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Some limitations on standardized assessments could be the academic language.  Some students might not fully understand the definitions of certain words that will help them on the test. Every student receives the same test but some ELLs and MLs receive a translated copy or other resources to help them. another limitation would be that the standardized test is written at a constant level of language proficiency. Although some students are at the level of proficiency that these assessments are written in most are below and it is difficult for them to complete the test.
- Gabriela Cruz

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1. It can present a more comprehensive picture of what the student can do by providing them with multiple scaffolds to reach an end product where they are able to use the resources provided as well as their knowledge of content.
2. It can present a more comprehensive picture of what the student can say by allowing the students to work in groups rather than individuals because then they can bounce ideas off of each other and learn from one another as a collective group.

-  Gabriela Cruz

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1.  piece of information: students are able to use any resources that they feel will help them on the PBA.
2. strategy: A strategy that they can use is using the word wall or sentence frames.
3. question about assessment: I know that there are many modifications that can be used on state test but are there any other laws that allow students to receive additional help on state exams?

- Gabriela Cruz

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This video really helps visualize the importance of the teacher's role in facilitating translanguaging in the classroom.  - Laura

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Translanguaging: Teacher's Role in the Classroom

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There is a great variety of information and ideas related to translanguaging in many different contexts. - Laura

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The limitation of Standardized Assessment it's the lack of adaptability to students' needs. Students who excel in classroom settings may not perform well on tests due to anxiety, unfamiliarity with the test format, family matters, health issues, language barriers, or other joint conditions. Our bilingual students and ELS can't be defined for a score that doesn't affect their performance in class; the lack of connection with real-life between the test and student and a multiple-choice once time test. They need to provide more opportunities to students to show their performance and consider the stress itself the test can cause.
To improve learning and provide accountability, the schools cannot rely solely on standardized tests.
-Melida Violeta Castillo

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Performance-Based Assessment
1-Students experienced expanded opportunities to demonstrate deeper learning competencies, creativity, and a growth mindset. Working in projects where students need to perform and use their critical thinking skills is like the scientific method where students need to investigate and perform different steps until they can verify their hypothesis, share ideas, compare and contrast, and improve learning outcomes.
2-Problems solving based on a case of study where students need to use their critical thinking skills to answer the question, compare and perform in the situation to demonstrate their understanding applying their knowledge in the case. Students learn more by action and self-evaluation, making the new knowledge part of their daily basics.
-Melida Violeta Castillo

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This video sums up some important information regarding Performance Based Assessments. I particularly liked the reminder that process and product are both important. - Laura

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Considering how diverse and global our world has become, we need more than ever a stance that will expand our understanding of bilingualism and create space for bilingual learning and instruction. It is a challenge to address the needs of students who speak languages other than English. To use their prior knowledge to acquire the new language, the students feel welcome and essential in the environment of learning. That's when Translanguaging brightens the journey of bilingual students, making the teacher practice more remarkable for them and taking the challenges as an opportunity to help students feel proud of their roots.
-Melida Violeta castillo

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Comparison of Standardized Testing in US, Denmark and the Netherlands

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Comparison of Standardized Testing in US, Denmark and the Netherlands

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This article approaches the topic from the reverse perspective. Prior to 2010, there were practically no standardized tests in Denmark. The purpose of testing in Denmark is mainly to have students learn from the
testing experience. It is important that the
individual students get feedback on the ALL of their responses - not just a test score as feedback. The feedback in Danish schools should be detailed enough to have the students learn from their performance.
Furthermore, the article finds that "what really matters for Danish parents is that their kids feel comfortable and safe in school, and that they are happy to go to school."
I wish that American schools would adopt more of a Northern European approach to learning and grades. Standardized tests more often not result in certain students having a clear advantage over others - a good grade can mean that you could afford a tutor, have good test taking skills, or other factors.
- Laura

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There can be many limitations to a standardized assessment. The most important of these is lowering self-confidence. The application of a standard test system creates certain stereotypes in us, and children's abilities are assessed based on the results of these tests. The famous scientist Albert Einstein stated that "If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. ” Children do the same. These standardized assessments, unfortunately, also standardize our thoughts. In the end, our students transform into people who have low confidence and are afraid of making mistakes.
Another limitation is that students try to memorize material to get good results, not to gain real knowledge. The material learned in this way is soon forgotten and loses its effectiveness.
The last limitation is that students are not at the same academic level. Each student is individual and has a unique learning pace. Expecting a student who has not mastered the material to complete a very high test result, or failing to do so, can weaken him or her psychologically. Although there are many positive aspects of the testing system in general, these limitations should be removed to improve the quality of education.
-Turkan Asgarova

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-Itzel Connell

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There are numerous examples of Performance Based Assessment. First of all, it is possible to develop students' critical thinking skills. One of my teachers always said that when there is water inside the glass, we focus on that water, but maybe what we are looking for is outside the glass. The same can be said of critical thinking. Instead of looking for the right answer, we need to develop critical thinking. That way, we can find the answers we are looking for in the right place.
The second is to help students set goals. Any project is more motivating when you set goals to achieve them. What is the purpose of the project and what conclusions should be drawn in the end should be determined in advance.
The third step is to prepare a scheme of the project, a kind of scenario in advance. When performance develops according to the scenario, it becomes easier to divide the time, pay attention to the necessary places, ensure everyone's participation in the project, and listen to the students' opinions to the end.
-Turkan Asgarova

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Teachers should create a warm and inviting classroom community of learners that embraces multiple language use for instruction and assessment.
Translanguaging should never be an obligation created to adapt. Students should strive to learn and use different languages ​​on their own. The use of language and the use of new languages ​​means that they grow mentally, and coercion cannot be applied to their growth.
Multilingual learners should have the freedom to engage in learning (and living) using their own idiolect or linguistic repertoire with translanguaging being recognized as a personalized language practice.
If we see translanguagingi as a bridge between languages, then a proper environment must be created for students to use them. They should be given the opportunity to express their ideas in a language they feel comfortable in projects with groups or couples. Thus, we can form strong personalities and ideals of freedom in students.
District and school leaders should co-construct an assessment and language policy to build shared ownership around translanguaging.
The best answer to the question of when translanguaging can be effective is the answer when everyone works together. It is very important that schools, parents and government agencies understand or carry out their missions. The importance of translanguaging must be properly understood and placed appropriately within teaching.
- Turkan Asgarova

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Supports the why when and how!
_Gail Siegel

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A MiddleWeb Blog

Each language is a tool for learning.

Describing someone as having a single-language repertoire means they have a single language toolbox with various languages inside.

Each language we speak is an individual tool in the box that we can use for different contexts, purposes, and audiences.

Some tools are used to break things down while others are used to put things together. Just as the context determines the kind of tool we should use, context also determines the language people use.

In this article, I summarize the key takeaways from Dr. Gini Rojas' discussion of translanguaging during my podcast conversation with her.

What is translanguaging?

Translanguaging is the "strategic use of one language to facilitate the acquisition of the other while immersed in subject-area classes" (Garcia & Tatyana, 2016). The purpose of translanguaging is to empower a person to be multilingual. People "translanguage" when they:

Mobilize multiple languages to process content

Communicate using multiple languages in the same sentence

Choose words, phrases, or sentences from another language to communicate

Why should students translanguage?

Many families from diverse backgrounds want to send their children to school to become multilingual, not to lose their home language in order to acquire English. Translanguaging provides a pathway to acquire English while maintaining and sustaining students' other languages.

Being multilingual is an asset that must be nurtured, not erased. Multilinguals are able to immerse themselves in different cultures, and through this process they develop the ability to view the world from different perspectives. This skill is essential to being a global citizen as people who are perspective-seeking are less likely to be conflict-oriented (Soltero, 2016).

Additionally, being literate in one language supports literacy development in another language. The skills we acquire as we become literate in one language (e.g., sustaining emotional stamina, processing text, producing text, organizing ideas, using transitions, reading with intonation, etc.) can be transferred to another language (Cummins, 1974).

Lastly, encouraging students to translanguage is an act of anti-racism. Teachers explicitly communicate that all nationalities are equal and welcomed at schools. Translanguaging helps students realize that English is not the only language of value. When we force students to only speak one language, it limits their participation, which expands the achievement gap.

We want to avoid using language as a reason to segregate a group of students from participating with others. If we segregate by language use, we are contributing to the institutionalized racism often found in our systems of schooling.

When is translanguage appropriate?

Students can use translanguaging to access grade-level content. When a teacher, for example, is teaching in English about the process of photosynthesis, a student can use a home-language text about photosynthesis to establish comprehension and close gaps in misunderstandings.

Translanguaging helps students increase their comprehension of the subject matter so that they can participate in class. And it is participation that will increase their engagement and lead to higher levels of achievement.

Translanguaging moves the students' experiences from can't to can. They simply cannot fully participate in English... yet. But for now, they can certainly still engage if they are given the opportunity to understand the content and process the instructions in their home language.

Encourage students to translanguage when:

they need to understand a vocabulary word

they do not understand the instructions

they have to process a text or video

they want to communicate their ideas

they have to express a need

Forcing students to only use one language not only handicaps them but prevents them from engaging fully in the class as an equal and valued member. When this happens, unfortunately, their assets and talents are hidden from our view, further perpetuating the limiting, can't-based narrative around language learners.

