above all, strong involvement with the culturally-diverse Grand Rapids community, gives them a unique ability to readily fill the demand for a variety of languages, many of which would often be considered difficult to find.

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Tools from OS/MDE to support with RIOT for MLs, with the categories:

Select tools and strategies...

To examine...

And inform problem-solving...

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Reenvisioning the UDL Guidelines

Because the UDL Guidelines are meant to be informed by feedback from the field as well as new research, they have been updated several times in the past. We are in the process of updating the Guidelines once again in our UDL Rising to Equity initiative.

This update will focus specifically on addressing systemic barriers that result in inequitable learning opportunities and outcomes. CAST aims to develop a transparent, inclusive, and community-driven process. If you are interested in collaborating and staying updated on our progress, we invite you to complete a brief survey.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Reenvisioning the UDL Guidelines

Because the UDL Guidelines are meant to be informed by feedback from the field as well as new research, they have been updated several times in the past. We are in the process of updating the Guidelines once again in our UDL Rising to Equity initiative.

This update will focus specifically on addressing systemic barriers that result in inequitable learning opportunities and outcomes. CAST aims to develop a transparent, inclusive, and community-driven process. If you are interested in collaborating and staying updated on our progress, we invite you to complete a brief survey.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

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How to Calculate IEP Identification Rates Using MiSchoolData.org (Michigan)

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How to Calculate IEP Identification Rates Using MiSchoolData.org (Michigan)

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OS: How To Calculate IEP Identification for ELs

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TrUDL, A Path to Full Inclusion: The Intersectional Possibilities of Translanguaging and Universal Design for Learning

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TrUDL, A Path to Full Inclusion: The Intersectional Possibilities of Translanguaging and Universal Design for Learning

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Supporting Academic and Affective Learning Processes for English Language Learners with Universal Design for Learning

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Supporting Academic and Affective Learning Processes for English Language Learners with Universal Design for Learning

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Supporting Academic and Affective Learning Processes for English Language Learners with Universal Design for Learning on JSTOR

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KAVITA RAO, CAROLINE TORRES, Supporting Academic and Affective Learning Processes for English Language Learners with Universal Design for Learning, TESOL Quarterly, Vol. 51, No. 2 (JUNE 2017), pp. 460-472

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Increasing Engagement of ELs through UDL

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Increasing Engagement of ELs through UDL

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Abstract

English learners (ELs) are the fastest growing segment of K-12 students. When ELs do not respond to instruction as quickly as their English-speaking peers, teachers may focus on their deficits and wrongly label them as having a learning disability. In this article on the universal design for learning engagement guidelines, we summarize how we have anticipated learning barriers and increased engagement with academic content for ELs in our practice. By teaching strategies for self-regulation and individual coping skills, providing guided practice and support to sustain effort, and giving students various ways to achieve the same goal in a safe learning environment, teachers of ELs and collaborative staff can engage students in their classrooms and schools. We explore universal design for learning for ELs through an assets-based approach and suggest strategies for elementary and secondary teachers to modify for ELs through illustrative case vignettes based on our classroom practice.

DOWNLOADS

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Increasing Engagement of English Learners Through Universal Design for Learning

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English learners (ELs) are the fastest growing segment of K-12 students. When ELs do not respond to instruction as quickly as their English-speaking peers, teachers may focus on their deficits and wrongly label them as having a learning disability.

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3 Ways to Support Multilingual Learners with UDL

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3 Ways to Support Multilingual Learners with UDL

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One of the million reasons I love Universal Design for Learning ( UDL) is that it helps teachers provide the tools to help all learners learn - whether a learner has the highest GPA in the school or if a learner is new to the dominant language spoken at the school. UDL's got you! When you implement UDL in the classroom, you are teaching with the understanding that there is not one single means of representation that will be optimal for all learners.

All learners are different and how they perceive and comprehend information is different. Therefore, in order to support your wildly, amazingly different learners, you have to provide multiple means of representation.

In a UDL classroom, we all have the responsibility to design instruction to support our multilingual learners (MLL). It is important to place high expectations on our learners and help to alleviate obstacles that may get in the way of them breaking through and hitting their potential.

Here are three ways to support our MLL learners with UDL:

Funds of Knowledge

Students have a wealth of knowledge that they gain through personal experiences outside of school. By understanding students' non-academic knowledge, educators can make connections in the curriculum and see their knowledge as strengths. This helps students activate background knowledge and generalize and transfer knowledge to new learning.

To activate your students' funds of knowledge, consider:

Asking students about hobbies, skills, and talents and how they learned them

Asking students to interview their family members and share what they learned with classmates

Inviting family members to speak to fellow students about their experiences (in-person or via zoom), or

Inviting students to tell their stories (orally, written, via video, etc.)

Instructional Practices

We can eliminate barriers for our students in the way that we shape and deliver our content to our learners.

Cooperative learning is when students work together to achieve a goal. It helps deepen their knowledge, provides them with immediate feedback, helps students identify their strengths, and allows teachers to be able to circulate the room to provide more support where needed. MLL students can listen to English and speak it in a small group, which helps build confidence and deepens comprehension. For example, pair reading helps students listen to English and practice speaking and reading with a peer.

Increase wait times. Pause after asking a question. Include think-pair-share, which gives students time to process, translate if necessary, and activate prior knowledge as they discuss with a peer.

Provide students with difficult vocabulary before a lesson. This allows them to translate and activate prior knowledge.

Provide visuals. Include visual supports whenever possible to help students connect English to their native language.

Technology in the classroom can be such an amazing benefit - especially for our multilingual learners. There are a plethora of new technologies and apps that help make things easier. Below are a few of our current favorite ways to use technology to benefit our MLL students:

Translate digital text to a student's native language through:

Google Translate

Onlinedoctranslator.com

Translate Function on Google Docs (click Tools > Translate > Select language to translate)

Allow students to discreetly ask for help. Many MLL students are quiet and shy when they join an English-speaking classroom. The language barrier can prevent students from verbally asking for help. Sites like ClassroomQ can help them easily and privately ask for help.

Video captions can be translated on YouTube so students can hear English and read it in their native language. This also allows them to hear and/or read the information as many times as necessary.

Text-to-Speech allows students to record their notes or thoughts in their native language then translate to English. For example, Google Docs has this feature for many languages. To use this, turn on voice typing in Google Docs. Change the settings from English to the student's native language - then turn it on and then they can start speaking in their native language.

We can provide all students with multiple means of representation using the UDL Guidelines through funds of knowledge, instructional practices, and technology.

Source: Kristin Mayo

Did we miss anything that has worked well in your classroom? We would love to hear from you and add it to this piece. Send us a note or reach out @NovakEducation.

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3 Ways Educators Can Support Multilingual Learners With UDL

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How educators can support English Learners and Multilingual Learners with Universal Design for Learning. Three steps for educators to take to support MLLs.

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UDL and Language Learners "What's good for a few, what's good for some, is good for all within a learning community." Dr. Soomin Chao, Los Angeles County Office of Education Universal Design for Learning addresses barriers in the learning environment, including those commonly encountered by English Learners.

