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English Language Proficiency Standards - these are important to include in the language objectives when lesson planning and for determining which language domains are begin addressed with the lesson.

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Proficiency Level Descriptors - these are important to refer to when monitoring the progress of the English learners. They also serve as reminders of what students can do at each level of proficiency within each domain of language.

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This legislation supports students who are learning English in secondary language programs.

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Schools MUST provide English language instruction to non-English students to help them succeed.

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Texas Education Agency (TEA) Bilingual and ESL Programs

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Texas Education Agency (TEA) Bilingual and ESL Programs

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This link will take you straight to the TEA website for second language programs, references, and strategies.

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The Emergent Bilingual Support Division provides direction and leadership with the implementation of Bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs for emergent bilingual (EB) students/English learners (ELs).

Announcements

Check out the Emergent Bilingual Student Web Portal TXEL.ORG for continuously updated resources for Teachers, Leaders, Parents and families of Emergent Bilingual Students, and Community Partners.

Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) Guidance and Resources

Current School Year

2022-2023 Emergent Bilingual Support Update Meetings with LEAs and ESCs

The TEA Emergent Bilingual Support Division welcomes Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and regional Education Service Centers (ESCs) to join our English Learner Support Update Meetings. See our EL Portal for dates, meeting links, presentations, and recordings.

Program Requirement Resources

These resources, tools, and web pages provide guidance on bilingual and English as a second language (ESL) program requirements:

Program Requirement Resource Web Pages

Program Implementation

The TEA Emergent Bilingual Support Division has developed program implementation rubrics and associated tools to support LEAs with evaluating and enhancing their bilingual education and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.

Program Statutes

The following statutes relate to bilingual and English as a second language (ESL) programs:

Title III, Part A - English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act

Title III, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as reauthorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), aims to ensure that English learners (ELs) and immigrant students attain English proficiency and develop high levels of academic achievement in English. Title III will also assist all English learners meet the same challenging State academic standards that all children are expected to meet.

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Bilingual and English as a Second Language Education Programs

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The Emergent Bilingual Support Division provides direction and leadership with the implementation of Bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs for emergent bilingual (EB) students/English learners (ELs). Check out the Emergent Bilingual Student Web Portal TXEL.ORG for continuously updated resources for Teachers, Leaders, Parents and families of Emergent Bilingual Students, and Community Partners.

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I chose to add this because it provides great guidelines and rubrics on assessing ESL students.

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Supporting Emergent Bilingual Students in Texas

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This is important because it is the idea that L1 and L2 are interconnected. It is best to practice and learn both.

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Krashen's Second Language Acquisition Theory

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Krashen's Second Language Acquisition Theory

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Outlines 5 main hypothesis for language learning. The link will directly take you to information on them.

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A great strategy to use and gets student's to use multiple functions at once. Students will complete a task in relation to commands by the teacher.

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Strategy Overview

How This Strategy Supports Language Development

When using TPR, teachers model an action for each new vocabulary or phrase or ask students to create an appropriate gesture for key terms and phrases. Then, students respond to commands using that word or phrase by doing the action or gesture.

TPR is a language teaching method developed by James Asher in the 1960s that is based on the way babies learn their first languages. Because students are not required to speak to demonstrate comprehension, the method lowers their stress. And since students' receptive skills (listening and reading) generally precede their productive skills (speaking and writing), TPR gives them a way to demonstrate comprehension and participate fully with grade-level content. When students use a hand or body gesture to symbolize a key term, they often learn the terms more quickly and retain them for longer.

TPR can be used in any content area at any grade or age level to increase comprehension and retention of key vocabulary and phrases.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Select essential vocabulary words and phrases for the unit of study.

2. Determine an appropriate gesture for each word or phrase. Review each concept for the possibility of adding a gesture or ASL sign to the word when teaching and practicing this concept in class. Use handspeak.com to find ASL gestures for many words and phrases.

3. Introduce the new word or concept in context with the gesture (and/or a prop, image, or manipulative). Write the word or phrase on the board.