Gini Rojas says, "Translanguaging is the can. Not only the can, but can do at grade level."

How can teachers support translanguaging?

The degree to which students translanguage at school is determined by teachers. When the latter encourage it, students are more likely to do it. When some teachers demonize students' home languages, students will begrudgingly default to English. In the worst-case scenario, students will internalize that their languages and cultures are not as valuable as the English and Anglo-Saxon cultures.

For example, a student enrolled in a school with an English-only policy may perceive English as superior to their home language, and when at home, they will prefer to speak English instead of their home language. With the gradual weakening of their home language usage, the student will lose a valuable connection to their culture.

Teachers can nurture a classroom environment that celebrates multilingualism by:

Having students compare a language concept in English to their home language

Providing a translation of key vocabulary in students' home languages

Displaying work produced in the home language

Invting students to collaborate using their home language

Encouraging students to use home-language texts and videos to process content

Suggesting to students to write in their home languages

Some teachers worry that if they don't speak a second language, they can't truly be supportive of a translanguaging environment. Not true!
Teachers can be monolingual yet still support multilingualism. Educators do not have to know the language to invite students to engage in content using their home languages. They just have to think of students' languages as toolboxes, and they have to teach students to figure out how each tool works and when to use it.

With translanguaging, context is key.

In the end, translanguaging is less about languages and more about mindsets. Teachers who are inclusive of other cultures and communities are more likely to create space for translanguaging. These teachers focus on what students can do with their entire language toolkit instead of focusing on one tool for all tasks.

We and our students stand to gain much from encouraging students to use their home languages at school. Our students and their communities stand to lose everything if we don't.
References
García, O. & Tatyana, K. (2016). Translanguaging with multilingual students: Learning from classroom moments. Routledge.

Cummins, J. & Gulutsan, M. (1974). Some effects of bilingualism on cognitive functioning. In S. T. Carey (ed.), Bilingualism, biculturalism and education. Edmonton: The University of Alberta Press.

Soltero, S. W. (2016). Dual language education: Program design and implementation. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

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Translanguaging Lets MLs Use Everything in Their Toolboxes

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English learners benefit from using their languages to understand content in subject-area classes. Tan Huynh and Gini Rojas show how translanguaging can work.

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http://rtinetwork.org/getstarted/sld-identification-toolkit/ld-identification-toolkit-considerations-for-ell

I found this toolkit helpful when getting to know my students.
_Gail Siegel

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LD Identification Toolkit Considerations for ELL

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Implementing RTI requires an effective change management process. Explore frameworks for successful plan implementation.

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This is a great visual of how translanguaging can transform learning. The what, why, and how makes it super simple to understand.

-Brittany Tortorella

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1. Students' knowledges or skill sets might not be fully assessed through standardized tests due to language barrier.
2. ELLs/MLs with disabilities will be in even worse scenario. Not only do they have language barrier, but their disabilities are also a significant factor hindering them from performing well on the standardized tests.
- Yunrui Cai

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1. Small group projects can help students show their ability to collaborate as a team, brainstorm with their creativities, and resolve problems with critical thinking. MLs/ELLs should be allowed to do their research, discuss and even compose their works in target languages. They can always translate their work back into English in the end.
2. MLs/ELLs should also be given to language support if needed for their performance assessments. But the assessments have to be more flexible and intuitive according to each student's specific need. For example, some students can tell a rough summary of a book, some can tell the favorite part, some can read one sentence, or some can only tap to show and tell. Their assessments should be built upon the previous assessments to reflect their improvements.
-Yunrui Cai

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The above two videos are very intuitive explaining what translanguaging is and how to use it in classroom.
1. Our brains don't separate languages. Therefore, we need to enable students learn with their full language repertoire.
2. Provide language support to MLs/ELLs in assessments.
3. Different students have different English proficiency. Some students might need less language support than the others, how do we input translanguaging in assessments in a way that we don't hinder the students' performance in English skill sets.
-Yunrui Cai

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An important aspect to add when working with ELL's during a Oral performance (and or practice performance) could be giving sentence starters. Sometimes ELL's struggle with starting their discussion in their new language, but it's important to give them a resource to start and then resources to aid them throughout their process.
-Skylar McGarrity

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PBL assessments feed of of student interests and are a prime example of student-centered learning. It definitely presents a more comprehensive picture of what ELLs/MLs, and ELLs with disabilities need in order to measure and assess their comprehension of a subject matter. PBL is 1. multifunctional because it can provide multiple forms of assessment of student learning while having students participate in something that matters to them. PBL also allows for students to identify and address their learning on their terms and in their own ways. ELL students with disabilities can then grasp a topic and understanding of a topic from their own viewpoint with allowance of differentiations when needed.
-Jaileen Vargas

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There may be some limitations to standardized testing. First, the test standard cannot truly reflect the level of the student, and the student may affect the test result due to psychological factors. At the same time, it will inhibit the enthusiasm of students. Second, for some students with special needs, does the standardized test have test content tailored to their needs? These students may not be able to complete standardized tests or get a comprehensive assessment.
-Xinyu Zhang

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I really like the activities in the article, I listed two of them.
1. Classroom debate is a form of performance-based learning that can impart different views and opinions to students. Skills related to debate include research, media and debate literacy, reading comprehension, evidence evaluation, public speaking, and citizenship skills.
2. Another easy way for students to complete performance-based activities is to have them give some form of presentation or report. Students can do this activity, which takes time or done in a collaborative group. Students may need to provide information, impart skills, report progress, and persuade others. Students can choose to add visual aids or PowerPoint presentations, or Google Slides to help illustrate the elements in their presentation. As long as there are clear expectations for students from the beginning, the presentation can play a good role throughout the course.

-Xinyu Zhang

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Performance-based learning is when students participate in performing tasks or activities that are meaningful and engaging. The purpose of this kind of learning is to help students acquire and apply knowledge, practice skills, and develop independent and collaborative work habits. The culminating activity or product for performance-based learning is one that lets a student demonstrate evidence of understanding through a transfer of skills.

A performance-based assessment is open-ended and without a single, correct answer, and it should demonstrate authentic learning, such as the creation of a newspaper or class debate. The benefit of performance-based assessments is that students who are more actively involved in the learning process absorb and understand the material at a much deeper level. Other characteristics of performance-based assessments are that they are complex and time-bound.

Also, there are learning standards in each discipline that set academic expectations and define what is proficient in meeting that standard. Performance-based activities can integrate two or more subjects and should also meet 21st Century expectations whenever possible:

There are also Information Literacy standards and Media Literacy standards that require performance-based learning.

Clear Expectations

Performance-based activities can be challenging for students to complete. They need to understand from the beginning exactly what is being asked of them and how they will be assessed.

Examples and models may help, but it is more important to provide detailed criteria that will be used to assess the performance-based assessment. All criteria should be addressed in a scoring rubric.

Observations are an important component and can be used to provide students with feedback to improve performance. Teachers and students can both use observations. There may be peer to peer student feedback. There could be a checklist or a tally to record student achievement.

The goal of performance-based learning should be to enhance what the students have learned, not just have them recall facts. The following six types of activities provide good starting points for assessments in performance-based learning.

Presentations

One easy way to have students complete a performance-based activity is to have them do a presentation or report of some kind. This activity could be done by students, which takes time, or in collaborative groups.

The basis for the presentation may be one of the following:

Providing information

Teaching a skill

Reporting progress

Persuading others

Students may choose to add in visual aids or a PowerPoint presentation or Google Slides to help illustrate elements in their speech. Presentations work well across the curriculum as long as there is a clear set of expectations for students to work with from the beginning.

Portfolios

Student portfolios can include items that students have created and collected over a period. Art portfolios are for students who want to apply to art programs in college.

Another example is when students create a portfolio of their written work that shows how they have progressed from the beginning to the end of class. The writing in a portfolio can be from any discipline or a combination of disciplines.

Some teachers have students select those items they feel represents their best work to be included in a portfolio. The benefit of an activity like this is that it is something that grows over time and is therefore not just completed and forgotten. A portfolio can provide students with a lasting selection of artifacts that they can use later in their academic career.

Reflections may be included in student portfolios in which students may make a note of their growth based on the materials in the portfolio.

Performances

Dramatic performances are one kind of collaborative activities that can be used as a performance-based assessment. Students can create, perform, and/or provide a critical response. Examples include dance, recital, dramatic enactment. There may be prose or poetry interpretation.

This form of performance-based assessment can take time, so there must be a clear pacing guide.

Students must be provided time to address the demands of the activity; resources must be readily available and meet all safety standards. Students should have opportunities to draft stage work and practice.

Developing the criteria and the rubric and sharing these with students before evaluating a dramatic performance is critical.

Projects are commonly used by teachers as performance-based activities. They can include everything from research papers to artistic representations of information learned. Projects may require students to apply their knowledge and skills while completing the assigned task. They can be aligned with the higher levels of creativity, analysis, and synthesis.

Students might be asked to complete reports, diagrams, and maps. Teachers can also choose to have students work individually or in groups.

Journals may be part of a performance-based assessment. Journals can be used to record student reflections. Teachers may require students to complete journal entries. Some teachers may use journals as a way to record participation.

