Butler, Y.G., & Lee, J. (2010).

The effects of self-assessment among young learners of

English. Language Testing, 27(1), 5-31.

Abstract

This article explained a study done in South Korea. About 250 sixth grade students
who were asked to perform self-assessments for the first time. These students were
English Language Learners (ELL) and conducted the self-assessment about their
motivation, anxiety and confidence revolving around their feelings toward their
English language learning experience at school. The goal was to explore the benefits
of this self-assessment.

Two schools with 4 classes each were studied. One school consisted of students
from high middle class families. These students all had very supportive parents,
outside English tutoring and/or exchange experiences in English speaking countries
for a few months or more. These students were very competitive. Their self-
assessments showed that they were confident in their ability to learn and speak
English and a strong majority indicated that they did not need the teachers
recognition in the English learning process.

Students from the school that represented lower socioeconomic families generally
did not have outside tutoring in English or exchange experiences in English
speaking settings. These students were content with their learning and were less
competitive. However, the self-assessment showed that more of these students liked
to be encouraged and recognized for what they are doing right in the classroom.

Reflection

It was shocking to me that learning was so uniform in South Korea. They only have
one government-approved textbook per grade. While this fact would help equalize
the classes; I felt that because they were comparing the results of the self-
assessment of two different socio-economic student populations. Instead of focusing
on the stated goal of testing the usefulness of self-assessments, the study instead
turned the focus toward the affects of additional support and/or economic class on
students confidence levels in learning English.

The study would be more focused, reliable, and valid if more schools were included
in the research. Results would be more valid is students were compared to others of
the same economic status and the accompanying additional tutoring and language
experiences, or lack there of, were similar.

Overall this article did make me stop and remember that students with more
practice and opportunities for learning are going to have more confidence in their
learning experience. It made me question how the parents, school and the teacher
can offer these extra learning experiences to bolster students who are lacking
support.
Rameka, L. (2007). Maori approaches to assessment. Canadian Journal of Native
Education, 30 (1), 126-146.

Abstract

In Remekas article, the Kaupapa Maori theory is presented to explain the
assessment approaches used in two interrelated projects to develop early childhood
assessment using the culturally relevant Maori approach to assessment. The
process of learning and assessing through the Maori culture includes a dynamic
process where the learner, the teacher, and the community are all involved. This
method of teaching and assessment by the Maori people stresses the importance of
their identity within the community to the well-being of each individual within the
community. Some guiding principals in this process include: empowerment, holistic
development, relationships, and family and community ties. These principals are
used to empower each child with a sense of who they are as they are given feedback
that reinforces the fact that they are capable and competent.

Reflection

The holistic approach to teaching the whole child is an area that I have been lacking
without realizing it. In the western culture the focus is on making the grade and
making it though the content for the day. There have been times I have been guilty
of telling a child who was late for school and is hungry that I do not have anything in
the room for them to eat and that they need to come to school on time the next day.
I have also been guilty of squeezing in an assessment that the school district
required, before sending home a sick child so that I could meet the requirements of
the school district. While I have made efforts to include families by sending home
weekly newsletters and inviting parents and elders to come to class, and I include
culturally relevant field trips and hands on activities, I see that I have a long way to
go in growing as a culturally relevant teacher who helps develop the whole child not
just their academic goals.















Lazarin, M. (2006). Improving Assessment and Accountability for English Language
Learners in the No Child Left Behind Act. National Council of La Raza Issue
Brief No. 16.


Abstract

This article explains the purpose and reasoning behind No Child Left Behind. The
needs of Latino students were not being met in the schools and No Child Left Behind
(NCLB) was an attempt to offer support to these ELL students and close the gap
between Latino and other U.S. students. NCLB brought more testing and a focus on
holding teachers and school accountable for those tests. Many schools and teachers
have requested changes to NCLB to accommodate the needs of their students and
the accountability for them.

