MODULE 7
Assessment and Grading of ESL Students
Introduction
The purpose of this module is to introduce participants in this training to some key information pertaining to the assessment (including alternative assessments), testing and grading of K-12 students whose native language is other than English and who speak little or no English. Such students are known as Limited English Proficient English
Language Learners, or LEP/Ells. (Also refer to the TAT PACK module on
Commissioner’s Regulations Part 154 for additional information on the new State tests now in use for the identification of students as LEP [LAB-R Revised], and for annual assessment of LEP students’ developing English language proficiency [NYSESLAT]).
It is strongly recommended that instructors use overhead transparencies (OH 7.1-OH
7.10) of each of the pages in this module. Lecturer’s notes are provided on the pages directly preceding each of the overhead transparencies.
NOTE : For complete, official and up-to-date information about LEP/ELL students in
New York State, please contact the New York State Education Department
Office of Bilingual Education at (518) 474 –8775. Also see the New York
State Education Department website information, and a list of regional
Bilingual/ESL technical assistance centers (BETACs), in the appendix of this document.
Portions of this module are adapted from Enriching Content Classes for Secondary
ESOL Students (pps. 329-369), by Judith H. Jameson, 1999, Washington, DC, and
McHenry, IL: Center for Applied Linguistics and Delta Systems Co., Inc. Adapted with permission. and
The Teaching of Language Arts to Limited English Proficient/English Language Learners
Resource Guide (Module 4, Handout #6), The University of the State of New York, The
State Education Department, Office of Bilingual Education, Albany, NY.

Notes: [Display Overhead (OH 7.1): Why do we test…]
There are three distinct reasons for testing ESL students (referred to in State and federal regulations as “limited English proficient” or “LEP”). Any discussion of testing LEP students should always begin with the question, “For what purpose?”
1. Identification: When students first enroll in school, if a Home Language
Questionnaire indicates that a language other than English is used in the s tudent’s home the student should be interviewed and then tested for possible identification as LEP, using the LAB-R Revised. This is an identification test provided to the schools by the New York State Education
Department.
2. Annual Progress: Every spring, every LEP student in every grade must be tested to determine their progress toward becoming English proficient.
The new New York State Test of English as a Second Language
Achievement (NYSESLAT) is now used for this purpose. The student’s score on this achievement test determines whether or not he/she should be placed in the ESL or bilingual education program for another year. This test is also provided by the NYSED.
3. State Standards: LEP students are required to meet the same State standards as all other students, and must be given all of the required State assessments, as well as classroom tests and assessments, to determine their progress in all subject areas.
Notes: [Display OH 7.2: Quick Write in Assessment]
Ask students to quickly write responses to the three questions on the OH, including specifying what kind of tests (multiple choice, short answer, etc.). If they have no teaching experience have them indicate the assessment techniques with which they are most familiar.

Notes: [Display OH 7.3: What are content teachers being asked to do?]
This module will focus primarily on choosing and adapting classroom assessment techniques for use with ESL (LEP) students. Be sure that your group understands that testing is only one of many forms of assessing students’ progress.
Notes: [Display OH 7.4: Classroom and Standardized Testing]
Emphasize that the purposes of classroom and standardized tests are different.
Classroom assessment is more likely to be integrated into instruction, to contribute to learning, and to provide immediate feedback to the teacher and the student.
Statewide standardized tests (NYSESLAT, Regents exams, etc.) are also necessary in order to track students’ progress relative to the State’s content area standards. Standardized tests also provide a basis on which to compare students, classes and schools with one another. Standardized tests are also used nationwide, in order to compare the academic progress of students in different states.
The most important question to ask to determine the validity of both classroom and standardized tests is whether the test is really measuring what it is intended to measure.
In order to be valid, classroom tests must assess what was taught in a way that is similar to how it was taught; e.g., science being taught through experiments but tested through essay exams has little validity, and, would put ESL students at a particular disadvantage. They may have mastered the science content but not the ability to write an essay. Other threats to validity (for ESL students) is language or culture bias in the test questions, and lack of familiarity with the types of tests (and score sheets) commonly used in the U.S. but not in their native country.

