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Preparing English Language
Learners for Assessments
Prepared for
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Academic Recovery Liaisons
Prepared by:
Beverly Mattson
April 2015
About the Mid-Atlantic Comprehensive Center:
The Mid-Atlantic Comprehensive Center at WestEd (MACC@WestEd) helps state
leaders with their initiatives to implement, support, scale up, and sustain
statewide education reforms. We work closely with state leaders in the Mid-
Atlantic region of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the
District of Columbia. To learn more about MACC@WestEd visit
macc-atwested.org or to learn about the technical assistance network funded
by the U.S. Department of Education, visit www.ed.gov.
Copyright © 2015 WestEd
All rights reserved.
Suggested citation: Mattson, B. (2015). Preparing English Language Learners for
Assessments. Prepared for Pennsylvania Department of Education Academic
Recovery Liaisons. (A report from the Mid-Atlantic Comprehensive Center at
WestEd.) San Francisco, CA: WestEd.
Disclaimer Language
The contents of this report were developed under a cooperative agreement
under prime award #S283B120026 between the U.S. Department of Education
and WestEd. The findings and opinions expressed herein are those of the
author(s) and do not reflect the positions or policies of the U.S. Department of
Education. Readers of this report should not assume endorsement by the
Federal Government.
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Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Methodology 1
Organization of the Document 1
Preparing English Language Learners for Assessments 2
General Preparation Strategies for Assessments 2
Preparation Strategies for English Language Arts
Assessments 4
For reading sections 4
For writing sections 4
Preparation Strategies for Mathematics Assessments 5
Preparation Strategies for Science Assessments 6
References 7
1
Introduction In November, 2014, the Lead Academic Recovery Liaison with the
Pennsylvania Department of Education requested that MACC@WestEd
identify strategies to prepare English language learners for assessments.
The strategies would be available to the Academic Recovery Liaisons
(ARLs) and district/school leadership teams of schools identified as priority
schools. The request is related to the MACC@WestEd Year 3 WorkPlan,
Priority Area: School Turnaround, Objective 1. Assistance to Academic
Recovery Liaisons (ARLs).
The annual Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) is a
standards-based, criterion-referenced assessment used to measure a
student’s attainment of academic standards. Every student in grades 3
through 8 and grade 11 is assessed in reading and math. Every student in
grades 5, 8, and 11 is assessed in writing. Every student in grades 4 and 8 is
assessed in science (Pennsylvania Department of Education website). The
Keystone Exams are end-of-course assessments designed to assess
proficiency in the subject areas of: Algebra I and II, Geometry, Literature,
English Composition, Biology, Chemistry, U.S. History, World History, and
Civics and Government (Pennsylvania Department of Education website).
Methodology
To address this request for information, the staff of MACC@WestEd
conducted a review of: resources from the Pennsylvania Department of
Education, resources from other states, and educational articles. An
accompanying document, Resources Addressing the Instruction of English
Language Learners presents an annotated bibliography that describes
the additional resources identified by MACC@WestEd.
Organization of the Document
The first section of this document presents an overview of general
preparation strategies for assessments. The second section identifies
strategies to prepare for assessments in English language arts, including
reading and writing sections. The third section lists potential preparation
strategies for assessments in mathematics. The fourth section identifies
strategies to use in preparation for science assessments. The final section
includes the references.
2
Preparing English Language
Learners for Assessments
General Preparation Strategies for Assessments
Embed general preparation strategies for assessments and test-
taking in standards-based instruction.
Analyze State assessment released sample/practice items to:
Understand why standards are assessed in a particular way
on the assessments;
Analyze how class assessments compare to state
assessments;
Distinguish between correct and incorrect answers to
questions; and
Help students determine what and how standards are
assessed (California Department of Education, 2009)
Provide students explicit instruction in vocabulary, the meaning
of discourse markers (e.g., because), grammar, and text features
that are essential to understanding assessment questions.
Introduce students to commonly used assessment formats,
including the wording of questions, and illustrations. This will build
their comfort and confidence with assessment formats (Larson,
no date).
Common formats include: Multiple choice, open-ended
questions, short answers, extended answers.
Identify what format and items might be confusing or
misleading to students and how to address these during
instruction.
Model and practice:
the process for understanding directions and placing
answers correctly on answer sheets;
the process for understanding different types of questions
(e.g., multiple-choice, open-ended).
Be sure students understand the difference between
question expectations (e.g., show your work, describe
your work, or explain your work).
Model and practice approaches to multiple-choice
questions. For example, how to use elimination of
Preparing English Language Learners for Assessments
3
incorrect choices, using educated guessing, estimating,
and working problems backwards.
Students practice appropriate and state-approved assessment
accommodations during instructional time so students are well
acquainted with these accommodations. (Refer to Pennsylvania
Department of Education’s Accommodation Guidelines).
Teach students to:
Not leave any questions blank.
Always check their answers, especially if there is time
remaining on a test.
Use time efficiently while not rushing, but rather pacing
themselves through the tests.
Preparing English Language Learners for Assessments
4
Preparation Strategies for English Language Arts
Assessments
For reading sections:
Teach students to read questions first and then read passages to
find the answers to the questions.
Model and practice:
Reading a whole passage and question(s) carefully and
identifying key words;
Rereading a question and identifying potential responses, if
a question asks for prediction, conclusion, or summary;
Using context clues, knowledge of word structure, or word
parts to determine meanings of unknown words;
Looking for specific details in a passage to support a main
idea;
Identifying key information from passages to support
students’ answers (Ohio Department of Education, 2008).