4. Ask students to repeat the gesture in the context of a command such as, "Hold up the picture of the __;" "Show me __;" "Point to the ___."

5. Introduce the next word or phrase in context of the unit with a gesture (and/or a prop, image, or manipulative).

6. Practice both new words and phrases with commands. Mix and match the 2 words and phrases using commands such as, "Put the picture of the ___ on top of the ___." "Show me ___ and ___."

7. Continue introducing up to 7 new vocabulary and phrases with gestures. Practice all of these new words and phrases in the context of total physical response commands.

8. Ask students to practice the concepts with gestures with a partner. One partner says the key term and the other partner does the appropriate gesture and explains in complete sentences what the term means. In this way, students will link the term to the gesture and the meaning.

9. Use gestures as a quick formative assessment tool. Simply ask the class to, "Show me the gesture for ____." Look around the room at the responses to gauge comprehension.

Lessons Learned

Not all words or concepts need a gesture or ASL sign attached. Some are better learned through a video, picture, or realia. See the examples above.

Be careful to establish comprehensible input for any gesture that is representative of a concept. While many verbs and some adjectives can be easily acted out or gestured, some gestures can be misconstrued, if the word is not clearly explained first. For example, standing up from a chair as a gesture for "stand up" is unlikely to be confused with another concept. However, touching your head for the "heading" of a text could be misinterpreted as "head" rather than "heading."

Students may quickly learn gestures associated with words, but not actually understand the meaning of the word. Continually check on comprehension of gestures that are symbolic for abstract concepts.

Start practice sessions by having the entire class gesture or demonstrate the response to the command. Divide students into small groups for demonstration purposes later in the lesson.

Stop modeling after a few repetitions, so you can gauge students' comprehension, not their ability to follow you.

Partners and small groups can practice commands with each other after they have practiced in the whole group. One student will need the list of commands to give their small group: "Show me an acute angle." "Show me precipitation." "Point to the picture of the telescope."

When possible, use ASL gestures for vocabulary so you teach both ASL and a meaningful gesture for the words.

Include manipulatives, pictures, or props for some words.

Teach collocations and phrasal verbs as one phrase rather than as individual words ("pick up," "drop off," "open your book").

Include commands for any physical demonstration of comprehension including: "show me," "point to," "draw," "look at," "walk to," "hold up," "take out," etc.).

Invite students to help create gestures for keywords once they understand the process.

When students are watching each other to do the gestures, they are still learning. However, if you want to quickly assess which students know the gesture for a word, you can ask students to close their eyes for a minute while you say the terms.

TPR works in any content area. Students can gesture everything from content-specific terms like "parabola" to general academic terms like "identify" and "compare."

Do not require students to make any gesture. Gestures support learning and help with retention, but students do not personally have to do each gesture in order to benefit from watching others do the action.

Differentiation

Entering/Emerging

This method was developed for entering and emerging level students. If teachers use TPR for abstract terms (e.g. "metaphor," "justify," "therefore"), they should probably translate those terms for entering/emerging students as the gesture may not be comprehensible without it.

Students at entering levels of language development can simply show the gesture for key concept words instead of explaining what they mean. They can explain their understanding of the concept and gesture in their heritage language.

Developing

Students at this level can identify new words and phrases in texts and create their own gestures for them to help them remember the terms.

Expanding

Give students the opportunity to give the commands to the whole class using the key vocabulary. Other students in the class can respond to the command by doing the gesture.

Examples

Co-Teaching Considerations

Content or Grade-Level Teacher

1. Choose the essential content vocabulary or concepts.

2. Determine a logical sequence for introducing the terms so they are connected and in context.

English Language Development Teacher

1. Translate abstract terms for entering/emerging level students.

2. Give TPR commands to a small group of entering/emerging level students to ensure comprehension of the terms.

3. Ask comprehension questions in heritage language as an additional comprehension check.

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Strategy OverviewHow This Strategy Supports Language DevelopmentWhen using TPR, teachers model an action for each new vocabulary or phrase or ask students to create an appropriate gesture for key terms and phrases.