Reflection

I see that NCLB has been good in bringing the needs of second language English
students to the for-front of education, especially since it is the largest growing
demographic in our schools. The idea of holding teachers accountable is not
unreasonable and seems like a very good idea.

From talking to other teachers I have seen that NCLB did not play out as it was
intended. In Las Vegas some hardworking teachers were laid off because enough of
their students did not pass the state tests. These teachers were so invested in their
students that they took personal days on the days of the test to knock on doors and
bring high school students to school for the test. When the school did not meet AYP
(Adequate Yearly Progress) these devoted teachers were fired to the heartbreak of
their students. There are many factors that contribute to the success of students,
including parental support, and the students ability to read and understand the
questions on these high stakes tests. Teachers and schools are penalized for
students who do not do well on the test, even if they are new to English and do not
understand how to read the test.












Winke, P., & Fei, F. (2008). Computer-assisted language assessment. In: N. Van
Deusen-Scholl & N.H. Hornberger (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Language and
Education, 2ne ed., volume 4: Second and Foreign Language Education (pp.
353-364). New York: Springer Science + Business Media LLC.


Abstract

This article explained that computer-assisted language assessments are being
developed and used to save teachers time and to create more accurate testing for
ELL students. It has been found that computer tests save teachers time with
administrative duties and they can be as accurate as paper tests. In some cases
computer tests can be motivating for students as well.

These tests include multiple-choice, multiple-select, drag-and-drop, and short
answer. Initially open-ended responses on computer testing posed a problem in
scoring. Computer testing of computer based essay tests have been controversial,
but by establishing criteria researchers have found that computers can assess
writing as well or better then teachers.

One type of computer testing is the Computer Adaptive Test (CAT). These tests
move students though the test content and adjust the level of the test questions until
the students level is located and then the test ends.

Reflection

Reading the article about the computer adaptive tests make it sound like a very
good tool for teachers and students. However, after hearing about Natalies sisters
experience, I now have reservations about this form of testing. Natalie explained
that her college age sister is a 4.0 student and when she took a computer adaptive
test it was so hard that she felt like she was doing a horrible job. She actually began
to have a panic attack during the test and said that she could not imagine giving that
sort of test to a child.

As I think about this form of test I wonder if the online reading test that I have given
to assess my students reading level is a CAT. I honestly never paid attention to see
if the questions were altered based on how each student answered or if they all have
the same list of questions that they work through. If it is a CAT I will use a different
test for measuring my students reading levels. It is easy to give and it is wonderful
that it immediately gives their reading level. This is a test that I chose to give in my
classroom because it was convenient. I did not realize the affects it could have on a
students anxiety levels. The next time I have the need to assess the reading level of
my students I will look for other options for assessment.



Scarino, A. (2013). Language assessment literacy as self-awareness: Understanding
the role of interpretation in assessment and in teacher learning. Language
Testing, 30(3), 309-327.

Abstract

This article explains the dynamic relationship that teachers should have with their
assessments. It discusses the fact that teachers come at assessment from different
preconceptions with different interpretations of the process and results based on
their knowledge, understanding, values, and judgments. There are two interrelated
goals in reading assessment: one being to change the teachers evaluation processes
to benefit the students, and the other is to develop an awareness of how the
teachers beliefs and methods influence the learning of the students to adjust to the
needs of the student. Both of these goals should raise a teachers self-awareness as
an assessor.

Reflection

Assessment should be dynamic, however, I think that many teachers have never
even thought about this concept. For many teachers, a test is something you just do
without thinking about it because a grade is needed for the grade book. It has only
been the last two years that I have heard about the concept of using assessment to
drive instruction and to change how I teach.

It makes perfect sense. Why would I teach something the same way every year if the
kids always have a hard time learning that unit. I loved the line in the article that
said, there is an increasing interest in developing the understanding of teachers
because. There is a strong line of evidence that the teacher is the most important
factor influencing student learning. As teachers we do not realize how much we
affect the learning that happens in our classrooms. As we evaluate students, we
need to evaluate ourselves as well. A reflective teacher makes a better teacher.