Exhibits and Fairs

Teachers can expand the idea of performance-based activities by creating exhibits or fairs for students to display their work. Examples include things like history fairs to art exhibitions. Students work on a product or item that will be exhibited publicly.

Exhibitions show in-depth learning and may include feedback from viewers.

In some cases, students might be required to explain or defend their work to those attending the exhibition.

Some fairs like science fairs could include the possibility of prizes and awards.

A debate in the classroom is one form of performance-based learning that teaches students about varied viewpoints and opinions. Skills associated with debate include research, media and argument literacy, reading comprehension, evidence evaluation, public speaking, and civic skills.

There are many different formats for debate. One is the fishbowl debate in which a handful of students form a half circle facing the other students and debate a topic. The rest of the classmates may pose questions to the panel.

Another form is a mock trial where teams representing the prosecution and defense take on the roles of attorneys and witnesses. A judge, or judging panel, oversees the courtroom presentation.

Middle school and high schools can use debates in the classroom, with increased levels of sophistication by grade level.

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Great Ideas for Performance-Based Activities

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These six kinds of authentic performance-based activities allow students to apply knowledge, practice skills, and develop independent work habits.

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1. Dr. Stewart and Dr. Hansen-Thomas believe that cross-language is a catalyst for learning. Even monolingual teachers can use cross-language methods and implement teaching practices that are socially and culturally relevant to English learners, provided that they rethink traditional Teacher/student roles and are willing to use technology and translation devices such as mobile phones and laptops in the classroom.
2. Does the inclusion of cross-language in the assessment promote a more equitable and effective multilingual education environment? Is it possible to comprehensively evaluate student performance?

-Xinyu Zhang

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The US has the largest number of English-speakers in the world, but it is also multilingual: according to 2018 census data, 23% of children aged 5 to 17 speak another language at home. English language acquisition for those who speak English as a second language is therefore an important issue for educators. Mary Amanda Stewart and Holly Hansen-Thomas of Texas Woman's University have been studying how 'translanguaging' and 'co-learning' can be used to help newcomer English language learners acquire greater fluency.

It used to be thought that total immersion was the best way to learn a second language and that students learn best when the target language is the only language used in the classroom. However, theorists now argue that students' own languages should be regarded as assets in the armoury of second language learning and respected as key features of students' identity and cultural background.

New research from the United States shows the benefits of 'translanguaging' in the classroom, whereby immigrant students who speak English as a second language are encouraged to make use of their first languages while learning English. The approach takes as its starting point the fact that students have an innate wealth of knowledge about language which can be used to support them as English language learners in bilingual and multilingual environments.

The study by Dr Mary Amanda Stewart and Dr Holly Hansen-Thomas of Texas Woman's University highlights the particular challenges that adolescent newcomers face when they arrive in high school and need to acquire English rapidly in order to pass the tests needed to graduate. They argue that "in the race to acquire grade level skills in a second language, students' (own) rich language practices are often overlooked".

As part of their research, Dr Stewart and Dr Hansen-Thomas held and observed an optional English language summer institute for students of a high school in a mid-sized town in Texas with almost a quarter of Spanish-speaking residents. The aim was to study how translanguaging can be used to help English language learners to acquire greater literacy and fluency.

The summer institute was taught by two teachers, who, like the majority of American high school educators, were monolingual and had limited training in bilingualism or multilingualism, or experience of teaching using translanguaging. A second aim of the study was therefore to look at how monolingual teachers enact a translanguaging pedagogy and can facilitate the process by becoming co-learners with their students.

Context and method
Ten high school students took part in Dr Stewart and Dr Hansen-Thomas's summer institute. Five were studied in detail for the qualitative research programme. Aged 16 to 18 and originally from South America, their primary language was Spanish and they had been in US schools for between one month and three years.
In the race to acquire grade level skills in a second language, students' rich (own) language practices are often overlooked.
Two teachers also took part. Both were white females, aged between 40 and 60. Committed educators who were also pursuing doctorates, they had 13 and 14 years' teaching experience respectively. Prior to the study they read one book on translanguaging theory which also contained sample lesson templates.

The institute met for three days a week over six weeks, giving students 45 hours of teacher contact time. Dr Stewart, who spoke English and Spanish, monitored lessons and provided insight into what students were saying to one another in their native tongue. In addition to collecting data, she worked with the teachers to continually modify their instruction, for example modelling ways to invite students to use their own languages in class activities. At the end of the summer institute the teachers also asked students to comment on the classes, using whichever language they preferred.

Both teachers and students made use of technology in class, for example Google Translate, mobile phone applications, and laptops for internet research. Resources chosen by teachers for literacy activities included multilingual texts such as poems and stories. However, learning was also based on students' lived experiences. They were invited to create 'heart maps' - labelled visual representations of what mattered most to them, 'graffiti walls' which allowed them to make a personal connection to a text using words or drawings, and digital presentations in which they told the class about themselves and their backgrounds.

Data collected and analysed for the study included teachers' daily field notes and reflections, Dr Stewart's observations, students' reflections, teachers' lesson plans and students' work samples.

Findings
The key finding from the data was that students were their own most beneficial learning resource.

Although open to the idea of inviting students' languages into the classroom, the teachers initially felt uneasy, but during the course of the classes their attitudes changed. The researchers also noted that as a result of the classes, the two teachers said that "their knowledge of world events, immigration policies and even their own privilege increased greatly".

The teachers positioned themselves as co-learners in the classes. Making clear that they "were not the sole possessors of knowledge", and setting aside their concerns that it placed a burden on students who were more advanced English learners, they relied on these students to translate and explain concepts for others when needed.

Not only did the teachers acknowledge that students enjoyed their roles as "language brokers", they saw that it helped to improve their own English because they needed to understand words and concepts more deeply and asked questions before translating. The researchers noted: "This facilitated the students to actively participate in clarifying content for one another and furthering the class discussions in their language."

The study cites one example when students were working together to determine the meaning of 'invariably' in a poem. One teacher noted: "Even though one student quickly found the Spanish translation on her phone ('invariable') and noted it was a cognate, they spoke for two full minutes in Spanish among themselves to determine what the word really meant in the context in which it was presented. Although technology and multilingual texts assisted in creating this translanguaging space, the students relied more heavily on each other."

The teacher also noted: "Translanguaging was like a key to help unlock meaning through negotiating with our students. Even the simplest directions like 'write in your journal' or 'open your books at chapter 4' were incomprehensible to some students. Students who had a stronger grasp of English would help translate for students who knew little or no English. Interestingly, we noticed that when a student who typically translated for others was absent, the student with the next strongest English-speaking skills would step up and become a translator for others."
A teacher stated: "Translanguaging was like a key to help unlock meaning through negotiating with the students.
Simple exercises like asking the English learners to underline unfamiliar words of an English text so that they could write the Spanish word underneath were also revealing. Some underlined words that teachers assumed students knew, giving teachers better insight into students' actual knowledge.

One teacher wrote at the end of the summer institute: "I have found that traditional roles such as teacher and student did not best meet students' needs." In order to get student buy-in, the teacher had to overcome the traditional idea of the teacher as a sole provider of knowledge.

Students reported that they had taken part in the summer institute to improve their English skills. However, the researchers noted some tension in their response to translanguaging, because although students "came alive" and "engaged more" when speaking their first language alongside English, some said they wanted to use more English in class and others felt that they shouldn't have been allowed to use mobile phones and computers to help them.

Conclusion
Dr Stewart and Dr Hansen-Thomas argue that translanguaging can be a catalyst for learning. They propose that to address the "growing linguistically diverse secondary English language arts classroom", bilingual and translanguaging teaching should be used by mainstream monolingual teachers who do not speak all their students' first languages, as well as by bilingual teachers.

The team argues that their study shows how even monolingual teachers can use translanguaging approaches and implement pedagogical practices that are socially and culturally relevant to English learners, provided they rethink traditional teacher/student roles and are open to the use in the classroom of technology and translation devices such as mobile phones and laptops.

While recognising that students had mixed feelings about the use of their first languages in the classroom, Dr Stewart and Dr Hansen-Thomas believe that co-learning offers a way forward. They explain: "Students' voices need to be central as teachers continually reflect on how and when to invite students' first languages into sanctioned spaces in high school English-medium classrooms."

They conclude: "Like translanguaging, co-learning can be an equalising pedagogy that can put the teacher and students on the same level in regard to holders of knowledge that is worthy of sharing. As we consider how to create more equitable learning spaces for adolescent emerging bilinguals, we must push all educators to adopt co-learning practices that privilege newcomers' full linguistic repertoires."

Personal Response
Some teachers might feel less in control if they don't understand everything students are saying or if they allow students to use mobile phones in class. Does your research cast light on any behavioural issues that may arise in translanguaging classes?

<>Giving up some control is important in a translanguaging classroom, but that can happen as teachers adopt the stance as co-learners. The use of technology to translate should also be purposeful and not necessarily used all the time. Sometimes, learners need to negotiate meaning of the target language in context. It is important that teachers begin to understand how translanguaging or bilingual theory supports second language acquisition theory and then make solid instructional decisions based on that knowledge.

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The US has the largest number of English-speakers in the world, but it is also multilingual: according to 2018 census data, 23% of children aged 5 to 17 speak another language at home. English language acquisition for those who speak English as a second language is therefore an important issue for educators.