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Culturally Responsive Design for English Learners: The UDL Approach

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Culturally Responsive Design for English Learners: The UDL Approach

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1. Home

2. Catalog

3. All Books & Products

4. Culturally Responsive Design for English Learners: The UDL Approach

Author(s)

Patti Kelly Ralabate & Loui Lord Nelson

Date

2017

About the Book

Patti Kelly Ralabate and Loui Lord Nelson-both influential early adopters of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) -braid two "hot" frameworks, Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) and UDL, to help teachers address the needs of English Learners in today's classrooms.

With cultural and linguistic diversity in the classroom on the rise, educators are challenged to address the needs of English Learners "without diluting the focus of their educational goals and curriculum, and potentially sacrificing the progress of other students," write Ralabate and Nelson.

Culturally Responsive Design for English Learners uses UDL, which addresses the innate brain-based differences of learners, and CRT, a pedagogy that responds to learners' cultural differences, to design culturally responsive instruction that's inclusive of all learners. These frameworks are also brought together to specifically address the learning needs faced by English Learners (ELs).

In this essential new resource, the authors provide scenarios, reflection questions, and classroom-based exercises to support responsive instruction. Learn to design and craft goals, methods, materials, and assessments that help ELs optimize their educational experience.

Culturally Responsive Design for English Learners: The UDL Approach is available in both paperback ($29.99, 232 pages, ISBN: 9781930583054) and EPUB ($29.99, ISBN: 9781930583061) format.
Table of Contents

Patti Kelly Ralabate & Loui Lord Nelson on Culturally Responsive Design for English Learners

Watch the entire series of short videos to get behind-the-scenes insights from Patti and Loui about Culturally Responsive Design for English Learners.

Culturally Responsive Design for English Learners Playlist

About the Authors

Patti Kelly Ralabate, EdD, is the author of the bestseller Your UDL Lesson Planner: The Step-by-Step Guide for Teaching All Learners (Paul H. Brookes, 2016) and former Director of Implementation at CAST, where she guided a multi-district UDL implementation initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She was the special education expert in the National Education Association's policy and practice department, and an early partner in the National UDL Task Force that successfully brought UDL into federal policy. She has nearly three decades of teaching experience as a speech-language pathologist and holds a doctorate in special education from George Washington University in Washington, DC.

More from Patti Kelly Ralabate

Loui Lord Nelson, PhD, is an international educational consultant who focuses on Universal Design for Learning. A former special education teacher, Loui provides guidance in UDL to schools, districts, state personnel, and universities across the globe and is the author of the top-selling book, Design and Deliver: Planning and Teaching Using Universal Design for Learning (Paul H. Brookes, 2014), and A Tree for All (CAST, 2019).

You can follow her on twitter at @LouiLordNelson.

More from Loui Lord Nelson

Table of Contents

Figures and Tables

Acknowledgments

PART I: A Foundation for Culturally Responsive Design: How Culture, Context, and Language Shape Learning

Chapter 1: Culturally Responsive Design Matters

Chapter 2: Learner Variability and CLD Students/ELs

Chapter 3: Culturally Responsive Teaching and UDL

Chapter 4: The Culturally Responsive Learning Environment

PART II: Applying Culturally Responsive Design to Second- or Dual-Language Learning

Chapter 5: Dual-Language Learning and UDL

Chapter 6: Culturally Responsive Representation

Chapter 7: Context Matters

Chapter 8: Culturally Responsive Lesson Design

Chapter 9: The Policy Foundation

Glossary

References

Index

About the Authors

More from CAST Publishing

This book shows teachers how to plan for the variability and anticipate special challenges that occur when working with those whose primary language is not the language of instruction.

C. Torres & K. Rao
2019

In this lively and fun book, UDL experts Allison Posey and Katie Novak identify elements of what they call "The Unlearning Cycle" and challenge educators to think again about what, how, and why they teach.

A. Posey & K. Novak
2020

This look at UDL includes contributions from CAST's research and implementation teams, as well as their collaborators in schools, universities, and research settings.

A. Meyer, D. H. Rose, & D. Gordon
2014

Top of Page

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Culturally Responsive Design for English Learners: The UDL Approach - CAST Professional Publishing

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Ralabate and Nelson braid two "hot" frameworks, Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) and UDL, to help teachers address the needs of English Learners in today's classrooms.

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Author(s)

Caroline Torres & Kavita Rao

Date

2019

About the Book

How do we help language learners-those whose primary language is not the language of instruction-become resourceful, motivated, and strategic?

In UDL for Language Learners, authors Caroline Torres and Kavita Rao address this critical problem of teaching practice. Whether they are newcomers or natural-born citizens, language learners are in a highly diverse group with widely varying needs, in addition to their language acquisition needs. Differences in academic and cultural backgrounds can present special challenges for teachers who are trying to help all of their students meet common goals and standards.

This book shows teachers how to plan for that variability and anticipate special challenges. The result: lessons that empower such students to achieve at high levels. Detailed vignettes illustrate how teachers can apply UDL in the classroom. The authors share strategies and design processes relevant to specific grades and content or skill areas.

UDL for Language Learners is available in paperback ($34.99, 154 pages, 6x9″, ISBN: 9781930583290) and EPUB formats ($34.99, ISBN: 9781930583238).
Table of Contents

About the Authors

Caroline Torres, PhD, teaches second language teaching to preservice and inservice teachers at Kapi'olani Community College in Hawaii and provides professional development to K-12 teachers on working with culturally and linguistically diverse students. She has worked in schools across the Hawaiian islands and in Japan.

Kavita Rao, PhD, is a professor of special education at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Her research focuses on instructional and assistive technology, UDL, online learning, and technology-related strategies for culturally and linguistically diverse students.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Variability of Language Learners and the UDL Design Cycle

Chapter 2: Content and Language Development

Chapter 3: Developing Reading Across the Curriculum

Chapter 4: Developing Writing Across the Curriculum

Chapter 5: Developing Vocabulary Across the Curriculum

Chapter 6: Developing Integrated Language

Conclusion: Using UDL in Your Classroom

References

Index

About the Authors

More from CAST Publishing

Ralabate and Nelson braid two "hot" frameworks, Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) and UDL, to help teachers address the needs of English Learners in today's classrooms.

P. K. Ralabate & L. L. Nelson
2017

In this lively and fun book, UDL experts Allison Posey and Katie Novak identify elements of what they call "The Unlearning Cycle" and challenge educators to think again about what, how, and why they teach.

A. Posey & K. Novak
2020

In this revised and expanded edition of the bestseller UDL Now!, Katie Novak provides practical insights and savvy strategies for helping all learners meet high standards using the Universal Design for Learning framework.

K. Novak
2016

Top of Page

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UDL for Language Learners - CAST Professional Publishing

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This book shows teachers how to plan for the variability and anticipate special challenges that occur when working with those whose primary language is not the language of instruction.

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How to Calculate IEP Identification Rates Using MiSchoolData.org (Michigan)

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How to Calculate IEP Identification Rates Using MiSchoolData.org (Michigan)

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OS: How To Calculate IEP Identification for ELs

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Power of Partnership: Where Special Education & Multilingual Magic Meet! (2 OCT 2025)

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Power of Partnership: Where Special Education & Multilingual Magic Meet! (2 OCT 2025)

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Presentation from half-day, in-person collaborative workshop on October 2, 2025.

