McNamara Chapter 2

Just like theories on how we learn languages, there are theories on language testing. The psychometric-structuralis was the first period where it only focused on testing the four-macro skills of listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Next, came the integrative assessments where it focused on pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. The third was John Oller who came up with the cloze test as a substitute for language production skills, and the on-line processing of “real” language (sort of like authentic language). The cloze test was a good introduction to the educational world, but it doesn’t show what communication skills the learners acquired. After that came the communicative competence assessments where the researchers learned that language assessments are more than grammar. It involves socioculture factors of the correct way to communicate, gestures, beliefs, and so on.
In AE, the only language test we have is the YPT. In the beginning, this book was literally translated from the English Proficiency Test. Each year, the students take the same test, and some had literally memorized the test a few years ago (they’ve taken the test too many times where one student said the phrase I was about to ask him, so this test was not reliable anymore). We continue to assess our students with the YPT. The beginning part of the test involves giving a one word answer to pictures. As the test progresses, it gets a little more complicated to listening to a story, answering questions, and retelling the story.

NCLB

This article discusses six issues relating to Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in meeting adequate yearly progress (AYP) under the NCLB. The issues are: inconsistency in classification, small LEP populations, classification of LEP isn’t stable, measurement is normed from first language English speakers, baseline scores vary, and varying cutoff points for LEP students.

What I got out of this article was that LEP students continue to be labeled as not meeting proficiency in language demanding assessments. The studies have found that LEP students score better in math calculations when it is not language demanding, and fail in reading, writing, science and social studies. The article stated, “items that are linguistically complex contribute largely to the measurement error variance observed for LEP students” (p. 7). LEP students are way behind their English First Language counterparts, and the way the assessments are measured are not fair for these students. The achievement tests need to be modified for these students to equal their content knowledge of the subject. It is unfair that the assessments cannot be taken in their native language.

After reading the article, it makes me question why cannot the states come up with a similar definition of an LEP student? What is defined, as LEP in Alaska is probably different in Florida, especially if a student is labeled as LEP from parent surveys? What if the parent didn’t answer the questions the truth of their language?

Many students in LKSD are labeled LEP. I wonder what accommodations do they do for them? All I know is that students are taught English Language Development classes through out the school district. How do they decide who will teach these classes? Do they have enough training to teach these classes? How often do they meet for training? Is the cut off of classification the same for every state?

LEP students defiantly need to be addressed by all the stakeholders of the assessment, especially of the policy makers. Although, the Secretary of Education visited Rural Alaska a few years ago, there are no changes to NCLB. This act continues to give an option to parents for failing schools, to move their child to another school. What other options do these parent’s have? I’m sure many parents do not have time for home schooling. Teachers in the school district have to teach out of their qualifications. What are the current options to be highly qualified for the High School teachers?

McNamara's Testing, Testing, Testing

Language testing is what we all have to take in our lifetime. There are language tests in school, employment, travel, business, and so on. This chapter covers what makes a language test. There are two methods of tests, and they are: paper and pencil (mostly multiple choice) and performance test. A multiple choice language test isn’t necessarily a language test. Students don’t have to speak and write about the test, where in performance tests, a speech and writing sample are taken in a form of speech.

There are different purposes of language test, which include the achievement and proficiency tests. Achievement tests do not relate the language to the outside of the classroom. Proficiency tests include alternative assessments where the goal aligns the curriculum and the teaching and learning of students. A self-assessment is an alternative assessment where the learners are encouraged to share responsibilities for assessments and it encourages real language. Criterion testing is a language test where a student is tested for ‘real’ life situations on language. What has to be considered is criterion tests are not what will actually be seen when the student experiences the real thing. It is only a test somewhat like a performance test.

About two weeks ago, my students took a multiple-choice test in math. I read it to them since the reading was not the same level to their proficiency. This assessment was on spatial positions using pictures. I was surprised with the number of students who didn’t pass the test, especially for the one whose first language is Yup’ik. Most of the students are very familiar to these terms, and can do the TPR activities without making a mistake. I was very disappointed with the results.

Ch 1: O'Malley & Valdez

This chapter is an introduction to authentic assessments (AA). AA is an alternative to standardized assessments. These types of assessments include performance assessments, portfolio, and self-assessments (all represent activities and real life settings). These came about from the concerns of educators especially for English Language Learners to meet their needs. The current assessments didn’t show higher order thinking skills, there were disagreement of scores based on the actual student performance in the classroom, teachers found the information difficult for instructional planning, they lacked in integrative language, and content knowledge. These are the reasons why teachers of other languages should implement authentic assessments.

In LKSD our math assessments contain performance assessments. I didn’t understand why it included these types of assessment; I thought it was something I had to teach my students to become familiar to the test. I find the wording of the test to be difficult for my students, and I often reword it to their zone of proximity. From reading this chapter, I have a slight understanding what performance assessments are used for.