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This is my favorite strategy because I am a future science teacher. I will be incorporating this into my classroom.

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Productive Talk Moves- revoicing, repeating, reasoning, adding on, and waiting

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Productive Talk Moves- revoicing, repeating, reasoning, adding on, and waiting

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This strategy is perfect for beginners as well as middle-level. I like this strategy because it is simple, yet effective. I used this strategy while learning Spanish.

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"Talk moves" are ways the teacher can facilitate the progression of a discussion amongst students without being the one doing all the talking. This chart provides language for the teacher to prompt students to remain/become engaged in the conversation. If further scaffolds are needed, the teacher can provide sentence frames so that students can learn language forms needed to respond to each other appropriately.

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"Talk moves" are ways the teacher can facilitate the progression of a discussion amongst students without being the one doing all the talking. This chart provides language for the teacher to prompt students to remain/become engaged in the conversation.

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I love this strategy because it can be used across all content areas. Students also practice creativity during this exercise.

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Syllable Segmentation and Clapping Strategy

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Syllable Segmentation and Clapping Strategy

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A great beginner strategy. I am very familiar with this across my classes. I love this video for younger kids!

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Let's Learn SEGMENTING WORDS {Phonemic Awareness}

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Giving students texts they can read and decode successfully. It is also great to incorporate topics from a level above for the student to make progress in acquisition! The link will take you straight to Readingrockets for some examples of decodable texts.

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Learn more about the value of using decodable books in phonics instruction to reinforce your students' decoding skills and reading fluency.

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Including everyone's identity or things that all your students can relate to personally is very important. This enhances student's engagement as well as give them a sense of belonging. VERY IMPORTANT strategy I will be implementing in my classroom.

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Color in Colorado ELL Science Strategies Website

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Color in Colorado ELL Science Strategies Website

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I chose this resource because it is a great article over how to implement ELL learning in the science classroom. It even goes into depth on how to plan your lesson around it.

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ELL Strategies for Science Instruction: 5 Tips for Educators

