Decisions
When determining and evaluating assessments decisions are very important. First, an instructor will determine if ELLs will benefit from an evaluated assessment, this will also assist instructors instructional planning for ELLs. In additional to improving scores from assessments, it should support ELLs learning. “Assessment must be a means to an end. As such, the ultimate quality indicator of assessment is …show more content…
This is important on the checklist for ELLs assessments that require evaluations. “ When you are talking about fairness and equitability, you need to make sure the assessment “fairly accommodates students’ sociocultural, linguistic, and developmental needs,” (Smith, Teemant, and Pinnegar, 2004). Upon evaluating any assessment, instructors should ensure there is no biasness relating to the students’ language or cultural background. Teachers should offer additional accommodations during testing if ELLs have difficulties due to the language barrier. For instance, if the ELL student taking the test doesn’t have the ability to answer the questions in English, he or she should be able to answer the question with the test proctor or test issuer their answer in verbal dictation or offer to draw an illustration portraying their answer. ELLs are then afforded “an equitable opportunity” as their peers being giving the same assessment. ELLs that are provided equitable opportunities on a test does not mean every student will be given the exact same treatment. “Students should be assessed “using methods and procedures most appropriate to them. These may vary from one student to the next, depending on the student’s prior knowledge, cultural experience, and cognitive style” (Suskie, 2000). When instructors are evaluating and selecting assessments for ELLs, they need to be conscious of those things.