On the other hand, it is not uncommon to fmd tests designed to tap into a testtakers knowledge about language. Designing performance assessments module 2 reading. Columns 2 and 3 contain an overview of how these features are handled by first and second language speakers. Discussion of what taskbased assessment is and how it is linked to taskbased instruction 2. The authors first situate performance assessment within a broader discussion of. Issues of validity and reliability in second language performance assessment yenfen liao teachers college, columbia university with an increasing practical need for language tests that can provide predictive information about how successfully a candidate will perform in a nontesting setting, second language. Assessment of an english language learners proficiency in their home language can provide teachers with an understanding of how their home language can be used to support english language development.
More meaningful assessment for dual language learners. Next, issues in performance assessment design, implementation, reliability, and validity are discussed. Design and analysis in taskbased language assessment. They also propose a research agenda focusing on the operationalization of second language performance assessments.
Preparing for the 21st century 1996, and standards for foreign language learning in the 21st century 2006. Instructional guide niu center for innovative teaching. Pdf download for design and analysis in taskbased language assessment. Using formative assessment to help english language learners bridged with scaffolding or was the success due to something else. Assessments developed for many home languages are available commercially. English language learners and the common core module 4 reading. Discussion of the general structure and components of task. Interviewer variability in specificpurpose language performance tests. The starting point in designing assessments is to think systematically about language use in the target language use tlu domain. Issues of validity and reliability in second language.
Second language evaluation in the public service canada. In this regard, mcnamara 1996 has proposed a distinction between strong and weak hypotheses on performance tests. An introduction to design p a d i patterns in language. Download the table of contents and chapter one of this publication as a pdf file 156k. Each book in the series guides readers through three main sections, enabling them. Design and analysis in taskbased language assessment robert j.
Most language tests measure ones ability to perform language, that is, to speak, write, read, or listen to a subset of language. Clearly, language objectives are fundamental to second language evaluation and are the focus of our attention. Ekiti state university, posted to various secondary schools in ekiti state for a. Plenary presentation at the international conference on testing and evaluation in second language education. Performance assessments and english language learners. The objective is usually to create assessment tasks that emulate tlu tasks so that performance on the assessment reflects, to the extent possible, target language. Using a backward design approach, these ipa units begin with goals of instruction for the unit, and the final performance assessment. Assessment of learning refers to those assessments that happen after learning has occurred to determine. In taskbased language assessment tbla language use is observed in settings. The minnesota language proficiency assessments mlpa are a battery of highquality, proficiencybased second language assessment tools for reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
Some reflections on taskbased language performance assessment. Second language assessment for classroom teachers eric. The worldreadiness standards incorporate the standards for foreign language learning. Fundamental principles for evaluating and designing second language assessment include. Learners come to adult english as a second language programs for diverse reasons. These performance assessments were created by the teachers college reading and writing project for nyc department of education and some are owned by nyc department of education. In the vocational context, performance tasks might include diagnosing a patients condition based on a case study. Linguistic modifications can be used in designing performance assessments to help ensure a. Teachers must be able to distinguish among these objectives so that they understand how each can or can not be used in planning more effective classroom assessment and evaluation in educational system. Guidelines for best test development practices to ensure validity and fairness for international english language proficiency assessments 4 the use of an assessment.
Key issues to consider hyunjoo kim teachers college, columbia university in the last two decades or so, the tenets of communicative language teaching with their strong emphasis on students ability to use language in reallife situations have taken hold in foreign and second language classrooms. This technical report focuses on the decisionmaking potential provided by second language performance assessments. In other words, most lags in dll academic performance arent solely a result of second language acquisition but how that process intersects with poverty. Aligning taskbased language assessment and taskbased. Performance assessments for english language learners. Please visit the csai assessment design toolkit page to learn more about how states and districts adapt and use the toolkit. Using valid results to optimize instruction introduction the no child left behind act of 2001 nclb has focused increased attention on the appropriate assessment of english language learners ell students in u. The authors outline test and item specifications, and they present numerous examples of prototypical language tasks.
