Texas Comprehensive SEDL Austin, Texas March 16–17, 2009 Making Consistent Decisions About Accommodations for English Language Learners – Research Summit –

Dr. Jamal Abedi CRESST University of California, Davis School of Education Language Factors in the Assessment of English Language Learners

How Important is Assessment for ELL Students? Assessment results affect ELL students in the following areas: Classification Instruction Accountability (the NCLB issues) Promotion Graduation

Are the Standardized Achievement Tests Appropriate for ELLs? The Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education, 1999) elaborated on this issue: For all test takers, any test that employs language is, in part, a measure of their language skills. This is of particular concern for test takers whose first language is not the language of the test.

Performance/Reliability-Gap Between ELL and Non-ELL Students Performance-GapReliability-Gap Reading20% - 60%15% - 40% Science/Social Sciences 10% - 40%12% - 35% Math Problem Solving 8% - 25%10% - 30% Math Computation 0% - 10%10% – 15%

Are the Standardized Achievement Tests Reliable and Valid for These Students? The reliability coefficients of the test scores for ELL students are substantially lower than those for non-ELL students. ELL students’ test outcomes show lower criterion-related validity. Structural relationships between test components and across measurement domains are lower for ELL students.

Site 2 Stanford 9 Sub-scale Reliabilities (Alpha), Grade 9 Non-LEP Students Sub-scale (Items)Hi SESLow SESEnglish OnlyFEPRFEPLEP Reading, N=205,09235,855181,20237,87621,86952,720 -Vocabulary (30) Reading Comp (54) Average Reliability Math, N=207,15536,588183,26238,32922,15254,815 -Total (48) Language, N=204,57135,866180,74337,86221,85252,863 -Mechanics (24) Expression (24) Average Reliability Science, N=163,96028,377144,82129,94617,57040,255 -Total (40) Social Science, N=204,96536,132181,07838,05221,96753,925 -Total (40)

Principle of Equity and Fairness Provide assistance in the form of accommodations. Therefore, the Principle of Equity and Fairness demands assistance to these students.

Samples of Accommodations Used for ELL Students That May Not Be Relevant Test-taker marks answers in a test booklet Copying assistance provided between drafts Test-taker indicates answers by pointing or other similar method Paper is secured to work area with tape/magnet Physical assistance is provided

Samples of Accommodations Used for ELL Students Enlarged answer sheets provided Breaks provided Tests individually administered Tests administered in small groups Tests administered in a location with minimal distractions

Presenting Language-Related Accommodations for ELLs English Dictionary English Glossary Bilingual Dictionary/Glossary Customized Dictionary Native Language Testing Linguistically Modified Test

Clear Language of Instruction and Assessment Works for ELLs, SWDs, and Everyone What is language modification of test items?

Language of Assessment Clear and concise language is a requirement for reliable and valid assessments for ELL students. It may also be an important consideration for students with learning disabilities. Students with learning disabilities may have difficulty processing complex language in the assessment. Reducing the unnecessary linguistic complexity of test items can help students with the most challenging academic career.

Familiarity/frequency of non-math vocabulary: Unfamiliar or infrequent words changed A certain reference file > Mack’s company Linguistic Modification Concerns Original: A certain reference file contains approximately six billion facts. About how many millions is that? A. 6,000,000 B. 600,000 C. 60,000 D. 6,000 E. 600 Modified: Mack’s company sold six billion pencils. About how many millions is that? A. 6,000,000 B. 600,000 C. 60,000 D. 6,000 E. 600

Linguistic Modification Concerns Cont. Length of nominals: long nominals shortened Last year ’ s class vice president > Vice president The pattern of puppy ’ s weight gain > The pattern above Question phrases: complex question phrases changed to simple question words At which of the following times > When Which is best approximation of the number > Approximately how many

Conditional clauses: conditionals either replaced with separate sentences or order of conditional and main clause changed If two batteries in the sample were found to be dead > He found two broken pencils in the sample If Lee delivers x newspapers > Lee delivers x newspapers Voice of verb phrase: passive verb forms changed to active The weights of 3 objects were compared > Sandra compared the weights of 3 rabbits If a marble is taken from the bag > If you take a marble from the bag The boy was bitten by the dog > The dog bit the boy Linguistic Modification cont.

CRESST Studies on the Assessment and Accommodation of ELL Students: Impact of Language Factors On Assessment of ELLs A Chain of Events Fourteen studies on the assessment and three on the instruction (OTL) of ELL students

Examining Complex Linguistic Features in Content-Based Test Items

Additional Complex Linguistic Features More recent research has identified these additional features: Complex verbs Subordinate clauses (including relative clauses) Complex noun phrases Various entities as subjects

Studies on Linguistic Modifications Results of national studies are not conclusive. Most of the CRESST studies found significant gain for ELL students on the linguistically modified version. However, the outcome of national research on the impact of linguistic modification is mixed (Francis, et al. 2006). Factors that lead to such discrepancies include variation in methodology in implementing linguistic modification approach, sampling and power issues, variation in test items and the nature of linguistic complexity, etc.

Improvements in the Language of Instruction Unnecessary linguistic complexity may impact students’ understanding of instructional materials Opportunity to learn for ELLs and SLDs may be affected Research show ELLs and SLDs benefiting less from instructions with complex linguistic structure

Conclusions and Recommendations Assessments and instructions for ELLs : Must be free of construct irrelevant factors Must be free of unnecessary linguistic complexities Must include a sufficient number of ELLs and SWDs in its development process (field testing, standard setting, etc.) Must be free of cultural biases Must be sensitive to students’ linguistics and cultural needs

Impact of Linguistic Modification Research on Practice Many test publishers have incorporated the concept of linguistic modifications in their test development process. Among these test publishers: Educational Testing Service (ETS), Harcourt Assessment, CTB/McGraw Hill, Measurement Incorporated, etc. Many states have adopted this approach into their assessments The U.S. Department of Education incorporated this process into the National Assessments (NAEP) and has highly recommended this approach to be incorporated into the state NCLB Title I assessments.

For more information, please contact Jamal Abedi at CRESST/UC Davis: (530) or