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Some limitations on standardized test are evident.  1. Experiences can dictate reference.  I remember a student choosing a picture of a dad chopping wood as a relaxing picture.  The choice was supposed to be reading a book.  But after, she stated that her dad reads all day for work so chopping wood for the fireplace at their house in the mountains was relaxing for him.  2. Language. Especially for new ELL's. Students may well know the information but have a hard time either reading the question or answering it correctly. Having a test in a translated language may aid in recieving a better score.

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Performance based assessments can show active student learning and in a real world setting, provides a powerful way to measure their knowledge and ability to apply it. Describing how to play volleyball is a lot different than seeing if a student can actually put those learned skills to use. PBA also empowers students by giving them freedom (within parameters) to make choices for their learning. They can choose the direction of their learning and produce results in their own way. This makes them more likely to retain the knowledge they use. For my first graders, we allow them choice in writing their Narrative piece. I could assign a topic but by allowing choice, they can take their piece to new levels. What they choose to write, how their choose to present (illustrations, translanguaging), it is up to them. They are able to use both languages when writing the one piece. The agency of this promotes a deeper understanding and development of the lesson.

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there are many benefits of incorporating translanguaging in assessments.  Translanguaging sets a more level playing field for the student.  We want to assess what they know.  If they can't read the question it doesn't mean they don't know the answer.  Offering translanguaging opportunities assesses the whole student. We can offer instructions in translated languages so the students know exactly what is expected of them. Having translated tests and assignments is a simple and equal way to be fair to each child's ability. One question I have: How can we be sure (how can we assess)that the student is getting the appropriate translanguaging opportunities if they do not have someone to help in their language?

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For years research has show that standardized tests are racially and culturally biased. Although screened for overt bias, test writers have never managed to limit more subtle inherent biases that become evident when analyzing results. This already puts MLs at a disadvantage. Specifically, standardized tests often assume certain knowledge as a starting off point for a problem or a prompt for a writing exercise. This pre-existing assumed knowledge may be cultural or based on having gone to school in the U.S. for several years prior. Moreover, when MLs take standardized tests, the tests are more likely to be a reflection of their language proficiency than of whatever the test is meant to assess. It is rare that test accommodations in the form of translation is provided. More common accommodations are extra time which may prove helpful but cannot account for students with greater linguistic limitations. MLs and students with disabilities are the two groups most likely to struggle with standardized tests. Combine the issues faced by both into one student and you are likely looking at accommodations (if any) that are not even truly designed to adequately support either status as a language learner or a specific learning disability, let alone both.
-Melanie Lazarus

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Performance based assessments present a more comprehensive picture of what MLs and MLs with disabilities can do, know, and say because they are a hands on approach to demonstrating learning and thus take the emphasis off of english proficiency. For example, by having a performance based assessment for a science concept, a student can demonstrate proficiency and understanding by showing a concept using physical materials whereas that same student may not have the language proficiency or writing skills to craft a proficient essay explaining the exact same concept. Additionally, performance based assessments are more engaging for students which is especially important for students who feel uncomfortable or lack confidence. When students are more engaged they are more likely to do and speak with less restraint and be less limited by nervousness or lack of confidence.
-Melanie Lazarus

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What we know: When bilingual students are required to limit answer to one language during assessments, they are using only a portion of their language abilities and thus demonstrating only a portion of their knowledge. One strategy for allowing students to use translanguaging while still conducting assessments a language that may be required by the school is to encourage them to give verbal answers in english but to make sure they understand that they are free to revert to their home language when they need to so that they are not hindered by the inability to find the word they are looking for in english or distracted by stumbling over a word they are unsure of. One question I have is about resources and particularly with regard to MLs with specific learning disabilities. How do you decide whether scaffolds, task analyses, graphic organizers and any other additional supports that you would provide to a native english speak with a learning disability is provided in english or the student's home language?
-Melanie Lazarus

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Limitations on standardized a assessments

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Limitations on standardized a assessments

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Some limitations on standardized tests include information and the context not being  known to students who use a different language. Some kids don't have the same knowledge or understanding which can effect the way they perform. Having a translated copy can help their performance however content on that test can very based on culture. If the student doesn't understand what something it is can be hard for them to understand what is being asked.

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I found that standardized testing is very black and white and doesn’t allow ML or other students with disabilities to show what they can truly accomplish. I agree with the other comments here that standardized testing show students language proficiency rather than what is truly expected. -Janine M

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I found that standardized testing is very black and white and doesn’t allow ML or other students with disabilities to show what they can truly accomplish. I agree with the other comments here that standardized testing show students language proficiency rather than what is truly expected. -Janine M

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The term translanguaging can be a little intimidating at first but this article helped me better understand some ways that translanguaging is being used in the classroom and how to use translanguaging going forward. I like that the article explains that we do no just want our students to become proficient in English, because being bilingual will help them be more successful in the future.
-Jennifer Regalado

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If...
...you have English learners in your classes who speak the same first language...
...then...
...you have translanguaging happening in your classroom, whether you like it or not.

If, like me, every time you see the word translanguaging, your mind starts imagining Hermione casting a spell in one of the Harry Potter books, then this article is for you.

Ever wondered:

What translanguaging was

Whether it's good or bad...or some sort of dark magic (sorry, still on the Harry Potter theme)

Or how it can be used in the classroom to help our emergent bilingual students

I'll be covering these questions and more below.
Let's dive right in.
Translanguaging Definition

In case you are confused, as I was, translanguaging, turns out, is not a particularly difficult concept. It is only a theory that, when faced with an academic task, people who know more than one language use all of their language resources in whatever way best gets the job done.

Basically, the languages in their heads like to play together, and they're better off for it.

This is translanguaging.

Here are some examples of translanguaging in the classroom that are likely already happening naturally:

When students mash up two or more different languages to communicate their ideas with each other during a discussion, they are translanguaging.

When students whisper something in Spanish in order to get confirmation about a question while completing an assignment, they are translanguaging.

When a student can't think of a word in English and substitutes the Chinese equivalent instead and a partner comes up with the word in English the first student was looking for, they are translanguaging.

When we only know a single language, or when we first begin learning a second, it's easy to think of languages in a compartmentalized way. English is English. Spanish is Spanish. Chinese is Chinese.

We sometimes treat them like they are radio buttons: if one is on, the others are not.

Translanguaging posits that multilinguals do not use languages like that.

Like most anything involving humans, it shouldn't be surprising that we don't operate like radio buttons.

My Personal Experiences with Translanguaging

When I first began learning Chinese, I definitely treated it as this separate silo, completely separated from English.

Now, after marrying a Taiwanese girl and raising a son who goes to school in a Chinese-speaking environment, we translanguage the stuffing out of our languages.

I've often wondered whether we're butchering both languages in the process, but I've come to realize that it's the siloing of our languages that is unnatural, not the other way around.

Now, if you're a language purist, before you start hitting the computer screen with your shoe, hear me out.

I also don't believe it's fine to just mash up our languages in whatever way best gets the job done.

Languages are important.

Being able to communicate both effectively and affectively with them is important.

Our students need to understand that languages are used in different ways in different contexts.

Benefits of Translanguaging

There is no doubting that our English Learners respond far better when they feel that their home language is valued and respected in the classroom.

More than that, their native language can help them increase the speed at which they aquire English.

Also, being bilingual will only continue to benefit them in the future.

Our goal is not simply that they would learn English, but that they would be bilingual, or trilingual, whatever the case may be.

Issues to Be Cautious About with Translanguaging

Though there are many benefits, that doesn't mean there aren't things to be cautious about with translanguaging in the classroom.

For translanguaging to work, both languages need to be used. If students are only interacting in their native language and not using English at all, not only are they not translanguaging, they are not going to be able to access grade-level content.

We want to allow space for our students to work with their languages in various and creative ways, ways that help them better improve in both languages.

Strategies for Incorporating Translanguaging in Your Classroom
As mentioned above...
...if you have English learners who speak the same first language, then you have translanguaging happening in your classroom whether you like it or not.

Strategies to incorporate translanguaging can sometimes feel more like directing the flow of a current rather than introducing something new.

Yet, even if you have students who come from different first-language backgrounds, you can still incorporate translanguaging to help them all feel more affirmed and acquire English more quickly.
It is helpful to point out that...
...even though translanguaging involves a lot of translation, it does not mean simply translating everything.
If you translate every word, text, worksheet, assessment...

Students are not going to pay attention to the majority of that translation work.

Translating everything muddies the water, so to speak, of the content you're learning, making it more difficult to focus on making meaning from a text.

Students can become too reliant on their first language effectively mitigating the gains they may otherwise have made with the language they're trying to acquire.

Learning a language is hard.

We need to let it be hard.

And we also need to let our students bring to bear whatever linguistic resources they have at their disposal to help them navigate their new language, so long as they are actually navigating their new language and not just reverting back to their first language.

We need to let our students bring to bear whatever linguistic resources they have at their disposal to help them navigate their new language, so long as they are actually navigating their new language and not just reverting back to their first language.

Translanguaging Strategy 1: Adjusting the Words We Use in Class

As you likely already know, our students are very sensitive to the words we use.

The way we speak about our students' other languages though is incredibly important. We really need to avoid making comments like:

"No Spanish in class."

"You can't speak Chinese in here."