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If you teach science to English language learners (ELLs), you may be wondering how best to support their instruction in your classroom. The good news is that there are lots of ideas you can put into practice right away and that many of these ideas will also support success for all students. We have several tips for you in this article, along with links to recommended resources for further exploration. We have also included reflection questions you can use in your planning or in discussion with your team.Getting to Know Your StudentsELL Tips for Science TeachersPrint PDF >Before jumping into lesson planning, we can’t overestimate the importance of getting to know your students. Not only does this provide valuable information that can help inform instruction, but it creates a stronger relationship that can foster student confidence and independence in the classroom. Here are some things to focus on:Making students feel welcome: Welcome students with smiles, friendly greetings, and positive body language. Show respect for students’ languages and cultures, and learn to say and write students’ names correctly. Refrain from using nicknames or making comments about students’ names.Student interests: Getting to know your students’ interests can provide a springboard for connections to science content, such as sports, baking, wildlife, or technology.Daily connections to science: Although we don’t always “see” science, there are lots of connections you can make to daily experiences. The better you know your students, the more effectively you can make these connections. For example, students may know a lot about gardening or agriculture or be responsible for fixing equipment at a job. Students may take medication or help administer medication to relatives. And students are probably responsible for tech support at home! Students’ prior schooling: Students’ educational experiences may vary widely. While some students may have had consistent schooling, others may have had limited or interrupted schooling. Learning more about your students’ past educational experiences will help you identify areas of knowledge they have or need.Students’ language proficiency levels: Your students may have different levels of English language proficiency, and those levels may also vary by skill. For example, a student may be stronger in speaking than writing, or stronger in reading than speaking. Understanding this data can help you target your instruction more effectively.Reflection QuestionsHow much science instruction have your ELLs received in their prior schooling?How much do their levels of science background vary?What are some of their strengths related to science? What are some of their challenges?What are some practical ways your ELLs are using science in their daily lives?What are some of your students’ interests?Planning Your Science LessonHere are some high-impact areas to focus on as you look at how to support ELLs in your science instruction. You can also ask ELL colleagues, such as ESL teachers or specialists, for their ideas or guidance in trying these ideas.1. Identify target content, background knowledge, and skills.Target Content: As you prepare your lesson plan, identify key content and concepts students will need to learn. What connections can you make to other content or students’ experiences?Background Knowledge: Are there important areas of background knowledge that students already have? Are there topics where you may need to build background knowledge? You can find out what students know about certain topics by using graphic organizers such as K-W-L charts and concept maps.Key Skills: What key skills do students need to learn, such as measuring or making observations? Provide clear, step-by-step instructions in writing for new activities.Note: One strategy you can use to prepare students for new material is pre-teaching vocabulary and content. See an example of this in action in the “Super Secret Science Club” vignette below.2. Identify key vocabulary.What key vocabulary words do students need to know in your lesson?Academic words (photosynthesis, electron, plankton) Words with multiple meanings (uniform, class, desert, gas, table)Words needed to describe a process (observe, effect)Words needed in a lab report or experiment (hypothesis, conclusion)Homophones (cell/sell, weight/wait, son/sun, pistil/pistol)Words that students are likely to encounter in other settings (formula, prove)Measurement words (foot, feet, meter, grams, pounds, kilometers)You can teach these words through glossaries, user-friendly definitions, visuals, and sample sentences. Keep in mind that students need lots of opportunities to practice new words in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. You can see several ideas in our vocabulary-focused strategies from our ELL Strategy Library.Connecting to Students’ LanguagesStudents’ languages are a valuable resource for instruction — even if you don’t speak those languages! By learning how to make connections to students’ languages, you can tap into content knowledge and vocabulary that they may already know.Use multilingual glossaries, which may already exist in your content area. You can also invite students to create their own.Use cognates, which are related words in two languages (e.g., the English-Spanish pair biology/biología).Invite students to add labels to annotated diagrams in their languages and review their diagrams with a partner who speaks their language.You can also encourage students to brainstorm, write ideas, or hold discussions in their own languages and then share their findings in English.3. Identify language-based tasks.Academic language is the language of school and content-area instruction. ELLs may need additional explicit instruction to develop academic language, but this instruction can benefit all students. For example, there are all kinds of language-based tasks that students are expected to complete in science class, such as:Reading a non-fiction articleWriting a lab reportDescribing an experimentAs you read through the following tips, think about the language tasks students are expected to complete. What will those tasks look like when they are completed successfully? Here are some ways to help students meet that goal:Use sentence frames to model key phrases students need to say or write, such as, “___________ is a __________.” (Water is a liquid.)Break language-focused tasks, such as describing a scientific process, into steps. Focus on one step at a time.Share examples of the different types of writing or formats students are expected to use. For example, if students must write a prediction, share samples of sample predictions. Point out key features and phrases used in the sample. (If you don’t have samples readily available, you can use Artificial Intelligence, or AI, to generate sample texts around certain topics and at different reading levels. This is one way you can differentiate for different language proficiency levels.)Pay attention to students’ writing and speaking in class. What are some areas in which they need additional practice?Keep in mind that writing may provide additional challenges, even if students can discuss and describe something accurately. For more ideas on supporting writing in science, see our in-depth article Teaching Writing in the Content Areas: Research to Practice.Give students extra practice with discussion and presentation through peer learning activities, such as accountable talk.Use language objectives, which help target the language demands of the lesson. You can learn more about them in the videos featuring Mr. Jesus Ortiz below.4. Use hands-on learning.There are lots of ways you can bring hands-on learning to the