Traditional assessments do not always reflect ELLs' true content knowledge or abilties
Authentic
Performing a task - real life -
construction/application - student
structured - direct evidence
Authentic assessments show a bigger picture of what ELLs' understand.
How to create an authentic assessment
1. Identify standards 2.
Develop task 3. Identify
characteristics of good
performance on that task,
the criteria 4. Create a
rubric
Teachers can develop a task to fit each ELLs' needs.
Examples of authentic assessment
Reading with partners, retelling stories, role playing, playing
games, portfolio
These assessments can be used to concentrate on an ELLs' oral communication and/or reading
What is authentic assessment?
Students are asked to perform real-world
tasks that demonstrate meaning
application of essential knowledge and
skills.
Teachers can develop assessment activities that are geared to ELLs' current level of English proficiency.
Why should authentic assessment be used?
* Direct Measures - demonstration of knowledge * Capture Constructive Nature of
Learning - construct own meaning of the world * Integrate Teaching, Learning and
Assessment - students learn in the process of developing a solution, teacher facilitates
process, and students' solutions to the problem * Provide multiple paths to
demonstration - more than one way to complete the assessment
These assessments can provide a more well rounded picture of skills, abilities and ongoing progress of ELL's.