"You're not allowed to use Arabic."

Instead, take every opportunity to affirm students' other languages while explaining why it's important to practice English:

"Your Spanish is really good. Let's practice your English right now so that it's as good as your Spanish."

"I'm impressed that guys are translating English and Chinese. Just be sure to practice the English you didn't know a few more times so that you don't forget."

"Can you teach me what you just said in Arabic? Now how do you say that in English? Cool! Nice work!"

Related to this...
...it's also helpful to speak about knowing more than one language as an asset. That is why English learners are often referred to as emergent bilingual students.

Emergent bilingual students are not simply catching up with their peers. When our English learners catch up to grade level, they have achieved something many of their peers have not.
They have achieved the difficult and valuable goal of becoming bilingual, trilingual, or multi-lingual.
Translanguaging Strategy 2: Home-Language Small Groups

Students are drawn to those who speak the same home language as they do anyways.

When possible, we can direct that energy into their studies by placing them in groups with other students who speak the same home language.

Students can use their first language to help each other make meaning from the English content being learned in class.
References:

Students can diagram pictures in both languages.

Students can annotate a text in their home language.

After introducing a concept, you can have students turn and discuss the concept in their home languages to make sure they have understood the concept correctly.

I'd love to hear what you think. Leave me a comment.
Translanguaging Strategy 3: Home-Language Journal

Students can create journal pages about whatever concepts they are learning in class. Their journals can utilize both their first language and English to whatever degree they want.

They can draw and illustrate pictures.

They can define words.

They can summarize concepts.

If you'd like to read more about translanguaging theory and pedagogy, the articles below may be helpful.

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How to Use Translanguaging in the Classroom with Your ELLs

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What is translanguaging and how can it be used to help English learners better access grade-level content? Definition, examples, and strategies.

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In my opinion, standardized tests definitely can limit any students' full potential. There are so many things that can go wrong on the day of the exam, which can contribute to a low or failing grade. Depending on the subject, the reading content might be confusing for ELLs, but it might not mean that the student does not understand. If you include a disability to the equation, it would kind of be like double loss for those students. Standardized assessments do not accurately measure every students actual proficiency and knowledge of topics.
~Sonia Severino.

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These types of assessments can become a more difficult task for ELLs and MLs with disabilities because the actual performance being tested might be the disability the student actually has, and needs help with. Performance tasks, are heavily dependent on language skills, which is not fair for MLs and ELLs since they are learning the language and trying to learn the subjects taught also.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC302syb4Zk

Translanguaging in my opinion is one of the best things to incorporate in bilinguals, multilinguals, ELLs, and MLs. Instead of limiting the students' language or vocabulary, they are allowed to express themselves in all languages they know. once all thoughts are established, all work can be translated in to English. Rather than forcing the student to express their thoughts in a language they are not familiar in, they should be allowed to use a language or languages they are familiar in, and truly express their thoughts to the best of their knowledge.

Instead of being insensitive about the use of home languages, we should demonstrate how important their home languages are, and guide them to using such language/s while simultaneously encourage them to want to continue learning English language.

One issue that arises with the use of translanguaging is the time consumption needed to translate all work and communications between myself and my students. Teachers need to stay on schedule, and are only provided a specific amount of time for subjects or activities. The use of translanguaging would require extra time to translate all needed communications.
~Sonia Severino.

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Translanguaging: Teacher's Role in the Classroom

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Use of Mother Tongue in Oral Performance 

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Use of Mother Tongue in Oral Performance 

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The use of mother tongue enables multilingual students to confidently construct and explain their thoughts without fear of making mistakes. As a result, teachers can accurately assess what has been learned and give students the opportunity to use whichever linguistic form they see fitting. According to studies, there is a high positive relationship between the mother tongue grade and the level of acquisition of the English learning competencies.  The utilization of a student's mother tongue in general instruction beyond oral performance helps enhance, develop and strengthen their skills to achieve a higher level of acquisition.
- Heidy Gonzalez

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With standardized test they aren't aligned to individual student groups. These tests are made for the majority group, and these don't reflect on the different people taking the test. the language is difficult but so are the context in some cases. These tests don't account for the fact that not every student doesn't have the same upbringing. Standardized test also don't reflect the fact that not every 3rd grade student may be at the same point in their development. if a student always gets a one on a standardized test, it won't show the progress the students are actually making. This is because even with modification and accommodation these standardized test favor only certain students.

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By incorporating translanguaging in assessments for classified ELLs/MLs we are providing them with testing accommodations. By providing them with a greater number of opportunities and most importantly provide educators with a more accurate picture of their knowledge.

How would translanguaging help students that come from a home where they use dialects to communicate?
-Nancy Lema

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One limitation is that standardized assessments do not show the full potential that a student has. It targets only something specific, for example writing may come difficult to some but communicating orally may be easier. Another limitation is how much stress it can put on a student. Students are used to believing that standardized assessments will make or break their future and that can cause a lot of pressure on the student, which can also affect their results.

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Performance-Based Assessments give students the opportunity to showcase aspects that cannot be shows through a standardized assessment. It also allows students to be given the choice of how they can show their knowledge through different forms of communication. To know if a student understands the topic, it is best to make sure they are given the opportunity to do so verbally, visually, critically, and much more.

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Translanguaging helps students to incorporate any language that will give them the chance to learn the best way they can. One strategy for this is to provide resources/books around the classroom in different languages about the topics. One question I have is how do we increasingly reduce the amount of need for translanguaging strategies?

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There are so many limitations with using standardized testing. Using PBA allows students to actually apply real life knowledge and experiences to solve problems and work with others.

-Emily Beier

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There are many limitations of standardized assessments. Standard assessment can take a long time to administer and complete, this can create stress on the student. Additionally, standardize assessments evaluates the students performance on that exam and that may not be reflective of the student, their cognitive abilities or language abilities . For example, some students are bad test takers and do not perform well on any exams. Lastly, Standardize assessments does not consider external factors.

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Performance assessments shows a more comprehensive picture of what ELLs/MLs can do because since it is more of a hands on assessment students remain engaged. These assessments also allow  students use their knowledge and experiences and demonstrate their problem solving solving skills.
-Nancy Lema

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Standardized assessments provide no accommodations. ELLs/MLs being provided an assessment in a language they are not proficient in doesn't provide a reliable picture of what they know. When it comes to ELLs/MLs with disabilities, all learn and react to exams differently. Testing already builds anxiety and stress but having ELLs/MLs with disabilities take an exam in the same time limits as others doubles the stress. They require more time to process the information provided to them.
-Nancy Lema

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One limitation that standardized assessments have on a multilingual child with SLI working on phonological awareness is that English has many compound words versus Spanish does not. So a multilingual child that is asked to perform this will be at a disadvantage. In addition, many of these assessments are translated from English to Spanish thus not being an accurate representation of the different abilities students could perform in their home language

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In "Strengths and Limitations of Current ELL Assessment Measures and Assessment Strategies: Reliability, Validity, and Utility," Linda Espinosa explores the current trends and implications in assessment for young ELLs. This excerpt originally was published in Young English Language Learners: Current Research and Emerging Directions for Practice and Policy (Teachers College Press, 2010).

In order for ELL children's outcomes to be fairly and appropriately assessed, it is important to understand some of the major limitations to many of the currently available measures for young children. A more detailed review of the technical characteristics of common ELL assessment measures (e.g., how the measure was developed, nature of normative sample, intended use of measure, validity, reliability, predictive ability, relationship to other more in-depth assessments, prior use with similar populations, etc.) can be found in a recently compiled compendium of ELL assessment measures (Barrueco, López, Ong, & Lozano, 2007).

Similarly, it is critical that users pay particular attention to the background information on standardization procedures contained in the respective assessment manuals for each measure. This is important both to guide the initial selection of the most appropriate assessment measure or measures, and to better understand any key concerns or limitations related to the interpretation of the results derived from individual assessments.

Discussion Points

Not intended to be an exhaustive summary of considerations or limitations, the following discussion highlights some of the issues and general limitations across assessment measures and procedures for ELLs:

1. Despite the tremendous recent growth in the population of young ELL children, the corresponding development of a range of different types of appropriate measures for ELL children has lagged far behind. The limitations relate both to the overall number of available measures, and to the domains of skills and abilities covered by such measures.

2. Many of the currently available measures for ELL children have been developed essentially as basic translations or adaptations of existing English language versions of measures, with varying levels of attention to ensuring comparability in the conceptual, linguistic or semantic content and/or level of diffi culty of the translated items across languages. As such, the content validity and construct validity may not be the same for the Spanish as for the English version of the same measure.

3. Unless a test were specifically normed with a sample of similar ELL children, the tests are still less accurate and valid for dual language learners who have been judged suffi ciently fluent in English to be assessed in English. Often, the reliability coefficients for many standardized tests are lower for ELL children, even if they have been designated as fully proficient in English (Abedi, Leon, & Mirocha, 2001) meaning that the score for an individual child may not be an accurate measure of that specific child's abilities. The concurrent validity scores for some assessments have also been shown to be substantially lower for ELL students, again making the accuracy less dependable.

