Assessing English Language Development in 4-Year-Olds

Info Update 02_0 !uth !einl" Lead Developer #all 200

Assessing English Language Development in 4-Year-Old $indergarten %4$& 'tudents

English language profi(ien() in ver) )oung (hildren* The term English language proficiency (ELP) and its accompanying English language proficiency levels were originally defined and used for English language learners in grades K-12 !ccording to state and federal law1" any student whose first language is other than English #$ lives in a home where another language is spo%en #$ has had significant e&posure to another language must 'e assessed for English language proficiency !ny student found to 'e limited in his or her English proficiency must 'e assessed annually for ELP until they reach proficiency 2 (sing this term with )K students presents many challenges as well as incongruities 'ecause all preschoolers are still in the active stage of processing and ac*uiring language ! native English-spea%ing )-year-old+s language is still not completely developed" although they would 'e considered proficient for their age level in the English-spea%ing world if they meet certain age-appropriate developmental milestones in receptive and e&pressive language The developmental milestones in receptive and e&pressive language which we refer to in our ( , schools and which we use to determine typical language development in preschoolers were developed with monolingual" native English-spea%ing
1

See Appendix A for definitions of LEP from state and federal law and Wisconsin and WIDA descriptions of ELP levels. Note: T e term !limited"En#lis proficient $LEP% st&dents' is t e le#al term for st&dents w o are En#lis lan#&a#e learners $ELLs% (ot in state stat&te and federal law. )owever* English language learners is t e preferred term fo&nd in literat&re toda+.
,

See Appendix - for cites from state and federal law re.&irin# ann&al ELP assessment of all ELLs /"1,.

preschoolers -ew research is currently emerging regarding language development in 'ilingual preschoolers .hile that research demonstrates that developmental milestones still e&ist for typically developing 'ilingual preschoolers" nuances in those milestones differ from language to language and within languages (/edore" L 0 1 Pena" E 2 " 2334) 5ow language proficiency or typical language development in 'ilingual preschoolers is determined is more complicated than for their monolingual peers -evertheless" school districts often assess the ELP of preschoolers entering )K for the purposes of reporting in the state 6ndividual ,tudent Enrollment ,ystem (6,E,) 2istricts are struggling to understand the state re*uirements in this area" as well as how to 'est assess these young children given the very limited range and appropriateness of formal assessment tools ,tandardi7ed ELP assessment tools that do e&ist for )-year-olds" such as the Pre-L!, and the .oodcoc%-0u8o7" often assess isolated and limited language samples9rarely giving a functional or true picture of the )-year-old+s English language s%ills !lthough they may yield accurate results for the preschool ELLs who spea% little to no English" they provide very limited information a'out the English language development of more English proficient preschoolers .hat these instruments do provide school districts" however" is a num'er" or *uantitative data that can 'e reported to the state as an ELP level :ualitative assessment instruments" which may yield a more functional and realistic picture of the preschooler+s English language development" are often not used precisely 'ecause they do not provide that num'er or ELP Level for reporting purposes 2istricts then struggle with how to assign ELP levels The purpose of the following information is to address these issues and offer preliminary guidelines when assessing )-year-olds for English language proficiency 6t is designed to help districts appropriately assess their )-year-old students in a way that informs instruction as well as serves state reporting procedures in 6,E, When not directly referring to state reporting procedures, the term English language development (EL2) will be used in place of English language proficiency to more accurately reflect the language acquisition process of this young age group.