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Court Interpreters - Oakland County list

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Court Interpreters - Oakland County list

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This is a list of interpreters provided by the Oakland County Circuit and Probate courts.

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Presence has been used successfully by some districts for evaluation and services in other languages.

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We are here to empower you. As the leading provider of live, online therapy and evaluation services in PreK-12 schools, Presence offers more income opportunities, a large community of support, and flexible scheduling options.

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Expand access to services and engage students in new ways with our award-winning technology and network of expert clinicians.

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Presence has been used successfully by some districts for evaluation and services in other languages.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We are here to empower you. As the leading provider of live, online therapy and evaluation services in PreK-12 schools, Presence offers more income opportunities, a large community of support, and flexible scheduling options.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Expand access to services and engage students in new ways with our award-winning technology and network of expert clinicians.

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Bilinguistics: Speech and Language Development Library for Languages of the World

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Bilinguistics: Speech and Language Development Library for Languages of the World

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Quote from Bilinguistics: "Finally, comparisons of the articulation and language systems of world languages to English so that Speech Language Pathologists can diagnose and treat bilingual children accurately."

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Finally, comparisons of the articulation and language sytems of world languages to English so that Speech Language Pathologists can diagnose and treat bilingual children accurately.

We've known for a long time that when we concentrate on the shared patterns of two languages we can see the difference between a disorder and home-language influence. We just didn't have the information we needed in one place. That is no longer the case!

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Speech and Language Development Throughout the World

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Finally, speech and language development norms on world languages so speech language pathologists can evaluate and diagnose accurately.

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We all have finished a formal evaluation, found that a child qualifies,and you...

1. don't really believe the results and wonder if culture, exposure, attention span or something else is making the results wonky.

2. know the child qualifies but don't have a clue how to write goals to get him to move forward.

Here are 4 steps to show how dynamic assessment can help us figure this out and a free downloadable Dynamic Assessment Protocol that we put together to make this easy.

But first... What is Dynamic Assessment?

Dynamic assessment is a lot of things:

It is a less-biased approach for determining when there is a language difference rather than a language disorder because of second-language influence.

It is an interactive and process-oriented procedure to measure language learning potential. It is a test-teach-retest model based on Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).

It provides us with concrete intervention targets via "mediated learning" (Feuerstein).

There is a lot to be praised about dynamic assessment but how do we reap the rewards within the testing timeframes that we have been given?

Dynamic assessment enables us to take areas of concern that have shown up on formal testing and systematically put them through a quick 5-step process.

Step 1: Choose an area on formal testing where the child did not do well.

Step 2: Attempt to teach the skill. The quickest way to teach new skills and get reliable results is to use Mediated Learning. This is what it would look like:

Strategy

Purpose

Example

Intentionality:

What's the goal?

State the purpose of the teaching.

We're going to work on following directions that have 3 steps.

Meaning:

Why are we working on this?

Tell why it's important and relevant.

When someone gives you directions, it's important to do each step so that you finish the task.

Transcendence:

What happens if we don't have this skill?

Develop awareness of the relevance of the skill to real life through critical thinking.

What if your teacher tells you to color, cut, and glue, but you only follow two of the directions? Then your project wouldn't be finished.

Application:

Here's what I expect you to do. Let's try it together.

Clarify expectations and give explicit instructions. Provide a model and allow opportunities for practice.

This time when I give you a direction that has 3 steps, I want you to do all 3 steps in the order that I say them. I'll do it first and then it will be your turn.

Competence:

What did you learn? Why is it important? When will you use this skill?

Check for understanding of the skill and its importance for the current context and future classroom activities.

Remember, it's important to listen to all the steps in a direction and follow each one.

Now you tell me what we practiced and why it's important. Think about when you might need to follow directions correctly in the classroom.

Then we'll try it five more times.

Step 3: Record how much you had to support the student:

Minimal

Moderate

Maximum

Repetition

Rephrasing

Slowed rate

1-2 presentations

Modeling correct response

Providing a demonstration

Multi-sensory input

Multiple (3-4) prompts

Direct imitation (verbal)

Physically prompted (non-verbal)

Reduced Content

Performs task for child

Step 4: Determine whether the area needs to be addressed in therapy or be included as a reason for qualification.

So Why do Dynamic Assessment?

Dynamic Assessment provides an alternative approach that focuses on learning. It:

helps us determine difference vs. disorder

helps us identify how much support a child needs to be successful

helps us determine appropriate goals

For more information on how to make this happen, watch this online video course and download the Dynamic Assessment Protocol.

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Dynamic Assessment: What we need to know

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don't really believe the results and wonder if culture, exposure, attention span or something else is making the results wonky. know the child qualifies but don't have a clue how to write goals to get him to move forward.

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Dynamic Assessment: Integrating DA into Your Practice

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Dynamic Assessment: Integrating DA into Your Practice

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From ASHA, with Dr. Elizabeth Peña.

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You may have heard the term dynamic assessment, but do you know how to integrate it into your practice? Assessing individuals on your caseload can be complex because they bring unique cultural and linguistic identities that don't fit one mold. One alternative to standardized testing methods is dynamic assessment. Learn more about the components of dynamic assessment to inform clinical decision making in these four 30-minute micro courses, with speaker Dr. Elizabeth Peña.

References

Orellana, C. I., Wada, R., & Gillam, R. B. (2019). The use of dynamic assessment for the diagnosis of language disorders in bilingual children: A meta-analysis. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 28(3), 1298-1317. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-18-0202

Peña, E. D., Gillam, R. B., & Bedore, L. M. (2014). Dynamic assessment of narrative ability in English accurately identifies language impairment in English language learners. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 57(6), 2208-2220. https://doi.org/10.1044/2014_JSLHR-L-13-0151

Petersen, D. B., Chanthongthip, H., Ukrainetz, T. A., Spencer, T. D., & Steeve, R. W. (2017). Dynamic Assessment of Narratives: Efficient, Accurate Identification of Language Impairment in Bilingual Students. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 60(4), 983-998. https://doi.org/10.1044/2016_JSLHR-L-15-0426

Petersen, D. B., Tonn, P., Spencer, T. D., & Foster, M. E. (2020). The Classification Accuracy of a Dynamic Assessment of Inferential Word Learning for Bilingual English/Spanish-Speaking School-Age Children . Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 51(1), 144-164. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_LSHSS-18-0129

Wolter, J. A., & Pike, K. (2015). Dynamic assessment of morphological awareness and third-grade literacy success. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 46(2), 112-126. https://doi.org/10.1044/2015_LSHSS-14-0037

Resources

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You may have heard the term dynamic assessment , but do you know how to integrate it into your practice? Assessing individuals on your caseload can be complex because they bring unique cultural and linguistic identities that don't fit one mold. One alternative to standardized testing methods is dynamic assessment.

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From American Institutes for Research and Center on Multi-Tiered Systems of Support: MTSS4SUCCESS.ORG

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From Oakland Schools. Part of OS-MDE Guidance.