4. The actual developmental construct that is being assessed by a measure may vary from one language to the next. On several common measures assessing different aspects of phonemic awareness, a child may be asked either to add to or take away parts of words to form new words. On English versions of such tasks, compound words are often used. For example, a child may be asked to say a word such as mailbox and then say it without mail (box), or blend the words mail and box together to form a new word (mailbox). However, since compound words occur much less frequently in Spanish, this particular type of task is much more complex for Spanish-speaking children to understand and to be as engaged in. Thus, unless items for a given task have been simultaneously developed in both English and the other language (or the measurement equivalence has been examined with the Spanish version), as is done with some measures like the Preschool Language Scale-4, there is a much greater risk that the translation process may result in an unintended change in the content, meaning, or linguistic complexity of the desired skill or ability that is being assessed.

5. Many standardized assessment measures (both in English and other languages) contain a very small pool of test items to assess a given skill or ability of interest. Since many existing assessments are designed to assess a number of different skills and abilities, the developers often choose to keep the number of items for any given task to a small number, so as not to end up with an assessment that will be too lengthy and/or frustrating for the shorter attention span of many preschool-age children. However, given the abovenoted variability in young children's performance on many such assessments, the inclusion of a greater number of items would be one way to help to offset this inherent variability and improve the precision of the measures.

6. It is not uncommon to see the inclusion of a fairly small number of young children in the normative samples used to develop the standardized assessment measures. Given the expected, normal level of variability in performance for these preschool-age children, one might expect to see the inclusion of larger numbers of children at the younger age levels, even as compared with the number of children included at the older ages for the normative sample. This is especially true with ELLs considering the great within-group variability.

7. 7Many normative samples have a smaller-than-expected representation of low-income and culturally or linguistically diverse population subgroups, as compared with the composition of the total population of young children. However, information on the specific demographic composition of the normative sample used to develop a given measure may not always be readily available in the published assessment manuals. If the normative sample for a given measure does not match the demographic characteristics of those children who are being assessed, then the resulting norms may not be appropriate for use with such a different group of children.

8. For assessments targeted toward ELL populations, there also is the consideration as to whether the normative samples used were monolingual Spanish-speaking or bilingual children, or some combination of the two. The desirability of different types of normative samples depends upon the nature of the question the user is interested in examining. On the one hand, some users may be most interested in examining a child's performance on a Spanish measure against the performance of monolingual Spanish speakers to assess the child's development against a normative group of children who primarily speak one language, Spanish. However, other users may be interested in examining how a child being raised in a bilingual environment performs in comparison to other, similar bilingual children.

Conclusion

In summary, these are just a few of the considerations that users should understand in order to be better informed when deciding which assessment measure or measures to select from among the different available assessment options, and for what purpose. While some assessments contain adequate descriptions of how the measure was developed, the composition of the normative sample, and the detailed information on the psychometric properties of the measure (e.g., reliability and validity), others provide much less information and, in some cases, contain misleading psychometric information.

For example, some assessment manuals present psychometric data, including information on the validity and reliability of the test for the English version of the measure, but don't present similar psychometric information on the specific non-English version. Caution should be exercised by potential users if any assessment does not provide detailed information on all aspects of the test. Despite the many limitations and/or concerns noted above, currently there are some available assessment measures that can be carefully utilized to gain a better understanding of the language development ELL children. Nevertheless there is still need for the continued development of newer and better ELL assessment measures and measurement strategies.

Acknowledgements

Our policy section is made possible by a generous grant from the Carnegie Corporation. The statements and views expressed are solely the responsibility of the authors.

Citations

Espinosa, L. Young English Language Learners: Current Research and Emerging Directions for Practice and Policy (Eds. García, E. and Frede, E.). Excerpts from Chapter 7, "Assessment for Young English Language Learners." Pps. 123-126. New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University. 2010. Reprinted with permission.

References

Abedi, J., Leon, S., & Mirocha, J. (2001). Examining ELL and non-ELL student performance differences and their relationship to background factors: Continued analyses of extant data. Los Angeles: University of California, National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing.

Barrueco, S., López, M., Ong, C., & Lozano, P. (2007). A compendium of measures for the assessment of young English language learners. Washington, DC: Pew Task Force on Early Childhood Accountability.

Reprints

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More by this author

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Assessment for Young ELLs: Strengths and Limitations in Current Practices

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In "Strengths and Limitations of Current ELL Assessment Measures and Assessment Strategies: Reliability, Validity, and Utility," Linda Espinosa explores the current trends and implications in assessment for young ELLs. This excerpt originally was published in Young English Language Learners: Current Research and Emerging Directions for Practice and Policy (Teachers College Press, 2010).

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Performance-based assessment provides a more accurate representation of the skills possessed by multilingual learners because they allow the room for them to demonstrate their knowledge without focusing exclusively on language. Furthermore this form of assessment also improves students self-esteem because since they are able to shine and show what they can actually do.

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Translanguaging is important for ML's because it promotes the students bilingual identities and socioemotional development. Deaf multilingual benefit from translanguagign because it provides multimodal form of learning and communication.

How will children with SLI benefit from translanguaging during speech therapy?

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Some limitations of standardized tests to assess classified ELLs skills is the use of language. These students will need extra time and have a translator in order to be successful in this type of testing because the language can be very unfamiliar to them, and then adding a high stress environment to that is very challenging. Another limitation is that not everyone is a great test taker and different factors come into play. A student may experience extreme anxiety and the academic levels are not the same for all students, and the same test is being given to them all.

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Standardized assessments limit students ability to express themselves. They are expected to give the answer that the creator of the test wants them to give. This is problematic in both special ed and general ed classes with monolingual or multilingual learners. Students learning is limited with these tests and it is unfair. These test also may not be on their level if they have disabilities or struggle to read the language the test is presented in.
-Danielle Terribile

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Examples of Performance-Based Assessments 

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Examples of Performance-Based Assessments 

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Exit tickets are a good example of performance based assessments. They test the students knowledge after the lesson to be sure they understood it. Tests are also a good way to assess a students understanding of particular topics. They will be able to show what they know but also are able to prepare for it by studying with a few days of advance notice.
-Danielle Terribile

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Translanguaging is a very important aspect of teaching multilingual learners. It can be very beneficial for these students because they are able to communicate with one another because they are able to share ideas with each other easily. In order to encourage students to practice communication by translanguaging we can have students pair up and share ideas with each other.
How can else can we encourage Translanguaging in the classroom?
-Danielle Terribile

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When it comes to standardized testing, there are limitations for multilingual learners. Language is the biggest limitation for these learners. Standardized testing does not think about the various types of learners we see in the classroom, learning disabilities, multilingual learners, etc. Therefore, it makes it extremely difficult to examine a student's knowledge and growth based on a standardized test. We should not look at just test scores when it comes to growth since every learner is different and unique in their own ways. I also do not like the "fear" it puts into my learners. They immediately feel nervous and stressed to do well on these tests. Once again, therefore not giving accurate results of learners.

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Performance based assessments are great to use in the classroom. There are so many examples such as book reports, portfolios, etc. They allow learners to show their creativity and choice. For these kinds of tasks, you can allow the learners to do it in their home language, which would provide an accurate representation of their content knowledge.

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Translanguaging is something I want to start incorporating more often in my classroom.  It is such an important aspect for multilingual learner's development in both languages.  I loved this resource because it allows learners to respond in both languages (I have Spanish speaking students). One question I have is how am I able to make sure learners are writing correctly in their home language if I cannot speak/write in their home language.

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Young students in the dual language classroom need support with their writing and language skills with this Translanguaging Writing Journal. This no-prep, print and go resource uses visual supports along with the high frequency words will help develop their vocabulary and build a foundation of writing in English and Spanish.

High Frequency Words in this journal: are, I, friend, like, said, come, here, have, this, go, to, want, eat, read, my.

In this resource you will find:

Journal cover (for students to personalize)

15 writing worksheets, each worksheets includes

5 vocabulary words in both languages with visual supports

Sentence frames (in both languages)

Space for writing and drawing

Convention rubric (Capitalization, Punctuation, Correct Grammar, Spacing)

Don't forget to check out these other Bilingual resources:

☀ Library Labels with pictures (In English and Spanish)

☀ Visual direction cards for routines & procedures | in English & Spanish

☀ Bilingual Writing Journal Unit 1 | Translanguaging for Dual Language Learners

☀ Writing Process Chart for Promethean Board | Bilingual | Spanish

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Bilingual Writing Journal Unit 2 | Translanguaging for Dual Language Learners

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Young students in the dual language classroom need support with their writing and language skills with this Translanguaging Writing Journal. This no-prep, print and go resource uses visual supports along with the high frequency words will help develop their vocabulary and build a foundation of writi...

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When multilingual learners take standardized tests, the results tend to reflect their English language proficiency and may not accurately assess their content knowledge or skills.

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When multilingual learners take standardized tests, the results tend to reflect their English language proficiency and may not accurately assess their content knowledge or skills.

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-Kaitlyn Bordeman

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This is when students participate in performing tasks or activities that are meaningful and engaging. The purpose of this kind of learning is to help students acquire and apply knowledge, practice skills, and develop independent and collaborative work habits. The culminating activity or product for performance-based learning is one that lets a student demonstrate evidence of understanding through a transfer of skills. Examples include: presentations, portfolios, performances, projects, or debates.

Kaitlyn Bordeman

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Translanguaging is when a multilingual learner's full linguistic language is used and honored, instead of trying to force a single language.

