Issues in Assessing English Language Learners: English Language Proficiency Measures and Accommodation Uses-Literature Review

Wolf, Mikyung Kim; Kao, Jenny C.; Herman, Joan L.; Bachman, Lyle F.; Bailey, Alison L.; Bachman, Patina L.; Farnsworth, Tim; Chang, Sandy M.

doi:10.1037/e643592011-001

Cited by 10 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 0 publications

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“…Regardless of any qualities of an ELP assessment, opaque identification and exiting policies and procedures, including the use of test scores, create an issue of comparability of who is an ELL over time and across districts, which may, thus, confound any notion of a validity argument for the use of the assessment, since students are being treated differentially based on where they live. Although recently reclassified students are not included in some states' definitions of ELLs, which poses some problems for state-to-state comparability (Wolf et al, 2008), all states and the District of Columbia complied with the NCLB stipulation to track former ELLs for 2 years following reclassification (Tanenbaum et al, 2012), which is an indication that some consistency across states may be achieved.…”

Section: Validitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is hoped that this effort will lend some consistency to the policy and technical issues surrounding the identification and reclassification of ELLs. Thus, whether an assessment is used to identify students, to track annual progress, to inform local programming decisions, or to reclassify students, the implications for studying the validity of the use of an ELP assessment are consequential (Wolf et al, 2008), yet nuanced and complex.…”

Section: Validitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite the potential to provide useful information to states, schools and districts, ELP testing outcomes can have a washback effect on programs and possibly sanctions for schools, district, and states (Wolf et al, 2008). For any particular assessment, as building an Assessment Use Argument makes clear, the validation process is quite involved, taking into account, among other things, the construct to be measured, the interpretations to be drawn from the test, the purpose of a test, and the consequences of test use (Wolf et al, 2008). So although the use of a given test is subject to a rigorous validation process, including conducting critical validation studies, the need for information is vast.…”

Section: B Bunchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The descriptions suggest how different understandings of academic language might affect how the construct is identified and defined for an ELP assessment. Wolf et al (2008) assert that different approaches to academic language are likely to yield different items at the test construction level. This is important given the implementation of CCR standards, which are known for more rigorous language and literacy demands embedded in the standards across content areas (G. C. Bunch et al, 2012;Quinn et al, 2012).…”

Section: Cummins Introduced the Terms Basic Interpersonal Communicatimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is important given the implementation of CCR standards, which are known for more rigorous language and literacy demands embedded in the standards across content areas (G. C. Bunch et al, 2012;Quinn et al, 2012). An alternative to the theoretical perspectives mentioned above is a practically oriented perspective (Wolf et al, 2008). Rather than theorizing about language development or language use, a practical orientation to academic language focuses on identifying what language demands are posed by content standards, textbooks, assessments, and so on (Bailey, 2007;Bailey, Butler, LaFramenta, & Ong, 2004).…”

Section: Cummins Introduced the Terms Basic Interpersonal Communicatimentioning

confidence: 99%

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Transformation in K–12 English Language Proficiency Assessment

Boals

Kenyon

Blair

et al. 2015

Review of Research in Education

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Section: Validitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Validitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: B Bunchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Cummins Introduced the Terms Basic Interpersonal Communicatimentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Cummins Introduced the Terms Basic Interpersonal Communicatimentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Transformation in K–12 English Language Proficiency Assessment

Boals

Kenyon

Blair

et al. 2015

Review of Research in Education

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Investigating the Relationship Between Test‐Taker Background Characteristics and Test Performance in a Heterogeneous English‐as‐a‐Second‐Language (ESL) Test Population: A Factor Analytic Approach

Manna

Yoo

2015

ETS Research Report Series

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This study examined the heterogeneity in the English‐as‐a‐second‐language (ESL) test population by modeling the relationship between test‐taker background characteristics and test performance as measured by the TOEFL iBT® using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with covariate approach. The background characteristics studied included: (a) main reason for taking the TOEFL iBT test; (b) time spent studying English; (c) time spent attending a school, college, or university in which content classes were taught in English; and (d) lived in a country where English is the main language. The results indicated that at most levels of the background characteristics studied, there were statistically significant differences in the means of the four underlying latent factors (reading, listening, speaking, and writing) representing English‐language proficiency (ELP). Overall, the effect size differences on the reading, listening, speaking, and writing latent factors among the levels for each of the background variables studied ranged from small to medium. The results of this study provide empirical evidence of the association and possible influence of test‐taker background characteristics on the four underlying latent factors representing ELP and, thus, on test performance.

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Symposium: Language Assessment in Standards‐Based Education Reform

2014

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SYMPOSIUMThis symposium brings together international scholars to discuss issues arising from current practices in the design and use of language assessments for students designated as English language learners in standards-based contexts. We asked each of the contributors to comment on a particular aspect of language assessment, with a particular focus on validity. The authors use England and the United States as two case studies to demonstrate ways in which this topic is highly relevant to current and future scholarship and policy in TESOL. This symposium article, to which three authors contribute distinct parts, presents the rationale for standards-based language assessment and examines both the uses and misuses of language assessments in English-speaking countries that are engaged in standards-based education reform. Specifically, they focus on the assessment of emergent bilinguals (also referred to as English language learners or English as an additional language students). The first part lays out the intentions and challenges of standards-based language assessment for emergent bilinguals, focusing on validity concerns. The second part describes classroom-based teacher-led assessments of emergent bilinguals in England, which carry high stakes along with the national standardized tests. This contrasts with what is happening in the United States where, as the third part describes, the main focus is on high-stakes standardized testing for purposes of accountability. In

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Issues in Assessing English Language Learners: English Language Proficiency Measures and Accommodation Uses-Literature Review

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

Transformation in K–12 English Language Proficiency Assessment

Transformation in K–12 English Language Proficiency Assessment

Investigating the Relationship Between Test‐Taker Background Characteristics and Test Performance in a Heterogeneous English‐as‐a‐Second‐Language (ESL) Test Population: A Factor Analytic Approach

Symposium: Language Assessment in Standards‐Based Education Reform

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