Assessment of Ell Students

trail head perspicacity Assessment of slope address Learners Student cognomen Grand Canyon University ESL 534 August 8 2012 With the implementation of the No youngster Left behind Act of 2001, states argon required to assess ELL schoolchilds to check into if pupils are making adequate progress towards their vocabulary development goals. The single-valued function of the NCLB act is to challenge students to meet higher standards, close the achievement gap, and attend that all students hurl the same opportunities to reach their full potential.There has been much censure regarding the NCLB act and the high stakes testing that has developed as a result, especially when it comes to ELL students. ELL students non only have to learn required bailiwick objectives as other students, but have the challenge of accomplishment the English language simultaneously. Students, schools, and teachers are evaluated with convertible test annually to ensure the sign goals are met.The co ncern that many have with standardized testing is they do not show the overall progress of the student which may collar to inaccurate results regarding a students language proficiency. English Language Learners are a diverse group with different languages, cultures, and backgrounds. Their language skill can be effected by many things including socio-economic factors and educational backgrounds. soul language acquisition theories can give critical insight into how assessments should be developed. somewhat of the popular theories of language acquisition include the threshold possible action, which states that a students language skills need to reach a critical direct before students can benefit from bilingualism (Cummins, 1979) and the Critical/ Sensitive period hypothesis which states that students who are not exposed to a second language before puberty will never reach the proficiency of a inbred English speaker (Bailey & inheritance, 2010). According to Hakuta 2000, it takes several years for ELL students to reach the direct of proficiency needed to learn new academic content take ine a second language. This theory and others hould cause educators to question the current objectives that we have for ELL students and the time frame that ELL students have for meeting those objectives. Language proficiency assessments are an important tool used to measure students progress as headspring as record their starting point. Stiggins and Chappuis 2005 argue that students make conclusions about their dexterity of instruction based on the assessments that teachers provide. and that feedback delivered once a year from standardized district, state, national, or international is farthest too infrequent and broadly cogitate to be helpful (Stiggins& Chappuis, 2005 p. 2). Stiggins and Chappuis believe that our current educational system places far too much emphasis on assessments and that one test does not provide an accurate measure of a schools or students succ ess. Instead, they argue that student involved assessments are more beneficial for the student and teacher and mint the student up for success. With student involved assessments student and teachers work as partners to monitor their achievement creating an environment where students feel secure and know what is expect of them and what it takes for them to meet their goals Stiggins& Chappuis, 2005).Within the last ten years there have been legion(predicate) debates centered over how or if ELL students should participate in standardized testing. Some have argued that standardized test can be biased against ELL students because they dont take into account cultural differences in language structure. standardised test provide only a snap shot of the learning and growth that has taken place for ELL students and is not a way to accurately monitor the progress of students. With standardized testing we shift the attention from learning and building knowledge for the future to focusing on short verge results.With unrealistic goals for standardized testing it can be difficult to see to it the difference between schools that are serving the needs of ELL students and those that are not. References Bailey, A. L. and Heritage M. (2010). English Language Proficiency Assessments Foundations External Judgments of Adequacy. Evaluating the validity of English language Proficiency Assessments. (An Enhanced Assessment Grant). Retrieved August 2, 2012 from http//www. library. gcu. edu Stiggins, R. and Chappuis, J. Using Student-Involved Classroom Assessment to Close Achievement Gaps Retrieved August 2, 2012 from http//www. library. gcu. edu