'tate and federal re+uirements* .isconsin+s 'ilingual-'icultural statute states that a district may esta'lish preschool programs such as )-year-old %indergarten or summer school programs" 'ut gives no parameters for assessing the English language proficiency of preschoolers !ccording to the 2epartment of Pu'lic 6nstruction+s (2P6) English Language Proficiency Collection and Reporting (http;<<dpi wi gov<l'stat<dataelp html); =neither ->L/ nor state law re*uires assessment or services for ELLs at grade levels earlier than Kindergarten (K?) 6f students at earlier grades are assessed" then their English Language Proficiency codes should reflect the results of the assessment used ,tudents who are not assessed cannot 'e counted as ELL<LEP (ELP >odes 1-@) -ote that in the a'ove *uote" Kindergarten (K?) refers only to @-year-old %indergarten and not )-year-old %indergarten 2P6 then provides the following suggestions if districts choose to assess their )-year-old %indergarten students; 6n the a'sence of a more complete assessment" districts are encouraged to assess potential ELL pre-%indergarten students using an informal English language inventory Performance levels in the WI ! ELP "tandards #oo$ can 'e used as a guide $esults of the inventory can 'e used to estimate a student+s English language proficiency code #urther 'uggested pra(ti(e for assessing English language development %ELD& levels in 4$* ,e ver) (lear a-out )our intended purpose 'ecause this will influence the type of instrument you use or the manner in which you assess preschoolers /est practice dictates that assessing preschoolers for English language development would 'e conducted for more than simply state reporting purposes 6t is important that professionals conducting EL2 assessments with preschoolers 'e well-versed in the process of second language ac*uisition as well as typical language development in young children ,ome purposes typically used for EL2 testing with preschoolers include; To gather information on a preschoolers+ level of English language development To inform instructional practice To inform instructional groupings To show growth over time in English language development

To report ELP levels to the state

Use +ualitative data to supplement an) data o-tained from formal assessment tools; E&amples of *ualitative data include; Language samples gathered in different environments and during varying activities and routines #'servations in different environments and during varying activities and routines E&tensive language history gathered from parents and other caregivers

The Language 2evelopment Profile (see !ppendi&) is a sample informal assessment tool that can 'e used for collecting these types of *ualitative data 'tate reporting of EL. levels for 4$* Patton Ta'ors (2334) has done e&tensive research with 'ilingual preschoolers" 'oth those who learned one language 'efore the other (se*uential 'ilinguals) and those who learned more than one language at the same time (simultaneous 'ilinguals) ,he outlines four stages of English language development that preschoolers typically go through when ac*uiring English as a second language Aollowing are descriptions of Ta'ors+ stages (2334) and their appro&imate alignment to 2P6 English Language Proficiency (ELP) levels -ote that this alignment was not created or esta'lished 'y Ta'ors and is to 'e used for informal comparison purposes only 2istricts that use informal assessment measures as recommended in 2P6+s English Language Proficiency Collection and Reporting " may use this comparison chart as an additional resource to .62!+s ELP performance levels when estimating a preschooler+s English language proficiency level /a-ors Language 'tages and Appro0imate 1orresponding English Language .rofi(ien() D.I Levels 2ome Language 'tage %corresponds to PI ELP Le&el '(;

>hild continues to spea% in home language even if individuals cannot understand that language >hild is in process of figuring out that a different language is 'eing spo%en

Time period in this stage varies

3on-4er-al 'tage (corresponds to

PI ELP Le&el '(*

>hild a'andons attempts to spea% to people who do not understand >ompared to BsilentC stage of older children -ot completely silent in that child often engages in non-ver'al alternate forms of communication (gestures" facial e&pressions" etc )

/elegraphi( and #ormulai( 'tage %corresponds to

PI ELP Le&el )(;

>hild ma%es decision to learn new language >hild Bgoes pu'licC with their English Telegraphic9names for people or things act as complete utterance (e g " BDuiceC to signify B6 want DuiceC) Aormulaic9o'served phrases to help children communicate (e g " B#h manC" BE&cuse meC" B(h-ohC" B#%ay" o%ayC) PI ELP Le&els * + ,(;

.rodu(tive Language 'tage %Corresponds to

>hild has ac*uired enough voca'ulary and useful phrases >hild creates own sentences and phrases >hild 'uilds on learned phrases" words" and strategies from previous stages (constructivist process) >hild starts figuring out how the language is constructed