science classroom, which can engage all students, including ELLs. These include:Project-based and inquiry-based learningScience activities in the school, community, or neighborhood (such as a school garden, neighborhood clean-up, or citizen scientist project)Field trips to parks, museums, universities, and other sitesGuest speakers who use science in their jobs, such as health professionals, public works employees, chefs, and engineersUsing books for children, middle grades, and young adults (see booklists below)Student InputIn addition, look for ways to engage students by teaching them to use strategies independently and asking them to pay attention to what supports their learning. You can learn a lot by asking students what is working (or not!). For example, in Long-Term Success for Experienced Multilinguals, ELL experts Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh share the following student response to the question, “What is your favorite class?” One student responded with the following:Biology is my favorite class because I love learning about science. I want to study medicine after high school. The teacher gives step-by-step directions for every project so I know exactly how to complete it. She also labels pictures and explains the concepts clearly. (p. 49)5. Try co-planning your lessons.If you haven’t collaborated with your ELL colleagues before, it’s ok to start small! They have valuable expertise and can help share ideas about how to support language development in the science classroom.For example, you could try co-planning a lesson, working together to identify:Target content: Key standards, concepts, topics, skills, or background knowledgeTarget language: Key vocabulary, academic language, and the language-focused tasks students will need to complete the lessonThe ELL specialist could walk the science teacher through this process several times so that it becomes a more integral part of the science teacher’s planning over time. After the lesson, the teachers could identify other areas of focus or clarification needed and share these insights with their colleagues.Co-Teaching Science LessonsIf possible, you may also wish to try co-teaching a lesson with your ELL colleague. There are several ways to approach this. For example, an ELL teacher may work with a small group of ELLs during a lesson, or the ELL teacher may deliver a mini lesson on key vocabulary to the whole class. If you’d like ideas, see Co-Teaching ELLs: 8 Strategies for Success. Informal collaboration can also pave the way for more formal collaboration time, which can benefit students and educators alike.Reflection QuestionsWhat ideas would you like to try from these tips?What kinds of strategies have been successful with your students in the past?Think about your own experiences in science class. Did you have models, examples, or explicit instruction from teachers in terms of the language or format you used for assignments?Sample Scaffolds and StrategiesThere are several ways you can scaffold new content and vocabulary. For example, let’s say you are teaching the water cycle. You could try the following:ActivitySample StrategyUse an annotated diagram, such as these multilingual diagrams from the USGS or this interactive diagram from PBS Learning MediaAnnotated DiagramsScaffold a text, such as these water cycle resources from National Geographic, NASA, and NOAAText EngineeringShow a brief video with appropriate scaffolds, such as captions, a graphic organizer, or subtitles, such as this PBS Learning Media videoUsing Multimedia with ELLsFor additional ideas, see this list of strategies from our ELL Strategy Library, which can be used to support science instruction for all grades:Bringing Content to LifeReading & WritingUsing DataChecking UnderstandingStrategies:VisualsRealia and ManipulativesMultimediaAnnotated DiagramsStrategies:Text EngineeringSentence Frames and Sentence StartersStudent-Generated Questions Sentence ExpansionSentence Combining Strategies:Charts and GraphsTeaching Map SkillsStrategies:Comprehension ChecksAnchor ChartsConcept MapsMatch, Sort, and OrderSketchnotesSee-Think-WonderGraphic OrganizersPicture RetellPre-teaching Content and Vocabulary Putting It All Together: The Super Secret Science ClubSeveral years ago, we had the opportunity to visit the “Super Secret Science Club” at Mason Crest Elementary School in the Washington, DC suburb of Annandale, VA.Created by fifth-grade ESOL specialist Katy Padilla, the idea was based on the strategy of pre-teaching content and vocabulary before a lesson. She came up with the idea of an optional club that would meet at lunch-time on Mondays where ELLs would have a chance to preview material for upcoming lessons, and Katy explained to the students that they would be the experts in their class because they had already started learning the new material.On the day we visited, kids would be learning about vascular and non-vascular plants. About eight ELLs ate their lunch and Katy went through a presentation filled with visuals of different kinds of plants and parts of plants. She also included images of objects the students would recognize, such as pipes, and — because they were at lunch — straws. The kids practiced saying and using the words, laughing and picking up their straws to take a closer look at them with new appreciation.Later, when the science lesson was delivered, it was clear that the preparation had worked — the ELLs spoke up confidently, raising their hands and using the new words. They also had opportunities to practice new language with the related sentence starters that Katy had prepared for all of the fifth-grade teachers, a tool that supported everyone’s academic language development. You can see Katy meeting with the fifth-grade team in preparation for the lesson below.Related VideosELLs Belong to All of Us: The Role of ESOL Specialists in CollaborationESOL specialist Katy Padilla plays a key role in advocating for ELLs throughout the lesson planning process and sharing her strategies for engaging and supporting students. How to Write Language Objectives: Tips for ELL EducatorsIn this video from Syracuse, NY, Jesus Ortiz, a bilingual teacher, learns how to write a language objective from Areli Schermerhorn, a peer evaluator with expertise in ELL and bilingual education. Coaching Conversations: Supporting New Teachers of ELLsThis video from Syracuse, NY highlights the coaching relationship between a first-year teacher, Alexandra Galán, and two ELL coaches, Erica Daniels and Lillian Zayas. The coaches and teacher discuss a science lesson the coaches have observed. Building a cereal dispenser with ELLs through the Rube Goldberg project4th-grade teacher Michelle Iadevaia tells the story of her English learners’ efforts to build a cereal dispenser through the Rube Goldberg project. Recommended ResourcesArticlesOpportunities and Challenges for ELLs in the Science Inquiry Classroom (Part 1)Communication and Language Strategies for the Science Inquiry Classroom (Part 2)Next Generation Science Standards: Offering Equitable Opportunities for ELLs to Engage in Science Rethinking Language Goals in Science with Three-Dimensional LearningSupporting ELL Instruction with AI: Ideas for EducatorsBooklistsAnimals and PetsAnimals: Bilingual Books for KidsEarth Science: Bilingual Books for KidsInsects: Bilingual Books for KidsOceans: Bilingual Books for KidsPlants: Bilingual Books for KidsReptiles, Amphibians, and Dinosaurs: Bilingual Books for KidsSeasons, Weather, and TimeScience Fun: Books for KidsScience, Nature, and the OutdoorsStars, Planets, and Space: Diverse Books for KidsThe Magic of ButterfliesWomen in Science and MathMiddle Grade and Young Adult Titles: Nature and the OutdoorsMiddle Grade and Young Adult Titles: STEM