Peregoy, S. & Boyle, O. (2005). Reading Assessment and Instruction. In S. Peregoy &
O. Boyle, (ed.) Reading, Writing, and Learning in ESL. (pp.373-411). New
York: Longman.

Abstract

Peregoy addresses the purpose for reading assessment and gives examples of
different forms of reading assessment. Peregoy states that there are two different
purposes for reading assessment. These two purposes include 1) to assess a
students reading level and 2) to evaluate students needs to determine the course of
instruction the teacher should implement.

During this process it is important that teachers have an understanding of the
progression of reading and writing skills. Teachers must have an infinite variety of
strategies to meet the needs of their students and fill in the gaps in their learning. In
order to help students, teachers need to know what books are at the students
independent reading level, instructional level, and frustration level. Informal
reading assessment can help determine these levels. Other procedures for
evaluating and helping readers include Echo Reading, Guided Reading, Silent
Sustained Reading and Read-Alouds.

Reflection

As teachers we must remember that assessment is dynamic and must be used to
direct our instruction. As a new teacher I did not fully understand the progression
of reading and writing skills. Through experience and Accelerated Reader levels
online, I have learned what books are appropriate for different reading levels. I
often forget that a child needs to be able to read 95% of the words correctly on their
own to reading a particular book independently. A student is reading at their
instructional level when he/she can read 90% of the words accurately without help.
How often do we have children reading books that are too hard, and then we
wonder why they do not like reading.

When we find ourselves giving tests without taking into account the implications for
our teaching and the needs of our students, we are not being all that our students
need from us as teachers. Teachers could put a note on the outside of our
gradebook or weekly planner. Is this working? How could I do this better next
time?







Nelson-Barber, S. & Trumbull, E. (2007). Making assessment practices valid for
indigenous American students. Journal of American Indian Education, 46(3),
132-147.

Abstract

Educational assessmentin U.S. schools, does not successfully capture or build on
potentially important content knowledge and understanding of Indigenous
students.

Nelson-Barber begins his article with this powerful statement. There is a need to
minimize test bias to assess the strengths of indigenous students. Nelson-Barber
stated that for native students we know that they learn best when we make their
learning educationally relevant so that they can connect with the content through
accessing local wisdom, community involvement, and educational standards. He
recommends that teachers use these same elements to develop assessment of native
students. Assessments would be more valid by developing tests that reflect the
environment and the values of the pupils.

Culture-based assumptions are a part of every test. Assessment itself is a cultural
process. How a student is tested in the form of standardized tests, oral assessment,
and observations are perceived differently by evaluators, based on the culture of the
evaluator, and students react differently based on their cultural understanding of
the situation. Evaluators need to know the social norms of the culture in which they
are creating and evaluating tests and students so that the test is valid and the
student is really being tested over the objective, verses being tested over concepts
involved that they have no exposure too.

Reflection

I agree wholeheartedly with this article. I have seen tests that ask first graders in
my village classroom to put pictures in sequence and the pictures are about going to
the zoo. While the stated objective was to see if my students could understand the
concept of sequence, my students were in actuality being tested on their knowledge
or lack of knowledge about going to a zoo!

Developing tests for students in village Alaska that are not culturally biased is a
challenge. National testing includes concepts absorbed by other children outside
school by having access to a city with exposure to things such as roads, two story
buildings, cars and all the concepts involved in these places. These are big
expectations for rural Alaskan school districts that have high teacher turnover rates.

Maybe the answer is a culture camp as teachers enter into their first bush
experience. This would help teachers adjust from their culture to the culture in the
village and it could help them get in the mind-set they need to understand the needs
of their students. This mindset could help them develop valid tests without as much
cultural bias, to accurately test state objectives. This could also help with teacher
retention by preparing the teachers to adapt to the culture they will be living in.