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Standardized tests may not be valid or reliable because they depend on a students' English proficiency. They do not reflect an accurate representation or comprehensible picture of the ML's knowledge, skills, or proficiency. Also, MLs with disabilities require a more complex assessment for the proper classification and accommodation than standardized tests can offer.

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Standardized tests may not be valid or reliable because they depend on a students' English proficiency. They do not reflect an accurate representation or comprehensible picture of the ML's knowledge, skills, or proficiency. Also, MLs with disabilities require a more complex assessment for the proper classification and accommodation than standardized tests can offer.

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-Dana Dipaoli

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Performance assessments allow students to demonstrate and convey their true knowledge, skills, and language proficiency by reaching a deeper level of thinking/communication when they receive the proper language supports and scaffolding. Likewise, performance assessments allow MLs to choose how they want to communicate and express their knowledge. Examples include projects, debates, critiques, presentations, and work binders.

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Performance assessments allow students to demonstrate and convey their true knowledge, skills, and language proficiency by reaching a deeper level of thinking/communication when they receive the proper language supports and scaffolding. Likewise, performance assessments allow MLs to choose how they want to communicate and express their knowledge. Examples include projects, debates, critiques, presentations, and work binders.

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-Dana Dipaoli

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Great video including translanguaging information and strategies! Incorporating translanguaging in assessment results in the accurate representation of ELLs and ELLWDs critical and complex thoughts. A strategy would be assessing students based on their entire linguistic repertoire. A question I have is how can there be one rubric to fit the needs of all diverse MLs?

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Great video including translanguaging information and strategies! Incorporating translanguaging in assessment results in the accurate representation of ELLs and ELLWDs critical and complex thoughts. A strategy would be assessing students based on their entire linguistic repertoire. A question I have is how can there be one rubric to fit the needs of all diverse MLs?

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-Dana Dipaoli

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Multilingualism and Translanguaging in the Classroom (REL Pacific)

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-Dana Dipaoli

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Performance and project based assessments consider the varying levels of individual achievement and aid in assessing oral ability.

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Performance and project based assessments consider the varying levels of individual achievement and aid in assessing oral ability.

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-Dana Dipaoli

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the results tend to reflect their English language proficiency and may not accurately assess their content knowledge or skills                         

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As a future high school history teacher below is an example of a performance based history assessment that I thought was good: As a member of an international human rights group (e.g., Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, etc.), you have been invited to present to the United Nations General Assembly, on the state of one particular global human rights violation, to appeal to the United Nations to encourage all nations to abide by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to support stricter enforcement.  As part of your presentation, you will propose an action plan designed to redress these violations (e.g., economic – embargo, boycott, political – foreign policies, etc.).  Your presentation should connect your selected human rights violation to the historical roots of the issue (e.g., child labor – industrial revolution v. today’s child labor issues) and address how the violation has changed and/or stayed the same.  https://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/performanceassessments-socialstudies

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I really love this idea about translanguaging in a social studies classroom
High School: In a 9th grade Social Studies unit, students create primary source documents by doing multilingual interviews of classmates, family members, and community members about their own refugee experiences. Students take notes during interviews in both their home languages and English. They then analyze each others’ interviews, comparing and contrasting the information gathered, and incorporating these documents into a larger analysis of refugee experience.
https://www.cde.state.co.us/cde_english/translangpacket

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This bulletin board is a great example of how to incorporate translanguaging into the classroom and get all the students involved. I think that the list of cognates is very helpful as it highlights similiarities between English and the student's native language but also shows that there are diffierences that must be embraced and accepted.

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Oral assessments can be conducted in many different ways:

·        Presentations

·        Discussions

·        Debates

·        Role-play

·        Mock interviews

·        Dialogues

·        Questions and answers

They can also be done individually or as part of a collaborative assignment

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Standardized tests only highlight certain aspects of an ELL's/MLL's knowledge and language proficiency. It will focus on what a third party suggests is important for ELL's/MLL's to know, but it fails to encompass the entirety of their knowledge. If an ELL/MLL has a hard time with a specific requirement on a  standardized test, they may be scored lower on their proficiency exam than what their actual knowledge of language is. Secondly, standardized tests create an overall generalization of student proficiency, but fails to account for individual ELL/MLL disabilities. There can't be one uniform test to assess every ELL/MLL in a fair manner.

Mark Pagano

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One idea for a performance assessment that can create a more comprehensive picture of what ELLs/MLLs can do, know, and say is to have more open ended responses to questions the highlight overall knowledge and creativity. One example would be to ask questions like "describe your favorite food." Students can use a wide range of vocabulary such as colors, shapes, sizes which can create a better overall picture of the food rather than just simply regurgitating the name of it. Second, we can ask students to draw their answers to certain questions. This would encompass creativity skills such as drawing, coloring, as well as picture association to help highlight the strengths of each ELL/MLL.

Mark Pagano

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Translanguaging is a great tool to incorporate in assessments for ELLs/MLLs because it levels the playing field for all students. By incorporating tranlanguaging, students can feel comfortable speaking and writing in their home language without the pressure of trying to only speak English. This allows students to formulate ideas more freely and unlocks knowledge that otherwise may not be shown. One strategy would be to allow responses to assessments in any home language and then together with the ELL/MLL learn how to express his or her ideas in English, but as a learning exercise instead of a graded assessment. One question I have that keeps coming up is, what happens when no one speaks a child's home language? How can we promote translanguaging for a student who can't communicate with anyone in the classroom or the school?

-Mark Pagano

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Most school districts won't pay to have students tested for a learning disabilty when they are ELL's for at least 2 years after entering the district. This is time wasted, time is precious for these students. Especially at the high school level when many students are already joining the work force. These students see themselves providing for their families. Since they are not producing stellar results in school they become disengaged and we lose them to the work force. All becuase they have an underlying LD.

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Most school districts won't pay to have students tested for a learning disabilty when they are ELL's for at least 2 years after entering the district. This is time wasted, time is precious for these students. Especially at the high school level when many students are already joining the work force. These students see themselves providing for their families. Since they are not producing stellar results in school they become disengaged and we lose them to the work force. All becuase they have an underlying LD.

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Strategies that work successfully for students with undiagnosed learning disabilities is using translanguaging. Having the students write in their home language, skipping a line and then translating below the words of their response in english allows students to make connections between words and phrases. Repeating this technique allows students to engage and take control of their language acquisition.

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Strategies that work successfully for students with undiagnosed learning disabilities is using translanguaging. Having the students write in their home language, skipping a line and then translating below the words of their response in english allows students to make connections between words and phrases. Repeating this technique allows students to engage and take control of their language acquisition.

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I Wonder what else can be done to assist ELL's with Learning Disabilities

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limitations of standardized testing of student ability comes down to what type of schooling and what consistency of education students had in their home country as well as are the students able to read/write. These important details can play a huge role in accurately assessing student need and ability.

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limitations of standardized testing of student ability comes down to what type of schooling and what consistency of education students had in their home country as well as are the students able to read/write. These important details can play a huge role in accurately assessing student need and ability.

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Performance assessments can classify students base knowledge and will provide a window into student base knowledge. Proficiency assessments can also help teacher to identify student need so that a plan can be devised to aid in student success.

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Performance based assessments give students the opportunity to apply knowledge, not just regurgitate it. It encourages collaboration, self-reflection, and autonomy of the process and content.

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In my school population, we have come across the problem that only students who "qualify" or "tested" as "ELLs" through testing get certain accommodations for standardized tests - so, although we have a large population of multilingual learners, including those that only speak languages other than English at home - they do not get the same supports as others. In this way, standardized testing is discriminating against MLLs to further disenfranchise them through even more testing. It's a harmful cycle.

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ELL/MLL students might have a difficult time expressing what they want to say in a language that they are not 100% familiar with. There might be certain words that these students do not have in their vocabulary that might help them when it comes to answering questions on these standardized tests.

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I think one limitation for multi-language learners with standardized testing is that it severely limits how learners can demonstrate their learning because they are not designed with them in mind. It is hard because I put extra effort to differentiate, build prior knowledge, leverage cultural connections, and take time for bridging. All of this does take more time and a problem I ran into this year was that I was unable to finish the curriculum, and the pre-teaching and scaffolding I used was not on/allowed on the Regents. I also think there is a gap in equal opportunity to succeed. What is asked of the students is not the same across the board because it is crafted with the assumption that students have received training in American and Eurocentric history for the past 10 years. Also, many of my students have jobs after school, do not have their parents here in the US, and do not have access to tutors who can help accelerate the closing of the gap in their academic training, so as a result, the MLs do not have the chance to show their full knowledge.

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A great dissertation piece discussing the challenges of teaching English Language Learners to Test Content and how difficult it is to assimilate into every day situations based solely on testing material.
-Amy Rosario

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Although basic, I think creating presentations is a good way to teach skills needed for the workforce that many of my MLs were not familiar with. Teaching them how to use google slides, present the most necessary info in an engaging way, and deliberately creating a process for asking questions prepares them for later in life. I also like one pagers where students use words, quotes, images, etc to represent their understanding of a concept.

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I think the main benefit of translanguaging is acknowledging and making use of a student's full skillset and thus allowing for higher-level conversation to take place using both languages. One strategy can be providing sentence stems or having them write their idea in their home language, erase the words they know in English and replace them. One question I have is how to balance the scaffolds when standardized testing to not allow for many of them.

