Assessing English Language Learners: Bridges to Educational Equity: Connecting Academic Language Proficiency to Student Achievement

441 Pages·2015·9.79 MB·English

by  Margo Gottlieb

What Colleagues Say About Assessing English
Language Learners: Bridges To Educational Equity:
Connecting Academic Language Proficiency to
Student Achievement
“This practical book provides excellent background information and practical
guidance for educators interested in improving the assessment of English learners
(ELs) and connecting academic language proficiency to academic achievement. Its
format of using reflections throughout each chapter offers opportunities for readers to
think more deeply about topics and helps guarantee that they will be engaged and
apply what they are learning to their own settings. Sharing the reflections with
colleagues will help readers gain multiple perspectives related to the assessment of
language proficiency in ELs. The practical resources at the end of each chapter will
help educators apply what they learned.”
—Diane August
Managing Researcher
American Institutes for Research
Washington, DC
“While we know that first-hand teaching experiences cannot readily be substituted by
reading about the work and practice of others, with evocative scenarios of teachers,
students and schools used throughout Assessing English Language Learners: Bridges
to Educational Equity, Margo Gottlieb comes close to making this happen. This is
critical in two ways: first, the book is lively and interesting—serving as a welcome,
well-designed text for teacher preparation courses, and second, the scenarios with their
companion reflection questions can serve as an excellent stand-alone reference and
thought-provoking resource for the increasing number of classroom teachers who find
themselves responsible for the instruction and assessment of students acquiring English
alongside their content area learning.”
—Alison L. Bailey, EdD
Professor of Human Development and Psychology
Department of Education, UCLA and Faculty Research Partner, CRESST
Los Angeles, CA
“Margo Gottlieb’s new book brings together research and policy on assessment and
ELLs with practical tools for implementation. Her framework “Assessment as, for,
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and of learning” helps educators understand how assessment shapes teaching and
learning and identifies concrete steps that educators can take to ensure that assessment
practices are equitable for this group of students. The consistent application of the lens
of the culturally and linguistically responsive classroom makes this book a must-have
for teachers, school and district administrators, and teacher educators alike.”
—Ester de Jong, EdD
Professor & Director, School of Teaching and Learning
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
“Assessing English Language Learners is an important contribution to the field for
the many educators who believe that assessment for second language learners is
important, but only if it is valid. This book lays out a clear and compelling argument
that assessment and equity are not mutually exclusive concepts in educational
programs for the nation’s burgeoning population of multilingual learners. Its breadth
is impressive and includes important discussions about language proficiency
assessment, but also adds ideas for content area assessment practices. Important
reading for practitioners and educational leaders.”
—Kathy Escamilla, PhD
Professor, Division of Educational Equity and Cultural Diversity
University of Colorado, Boulder
Boulder, CO
“Assessing Language Learners: Bridges to Educational Equity is a great resource
for teacher education programs and professional learning opportunities for schools.
The book presents a new vision about assessment in the 21st century, which is
influenced by new standards, accountability and technological advances in education.
The new concept of Assessment as, for, and of learning that Gottlieb presents will
transform education and provide a different perspective of assessment to all
stakeholders. This is definitely a book that all educators should read.”
—Miguel Fernandez, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Chicago State University
Chicago, IL
“This book lays out a much needed practical process for instructional professionals to
design equitable access to educational opportunity for English learners! The author
both responds to and promotes growing awareness of the critical importance for
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teachers and instructional leaders to ensure English learners’ meaningful engagement
with content through academic English. This authentic evolution of appropriate
assessment as, for and of learning answers the “how” part of the clarion call for
English learners to participate in rigorous curricula and instruction.”
—Jonathan Gibson
Title III English Learner Program Director
Nevada Department of Education
Las Vegas, NV
“Framed by a lens of equity, Gottlieb makes the complex landscape of assessment
accessible for classroom practitioners of English language learners. Readers will walk
away with a crystal clear understanding of the instructional conditions they can create
for English language learners, promoting linguistically responsive assessment
practices.”
—Trish Morita-Mullaney, Ph.D.
ELL Assistant Professor
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN
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Assessing English Language Learners: Bridges to Educational
Equity
Second Edition
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Dedication
To language learners and their families, whose linguistic and cultural wealth enhances our
classrooms and communities every day.
To teachers who embed the linguistic and cultural richness of their language learners and
families into teaching and learning so that school is an exceptional and exciting experience for
students every day.
To school leaders and administrators who rejoice in the languages and cultures of their schools
and districts every day.
To all the language learners, teachers, school leaders, and educators who have enriched my life
with their languages and cultures every day.
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Assessing English Language Learners:
Bridges to Educational Equity
Connecting Academic Language Proficiency to Student
Achievement
Second Edition
Margo Gottlieb
Foreword by
Margaret Heritage
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FOR INFORMATION:
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Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Gottlieb, Margo, author.
Title: Assessing English language learners: bridges to educational equity: connecting academic language proficiency to
student achievement / Margo Gottlieb.
Description: Second Edition. | Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin, A SAGE Company, [2016] | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015045167 | ISBN 9781483381060 (pbk. : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: English language—Study and teaching—Foreign speakers. | English language—Ability testing.
Classification: LCC PE1128.A2 G657 2016 | DDC 428.0071—dc23 LC record available at
http://lccn.loc.gov/2015045167
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
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Proofreader: Eleni Georgiou
Indexer: Teddy Diggs
Cover Designer: Candice Harman
Marketing Manager: Charline Maher
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Contents
Foreword
Preface
Organization of the Book
Audiences
Acknowledgments
About the Author
PART I: Assessment as a Context for Teaching and Learning: Bridges to Equity
Why Focus on Equity?
Why Center on Language Learners With Special Attention to English
Language Learners?
Who Are Our English Language Learners? Facts and Figures of the Changing
Demographic
What’s in a Name?
Who Are the Educators of Language Learners?
What Are Linguistically and Culturally Responsive Classrooms and Schools?
Resource I.1 Describing Your Language Learners
Resource I.2 Identifying Educators of English Language Learners
Resource I.3 A Rating Scale of a Linguistically and Culturally Responsive
School
Chapter 1 Assessment of Language Learners: The Bridge to Educational Equity
Considerations in Assessing English Language Learners
Identification of English Language Learners
Phase I Measures
Phase II Measures
Identification of English Language Learners With Disabilities
Educational Policy and Its Impact on Assessment
Principles for Assessing Language Learners
Formative or Summative? Which One Is It?
Introducing Assessment as, for, and of Learning
Purposes for Assessing English Language Learners
Measuring Academic Language Proficiency and Academic
Achievement
Planning Ahead: An Assessment Schedule
Academic Language Use and Assessment
Reaction and Reflection
Resource 1.1 A Decision Tree for the Identification and Placement of
English Language Learners
Resource 1.2 A Sample Language Use Survey for Newly Enrolled
Students
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