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This website is amazing for all teachers to have access too. It covers the disparities and inequalities we are facing in our country and around the world and how this affects and relates to the culture and environment of the classroom. Many different resources available via that website for cultural teachings.

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Learning for Justice is a community education program of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) that centers civic and political action education for everyone.

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I chose this resource because I had a lot of practice with the strategy this semester throughout my lesson plan. I love sentence frames and I think it's a great strategy for helping English learners build upon what they already know.

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As a future science teacher, graphic organizers will be used in my classroom to further understanding of both the content and language used in the lesson. It is a great strategy for people who learn visually- like me!

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A great website that lists objectives and lesson plans for ESL students and classrooms.

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

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

Bilingual and English-immersion early care and education programs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Differentiate instruction and classroom assessment for language

Interpret ACCESS for ELLs test scores

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

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

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By including each domain, students will achieve acquisition in a structured manner. Each domain interrelates with itself.

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I included this slide from the Math Methods for ELs because it serves as a great guide for how to teach math to ESL students.

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This process prepares students to engage in problem solving in mathematics! This strategy is great and is easy to remember.

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I chose to add this to my toolkit because these are great guidelines I can follow in my future science classroom.

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This website is great to cover ongoing and current events in a social studies classroom.

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Resources | Communities In Schools Of Central Texas

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Below are resources for parents and educators to use when speaking to students about what happened.

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Higher Order Thinking in Social Studies Strategies and Skills

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Higher Order Thinking in Social Studies Strategies and Skills

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These skills must be taught in order for students to produce higher order thinking and understanding.