References /edore" L 0 1 Pena" E 2 (2334) !ssessment of 'ilingual children for identification of language impairment; >urrent findings and implications for practice -he International .ournal of #ilingual Education and #ilingualism 11 (1)" 12E

Ta'ors" P (2334) /ne Child, -wo Languages (2nd Ed ) /altimore" 02; Paul /roo%es Pu'lishing .isconsin 2epartment of Pu'lic Education (233F-3)) 0English Language Proficiency Collection and Reporting.1 http;<<dpi wi gov<l'stat<dataelp html

T e Wisconsin Department of P&(lic Instr&ction does not discriminate on t e (asis of sex* race* reli#ion* national ori#in* ancestr+* creed* sex&al orientation* pre#nanc+* marital or parental stat&s* or p +sical* mental* emotional or learnin# disa(ilit+.

!PPE-26G !

2EA6-6T6#- #A L606TE2-E-?L6,5 P$#A6>6E-T 6- ,T!TE !-2 AE2E$!L L!.

.isconsin ,tate ,tatute H /ilingual-/icultural Education BLimited-English proficient pupilC means a pupil whose a'ility to use the English language is limited 'ecause of the use of a non-English language in his or her family or in his or her daily" nonschool surroundings" and who has difficulty" as defined 'y rule 'y the state superintendent" in performing ordinary classwor% in English as a result of such limited English language proficiency Is 11@ J@@(E)" .is ,tats K Aederal H Title 6G" E,E! The term Blimited English proficientC" when used with respect to an individual" means an individual H (!) who is aged F through 21L (/) who is enrolled or preparing to enroll in an elementary school or secondary schoolL (>)(i) who was not 'orn in the (nited ,tates or whose native language is a language other than EnglishL (ii)(6) who is a -ative !merican or !las%a -ative" or a native resident of the outlying areasL and (66) who comes from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant impact on the individual+s level of English language proficiencyL or (iii) who is migratory" whose native language is a language other than English" and who comes from an environment where a language other than English is dominantL and (2) whose a'ility in spea%ing" reading" writing" or understanding the English language may 'e sufficient to deny the individual H (i) the a'ility to meet the ,tate+s proficient level of achievement on ,tate !ssessments descri'ed in section MF11(')(F) of this titleL (ii) the a'ility to successfully achieve in classrooms where the language of instruction is EnglishL or (iii) the opportunity to participate fully in society I,ec J13J" -o >hild Left /ehind !ct" 2331K

E-?L6,5 L!-?(!?E P$#A6>6E->N LEOEL,

The definitions of the five limited-English language proficiency levels" as well as Level M" one of two fully-English language proficiency levels" are from P6 1F 34(F)(1)-(M)" .isconsin !dministrative $ule Level E" the other fully-English language proficiency level" is used for purposes of state reporting<state testing Level 1 H /eginning<Preproduction I.62! Level P EnteringK; ! pupil shall 'e classified level 1 if the pupil does not understand or spea% English with the e&ception of a few isolated words or e&pressions Level 2 H /eginning<Production I.62! Level P /eginningK; ! pupil shall 'e classified level 2 if all of the following criteria are met; (a) The pupil understands and spea%s conversational and academic English with hesitancy and difficulty (') The pupil understands parts of lessons and simple directions (c) The pupil is at a pre-emergent or emergent level of reading and writing in English" significantly 'elow grade level Level F H 6ntermediate I.62! Level P 2evelopingK; ! pupil shall 'e classified level F if all of the following criteria are met; (a) The pupil understands and spea%s conversational and academic English with decreasing hesitancy and difficulty (') The pupil is post-emergent" developing reading comprehension and writing s%ills in English (c) The pupil+s English literacy s%ills allow the student to demonstrate academic %nowledge in content areas with assistance Level ) H !dvanced 6ntermediate I.62! Level P E&pandingK; ! pupil shall 'e classified level ) if all of the following criteria are met; (a) The pupil understands and spea%s conversational English without apparent difficulty" 'ut understands and spea%s academic English with some hesitancy (') The pupil continues to ac*uire reading and writing s%ills in content areas needed to achieve grade level e&pectations with assistance Level @ H !dvanced I.62! Level P /ridgingK; ! pupil shall 'e classified level @ if all of the following criteria are met; (a) The pupil understands and spea%s conversational and academic English well