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Rating Scales for Student Modifiability and Teacher Effort during Dynamic Assessment

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Rating Scales for Student Modifiability and Teacher Effort during Dynamic Assessment

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UPDATED Step 6-4 DA Modifiability & Teacher Effort Rating Scales

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MDE and OS: Separating Difference and Disability in MLs Who Struggle

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MDE and OS: Separating Difference and Disability in MLs Who Struggle

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Guidance created by Oakland Schools and adopted by MDE on Separating Difference from Disability in Multilingual Learners Who Struggle.

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* Separating Difference from Disability in English Learners Who Struggle (2025)

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MDE and OS: Separating Difference and Disability in MLs Who Struggle

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MDE and OS: Separating Difference and Disability in MLs Who Struggle

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Guidance created by Oakland Schools and adopted by MDE on Separating Difference from Disability in Multilingual Learners Who Struggle.

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* Separating Difference from Disability in English Learners Who Struggle (2025)

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WIDA Focus Bulletin: Providing MLs with Disabilities Access to Complex Language

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WIDA Focus Bulletin: Providing MLs with Disabilities Access to Complex Language

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WIDA Focus Bulletin: Identifying MLs with Specific Learning Disabilities

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WIDA Focus Bulletin: Identifying MLs with Specific Learning Disabilities

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High Level Practices for Students with Disabilities

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High Level Practices for Students with Disabilities

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MDE: IEP Tool for Multilingual Learners with Exceptionalities

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MDE: IEP Tool for Multilingual Learners with Exceptionalities

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MDE: Should my student take WIDA Alternate ACCESS?

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MDE: Should my student take WIDA Alternate ACCESS?

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Power of Partnership: Multilingual and Special Education webinar

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Power of Partnership: Multilingual and Special Education webinar

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Webinar from Wayne RESA Summer Blitz, August 2025.

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Power of Partnership: Multilingual & Special Education

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Advancing ALTELLA Toolkit: Applying the Framework

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Advancing ALTELLA Toolkit: Applying the Framework

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Based in Battle Creek, MI>

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We offer in-person interpretation services in Spanish, Japanese to all service providers in the greater Battle Creek and Kalamazoo region. All of our interpreters are trained and language tested, and abide by NCIHC protocols. Our interpreters are local and ready to serve you in an emergency or scheduled in advance. To learn more, contact our Language Access team.

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Based in Clinton Township, MI.

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Language Lists – Global Interpreting Services

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The WIDA Alternate Can Do Descriptors are designed for multilingual learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities. These descriptors illustrate what MLs can achieve in communication and language at various stages of English language development.

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WIDA Alternate Can Do Descriptors 2024.pdf

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Procedural Safeguards in other languages

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Procedural Safeguards in other languages

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Scroll to the bottom of this MDE page to find procedural safeguards in other languages.

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MDE IEP Tool for Multilingual Learners with Disabilities

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MDE IEP Tool for Multilingual Learners with Disabilities

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OS Guidance: Effective Interpretation Process for ELs and their Families

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OS Guidance: Effective Interpretation Process for ELs and their Families

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Guidance from Oakland Schools, including working with interpreters before, during, and after an MTSS, evaluation, or IEP session.

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* UPDATED 2023 Guidance for an Effective Interpretation Process for ELs and Their Families

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Translators Resource List - Michigan Department of State

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Translators Resource List - Michigan Department of State

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Interpretation and Translation Guidelines from Immigrant Connections

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Interpretation and Translation Guidelines from Immigrant Connections

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Translation and Interpretation Code of Ethics for Education

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Translation and Interpretation Code of Ethics for Education

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From: https://naetisl.org/

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Based in Lansing, Michigan.

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Based in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

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ASTM 3130-18 Certified Company

The certification demonstrates that Bromberg provides high quality language services that consistently meet and respond to the many and varied needs of our clients.

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Language Translation and Interpreting Services

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Bromberg is the leading translation services company in Michigan. We provide accurate and timely translation & interpreting services for any industry.

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Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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Why should you choose Voices For Health? We understand the challenges of providing services in a multilingual, multicultural environment. We work with our customers as a team to provide a suite of interrelated solutions tailored to your needs. We specialize in healthcare, education and social services, focusing our personalized approach, experience and expertise to help customers nationwide:

Provide high quality language access

Comply with federal mandates

Understand cultural differences that impact health care delivery

Learn languages

Research language and cultural issues

Develop educational curriculae

Obtain funding through grants and investors

Diversify client markets

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Why should you choose Voices For Health? We understand the challenges of providing services in a multilingual, multicultural environment. We work with our customers as a team to provide a suite of interrelated solutions tailored to your needs.

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Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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Welcome! Please take a few moments to explore our website. We designed it so you have easy access to service descriptions, general pricing as well as ordering all with one visit. See our First Time Customer Discount (FIRST10) offer detailed below.

You will find it is quite different from the web sites of other language service-provider agencies.

We clearly explain our services and pricing.

Do you have a large project? Need a quick and detailed quotation?

Email us your project description and any related file(s) for a no-cost and no-obligation quotation.

Quotations are always free of charge and submitted to you within 24-48 hours.

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Welcome to University Translators Services, LLC Founded in 1987 University Translators Services provides professional written translation and oral interpretation services for ALL LANGUAGES Our services include oral interpretation, written translation, proofreading, stylistic/technical editing, localization, video narration linguistic consulting as well as multi-lingual desktop publishing. The translators and

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National translation and interpretation services.

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Propio Language Services | Transforming Communication

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At Propio, we provide secure, multi-platform language interpretation and localization services that bridge the gap between the people we serve and the resources they need.

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National translation and interpretation services.

If your district has an OMNIA contract, ask about the pricing for Language Line via that contract.

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Language Translation and Interpreting Services | LanguageLine Solutions

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LanguageLine is the global leader in interpretation, translation, and localization services. We provide 24/7 language access coverage in 290+ languages.

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Guidance from MDE on when to use an interpreter/translator, and when to use technology.

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Learning Disabilities v Second Language Acquisition

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Learning Disabilities v Second Language Acquisition

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Chart that shows observed behaviors, and ways that those behaviors may be associated with learning disabilities or language acquisition--and therefore ways to probe further.

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Learning Disabilities vs Second Language Acquisition

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2020 WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework

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2020 WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework

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This document not only explains the WIDA ELD Standards, but also unpacks them in "grade-level cluster materials" for practical application in the classroom.

Understanding the WIDA ELD Standards Framework
•  Language and content integration
• Key Language Uses: Language uses across disciplines
• Language Expectations: Goals for content-driven language learning
• Proficiency Level Descriptors—a continuum of language development

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CCAST: Checklist for Cross-Cultural Administration of Standardized Tests

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CCAST: Checklist for Cross-Cultural Administration of Standardized Tests

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The Checklist for Cross-Cultural Administration of Standardized Tests (CCAST) is a tool for documenting cultural and linguistic modifications to standardized assessment instruments. Created by Dr. Catherine Collier (2016), it is meant to assist with selecting appropriate instruments and procedures, and making and documenting good evaluation and interpretation decisions.

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Checklist for Cross-Cultural Administration of Standardized Tests (Collier 2016)

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Guidance and resources from MDE to meet the needs of ELs.