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Feedback for Formative Assessments Guidelines

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Feedback for Formative Assessments Guidelines

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I added this to my toolkit because I believe that effective feedback and guidance is very important when supporting a student's learning.

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This website is AMAZING because it provides many different types of assessments in different forms and medias.

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75 digital tools and apps teachers can use to support formative assessment in the classroom

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We’ve compiled an extensive list of 75 digital tools that can help teachers use formative assessment to elicit evidence of student learning.

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This is an important resource to come back to because it shows the official standards for ELs as well as all students.

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Summative Assessment Examples and Alternatives

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Summative Assessment Examples and Alternatives

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A great resource for guidelines and alternatives for summative assessments.

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Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning, skill acquisition, and academic achievement at the conclusion of instruction-typically at the end of a project, unit, course, semester, or program.

Summative Assessment Resources

Exam Alternatives

While exams are a frequently-employed summative assessment strategy, many alternatives provide the opportunity for more authentic assessment, better preparing students for the real-world challenges they will face when they complete their degrees. Indiana University Bloomington's Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning lists some guiding questions to assist faculty to determine exactly the types of skills and knowledge that exam alternatives should address (Indiana University, 2020):

Do you want to assess your students' acquisition of specific content knowledge, or their ability to apply that knowledge to new situations (or both)?

Do you want to assess a product that students produce, or the process they went through to produce it, or both?

Do you want to assess any of the following?

writing ability

speaking skills

creativity

use of information technology

Is a visual component to the assessment necessary or desirable?

Is the ability for students to work in a group an important component of the assessment?

Is it important that the assessment be time-constrained?

The Center has compiled a list of alternatives to traditional exams and papers organized by purpose and performance level: creativity, comprehension, analysis or evaluation, short writing activities, and integration of many skills and types of knowledge.
Exam Alternatives Resources
In addition to those described in the resources for this section, below are a few common alternatives to exams:

ePortfolio

The ePortfolio collects evidence of student learning in electronic form. Because students collect their work over a period of time, ePortfolios are useful in promoting student reflection on their learning over the course of their degree programs and tracking progress toward their academic goals. ePortfolios can be used for both formative and summative assessment.

Authentic Assessment

Internships, capstone projects, service learning opportunities, and other strategies offer learning experiences that combine the benefits of case studies and projects.

Case Studies: Long used in business, law, medicine, and the social sciences, cases can be used in any discipline to prepare students to apply what they have learned to real world problems.

Projects: In project-based learning (PBL), students design, develop, and construct hands-on solutions to a problem. PBL aims to build students' creative capacity to work through difficult or ill-structured problems, commonly in small teams, and includes these steps:

Identifying a problem

Agreeing on or devising a solution and potential solution path to the problem (i.e., how to achieve the solution)

Designing and developing a prototype of the solution

Refining the solution based on feedback from experts, instructors, and/or peers (Boston University Center for Teaching & Learning, n.d.)

Student presentations: Student presentations not only assess your students' understanding but also provide the opportunity for students to practice public speaking and presentation skills. Using student presentations as part of a group project requires students to collaborate with peers in synthesizing information and constructing new knowledge. In the remote teaching environment, students can use either Zoom, Teams, or Kaltura to create their presentations. Zoom or Teams works for a group setting if everyone needs to be part of the presentation, and Kaltura is an ideal tool for single-student presentations.

Authentic/Case/Project/Problem Based Learning Resources

Information Literacy, Research, and Writing Support Available for Students

These resources support students with the types of assignments you might use as exam alternatives.

Competency Based Assessment

Competency-based education focuses on what students know and can do rather than how they learned it or how long it took to learn it (Klein-Collins, 2014). Students advance through their academic programs by successfully demonstrating their skills and competencies through specially designed assessments.

At the program level,

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Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning, skill acquisition, and academic achievement at the conclusion of instruction—typically at the end of a project, unit, course, semester, or program.