Paperpencil tests are not enough to determine if students know how to do something. Second language assessment for classroom teachers thu h. Learning objectives and outcomes may call for performance keeps the students engaged demonstrates relevance of what they learn. This shift synchronizes with the worldwide movement in general education to combine assessment of learning and assessment for learning. A variety of factors need to be considered throughout the design process. Performance assessment can be used as either a formative or summative tool. Nflrc monographs is a refereed series sponsored by the national foreign.
Performance assessments for english language learners 3 similarly, as darlinghammond 2006 indicates. The proper assessment of our nations more than 5 million english language learners ells merits attention at all levels in our education systems. Finally, the paper argues for a balanced approach to second language assessment which should be utilized to yield more reliable language assessment results, and such an approach may reduce students stress and anxiety. The first is an overarching conception of an assessment as an argument from imperfect evidence. Assessment is a key concept in the learning and teaching process and can be performed by several forms. Developing rubrics for language assessment with dr.
Language testing and assessment part i volume 34 issue 4 j charles alderson, jayanti banerjee. Thus, the main focus of the field has been the definition of second language knowledge and the design of assessment procedures that match such definitions. Aligning taskbased language assessment and taskbased language instruction 1. If you are experiencing difficulties viewing the pdf documents below we recommend that you download foxit pdf reader. Performance assessments that require students to evaluate and solve complex problems, conduct research, write extensively, and demonstrate their learning in projects, papers, and exhibitions have proven key to mo. Ells are students who are still developing proficiency in english. Design and analysis in taskbased language assessment citeseerx. They then discuss issues in performance assessment design, implementation, reliability, and validity. Performance assessment description students will construct a presentation that truly highlights 24 natural and manmade resources in their. Designing second language performance assessments nflrc. Using valid results to optimize instruction 2 assessing english language proficiency.
Using formative assessment to help english language learners. The center for advanced research on language acquisition. Tran missouri university of science and technology rolla, missouri, usa abstract the vast majority of second language teachers feels confident about their instructional performance and does not usually. The toolkit includes modules divided into four parts. And poverty is often a proxy to get at another factor. Performance assessment in language testing volume 15 elana shohamy. Guidelines for best test development practices to ensure. First, performance assessment is situated within the broader discussion of alternatives in language assessment and in educational assessment in general. Finally, they present a prototype framework for second language performance assessment based on the integration of theoretical underpinnings and research findings from the taskbased language teaching literature, the language testing literature, and the educational measurement literature. It is critically important that the array of content assessments taken by ells be fair and valid. The paper also discusses an array of options in language assessment which can generally be classified into three groups. The complexities of taskbased language performance assessment tblpa are.
This guide is a brief compilation of teachingrelated information from several sources, including instructional guidebooks from other institutions, journals, and contributions from master teachers and academic support units at northern illinois university. Designing second language performance assessments book. Second, students have access to these physical materials as they formulate. Pdf download for some reflections on taskbased language performance. Performance based learning and assessment is describe in detail for educators looking to incorporate theses strategies into their school and classroom. Figuring out how to advance students learning both linguistically and academically is typically determined by my students performance on a task. In the strong sense, knowledge of the second language is a necessary but not a sufficient. For example, a performance assessment built around a complex reasoning task, such as problem solving or decision making, requires the synthesis of. Two complementary ideas help to organize the effort. Assessment according to alberta learning, the purpose of esl assessment is to identify strengths and weaknesses of individual students, adjust instruction to build on students strengths and alleviate weaknesses. In the past two decades, there has been a major shift in language testing towards the development and use of performance tests. Language testing and assessment routledge applied linguisticsis a series of comprehensive resource books, providing students and researchers with the support they need for advanced study in the core areas of english language and applied linguistics. English language features are identified key in column 1.
It measures achievements, knowledges, understandings, capabilities or skills. English language assessment instruments iv31 english language assessment instruments for adults learning english this section provides names, descriptions, and availability information for english language proficiency tests that are designed for adults, including native speakers of spanish, who are learning english as a second language. Assessment design toolkit us department of education. Through our efforts towards this goal, we hope to achieve three. English language assessment instruments for adults. Second language assessment is concerned with procedures and techniques for measuring second language knowledge. The mlpa are currently available for french, german, and spanish at two levels on the proficiency scale outlined by the american council on the teaching of foreign. All student performance assessments have been vetted by a team of core academy english language arts facilitators and the usbe english language arts specialist. Guidelines for the assessment of english language learners.