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Michigan Department of Education - English Learners

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MAISA EL Assessment: Recommended Actions

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MAISA EL Assessment: Recommended Actions

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Guidance on assessment for ELs, including individual learning goals, reflection and self-assessment, general learning and language rubrics, and portfolios (digital or paper).

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Recommended Actions to Support the Assessment of English Learners

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MAISA: Guiding Principles to Help Meet the Assessment Needs of ELs

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MAISA: Guiding Principles to Help Meet the Assessment Needs of ELs

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Guiding principles for assessing ELs at this time, including focusing on socio-emotional needs, language and literacy development, and using family/home language/s for assessment.

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Guiding Principles to Help Meet the Assessment Needs of English Learners

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To get a sense of the student's linguistic context and experience in the home, determine who speaks what languages to whom, and how often.

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Sociocultural Partnering Interview and Interpreter Tips 

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Sociocultural Partnering Interview and Interpreter Tips 

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This is a semi-structured interview for families and schools to share information about cultural context and cultural experiences that can impact a student’s schooling. Families learn more about their student’s classroom and the school culture and the school learns more about a family’s cultural experiences and background.

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Sociocultural Partnering Interview and Interpreter Tips

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Student Oral Language Observation Matrix (SOLOM)

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Student Oral Language Observation Matrix (SOLOM)

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The SOLOM is a rating scale that can be used to assess students' command of oral language as observed in a variety of situations - class discussions, playground interactions, and encounters between classes. This tool may be used to evaluate students' oral language in their native or primary language as well as in English.

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Resources curated by Colorin Colorado to help educators, administrators, and families to work together around this complex topic.

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Special Education and English Language Learners

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Learn more about how schools and families can collaborate to ensure that ELLs, including those with special needs, have the appropriate support and services to meet their unique needs.

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Special Education and ELs: The Critical Need for Collaboration 

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Special Education and ELs: The Critical Need for Collaboration 

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Links to articles and videos on collaboration to support ELs with Disabilities/Suspected Disabilities are found on the Colorin Colorado website.

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Collaboration is essential when identifying the needs of English language learners (ELLs) -- different team members bring different kinds of expertise and will be much more effective than trying to make decisions in isolation. Learn more about why collaboration matters and how to improve collaboration from these tips and videos.

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Special Education and ELLs: The Critical Need for Collaboration

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Collaboration is essential when identifying the needs of English language learners (ELLs) -- different team members bring different kinds of expertise and will be much more effective than trying to make decisions in isolation. Learn more about why collaboration matters and how to improve collaboration from these tips and videos.

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WIDA ACCESS Interpretative Guide for Score Reports

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WIDA ACCESS Interpretative Guide for Score Reports

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The Can Do Descriptors and the corresponding WIDA Performance Definitions for Speaking and Writing and Listening and Reading can help you understand what test scores mean in practical terms. As you examine and discuss the results, use WIDA resources to help you move from scores to practical recommendations for the services, instructional support, and future assessment needs of each student.

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The Bilingual Verbal Ability Tests (BVAT) Normative Update measures overall verbal ability for bilingual individuals ages 5 to 90+. Typical administration time is approximately 30 minutes. An interpreter is needed. In this updated BVAT, the languages supported are purchased separately from the English version.

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Bilingual Verbal Ability Tests (BVAT) Normative Update

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Elevate potential with Riverside Insights' trusted assessments, including Woodcock-Johnson, the Iowa Assessments, and CogAT.

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The Resiliency Checklist (RCII) is a screening tool to identify and profile resiliency factors in learners from a culturally or linguistically diverse background. This tool is used to generate a prioritized list of strength areas for facilitating instruction for diverse learners.

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Developing a Progress Monitoring Portfolio for Children in Early Childhood Special Education Programs

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Developing a Progress Monitoring Portfolio for Children in Early Childhood Special Education Programs

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Although this article is geared toward early childhood, the portfolio process it describes--including artifacts, indicators, and data collection--may be useful for all grade/age levels.

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Developing a Progress Monitoring Portfolio for Children in Early Childhood Special Education Programs

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The Use of Portfolio Assessment in Evaluation

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The Use of Portfolio Assessment in Evaluation

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Portfolio assessment can be geared towards an individual's needs and goals, and "allows for the possibility of assessing some of the more complex and important aspects of many constructs (rather than just the ones that are easiest to measure)."

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In program evaluation as in other areas, a picture can be worth a thousand words. As an evaluation tool for community-based programs, we can think of a portfolio as a kind of scrapbook or photo album that records the progress and activities of the program and its participants, and showcases them to interested parties both within and outside of the program. While portfolio assessment has been predominantly used in educational settings to document the progress and achievements of individual children and adolescents, it has the potential to be a valuable tool for program assessment as well.

Many programs do keep such albums, or scrapbooks, and use them informally as a means of conveying their pride in the program, but most do not consider using them in a systematic way as part of their formal program evaluation. However, the concepts and philosophy behind portfolios can apply to community evaluation, where portfolios can provide windows into community practices, procedures, and outcomes, perhaps better than more traditional measures.

ortfolio assessment has become widely used in educational settings as a way to examine and measure progress, by documenting the process of learning or change as it occurs. Portfolios extend beyond test scores to include substantive descriptions or examples of what the student is doing and experiencing. Fundamental to "authentic assessment" or "performance assessment" in educational theory is the principle that children and adolescents should demonstrate, rather than tell about, what they know and can do (Cole, Ryan, & Kick, 1995). Documenting progress toward higher order goals such as application of skills and synthesis of experience requires obtaining information beyond what can be provided by standardized or norm-based tests. In "authentic assessment", information or data is collected from various sources, through multiple methods, and over multiple points in time (Shaklee, Barbour, Ambrose, & Hansford, 1997). Contents of portfolios (sometimes called "artifacts" or "evidence") can include drawings, photos, video or audio tapes, writing or other work samples, computer disks, and copies of standardized or program-specific tests. Data sources can include parents, staff, and other community members who know the participants or program, as well as the self-reflections of participants themselves. Portfolio assessment provides a practical strategy for systematically collecting and organizing such data.

PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT IS MOST USEFUL FOR:

*Evaluating programs that have flexible or individualized goals or outcomes. For example, within a program with the general purpose of enhancing children's social skills, some individual children may need to become less aggressive while other shy children may need to become more assertive.

Each child's portfolio asseessment would be geared to his or her individual needs and goals.

*Allowing individuals and programs in the community (those being evaluated) to be involved in their own change and decisions to change.

*Providing information that gives meaningful insight into behavior and related change. Because portfolio assessment emphasizes the process of change or growth, at multiple points in time, it may be easier to see patterns.

*Providing a tool that can ensure communication and accountability to a range of audiences. Participants, their families, funders, and members of the community at large who may not have much sophistication in interpreting statistical data can often appreciate more visual or experiential "evidence" of success.

*Allowing for the possibility of assessing some of the more complex and important aspects of many constructs (rather than just the ones that are easiest to measure).

PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT IS NOT AS USEFUL FOR:

*Evaluating programs that have very concrete, uniform goals or purposes. For example, it would be unneccessary to compile a portfolio of individualized "evidence" in a program whose sole purpose is full immunization of all children in a community by the age of five years. The required immunizations are the same, and the evidence is generally clear and straightforward.

