Assessment Accommodations for Classroom Teachers of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

Dr. Socorro G. Herrera currently serves as a professor of elementary education at Kansas State University and is executive director of the Center for Intercultural and Multilingual Advocacy (CIMA). Certified in elementary education, bilingual education, and school counseling, Dr. Herrera’s recent publications have appeared in the Journal of Research in Education, Bilingual Research Journal, Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, and Journal of Latinos and Education. Her recent research and teaching in education have emphasized emergent literacy, reading strategies, the differential learning needs of second language learners, and mutual accommodation for language learning students. In addition to her scholarly research, Dr. Herrera has led Study Abroad pre-service teacher exchanges in Paraguay, Mexico, Guatemala, and China. She was chosen to participate in the International Reading Association’s Reading Literacy Research Program to Cuba for Fall 2011.

Dr. Robin Morales Cabral currently serves as Director of Literacy for Diverse Populations in the Wichita Public Schools. She has a background in communicative disorders and sciences, bilingual special education, literacy and assessment for culturally and linguistically diverse students. Dr. Cabral’s years of experience as a bilingual speech-language pathologist, parent-teacher liaison, intervention coordinator, and assessment specialist have led to national speaking engagements and advisory roles with classroom teachers, special educators and school administrators dedicated to implementing best practices for CLD students. Dr. Cabral’s recent research and professional activities have emphasized assets-based high school decision making as well as strengthening teacher, school, and district capacities to ensure CLD students’ full access to an enriched core curriculum with appropriately individualized supports from early childhood to graduation, and beyond.

Dr. Kevin Murry is currently an Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at Kansas State University. His scholarship has emphasized the professional development of general education teachers for English language learning (ELL) students. Dr. Murry's recent research and publication have emphasized teacher readiness for best practice with ELLs, culturally responsive teaching and assessment practices, and the linguistic and cross-cultural dynamics of critically reflective and biography-driven teaching. His recent publications have appeared in the Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, Journal of Teaching and Learning, and Bilingual Research Journal. Dr. Murry has written texts for Pearson/Allyn and Bacon, as well as text chapters for Erlbaum & Associates and ATE/ACEI.

Preface  

About the Authors 

Chapter 1  Classroom Assessment amidst Cultural and Linguistic Diversity   

What’s Different about Today’s Classroom?  

Immigration Fallacies and Facts  

The Next Generation Of Students: America’s Potential

What’s Changed about the Readiness of Classroom Teachers for Student Diversity?  

What’s Evolved about Appropriate Assessment Practices for CLD Students?   

Chapter 2  Authentic Assessment   

Rationale for the Use of Authentic Assessments  

Reliability and Validity of Authentic Assessments  

Types of Authentic Assessment  

Performance-Based Assessments  

Portfolios  

Self-Assessment and Peer Assessment  

Interview-Based Assessment  

Play-Based Assessment  

Cooperative Group Assessment  

Dialogue Journals and Scaffolded Essays  

Scoring and Related Issues of Authentic Assessment  

Rubrics  

Checklists and Questionnaires  

Additional Considerations  

Chapter 3  Response to Intervention, Preinstructional Assessment, and the CLD Student  

What Is Response To Intervention?

What Does RTI Look Like?

Tiers of RTI Instruction

Preinstructional Assessment

Formal and Informal Preassessment

History/Herstory: What the CLD Student Brings to the Classroom  

Biopsychosocial History of the CLD Student  

Education History of the CLD Student  

Language History of the CLD Student  

Preassessment Resources: Home Visits and School Conferences  

Chapter 4  Assessment of Acculturation   

Acculturation and Enculturation Processes  

When What Used to Work No Longer Works  

Acculturation Dynamics  

Relationship between Cultural Identity and Acculturation  

The Role of Acculturation and Emotions in Learning  

Assessing Level of Acculturation  

Informal Assessment of Acculturation  

Formal Assessment of Acculturation  

Impact of Acculturation on Appropriate Methods of Assessment  

Using Acculturation Information to Inform Instruction  

Cultural Differences as Learning Assets 

Programming-Related Issues: Assessment of Acculturation  

Identification  

Placement  

Monitoring  

Exit  

Chapter 5  Assessment of Language Proficiency

Rationale for Language Proficiency Assessment  

Rationale for Assessing Primary Language Proficiency 

Rationale for Assessing English as a Second Language  

Key Elements of Language Acquisition and Proficiency  

Syntax   

Morphology  

Phonology  

Semantics  

Pragmatics  

Informal Assessment of Language Proficiency  

Key Issues in Informal Assessment  

Home Language Surveys  

Parent Interviews  

Informal Assessment of Academic Language Proficiency  

Formal Assessment of Language Proficiency  

Standardized Formal Assessments of Language Proficiency  

Further Considerations  

Programming-Related Issues: Language Proficiency Assessment  

Identification  

Placement  

Monitoring  

Exit  

Chapter 6  Assessment of Content-Area Learning   

Formative Content-Area Assessment  

Informal Formative Assessment  

Formal Formative Assessment  

Summative Content-Area Assessment  

Informal Summative Assessment: Portfolios as Authentic Assessments  

Formal Summative Assessment: High-Stakes Tests  

The Role of Language in Content-Area Assessment  

Bias in Classroom-Based Content-Area Assessments  

Programming-Related Issues: Content-Area Assessment  

Identification  

Placement  

Monitoring  

Exit  

Chapter 7  Special Education Issues in the Assessment of CLD Students   

What Is Special Education?  

Is Disproportionality Really an Issue? 

Why Should We Be Concerned?  

Implications for Classroom Teachers  

The Importance of Information: Review and Request  

Preassessment for Special Education  

Attention to the Assessment Process  

Reevaluation Considerations  

Chapter 8  Postinstructional Assessment   

Teacher-Driven Postinstructional Assessment  

Linguistic Postinstructional Assessment  

Academic Postinstructional Assessment  

Cognitive Postinstructional Assessment  

Sociocultural Postinstructional Assessment  

But What about the Grade?  

Conclusion  

Appendix:

Appendix A: TESOL Standards of Best Practice

Appendix B: Teacher Resources

Glossary  

References  

Index  

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