Practical Guidelines for the Education of English Language Learners: Research-Based Recommendations for the Use of Accommodations in Large-Scale Assessments

Author: Francis, D., Rivera, M., Lesaux, N., Kieffer, M., Rivera, H.
Publisher: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction
Publication Date: 2006
Full text available online at: http://www.centeroninstruction.org/files/ELL3-Assessments.pdf

Abstract (written by WestEd)

The third in a three-part series by the Center on Instruction, this document tackles the challenge of English language learners (ELLs) being included in large-scale assessments. It provides research-based recommendations for policymakers, administrators, and teachers regarding the use of accommodations to increase the valid participation of ELLs in large scale assessment.

The document has three parts. The first part, an overview, defines English language learners (ELLs), second language literacy acquisition, academic literacy, content knowledge, and language proficiency and discusses the importance of including ELLs in large-scale assessments.

The second part looks at accommodations, and the concepts of effectiveness and validity, and it reviews research on state policies regarding accomodations for ELLs.

The last part describes the most commonly studied accommodations for ELLs and the results of a meta-analysis of this research to determine the most effective accommodations. Further, this section includes recommendations for the use of accommodations to increase the participation of ELLs in state assessments.

The first two reports in this series are:

Another report, Academic Literacy Instruction for Adolescents: A Guidance Document from the Center on Instruction [4-12], also provides pertinent information.



Find all Resources by Topic

Would you like to see all of SchoolsMovingUp's offerings by topic? Go to our Topics section to see Webinars, Tips to Go, Schools on the Move, Districts on the Move and more organized by topic.

From WestEd.org

REL West Research Digest Vol. 1, No. 2

The REL West Research Digest keeps educators and others abreast of the research being carried out by REL West and by other regional educational laboratories across the country.

Suggest a Resource

Submit a school improvement article or a link you think would complement our site.