*Allowing you to rank participants or programs in a quantitative or standardized way (although evaluators or program staff may be able to make subjective judgements of relative merit).

*Comparing participants or programs to standardized norms. While portfolios can (and often do) include some standardized test scores along with other kinds of "evidence", this is not the main purpose of the portfolio.

USING PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT WITH THE STATE STRENGTHENING EVALUATION GUIDE

Tier 1 - Program Definition

Using portfolios can help you to document the needs and assets of the community of interest. Portfolios can also help you to clarify the identity of your program and allow you to document the "thinking" behind the development of and throughout the program. Ideally, the process of deciding on criteria for the portfolio will flow directly from the program objectives that have been established in designing the program. However, in a new or existing program where the original objectives are not as clearly defined as they need to be, program developers and staff may be able to clarify their own thinking by visualizing what successful outcomes would look like, and what they would accept as "evidence". Thus, thinking about portfolio criteria may contribute to clearer thinking and better definition of program objectives.

Tier 2 - Accountability

Critical to any form of assessment is accountability. In the educational arena for example, teachers are accountable to themselves, their students, and the families, the schools and society. The portfolio is an assessment practice that can inform all of these constituents. The process of selecting "evidence" for inclusion in portfolios involves ongoing dialogue and feedback between participants and service providers.

Tier 3 - Understanding and Refining

Portfolio assessment of the program or participants provides a means of conducting assessments throughout the life of the program, as the program addresses the evolving needs and assets of participants and of the community involved. This helps to maintain focus on the outcomes of the program and the steps necessary to meet them, while ensuring that the implementation is in line with the vision established in Tier 1.

Tier 4 - Progress Toward Outcomes

Items are selected for inclusion in the portfolio because they provide "evidence" of progress toward selected outcomes. Whether the outcomes selected are specific to individual participants or apply to entire communities, the portfolio documents steps toward achievement. Usually it is most helpful for this selection to take place at regular intervals, in the context of conferences or discussions among participants and staff.

Tier 5 - Program Impact

One of the greatest strengths of portfolio assessment in program evaluation may be its power as a tool to communicate program impact to those outside of the program. While this kind of data may not take the place of statistics about numbers served, costs, or test scores, many policy makers, funders, and community members find visual or descriptive evidence of successes of individuals or programs to be very persuasive.

ADVANTAGES OF USING PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT

*Allows the evaluators to see the student, group, or community as individual, each unique with its own characteristics, needs, and strengths.

*Serves as a cross-section lens, providing a basis for future analysis and planning. By viewing the total pattern of the community or of individual participants, one can identify areas of strengths and weaknesses, and barriers to success.

*Serves as a concrete vehicle for communication, providing ongoing communication or exchanges of information among those involved.

*Promotes a shift in ownership; communities and participants can take an active role in examining where they have been and where they want to go.

*Portfolio assessment offers the possibility of addressing shortcomings of traditional assessment. It offers the possibility of assessing the more complex and important aspects of an area or topic.

*Covers a broad scope of knowledge and information, from many different people who know the program or person in different contexts ( eg., participants, parents, teachers or staff, peers, or community leaders).

DISADVANTAGES OF USING PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT

*May be seen as less reliable or fair than more quantitative evaluations such as test scores.

*Can be very time consuming for teachers or program staff to organize and evaluate the contents, especially if portfolios have to be done in addition to traditional testing and grading.

*Having to develop your own individualized criteria can be difficult or unfamiliar at first.

*If goals and criteria are not clear, the portfolio can be just a miscellaneous collection of artifacts that don't show patterns of growth or achievement.

*Like any other form of qualitative data, data from portfolio assessments can be difficult to analyze or aggregate to show change.

HOW TO USE PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT

Design and Development

Three main factors guide the design and development of a portfolio: 1) purpose, 2) assessment criteria, and 3) evidence (Barton & Collins, 1997).

1) Purpose

The primary concern in getting started is knowing the purpose that the portfolio will serve. This decision defines the operational guidelines for collecting materials. For example, is the goal to use the portfolio as data to inform program development? To report progress? To identify special needs? For program accountability? For all of these?

2) Assessment Criteria
what will be considered sucess (criteria or standards), and what strategies are necessary to meet the goals. Items are then selected to include in the portfolio because theyprovide evidence of meeting criteria, or making progress toward goals.

3) Evidence

In collecting data, many things need to be considered. What sources of evidence should be used? How much evidence do we need to make good decisions and determinations? How often should we collect evidence? How congruent should the sources of evidence be? How can we make sense of the evidence that is collected? How should evidence be used to modify program and evaluation? According to Barton and Collins (1997), evidence can include artifacts (items produced in the normal course of classroom or program activities), reproductions (documentation of interviews or projects done outside of the classroom or program), attestations (statements and observations by staff or others about the participant), and productions (items prepared especially for the portfolio, such as participant reflections on their learning or choices) . Each item is selected because it adds some new information related to attainment of the goals.
Steps of Portfolio Assessment

Although many variations of portfolio assessment are in use, most fall into two basic types: process portfolios and product portfolios (Cole, Ryan, & Kick, 1995). These are not the only kinds of portfolios in use, nor are they pure types clearly distinct from each other. It may be more helpful to think of these as two steps in the portfolio assessment process, as the participant(s) and staff reflectively select items from their process portfolios for inclusion in the product portfolio.

Step 1: The first step is to develop a process portfolio, which documents growth over time toward a goal. Documentation includes statements of the end goals, criteria, and plans for the future. This should include baseline information, or items describing the participant's performance or mastery level at the beginning of the program. Other items are "works in progress", selected at many interim points to demonstrate steps toward mastery. At this stage, the portfolio is a formative evaluation tool, probably most useful for the internal information of the participant(s) and staff as they plan for the future.

Step 2: The next step is to develop a product portfolio (also known as a "best pieces portfolio"), which includes examples of the best efforts of a participant, community, or program. These also include "final evidence", or items which demonstrate attainment of the end goals. Product or "best pieces" portfolios encourage reflection about change or learning. The program participants, either individually or in groups, are involved in selecting the content, the criteria for selection, and the criteria for judging merits, and "evidence" that the criteria have been met (Winograd & Jones, 1992). For individuals and communities alike, this provides opportunities for a sense of ownership and strength. It helps to show-case or communicate the accomplishments of the person or program. At this stage, the portfolio is an example of summative evaluation, and may be particularly useful as a public relations tool.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Certain characteristics are essential to the development of any type of portfolio used for assessment. According to Barton and Collins (1997), portfolios should be:

1) Multisourced (allowing for the opportunity to evaluate a variety of specific evidence)

Multiple data sources include both people (statements and observations of participants, teachers or program staff, parents, and community members), and artifacts (anything from test scores to photos, drawings, journals, & audio or videotapes of performances).

2) Authentic (context and evidence are directly linked)

The items selected or produced for evidence should be related to program activities, as well as the goals and criteria. If the portfolio is assessing the effect of a program on participants or communities, then the "evidence" should reflect the activities of the program rather than skills that were gained elsewhere. For example, if a child's musical performance skills were gained through private piano lessons, not through 4-H activities, an audio tape would be irrelevant in his 4-H portfolio. If a 4-H activity involved the same child in teaching other children to play, a tape might be relevant.