For writing sections:
Introduce students to different types of formats and questions
(e.g., multiple-choice, selected-response, short-answer, and
mode-specific questions).
Introduce and use a writer’s checklist for each type of writing
prompt and the PSSA or the Keystone Scoring Guidelines to
evaluate students’ written responses (e.g., for different types of
composition, including opinion, informative, explanatory,
argumentative, and/or narrative).
Model and practice:
Reading the prompts for writing, identifying key words for
understanding of a topic and what is expected.
Brainstorming as many ideas as possible to writing prompts
and then how to organize the ideas.
Writing short answer responses with introduction, body, and
conclusion when composing narrative, opinion,
informational, argumentative, or informative-explanatory
responses (Ohio Department of Education, 2008).
Proofreading the responses of individual students and peers
using a writer’s checklist and scoring guidelines (California
Department of Education, 2009).
Preparing English Language Learners for Assessments
5
Preparation Strategies for Mathematics Assessments
Teach students the mathematics vocabulary from the 2014
Mathematics Glossary to the Assessment Anchors and Eligible
Content (Pennsylvania Department of Education).
Provide direct instruction on essential math vocabulary that
students will need to understand and answer questions.
Provide explicit instruction on how to read and use math
terms, symbols, and syntax.
Embed and model different types of mathematical questions in
each lesson.
Teach students to respond to multiple-choice questions by:
First solve the problem on scratch paper. Choose the
correct answer and record the choice. If none of the
choices matches a student’s answer, go back and check
the work for possible errors.
Teach students to respond to open-ended questions by:
reading the questions carefully, identifying the parts of the
question, and if they need to show or explain their work.
Use different mathematical models and representations that
students might encounter on tests (e.g., instead of 3+8=____,
_____=3+8) (Larson, no date).
Teach students to identify all the facts in a given problem, how
to estimate answers and eliminate choices in a multiple-choice
format.
Provide opportunities for students to practice:
reading an entire mathematics problem and modeling the
steps that will be needed.
explaining their strategies for reaching solutions.
Use the PSSA Assessment Scoring Guidelines for Mathematics
Open-Ended Questions or the Keystone General Scoring
Guidelines for Algebra I as part of the evaluation of students’
responses.
Preparing English Language Learners for Assessments
6
Preparation Strategies for Science Assessments
Teach students and practice vocabulary from the Pennsylvania
Science Assessment Glossary.
Provide direct instruction on essential science vocabulary
that students will need to understand and answer
questions.
Provide explicit instruction on how to read and use
science terms, symbols, and syntax.
Model and practice with students:
reading all titles, diagrams, symbols, labels and explanations,
before answering questions (Ohio Department of Education,
2008).
how to analyze what a question is asking: to describe,
explain, analyze, or compare.
Teach students to skim a science passage and then reread
specific parts that contain facts and data needed to answer a
question (Ohio Department of Education, 2008).
Teach and model for students responses to different types of
questions (e.g., multiple-choice, constructed response, open-
ended).
Introduce and use the PSSA Science General Scoring Guidelines
or the Keystone Biology Scoring Guidelines to evaluate students’
responses to open-ended questions (Pennsylvania Department
of Education, 2015).
Preparing English Language Learners for Assessments
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References
California Department of Education (2009, December). Guidelines on academic
preparation for state assessments. Sacramento, CA: Author. Retrieved
from
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ai/documents/academicprepdec09.pdf
Larson, M. (no date). A developmental approach to preparing students for
standardized or state tests. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Retrieved from
http://www.eduplace.com/state/pdf/author/larson1_hmm05.pdf
Ohio Department of Education. (2008, Summer). Strategies for taking state
assessments: Information for parents and students. Retrieved from
http://www.ae.k12.oh.us/docs/Test%20Taking%20Tips.pdf
Pennsylvania Department of Education. (2015). Keystone exams. Harrisburg, PA:
Author. Retrieved from
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/state_assessme
nt_system/20965/keystone_exams/1190529
Pennsylvania Department of Education. (2015, January). The Pennsylvania
System of School Assessment (PSSA): English language arts preliminary
items and scoring sampler. Harrisburg, PA: Author. Retrieved from
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/state_assessme
nt_system/20965/p/1329672
Pennsylvania Department of Education. (2015). The Pennsylvania System of
School Assessment (PSSA): General description of scoring guidelines for
science open-ended questions. Harrisburg, PA: Author. Retrieved from
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/state_assessme
nt_system/20965/pennsylvania_system_of_school_assessment_%28pssa%29
/1190526
Pennsylvania Department of Education (2013-2014). The Pennsylvania System of
School Assessment (PSSA): Mathematics preliminary item and scoring
sampler. Harrisburg, PA: Author. Retrieved from
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/state_assessme
nt_system/20965/pennsylvania_system_of_school_assessment_%28pssa%29
/1190526
Pennsylvania Department of Education. (2014, June). 2014 PSSA English
language arts glossary to the assessment anchors and eligible content
aligned to the Pennsylvania core standards. Harrisburg, PA: Author.
Retrieved from
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/state_assessme
nt_system/20965/p/1329672
Pennsylvania Department of Education. (2014, June). 2014 PSSA mathematics
glossary to the assessment anchors and eligible content aligned to the
Preparing English Language Learners for Assessments
8
Pennsylvania core standards. Harrisburg, PA: Author. Retrieved from
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/state_assessme
nt_system/20965/p/1329672
Pennsylvania Department of Education. (no date). Science assessment glossary.
Harrisburg, PA: Author. Retrieved from
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/state_assessme
nt_system/20965/p/1329672