(') The pupil is near proficient in reading" writing" and content area s%ills needed to meet grade level e&pectations (c) The pupil re*uires occasional support Level M H Aormerly Limited-English Proficient<-ow Aully-English Proficient; ! pupil shall 'e classified level M if all of the following criteria are met; (a) The pupil was formerly limited-English proficient and is now fully English proficient (') The pupil reads" writes" spea%s and comprehends English within academic classroom settings Level E H Aully-English Proficient<-ever Limited-English Proficient; The student was never classified as limited-English proficient and does not fit the definition of a limited-English proficient student outlined in either state of federal law

.62! Performance 2efinitions

6 Reaching Specialized or technical language reflective of the content area at grade level; A variety of sentence lengths of varying Linguistic Complexity in extended oral or written discourse as required at the specified grade level; Oral and written communication of English compara le to that of English proficient peers !he technical language of the content areas; A variety of sentence lengths of varying Linguistic Complexity in extended oral or written discourse" including stories" essays" or reports; Oral or written language approaching compara ility to that of English proficient peers when presented with grade level material Specific and some technical language of the content areas; A variety of sentence lengths of varying Linguistic Complexity in oral discourse or multiple" related paragraphs; Oral or written language with minimal phonological" syntactic" or semantic errors that do not impede the overall meaning of the communication when presented with oral or written connected discourse with occasional visual and graphic support #eneral and some specific language of the content areas; Expanded sentences in oral interaction or written paragraphs; Oral or written language with phonological" syntactic" or semantic errors that may impede the communication ut retain much of its meaning when presented with oral or written" narrative or expository descriptions with occasional visual and graphic support #eneral language related to the content areas; $hrases or short sentences; Oral or written language with phonological" syntactic" or semantic errors that often impede the meaning of the communication when presented with one to multiple%step commands" directions" questions" or a series of statements with visual and graphic support $ictorial or graphic representation of the language of the content areas; &ords" phrases" or chun's of language when presented with one%step commands" directions" &(%questions" or statements with visual and graphic support

5 Bridging

4 Expanding

3 Developing

2 Beginning

1 Entering

!PPE-26G /

,T!TE ,T!T(TE !-2 AE2E$!L L!. $E:(6$6-? !,,E,,0E-T #A E-?L6,5 L!-?(!?E P$#A6>6E->N ,T!TE ,T!T(TE; $e*uired annually 'y state statute; s 11@ JM (1)" .is ,tats ; B>ount of limited-English proficient pupils !nnually" on or 'efore 0arch 1" each school 'oard shall conduct a count of the limited-English proficient pupils in the pu'lic schools of the district" assess the language proficiency of such pupils and classify such pupils 'y language group" grade level" age and English language proficiency C

-# >56L2 LEAT /E56-2 (->L/); $e*uired annually 'y ->L/ (under Title 6) ,ec 1111(')(E); QQ(E) !>!2E06> !,,E,,0E-T, #A E-?L6,5 L!-?(!?E P$#A6>6E->N 9Each ,tate plan shall demonstrate that local educational agencies in the ,tate will" 'eginning not later than school year 2332H233F" provide for an annual assessment of English proficiency (measuring students+ oral language" reading" and writing s%ills in English) of all students with limited English proficiency in the schools served 'y the ,tate educational agency" e&cept that the ,ecretary may provide the ,tate 1 additional year if the ,tate demonstrates that e&ceptional or uncontrolla'le circumstances" such as a natural disaster or a precipitous and unforeseen decline in the financial resources of the ,tate" prevented full implementation of this paragraph 'y that deadline and that the ,tate will complete implementation within the additional 1-year period R

Iemphasis addedK