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What standardized tests don't measure...

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What standardized tests don't measure...

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Very long, but worth the watch.

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What standardized tests don't measure | Nikki Adeli | TEDxPhiladelphia

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How to prepare ELLs for standardized tests

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How to prepare ELLs for standardized tests

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Michelle discusses her role in helping students prepare for standardized tests. See more of the interview: http://www.colorincolorado.org/multimedia/experts/video/lawrence/

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A standardized test is any form of test that (1) requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection of questions from common bank of questions, in the same way, and that (2) is scored in a “standard” or consistent manner, which makes it possible to compare the relative performance of individual students or groups of students.

(http://edglossary.org/standardized-test/)

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ELLs are required to have accommodations and modifications throughout their academics. This includes tests read aloud, extended time, shortened, modified, or fewer answer choices, etc.

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The idea of standardized testing has been debated for many years. A lot of teachers feel the constraints of standardized testing every year. Many teachers feel that they are teaching the students on how to take a test, rather than actually learn the content to succeed in life.

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Think about going to a new country with a new language that you are not too familiar with. You are expected to go to school, learn how to speak and read this new language, and then be tested on it all within a year. That is what many students who come to this country are expected to do. Many ELLs face this when they come to the United States, and they feel confused frustrated because they are not able to show what they can do. They are faced with unfair and often punishing appraisal for their abilities during all of this testing in schools. Would the test results be a true indicator of what your strengths are within a given subject or your overall aptitude?

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What are your thoughts on ELLs and standardized testing?

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Some Challenges ELLs Face with Standardized Testing

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Some Challenges ELLs Face with Standardized Testing

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- Lack of resources to help teach ELLs
- Come from different backgrounds; might not understand the stories
- Language barrier
- Mismatches in achievement levels
- Not enough time is given for students to master the English language academically in some cases
- NCLB states that all students, no matter what, must meet the same standards

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Even though there are many different views standardized testing, the fact is that standardized testing happens. So how can we better prepare our ELLs to succeed?

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I truly enjoyed your padlet.  Standardized tests are so controversial, but I am a firm believer in tracking progress by assessment.  Ells, like you said, are "supposed" to be given accommodations for in the classroom, as well as for state testing, but unfortunately not always are.  I understand that standardized tests are the typical way to monitor progress, but I do not agree with it being the accurate measure for Els, unless they are taught, in class, with the accommodations, and also are accommodated for those tests.

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Standardized testing has it's pros and cons however, there should be an exemption for ELL students. It takes a child about 3-6 years to even be at level for non ELL, and now with the changes we face today in the new standardized testing the ESL teacher will be under more pressure. They are now given less time to prepare and teach ELL students before taking the test.

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I think standardized tests is a tool that is not well seen and liked by everyone. I agree with you when you said that it is apparent that we have to teach our students to prepare them for this test or we get sanctioned if your students get low scores not to prepare them to have a good life. I also think the worst case is for our ELLs. They could barely catch up with academic language and there goes the standardized test. Most of our ELs feel frustrated and a failure. I don't know if they know that our ELs sometimes have never been to school or some have interrupted schooling and how long it takes for an EL to be language proficient both for social language and academic language. The education of our children has been politicized. Not only do our ELs suffer this injustice but also the teachers and the school who are accountable for their scores. I hope the government can find a way to ease this burden to our ELs.

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What are your thoughts on ELL's standardized test?
Very interesting topic for your padlet, Heather. I personally think that ELL's must become proficient in English and learn the subject areas. It is unlikely students who are not proficient in English can progress in the target language as fast as native English speakers. The law requires states to test ELL's with accommodations such as extended time, word to word dictionaries, and read aloud, but none of these approaches seem to be helpful. Some students just get so frustrated, that they end up just bubbling in any answer. In my opinion I think that native language testing would be a reasonable accommodation that would at least allow students to demonstrate knowledge in any of the core subjects without having to struggle with a foreign language.

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When I began my teaching career, I worked at a charter school that had one of the highest population of ELL students. It always was heartbreaking for me when I had to give one of my young ELL students a standardized test. I think it is unfair to sit these children down, give them a test (in a language that they may have just been introduced to), and expect them to meet the same standards as English Speaking Students. I understand that there needs to be testing, but I do truly feel that there need to be major changes made to the whole way of testing when it comes to ELL students.

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Standardized testing has become a very crucial part in our Education System. Unfortunately, ELL's should be given certain considerations before taken them. First, ELL's are new to the country and are in the process of learning a language that is completely new to them. So, I think they should be train to master the language for some time before they are being pressure to take a test and do well in it. Standardized testing does not necessarily indicates where an ELL students is concerning new language acquirement. Then, this type of testing should take place after an ELL student has been exposed to the new language for some time.

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What are your thoughts on ELLs and Standarduzed testing?

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What are your thoughts on ELLs and Standarduzed testing?

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Ofelia Cubas Reply:
This is a controversial issue among many people.  There are some that argue that low performing schools are unfairly targeted by politicians.  in the other hand it can be  a stressful timing for educators as poor student performance may result in a loss of funding and teachers being fired or school closing.  I personally think that ELLs students should not be exposed to this type of testing if they are not ready or have not master all the skills  that are necessary to do a good performance during testing. It is not fair to students who can barely speak English or who have serious learning  disabilities. Great work !  I really enjoyed  your videos.

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When it comes to standardized testing for ELL students "one test does not fit all." I do not believe standardized assessments for ELL students show an adequate representation of the  growth they have made in one school year. Many ELLS may have mastered the content being tested on the standardized test but are unable to demonstrate this on the test due to the complexity of the language on these tests.

I really despise standardized testing in general. This comic pretty much sums up my feelings on standardized testing.

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When I watched the video "How to Prepare ELLs for Standardized Tests," I was thoroughly impressed with the amount of accommodation this school provides for their ELL students. When taking a standardized test, students are able to receive extended time determined by the principal, additional materials for support, and an interpreter in their own language to assist them in completing the test. These sound like great accommodations, but it makes me feel disappointed when I compare the resources that this school has to the ones that schools here have. I feel that standardized testing could never be a fair measurement of student's abilities if the school lacks the resources they need to succeed.

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Great Question! This can definitely be a controversial question especially since everyone has his or her own opinion about ELLs and standardized testing. Personally, I do not like the idea that standardized testing determines the abilities of teachers and students. The standardized testing forces teachers to only "teach the test" instead of teaching students skills that are valuable in the world we live in. As a result, most of students are " left behind" such as our ELLs.