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There are many limitations found in standardized assessment. The normative sample used might not be descriptive of the child you are providing services. Standardized tests also do not take into consideration culture or dialect differences. Standardized tests are not inclusive to ELLs or MLs with disabilities since they have strict directions that cannot be accommodated such as repeating something for a child with attention or hearing difficulties. These assessments take a long time to complete and are not enriching to the student.

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Performance based assessments build a more comprehensive view because you are able to identify where the child is struggling. You are also provided with an opportunity to scaffold the child. I am currently taking an AAC class and found this idea useful since it is interesting and motivational to the students which builds communicative intent.

https://praacticalaac.org/praactical/how-i-do-it-project-based-learning-and-aac/

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Looking for ways to promote inclusive practices in your school? Today, AAC SLP and AT Consultant Sarah Gregory returns to share more about the strategies and approaches she uses in the peer support program in her school district in Ithaca, NY. Learn about how she implements problem-based learning to promote authentic learning experiences and meaningful connections between students with and without disabilities.

You can see Sarah's previous post on peer modeling here.
Project-Based Learning and AAC
I discussed in my first blog post the importance of authentic inclusion of students with Complex Communication Needs in the general education classroom. Involving peers in using AAC has been a great tool to move to a model of true inclusion. When incorporating peer support into a classroom structure I am thoughtful to make the interaction authentic and meaningful for everyone involved.

Since starting a peer support program two years ago I have continuously reflected and refined my approach. Recently I have realized that peer support shouldn't be about teaching or helping the AAC communicator, but it should look like a group of students learning alongside each other. I have also stopped using the term "peer modeling," because this implies that one person is in a helping or teaching role. Erin Sheldon has used the term "peer support," which I feel is a better descriptor of the culture we are trying to create.

When structuring peer support of AAC, one strategy I found to be effective is Project Based Learning (PBL). PBL is a teaching model in which students are asked to identify and solve a real-world problem. The focus is on the process of learning, not only the end product.

Last year I wrote and taught this PBL lesson (also called a Case Study) as part of the Anti-Marginalization Design Team in my school district. The purpose of this group was to teach students to recognize and respond to complex issues of identity, diversity, prejudice, and power in learning communities. As an SLP I don't often take the lead on teaching curriculum, so this group helped me gain a new perspective and a deeper understanding of Common Core Standards and academic expectations for our students. Getting more involved in the curriculum is a great way for therapists to support the inclusion of students with CCN.

The complete PBL unit is available on our district website and can be downloaded and modified to fit any group of students. To briefly describe the learning unit, the goal was to use low tech AAC to increase the inclusiveness of one area of our school. Over the course of about 6 weeks, our preschool class first toured the school and took photos of places that we frequently visit (the gym, nurse's office, main office). They took data and created a bar graph to determine the most visited location, which led us to choose the nurse's office. Then we created a list of what students have said in the nurse's office and analyzed the data to choose vocabulary to create a low-tech AAC board using drawing and Boardmaker Online.

Since implementing this curricular unit I have learned more about literacy instruction, mainly from the textbook Comprehensive Literacy Instruction For All by Dr. Karen Erickson and Dr. David Koppenhaver. When I do this unit again I will be more purposefully about weaving reading and writing into each lesson. For example, I plan to have students do predictable chart writing to share what they said the last time they were at the nurse (e.g., I was___).

Work from Erin Sheldon such as this video also gave me some ideas about how PBL can support the descriptive teaching model, rather than using referential language. PBL/Case Studies are designed for students to ask their own questions and guide their learning journey. This lends itself to an open-ended format, rather than one correct answer. This is a great strategy to support any emergent communicator, especially those who use AAC. When we have one answer in mind, the task often turns into a test with a right or wrong answer (e.g., "what does a nurse do?"). Whereas in an open-ended format we may ask "tell us about the last time you were at the nurse," so that there are multiple appropriate responses. This helps increase student engagement with the lesson and with their communication system.

After listening to Erin, I will also be more purposeful about simplifying vocabulary or making sure important words are available to the AAC communicator. For example, if students come up with the word "fever" we can have them list other "easier" words (e.g., "feel hot") to describe it. We can also use the word list that the students create to identify words that are not in the students' AAC devices but should be. Involving peers in this type of activity is a great way for us to keep up with age-appropriate vocabulary.

When this unit was complete our last task was to present and share the product with an authentic audience. The class gave the communication board to the nurse and explained to her how students might use it. They also presented about their learning journey to classroom staff that weren't present for my small group lessons. My favorite part was that during the presentation I asked each student who might use the communication board (only preschoolers? Can fifth-graders use it?) and almost every student said that it was for everyone.

When I began my journey towards authentic inclusion a mentor told me that she viewed academic inclusion as a social justice issue. I loved that this case study gave students a small, but real-life opportunity to learn about inclusive spaces and be an advocate. Most importantly this was not something that students did FOR the AAC communicators in their class, but it was something they learned about and completed together.

Biographical sketch: Sarah Gregory, M.S. CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Assistive Technology consultant in the Ithaca City School District in Upstate New York. She specializes in Augmentative and Alternative Communication in a public school setting with a focus on inclusion. She received a bachelor's degree from Ithaca College, a master's degree from The University of Rhode Island and an Assistive Technology Specialist certificate from The University of California at Dominguez Hills. Sarah has presented on AAC and inclusion at ASHA, #TalkingAAC and AAC in The Cloud. You can reach her at sarahgregory212@gmail.com or on Twitter/Instagram @SGregorySLP.

This post was written by Carole Zangari

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How I Do It: Project-Based Learning and AAC

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Looking for ways to promote inclusive practices in your school? Today, AAC SLP and AT Consultant Sarah Gregory returns to share more about the strategies and approaches she uses in the peer support program in her school district in Ithaca, NY.

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A benefit of translanguaging is that students would be better able to express and explain themselves. One strategy I would have to implement this is to encourage the students to look up what they do not know, this would build good language habits. A question I have is how can translanguaging be supported by individuals outside the school environment, such as coaches or doctors.

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To build off of what others have said before, standardized tests act as measurements of what students have retained and what they already know.  PBL allows for students to explore concepts they have already learned, apply them to new situations, and continue their educational process.  PBL, while assessments, allow for the educational process to continue, constantly engaging students and promoting inquiry. - Fred G.

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https://www.uhv.edu/education/faculty-research-and-outreach/articles/are-ells-failing-the-standardized-tests/

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Navigation

Authors: Dr. Liping Wei & Dr. Paul Carlson

High-stakes testing places public schools and teachers under increased pressure. The stress that they place on some English Language Learners (ELLs) is counterproductive. Tests such as the STAAR require mastery of academic language and content knowledge at grade level. This is unrealistic for many ELLs and asks schools and teachers to do the impossible.

Experts in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) have long argued that it takes time to learn a new language. One of the most prominent researchers in SLA, Jim Cummins, claims that it often takes five or more years for ELLs to master enough formal academic English to catch up to their native English-speaking peers. To pass the STAAR, students must have both advanced academic English and grade-level knowledge in the content areas. For some ELLs, this is simply not achievable without greater local flexibility.

The problem is especially clear when we consider the varying ages, grade levels, personal histories, and English proficiency levels of ELLs. Consider the following examples:

Refugee students placed in a 3rd grade classroom who do not know how to hold a pencil or open a book;

ESL students who have special needs but have not yet been identified and are not receiving essential support services;

Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE students) who were not given support in their home countries and have little or no understanding of expected classroom behaviors; and

Students who have little or no literacy in their home language.

These are just some examples that illustrate the mismatch between mandated academic standards and the realities of some English Language Learners. The reported test results unfairly reflect on the quality of instruction. Even more tragically, they depress the students’ motivation. ELL students often feel beaten down. They start to doubt themselves and believe they are unintelligent. The fact is, with appropriate ESL and sheltered instruction over time, they can meet rigorous academic demands.

ELLs may appear to be one group. But under the label, there is a diverse student population. And there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution. We need to meet all students at their levels of academic and English language proficiency levels. Failure to do so not only hurts the students and the morale of school professionals. It reduces society’s available talent. We can meet federal and state policies, mandates and academic expectation if local schools are given the freedom to adapt to their specific students.

Dr. Liping Wei is an Associate Professor in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in ESL Teacher Preparation in the School of Education, Health Professions, and Human Development at the University of Houston-Victoria. She is in charge of M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in ESL/TESOL.

Dr. Paul Carlson is a Professor in the UHV School of Education, Health Professions, and Human Development.

Learn more about the M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in ESL/TESOL.

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Are ELLs Failing the Standardized Tests | Education | University of Houston-Victoria

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Authors: Dr. Liping Wei & Dr. Paul Carlson

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Limitations of Standardized Assessments Identified ELLS/MLs with Disabilities

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Limitations of Standardized Assessments Identified ELLS/MLs with Disabilities

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https://neurohealthah.com/blog/standardized-tests-with-disabilities/

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Neuropsychologist in Arlington Heights, IL

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Standardized Tests and Leanring Disabilities - Test Limits, & Challenges

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Those with disabilities often struggle on standardized tests, resulting in inaccurate results and other problems. Learn about testing here1