Notes: [Display OH 7.5: Testing…contd.]
Although classroom tests and alternative assessments better serve the needs of
LEP students, standardized tests also serve an important purpose, as discussed previously.
Notes: [Display OH 7.6:Sample Essay]
Ask participants to read the sample essay. Have them raise their hands to indicate how they would have rated the essay: “good,” “ average” or “poor.” Ask them to explain their ratings.
Tell participants that your question was unfair because you did not tell them what task the student was asked to do or the criteria that had been established ahead of time for evaluating the essay.
Notes: [Display OH 7.6 and OH 7.7: Essay Assignment and Rubric]
Tell participants that this essay was written by an ESL student in a science class.
The scoring criteria (also known as a rubric) were developed in advance, and are divided into four levels. On OH 7.7 (display it), level 4 is the highest score and level 1 is the lowest (although there were additional levels as well).
Now display the previous essay OH 7.6 again, and ask if it meets the scoring criteria. Emphasize the following: a) The student clearly got the main idea. b) The student learned the important content words (and spelled them correctly). c) The student was able to give examples of foods in each nutritional category.
Now ask participants how they, as teachers, would score this essay, given the assignment and the rubric.
Although this student is struggling with English, he has learned the science lesson and should not be penalized. Content area teachers should focus on the
ESL student’s meaning and content, not on their language or grammar. (Discuss if time permits.)
It is extremely difficult to separate content and language ability, especially in a language arts class where language is part of the content. Ask participants how they would separate content from language, for grading purposes.*
Suggestions:
 Focus on language in some activities and content in other activities. (Be sure that students know, in advance, what is being graded.)
 Establish grading criteria for when the focus is on language (e.g., punctuation, capitalization, appropriate title and organization, etc.)

 Choose the priorities, according to the student’s language proficiency level, when grading for language; the LEP student cannot focus on everything at once.
 It is not advisable to give two separate grades
– one for content and one for correctness of language – because that is asking the student to focus on too many things at once.
 Grade process in some activities (e.g., brainstorming, organizing, editing, etc.); grade product in other activities (e.g., the final product, in accordance with criteria established ahead of time).
* A comprehensive list of ten guidelines for grading LEP students is provided at the end of this module.
Notes: [Display OH 7.8: Alternative Assessment]
Part of the ESL student’s grade should be based on assessments other than tests (e.g., portfolios, projects, oral reports, class participation, etc.). This is especially helpful to ESL students because time limits, testing language, and testing tasks are not as important when using alternative assessments.
Ask the participants to consider this list of some of the benefits of using alternative assessments, and to suggest other reasons.
Notes: [Display OH 7.9:Using some informal ass essments…]
This OH is taken from the New York State Education Department’s resource guide, The Teaching of Language Arts to Limited English Proficient/English
Language Learners. Ask the participants to consider some of the types of alternative assessments that are listed, and to suggest which of the four areas of
English language arts can be addressed by content area teachers when using some of these techniques in their classrooms. This helps to demonstrate how content teachers can also assist LEP students with their English language development.
Notes: [Display OH 7.10: Guidelines for Grading LEP Students]
It is strongly recommended that copies of this list be distributed to the participants, in addition to the showing and discussion of the OH.

OH
7.10
Guidelines for Grading LEP Students
The following Guidelines were developed by the Center for Applied
Linguistics, and will help content area teachers to address one of their most difficult challenges
– how to give grades to LEP students:
1. Focus on meaning and content knowledge, not on English language proficiency.
2. Grade the student on process as well as the end product.
3. Explain how you grade and show examples so that students are clear about expectations and standards.
4. Have grades reflect a wide variety of measures (alternative assessments), not just tests.
5. Teach test-taking skills and strategies, and adapt tests and the testing process to accommodate the LEP student. (e.g., Many New
York State Regents exams allow the LEP student additional time, translated versions of the tests, the use of bilingual dictionaries, and other accommodations. Be sure that you are aware of these procedures in your subject area.)
6. Teach students how to learn (e.g., the buddy system).
7. Teach students how to evaluate their own work.
8. If your school district permits it, grade LEP students as
“satisfactory,” “unsatisfactory,” or “above/below expectations” throughout the year. Assign a letter or numerical grade at the end of the year.
9.
Make sure that the student’s report card and permanent record card indicate that the student is LEP, and write comments explaining how the student was graded.
10. Recognize effort and improvement in ways other than grades.