Academic AssessmentAcademic Assessment

Diverse LearnersDiverse Learners

Considerations for Multicultural Students

Considerations for Multicultural Students

Previous academic exposureAcculturation and languagePrevious life and academic experiences“Steps must be taken so that students

are not assigned to special education classes because of their lack of English language proficiency rather than because they have a disability” (U.S. Dept of Ed., 2000).

Previous academic exposureAcculturation and languagePrevious life and academic experiences“Steps must be taken so that students

are not assigned to special education classes because of their lack of English language proficiency rather than because they have a disability” (U.S. Dept of Ed., 2000).

Considerations for All Students

Considerations for All Students

Do sensory or communication impairments make test inaccessible or limit students from responding to questions?

Do test materials or methods of responding limit ability to respond?

Does the student know the examiner?Are instructions understood by student?Is the recording technique required of

the student on the test familiar?

Do sensory or communication impairments make test inaccessible or limit students from responding to questions?

Do test materials or methods of responding limit ability to respond?

Does the student know the examiner?Are instructions understood by student?Is the recording technique required of

the student on the test familiar?

Normative-based Achievement Assumptions

Normative-based Achievement AssumptionsStudent is like the normative sample.Student has had opportunity to learn

Content measuredLanguage used by the testSkills demanded of the test

Test is measuring ability and not experience

Student is like the normative sample.Student has had opportunity to learn

Content measuredLanguage used by the testSkills demanded of the test

Test is measuring ability and not experience

Standards for Testing Individuals of Diverse

Language Backgrounds

Standards for Testing Individuals of Diverse

Language BackgroundsTesting practice designed to reduce

threats to reliability and validity.Language proficiency should be

determined prior to test administration.Language proficiency should be

evaluated across different language tasks.

Any linguistic modifications recommended by test publishers should be in the test manual

Testing practice designed to reduce threats to reliability and validity.

Language proficiency should be determined prior to test administration.

Language proficiency should be evaluated across different language tasks.

Any linguistic modifications recommended by test publishers should be in the test manual

Standards for Testing Individuals of Diverse

Language Backgrounds

Standards for Testing Individuals of Diverse

Language Backgrounds When a test is recommended for this

population, then developers should provide the info needed for test use and interpretation.

When translating a test, describe methods used in establishing the adequacy of the translation and evidence for reliability and validity data for the translated test’s scores.

When an interpreter is used in testing, the interpreter should be fluent in both languages, should have expertise in translating,and should have a basic understanding of the assessment process.

When a test is recommended for this population, then developers should provide the info needed for test use and interpretation.

When translating a test, describe methods used in establishing the adequacy of the translation and evidence for reliability and validity data for the translated test’s scores.

When an interpreter is used in testing, the interpreter should be fluent in both languages, should have expertise in translating,and should have a basic understanding of the assessment process.

Group ProjectGroup Project

Look at the tests described on pages 207-210.

Describe the pros and cons of each test within the group.

Consider which normative based test to give to a child with a 5th grader with L5 profile who has received bilingual education.

Look at the tests described on pages 207-210.

Describe the pros and cons of each test within the group.

Consider which normative based test to give to a child with a 5th grader with L5 profile who has received bilingual education.

CBM: Spanish MaterialsCBM: Spanish Materials

Brigance Diagnostic Assessment of Basic Skills, SpanishK-6Readiness, Speech, Word Recognition, Oral

Reading, Reading, Comp., Word Analysis, Listening, Writing, Alphabetizing, Numbers and Computation, and Measurement

DIBELS has a Spanish version that is like the English version. This can be found on the DIBELS website.

Brigance Diagnostic Assessment of Basic Skills, SpanishK-6Readiness, Speech, Word Recognition, Oral

Reading, Reading, Comp., Word Analysis, Listening, Writing, Alphabetizing, Numbers and Computation, and Measurement

DIBELS has a Spanish version that is like the English version. This can be found on the DIBELS website.

CBM ConsiderationsCBM Considerations

Extent to which curriculum is culturally representative of the student.

Student’s previous participation in bilingual education/ ESL

Known or suspected sensory or communicative impairments

Information on formal former education.How often has the child moved and how

often does child attend school?

Extent to which curriculum is culturally representative of the student.

Student’s previous participation in bilingual education/ ESL

Known or suspected sensory or communicative impairments

Information on formal former education.How often has the child moved and how

often does child attend school?

CBM ConsiderationsCBM Considerations

Students level of acculturationEnglish language proficiencyWhat skills are needed to answer

the items that are not related to item performance.

Experiences outside of the school setting that support or detract from academic success.

Students level of acculturationEnglish language proficiencyWhat skills are needed to answer

the items that are not related to item performance.

Experiences outside of the school setting that support or detract from academic success.

Suggestions: Non-English and Non-Spanish Assessment

Suggestions: Non-English and Non-Spanish Assessment

Normative assessment in achievement is pretty much not possible.

Informal methods or CBM methods should be utilized in combination with parent/ teacher interviews, class observations, and child interviews.

Normative assessment in achievement is pretty much not possible.

Informal methods or CBM methods should be utilized in combination with parent/ teacher interviews, class observations, and child interviews.

Written Expression Options

Written Expression Options

Develop an age appropriate writing prompt (e.g., “I was walking down the street and suddenly I saw …”).

Have the child write a story based on this prompt.

Have a translator given a similar prompt in the native language.

Work with the translator to determine total number of words, grammar spelling, and understandability for BOTH language tasks.

Develop an age appropriate writing prompt (e.g., “I was walking down the street and suddenly I saw …”).

Have the child write a story based on this prompt.

Have a translator given a similar prompt in the native language.

Work with the translator to determine total number of words, grammar spelling, and understandability for BOTH language tasks.

Reading AssessmentsReading Assessments

Obtain basal readers for different levels in English and in the other language

Have the child read in each language.Score fluency by marking reading end

point after 1 min and 2 min.Ask the child to retell the story to

indicate passage comprehension.Basic reading can be evaluated by the

number of errors made while reading the passage.

Obtain basal readers for different levels in English and in the other language

Have the child read in each language.Score fluency by marking reading end

point after 1 min and 2 min.Ask the child to retell the story to

indicate passage comprehension.Basic reading can be evaluated by the

number of errors made while reading the passage.

Math AssessmentsMath Assessments

Basic math: direct translation of instructions and actual items from a normative test (do not use norms).

Applied math: direct translation of items from a normative test (do not use norms).

Do an error analysis of types of problems and see if these carry across languages.

Basic math: direct translation of instructions and actual items from a normative test (do not use norms).

Applied math: direct translation of items from a normative test (do not use norms).

Do an error analysis of types of problems and see if these carry across languages.