3) Dynamic (capturing growth and change)

An important feature of portfolio assessment is that data or evidence is added at many points in time, not just as "before and after" measures. Rather than including only the best work, the portfolio should include examples of different stages of mastery. At least some of the items are self-selected. This allows a much richer understanding of the process of change.
4) Explicit (purpose and goals are clearly defined)

The students or program participants should know in advance what is expected of them, so that they can take responsibility for developing their evidence.

5) Integrated (evidence should establish a correspondence between program activities and life experiences)

Participants should be asked to demonstrate how they can apply their skills or knowledge to real-life situations.

6) Based on ownership (the participant helps determine evidence to include and goals to be met)

The portfolio assessment process should require that the participants engage in some reflection and self-evaluation as they select the evidence to include and set or modify their goals. They are not simply being evaluated or graded by others.

7) Multipurposed (allowing assessment of the effectiveness of the program while assessing performance of the participant).

A well-designed portfolio assessment process evaluates the effectiveness of your intervention at the same time that it evaluates the growth of individuals or communities. It also serves as a communication tool when shared with family, other staff, or community members. In school settings, it can be passed on to other teachers or staff as a child moves from one grade level to another.

Analyzing and Reporting Data

As with any qualitative assessment method, analysis of portfolio data can pose challenges. Methods of analysis will vary depending on the purpose of the portfolio, and the types of data collected (Patton, 1990). However, if goals and criteria have been clearly defined, the "evidence" in the portfolio makes it relatively easy to demonstrate that the individual or population has moved from a baseline level of performance to achievement of particular goals.

It should also be possible to report some aggregated or comparative results, even if participants have individualized goals within a program. For example, in a teen peer tutoring program, you might report that "X% of participants met or exceeded two or more of their personal goals within this time frame", even if one teen's primary goal was to gain public speaking skills and another's main goal was to raise his grade point average by mastering study skills. Comparing across programs, you might be able to say that the participants in Town X on average mastered 4 new skills in the course of six months, while those in Town Y only mastered 2, and speculate that lower attendance rates in Town Y could account for the difference.

Subjectivity of judgements is often cited as a concern in this type of assessment (Bateson, 1994). However, in educational settings, teachers or staff using portfolio assessment often choose to periodically compare notes by independently rating the same portfolio to see if they are in agreement on scoring (Barton & Collins, 1997). This provides a simple check on reliability, and can be very simply reported. For example, a local programmer could say "To ensure some consistency in assessment standards, every 5th portfolio (or 20%) was assessed by more than one staff member. Agreement between raters, or inter-rater reliability, was 88%".

There are many books and articles that address the problems of analyzing and reporting on qualitative data in more depth than can be covered here. The basic issues of reliability, validity and generalizability are relevant even when using qualitative methods, and various strategies have been developed to address them. Those who are considering using portfolio assessment in evaluation are encouraged to refer to some of the sources listed below for more in-depth information.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barton, J., & Collins, A. (Eds.) (1997). Portfolio assessment: A handbook for educators. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.

A book about portfolio assessment written by and for teachers. The main goal is to give practical suggestions for creating portfolios so as to meet the unique needs and purposes of any classroom. The book includes information about designing portfolios, essential steps to make portfolios work, actual cases of portfolios in action, a compendium of portfolio implementation tips that save time and trouble, how to use portfolios to assess both teacher and student performance, and a summary of practical issues of portfolio development and implementation. This book is very clear, easy to follow, and can easily serve as a bridge between the use of portfolios in the classroom and the application of portfolios in community evaluations.
Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 40 (2), p. 233-245.

Considers issues of reliability and validity in assessment which are as important in "authentic assessment" methods as in more traditional methods. Care needs to be exercised so that these increasingly popular new methods are not perceived as unfair or invalid.

Cole, D. J., Ryan, C. W., & Kick, F. (1995). Portfolios across the curriculum and beyond. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Authors discuss the development of authentic assessment and how it has led to portfolio usage. Guidelines are given for planning portfolios, how to use them, selection of portfolio contents, reporting strategies, and use of portfolios in the classroom. In addition, a chapter focuses on the development of a professional portfolio.

Courts, P. L., & McInerny, K. H. (1993). Assessment in higher education: Politics, pedagogy, and portfolios. London: Praeger.

The authors describe a project using portfolios to train teachers to assess exceptional potential in underserved populations. The portfolio includes observations of the children's behavior in the school, home, and community. The underlying assumption of the project is that teachers learn to recognize exceptional potential if they are provided with authentic examples of such behavior. Results indicated that participating teachers experienced a sense of empowerment as a consequence of the project and became both involved in and committed to the project.

Glasgow, N. A. (1997). New curriculum for new times: A guide to student-centered, problem-based learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

This book is an attempt to identify and define current practices and present alternatives that can better meet the needs of a wider range of students in facilitating literacy and readiness for life outside the classroom. Discussion centers on current curriculum and the need for instruction that meets the changing educational context. Included is information about portfolio assessment, design and implementation, as as examples of a new curricular style that promotes flexible and individualistic instruction.

Maurer, R. E. (1996). Designing alternative assessments for interdisciplinary curriculum in middle and secondary schools. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
This book explains how to design an assessment system that can authentically evaluate students' progress in an interdisciplinary curriculum. It offers step-by-step procedures, checklists, tables, charts, graphs, guides, worksheets, and examples of successful assessment methods. Specific to portfolio assessment, this book shows how portfolios can be used to measure learning. Provides some information on types and development of portfolios.

Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods, 2nd ed. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

A good general reference on issues of qualitative methods, and strategies for analysis and interpretation of qualitative data.

Shaklee, B. D., Barbour, N. E., Ambrose, R., & Hansford, S. J. (1997). Designing and using portfolios. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Discusses the history of portfolio assessment, decisions that need to be made before beginning the portfolio assessment process (eg., what it will look like, who should be involved, what should be assessed, how the assessment will be accomplished), designing a portfolio system (eg., criteria and standards), using portfolio results in planning, and issues related to assessment practices (eg., accountability).

Shaklee, B. D., & Viechnicki, K. J. (1995). A qualitative approach to portfolios: The Early Assessment for Exceptional Potential Model. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 18 (2), 156-170.

The creation of a portfolio assessment model based on qualitative research principles is examined by the authors. Portfolio framework assumptions for classrooms are: designing authentic learning opportunities, interaction of assessment, curriculum and instructions, multiple criteria derived from multiple sources, and systematic teacher preparations. Additionally, the authors examine the qualitative research procedures embedded in the development of the Early Assessment for Exceptional Potential model. Provided are preliminary results for credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability of the design.

Winograd, P., & Jones, D. L. (1992). The use of portfolios in performance assessment. New Directions for Educational Reform, 1 (2), 37-50.

Authors examine the use of portfolios in performance assessment. Suggestions are offered to educators interested in using portfolios in aiding students to become better readers and writers. Addresses concerns related to portfolios' usefulness. Educators need support in learning how to use portfolios, including their design, management, and interpretation.

Back to Alternative Methods website.