Assessment by Pierce

This article covers assessment issues for English Language learners (ELL). It ranges from political influences, ways to help the students for assessments, issues in assessments (purpose, validity, reliability, and biases), language support programs for assessments, and identification of five fundamental assumptions and operations for fair and accurate testing of ELL’s.

The article writes, “language minority students need to have attained a level of literacy that allows them to show their understanding on a standardized test in English…students with no proficiency…will take from two to four years to reach readiness to take norm-referenced tests (p.314). In Ayaprun Elitnaurvik, our students begin taking state assessments in third grade. By that time, they’ve only been taught in English for 1/2 a day, and is their first year of instruction in English. How do we expect these students to be proficient when this is their first year of being taught in English? The NCLB act doesn’t take into consideration of how long the students were taught before they take the assessments. I am not familiar of the types of questions written in their assessments. I assume the students were taught test taking strategies before they take the assessments.
Our third graders score low in their assessments, but by sixth grade they show a huge improvement. For the last two years we’ve met AYP, but not the last year. Last year our school had teacher turn over and positions were not filled in the beginning of the year. This is one of the problems schools in Rural Alaska face. Teachers come into LKSD not being familiar to the socioculture of the area, and each year students would have different teachers. Many of the teachers teach subjects that are not part of their expertise, but LKSD offers Math through Polycoms to the other schools in the district.

Since NCLB has became a law, our immersion school began teaching English Language Development (ELD) starting in Kindergarten. Kindergarteners and first graders receive a half hour of ELD, but don’t involve teaching actual reading. The students are taught oral skills through songs and chants. This is probably the beginning where they are learning English comprehension, and to learn “standard” English.

In our school, the staffs are encouraged to peer coach and to meet weekly to review how we can better teach our students. At these meetings, we are encouraged to read and do a self-study in good teaching. In our teacher in-services, we review the data from the State assessment, and find where we can increase our instruction based on the data. This was also mentioned in the article in page 352 where teachers should be given time to work together on “how to use curriculum and assessments.

Maori Approaches to Assessments (2007)

This article reminded me of how we assess our children at home through our ways of knowing and being, as we are Yup’ik. The way the Maori assessed their children is through family and community. It is the family and the community to decide if the child learned the appropriate skills, knowledge, and attitude to bring out the good of their community, family, and themselves. They use authentic assessments like a mother would observe and decide if her daughter has become proficient in cutting up a fish, and be approved by an elder. The Maori way of assessments is about ways of knowing and being in their culture.

As I was growing up, I remember first observing my grandmother cutting up a seal. When I wanted to help, she didn’t discourage me. As I took the uluaq, she didn’t criticize the way I was cutting it. Her ways of knowing that I would become advanced with practice was impressive with her. When I made my first cut of the seal part, she told me to bring it to my other grandma, my grandmother’s sister. When I brought it to their house, I opened their door and stood in front of the door until I was acknowledged. This is something that was taught to me to respect when you enter another house. My parents and grandpa were so proud of me, and it was greatly valued by them. Each time my dad and uncle brought a seal home; I would continue to help my grandmother. I soon passed the assessment when I cut up a whole seal by myself.

The way we assess our students in school has changed because of the high stake tests that our students have to take. Parents and educators are worried about making AYP. Teachers are teaching to tests, and it falters the students from learning things that are meaningful to their surroundings. Schools are not assessing students on what is outside of the classroom. It is shameful that we don’t recognize the risks that the students take, and take into consideration the funds of knowledge the students bring to the school. School assessments causes students to feel like failures when they haven’t passed their tests, and it causes for discouragement.

I wonder how the children would be if they were assessed the way our elders assessed us as we were growing up?

Teacher Suspended for Refusing to Give State Test by The Associated Press

Yeah for Mr. Chew! He is very brave to refuse to administer the state testing of Washington when he saw the need to come up with better assessments. Many students are more knowledgably of their surroundings than the questions that the tests ask. People who “think” they know all about student funds of knowledge write assessments. Therefore the assessments students take are not part of their every day lives, and are something that they’ve only learned from school. Assessments need to be more meaningful to the students’ surroundings/ upbringing. It reminds me of when my students used to take the TERRA NOVA tests. These assessments were literally translated into Yugtun word per word, and it made the reading difficult for the students. As immersion students, and being first graders one of the tests reading assessments was equal to the 6th grade reading level. How could my students read proficiently and answer questions that are not up to their par? The result of tests in turn labels the students of being far below proficient.
I applaud Mr. Chew with his action. Students are tired of being assessed and being compared to other students nation wide. Something that teaching has become is to teach to the test, and I don’t like that.