Introduction

Numerous schools rely on standardized tests for the placement of English

language learners, or ELLs, in their schools English as a Second Language program

(ESL), or more appropriately referred to as an English as an Additional Language (EAL)

program. (Broderick, 2016) Standardized test results are also used for determining a

students language support program, and for making decisions regarding whether or not

students should continue in an EAL program or graduate from it. Tests such as WIDA

MODEL , the MAC II Test of English Language Proficiency, and the Gates-MacGinitie

Reading Test have been used in schools where I have worked because it was believed

that the test results enable the assessor to make more definitive decisions regarding

EAL students. While there are several factors that impact upon which particular test a

school might choose, the prevalent opinion amongst decision-makers at these schools

is that a standardized test is necessary to validate student placement decisions.

However, there is a compelling argument to be made that using standardized tests for

placement is not particularly necessary or beneficial. Classroom assessments offer a

viable alternative to standardized tests, particularly in an international school setting.

They can be used to reliably make decisions about student admission and placement,

help to track student progress and be used to positively impact student instruction.

Admission and Placement of ELLs

Classroom assessments are effective enough to be used to make decisions on

the admission and graduation of English Language Learners from an EAL program in

any international school. In the province of Ontario, decisions about the placement of
ELLs involve a comprehensive process, which includes an interview to assess oral

language skills, as well as assessments for reading comprehension, writing and math.

(Ontario Education, 2007, page 17 ) While each school board develops its own

protocols to support ELLs, at school level the principal is ultimately responsible for

student placement, based on input from parents, teachers and the student. (Ontario

Education, 2007 page 21) In Ontario, the initial assessment involves weeks of data

collection, which is done informally often by the classroom teacher and the ESL teacher.

Placement decisions are based on the descriptions of skills at each of the stages of

second-language acquisition located in the Ontario ESL/ELD Resource Guide. Tools

such as this one, can be used by teachers working cooperatively to make decisions

based on the collected evidence. Because stages are specific, teachers should all be

capable of interpreting results using the language stages at each grade level. It is highly

likely, therefore, that individuals employed to teach English as an Additional Language

in an international school setting would have the same qualifications, ability and

confidence to administer assessments with the same effectiveness as that of a teacher

in the province of Ontario using any one of a number of descriptors that fit English

language acquisition for English language learners.

In contrast, becoming proficient in administering a specific standardized test for

English language ability often requires professional training and time. WIDA MODEL,

for example, requires training to administer the tests correctly and to interpret the writing

responses using a specific classification system. (CAL, 2016) Often tests are

administered by individuals who lack formal training, which would seem to make the

results less reliable. Using classroom assessments compared against established

criteria seems extremely reliable in contrast. Having a framework designed specifically

for ESL students available to use also allows for moderation of student work which

helps to ensure that decisions are fair and backed by numerous student work samples.

Monitoring Progress

Using classroom assessments that are administered at strategic times assists

teachers in creating data for timely reporting but more importantly helps to track and

improve a students progress in the EAL program at the school. (Black & Wiliam, pg 84)

This would serve the added purpose of helping ensure that EAL students academic

needs are being met. In taking the time to complete assessments of students for

monitoring purposes, it would be optimal to be able to use that information for

reporting purposes and communicate the results to parents.

However, in the case of international school students living in Asia or other

foreign countries, standardized testing results are not fit to communicate to parents for a

couple reasons. First of all, the tests themselves have a cultural bias, because the test

itself has not been normed using the target population. (Solorzano, pg 283)

Standardized tests such as the WIDA MODEL have been designed for students in

America, judging from the existence of questions in it that use as context the exploration

of Alaska and the settling of the Pacific Northwest. Also, the nature of the format of

standardized tests precludes the sharing of results because of their multiple choice

format and the fact that the showing of test questions is prohibited by copyright.
 Classroom Assessment Uses

Another benefit of using classroom assessments to guide admission and

placement decisions is that they can be used for directing a students learning program,

dubbed Assessment for Learning (AfL). Davison asserts that, assessments (even those

for accountability purposes) need to be designed and implemented with the overriding

aim of improving student learning with AfL as the dominant educational ethos. Because

classroom assessments can be designed to specifically fit a particular learning situation,

such as for a beginning English language learner as opposed to one who has already

been studying English for a period of time, they may be used to help students learn.

Also, using a criterion-based skills continuum such as the one used by the province of

Ontario, classroom assessments can be used to inform instruction throughout the time a

student spends in an EAL program. By targeting specific skills, classroom teachers and

specialist English language teachers are able to devise and carry out regular

assessments that allow for the measurement of progress and ability in the areas of

speaking, reading, writing and listening. They also can collect samples of work, teacher

observations and other data at regular intervals to show a more complete picture of

learning than a single standardized test would be able to manage.

Being able to share the results of an assessment with students makes them part

of the learning process and empowers them to take more control over their own

learning. Students who are able to view their progress over time on classroom

assessments can see for themselves where they should place their effort in attempting

to improve their English skills. While students are certainly given standardized test
results, they are less useful at all in directing learning. Students are usually not allowed

to review standardized tests after they have completed them. Standardized tests rarely

provide the same level of connection to what students are learning content areas, so

offer no guidance as to what content area gaps a student might have. For all of these

reasons, standardized tests do not provide as much useful information to aid student

learning as classroom assessments do.

Conclusion

Classroom assessments the are designed specifically to test English Language

Learners in their regular school environment are effective for making decisions about

programming for ELLs. Using them established criterion-based frameworks make

seeing process much more easy. Classroom assessments also allow all stakeholders

to monitor a students learning and report on it. Despite the weighty evidence to suggest

that classroom assessments should replace standardized tests as the preferred choice

for making ELL placement decisions, there are other factors that could affect the

decision. For one, classroom assessments are responsive and adaptable to changes in

curriculum expectations. Also, there is a cost factor attached to using professionally

created standardized tests that may not be provided for in a schools budget. For all of

the above-mentioned reasons, international schools should use classroom assessments

instead of standardized tests for measuring students language ability and growth.
CAL

http://www.cal.org/wida/ae/test-training-and-materials.html

Broderick

http://www.hotchalkeducationnetwork.com/assessment-for-ells/

Gates-MacGinitie

http://www.hmhco.com/hmh-assessments/reading/gmrt

WIDA Model https://www.wida.us/assessment/MODEL/

MAC II test http://www.questarai.com/district-literacy-assessment/english-language-

proficiency/