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In program evaluation as in other areas, a picture can be worth a thousand words. As an evaluation tool for community-based programs, we can think of a portfolio as a kind of scrapbook or photo album that records the progress and activities of the program and its participants, and showcases them to interested parties both within and outside of the program.

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Using Dynamic Assessment to Evaluate Children with Suspected Learning Disabilities

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Using Dynamic Assessment to Evaluate Children with Suspected Learning Disabilities

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Peña et. al. : "Observation of children learning a new skill or strategy focuses on not only what is learned but also how learning
occurs. The examiner observes aspects of learning that
help him or her gain insight about the child’s abilities and
responsiveness to intervention."

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Using Dynamic Assessment to Evaluate Children with Suspected Learning Disabilities 2006

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Dynamic Assessment and Diverse Children: A Tutorial

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Dynamic Assessment and Diverse Children: A Tutorial

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Research article by Gutierrez-Clellen and Peña that considers
DA methods and procedures as they apply to the differentiation
of language difference from disorder, and proposes
an assessment protocol to
minimize misdiagnosis.

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Dynamic Assessment of Diverse Children-A Tutorial

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Dynamic Assessment... Accurately Identifies Language Impairment in ELs

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Dynamic Assessment... Accurately Identifies Language Impairment in ELs

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Research article (2014) by Elizabeth D. Peña et. al. on Dynamic Assessment and ELs: "DA conducted in English provides a systematic means for measuring learning processes and learning
outcomes, resulting in a clinically useful procedure for identifying LIs in bilingual children who are in the process of learning English as a second language."

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Dynamic Assessment of Narrative Ability in English Accurately Identifies Language Impairment in English Language Learners

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Dynamic assessment is test-teach-test, in order to answer the question, "How easily can the student learn something new as a result of instruction matched to their English language proficiency?"
Characteristics:

·      Short cycle: Within a week

·      Repeated sampling of student performance before, during, and after teaching within one session or across 2-3 sessions

·      Triangulate growth data, modifiability (responsiveness to instruction), and amount of effort put forth by the examiner to cause the change

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The Speech-Language Assessment of ELs: A Non-Standardized Approach

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The Speech-Language Assessment of ELs: A Non-Standardized Approach

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Kraemer, et. al.: "This article presents several evidence-based, nonstandardized assessment practices SLPs can implement in place of standardized tools." Tools include dynamic assessment, language sampling, portfolio assessment, and more.

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How to engage in the RIOT process when working with multilingual learners--samples provided in 4 key areas:

·       Review existing data

·       Interview key persons

·       Observe behavior in the learning context

·       Test when current data does not exist to answer the question

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Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education.

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Sample protocol for Separating Difference from Disability in ELs (OS)

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Sample protocol for Separating Difference from Disability in ELs (OS)

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This sample protocol (updated n 2024) shows steps to take when a multilingual learner is not making expected progress, including implementing and monitoring the district language assistance program (LAP), problem-solving and creating a working hypothesis, and creating a plan an monitoring student response.

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2024- Protocol w UPDATED tools embedded.pdf

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MDE: Home language surveys provided in other languages (parents and caregivers need to have information in a language they understand).

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The Home Language Survey that is used to determine if a new student is to be assessed for English language proficiency. These questions should be incorporated into the district enrollment form.

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MDE: Critical Tools for Newcomer ELs at the Secondary Level

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MDE: Critical Tools for Newcomer ELs at the Secondary Level

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This resource is designed to help access instruction and complete academic tasks for secondary English Learners (ELs) who are newcomers and/or have beginning

levels of English proficiency. It is not an exhaustive list; rather, these carefully selected resources will enable students to access content while they are learning English, particularly in a virtual or blended learning setting.

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The Office of Civil Rights details the obligations and responsibilities of LEAs to their English learners.

While this Dear Colleague Letter has been rescinded (2025), the legislation and court decisions are still in place. This DCL represented a "checklist" of what LEAs must do, based on existing legislation and court decisions.

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OELA Toolkit, Chapter 6: Tools and Resources for Addressing ELs with Disabilities

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OELA Toolkit, Chapter 6: Tools and Resources for Addressing ELs with Disabilities

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Tools and resources from the U.S. Department of Education to distinguish difference from disability, and to summarize the responsibilities of LEAs regarding ELs with disabilities and suspected disabilities. Key points include LEAs must locate and evaluate ELs with disabilities in a timely manner, and LEAs must provide ELs with disabilities both the language assistance and disability-related services they are entitled to under federal law.

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OELA Toolkit, Chapter 6: Tools and Resources for Addressing ELs with Disabilities

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OELA Toolkit, Chapter 6: Tools and Resources for Addressing ELs with Disabilities

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Tools and resources from the U.S. Department of Education to distinguish difference from disability, and to summarize the responsibilities of LEAs regarding ELs with disabilities and suspected disabilities. Key points include LEAs must locate and evaluate ELs with disabilities in a timely manner, and LEAs must provide ELs with disabilities both the language assistance and disability-related services they are entitled to under federal law.

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Matching Instruction to Multilingual Learners: Bias and English Acquisition Checklists 

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Matching Instruction to Multilingual Learners: Bias and English Acquisition Checklists 

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Matching Instruction to Multilingual Learners_ Bias and English Acquisition Checklists (C Osborne)

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WIDA Performance Definitions: Expressive Domains

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WIDA Performance Definitions: Expressive Domains

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These performance definitions show what multilingual learners can produce in the discourse, sentence, and word/phrase dimensions at each English language proficiency level.

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WIDA Performance Definitions: Receptive Domains 

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WIDA Performance Definitions: Receptive Domains 

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These performance definitions show what multilingual learners can process in the discourse, sentence, and word/phrase dimensions at each English language proficiency level.

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WIDA Can-Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition

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WIDA Can-Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition

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The WIDA Can-Do Descriptors are a tool to help meet students where they are in their English language development. These descriptors highlight what language learners can do at various stages of language development, and are organized into grade-level clusters.

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A tool to help you meet students where they are in their language development

The Can Do Descriptors highlight what language learners can do at various stages of language development as they engage in the following contexts:

Bilingual and English-immersion early care and education programs

Bilingual, Spanish-immersion and English-immersion K-12 language programs

Bilingual, Spanish-immersion and English-immersion K-12 content-area classrooms

Similar to the WIDA English Language Development Standards Statements, the Can Do Descriptors describe what learners can do with language across different content areas. Although the Can Do Descriptors relate to the ELD Standards Statements, they don't replace them but are used to supplement the standards statements during instruction.

Educators and early childhood practitioners can use the Can Do Descriptors to

Better understand what students at different levels of language proficiency can do with language

Expand their understanding of what the process of language development can look like

Collaborate around scaffolding that students need to engage in content-area learning and develop language at the same time

Differentiate instruction and classroom assessment for language

Interpret ACCESS for ELLs test scores

The Can Do Descriptors have not yet been updated to reflect the 2020 Edition; however, they remain available as a valuable tool for communicating with stakeholders about what students can do at each language proficiency level. WIDA is monitoring educator use to help inform the timing for updating the materials.

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A tool to help you meet students where they are in their language developmentThe Can Do Descriptors highlight what language learners can do at various stages of language development as they engage in the following contexts: