Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T11:01:30.344Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

RESEARCH INTO THE ASSESSMENT OF SCHOOL-AGE LANGUAGE LEARNERS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 July 2005

Penny McKay
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This chapter describes recent research into the assessment of school-age language learners in both second language and foreign language situations. The review is organized under five areas of research endeavor: the standards movement and its impact on second language learners in schools; large-scale content-based assessment and ways to counteract its negative impact on second language learners; investigations of academic language proficiency; explorations of classroom assessment; and young learner assessment. These areas of research are interrelated but sufficiently distinct to be addressed under separate headings. References to current research from various countries around the world are included, and suggested directions for further research are given.

Type
RESEARCH IN LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT
Information
Annual Review of Applied Linguistics , Volume 25 , March 2005 , pp. 243 - 263
Copyright
© 2005 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abedi J., Courtney M., Mirocha J., Leon S., & Goldberg J. 2000. Language accommodation for large-scale assessment in science: assessing English language learners. Draft deliverable to Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Language Affairs, OBEMLA, Contract No. R305B60002. Los Angeles, CA: University of California, National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST).
Arkoudis S., & O'Loughlin K. 2004. Tensions between validity and outcomes: Teacher assessment of written work of recently arrived immigrant ESL students. Language Assessment Quarterly, 1 (3), 284– 304.Google Scholar
Bailey A. L. (in press). From lambie to lambaste: The conceptualization, operationalization and use of academic language in the assessment of ELL students. In T. Wiley & K. Rolstad (Eds.), Rethinking school language. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Bailey A. L., & Butler F. A. 2003. An evidentiary framework for operationalizing academic language for broad application to K-1 education: A design document (CSE Tech. Rep. No. 611). Los Angeles: University of California, National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST).
Bailey A. L., Butler F. A., LaFramenta C., & Ong C. 2004. Towards the characterization of academic language in upper elementary science classrooms (CSE Tech. Rep. No. 621). Los Angeles: University of California, National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST).
Ball F., & Wilson J. 2002. Research projects relating to YLE speaking tests. In University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate Research Notes 7 (pp. 8– 10). Cambridge: University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate.
Black P., & Wiliam D. 1998. Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education, 5 (1), 1– 74.Google Scholar
Breen M. P. 1997. The relationship between assessment frameworks and classroom pedagogy. In M. P. Breen, C. Barratt-Pugh, B. Derewianka, H. House, C. Hudson, T. Lumley, & M. Rohl (Eds.), Profiling ESL children. How teachers interpret and use national and state assessment frameworks Vol. 1, (pp. 91– 128). Canberra: Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs.
Breen M. P., Barratt-Pugh C., Derewianka B., House H., Hudson C., Lumley T., et al. 1997. Profiling ESL children: How teachers interpret and use national and state assessment frameworks Vol. 1, Canberra: Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs.
Brindley G. (1998a). Assessing listening abilities. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 18, 171– 191.Google Scholar
Brindley G. 2001. Outcomes-based assessment in practice: Some examples, and emerging insights. Language Testing, 18 (4), 393– 408.
Broadfoot P. M. 1996. Education, assessment and society. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Brown J. D. 1998. New ways of classroom assessment. Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).
Butler F. A., & Bailey A. L. 2002. Equity in the assessment of English language learners K-12 Idiom, 32 (1), 1– 6.Google Scholar
Butler F. A., & Stevens R. 1997. Accommodation strategies for English language learners on large-scale assessments: Student characteristics and other considerations (CSE Tech. Rep. No. 448). Los Angeles: University of California, National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST).
Cameron L., & Besser S. 2004. Writing in English as an additional language at Key Stage 2. Leeds: University of Leeds.
Carpenter K., Fujii N., & Kataoka H. 1995. An oral interview procedure for assessing second language abilities in children. Language Testing, 12 (2), 157– 175.Google Scholar
Clair N., Adger C. T., Short D., & Millen E. 1998. Implementing standards with English language learners: Initial findings from four middle schools. Providence, RI: Northeast and Islands Regional Education Laboratory at Brown University.
Coombe A. C., & Hubley N. J. 2003. Themes in language assessment. In A. C. Coombe & N. J. Hubley (Eds.), Assessment practices (pp. 1– 8). Alexandria, VA: TESOL.
Council of Europe. 2001. Common European framework of reference for languages: Learning, teaching, assessment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Darling-Hammond L. 1994. Performance-based assessment and educational equity. Harvard Educational Review, 64 (1), 5– 30.Google Scholar
Davison C., & McKay P. 2002. Counting and dis-counting learner group variation: English language and literacy standards in Australia. In A. B. M. Tsui & S. Andrews (Eds.), Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, 12 (1), 77– 94 [Special issue on maintaining and setting standards and language variation].Google Scholar
Davison C., & Williams A. (2001a). Learning from each other: Critical connections. Studies of English Language and Literacy Development Volume 1, Melbourne: Language Australia. Victorian Child Literacy and ESL Research Centre.
Davison C., & Williams A. (2001b). Learning from each other: Literacy, labels and limitations. Studies of child English language and literacy development, K– 12, Vol. 2. Canberra: Language Australia.
Gardner S., & Rea-Dickins P. 2001. Conglomeration or chameleon? Teachers' representation of language in the assessment of learners with English as an additional language. Language Awareness, 10 (2 & 3), 161– 177.Google Scholar
Gatullo F. 2000. Formative assessment in ELT primary (elementary) classrooms: An Italian case study. Language Testing, 17 (2), 278– 288.Google Scholar
Genishi C., & Brainard M. B. 1995. Assessment of bilingual children: Dilemma seeking solutions. In E. E. Garcia & B. McLaughlin(Eds.), Meeting the challenge of linguistic and cultural diversity in early childhood education (pp. 49– 63). New York: Teachers College Press.
Gipps C. V. 1994. Beyond testing: Towards a theory of educational assessment. London: Falmer Press.
Gonzalez R. M. 1999. Bilingual/ESL Programs Evaluation Report, 1999– 2000 Austin: Austin Independent School District, Texas.
Gottlieb M. 2003. Large-scale assessment of English language learners. Addressing educational accountability in K–1 settings Alexandria, VA: TESOL.
Hall K., Webber B., Varley S., Young V., & Dorman P. 1997. A study of teacher assessment at Key Stage 1. Cambridge Journal of Education, 27 107– 122.Google Scholar
Hammond J., & Derewianka B. 1999. ESL and literacy education: Revisitng the relationship. Prospect, 14 (2), 26– 41.Google Scholar
Hartley D. 1997. The new managerialism in education: A mission impossible? Journal of Education, 27 (1), 47– 58.Google Scholar
Herman J. L., Aschbacher P. R., & Winters L. 1992. A practical guide to alternative assessment. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Hill D. A. 2000. Adding foreign languages to the elementary school curriculum: The Italian experience. In J. Moon& M. Nikolov(Eds.), Research into teaching English to young learners (pp. 137– 152). Pecs, Hungary: University Press, Pecs.
Illinois State Board of Education. 2003. Foreign language standards. Retrieved 15th August 2003, from http://www.isbe.net/ils/foreignlanguage/fog28.html.
Ingamells J. 2002. The ESL Companion—Let's move forward. VATME (Victorian Association of TESOL and Multicultural Education) Newsletter (4), 3.Google Scholar
Jalongo M. R. 2000. Early childhood language arts. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Jantscher E., & Landsiedler I. 2000. Foreign language education at Austrian primary. In M. Nikolov& H. Curtain(Eds.), An early start: Young learners and modern languages in Europe and beyond (pp. 13– 27). Strasbourg Cedex: Council of Europe.
Johnstone R. 2000. Context-sensitive assessment of modern languages in primary (elementary) and early secondary education: Scotland and the European experience. Language Testing, 17 (2), 123– 143.Google Scholar
Katz A., Low P., Stack J., & Tasang S.-L. 2004. A study of content area assessment for English language learners. Final Report prepared for Office of English Language Acquisition and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students, U.S. Department of Education. (Contract No. T292B010001). Oakland, CA: ARC Associates.
Koenig J. A., & Bachman L. F. 2004. Keeping score for all: the effects of inclusion and accommodation policies on large-scale educational assessment. Washington, DC: National Research Council, National Academies Press.
Leung C. 2004. Developing formative teacher assessment: Knowledge, practice and change. Language Assessment Quarterly, 1 (1), 19– 41.Google Scholar
Leung C. (forthcoming). Classroom teacher assessment of second language development: construct as practice. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of research in second language learning and teaching. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Leung C., & Teasdale A. 1997. What do teachers mean by speaking and listening? A contextualised study of assessment in multilingual classrooms in the English National Curriculum. In A. Huhta, V. Kohonen, L. Kurki-Suonio, & S. Louma(Eds.), New contexts, goals and alternatives in language assessment (pp. 291– 324). Jyvaskyla: University of Jyvaskyla.
Liddicoat A. J. 1997. Communicating in LOTE. Writing and oral interaction. Canberra: Modern Language Teachers' Association of the Australian Capital Territory.
Liu K., Anderson M., & Thurlow M. 1999. Report on the participation and performance of limited English language proficiency students on Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests. St. Paul: Minnesota State Department of Children, Families, and Learning.
Low L., Brown S., Johnstone R., & Pirrie A. 1995. Foreign languages in primary schools. Stirling: Scottish Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research, University of Stirling.
Marshall H., & Gutteridge M. 2002. Candidate performance in the Young Learner English Tests in 2000. In University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate(Ed.), Research Notes 7 (pp. 5– 8). Cambridge: University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate.
McKay P. 1998. Discriminatory features for ESL learners in the literacy benchmarks. In Australian Language Matters Background Papers No. 2 (pp. 27– 29). Melbourne: Australian Council of TESOL Associations.
McKay P. 1999. The effectiveness of work samples as elaborations of profiles: Some comments based on the ACT LOTE Work Samples. Babel, Journal of the Australian Federation of Modern Language Teachers Associations Inc, 34 (3), 21– 25.Google Scholar
McKay P. 2000. On ESL standards for school-age learners. Language Testing, 17 (2), 185– 214.Google Scholar
McKay P. (2004, March). Do standards have something to answer for? A pedagogic response to standards. Plenary address TESOL Arabia. Dubai.
McKay P., Hudson C., & Sapuppo M. 1994. NLLIA ESL Bandscales. In P. McKay(Ed.), NLLIA ESL Development: Language and Literacy in Schools, Vol. 1. (Sections A, B, and C). Canberra: National Languages and Literacy Institute of Australia.
Morris P., Lo M.-l., Chik P.-m., & Chan K.-k. 2000. One function, two systems—changing assessment in Hong Kong's primary schools. In B. Adamson, T. Kwan & K.-k. Chan(Eds.), Changing the curriculum: The impact of reform on primary schooling in Hong Kong (pp. 195– 216). Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.
North B. 1995. The development of a common framework scale of descriptors of language proficiency based on a theory of measurement. System, 23 (4), 445– 465.Google Scholar
Rea-Dickins P. 2001. Mirror, mirror on the wall: Identifying processes of classroom assessment. Language Testing, 18 (4), 429– 462.Google Scholar
Rea-Dickins P., & Gardner S. 2000. Snares and silver bullets: Disentangling the construct of formative assessment. Language Testing, 17 (2), 217– 244.Google Scholar
Rea-Dickins P., & Rixon S. 1997. The assessment of young learners of English as a Foreign language. In C. Clapham& D. Corson(Eds.), The encyclopaedia of language and education, Vol. 7: Language testing and assessment (pp. 151– 161). Netherlands: Kluwer Academic.
Rea-Dickins P., & Rixon S. 1999. Assessment of young learners' English: Reasons and means. In S. Rixon(Ed.), Young learners of English: Some research perspectives (pp. 89– 101). Harlow, Essex: Longman.
Sadler R. 1987. Specifying and promulgating achievement standards. Oxford Review of Education, 13 (2), 191– 209.Google Scholar
Smith J. K. 2003. Reconsidering reliability in classroom assessment and grading. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practices, 22 (4), 26– 34.Google Scholar
Stevens R. A., Butler F. A., & Castellon-Wellington M. 2000. Academic language and content assessment: Measuring the progress of ELLs (CSE Tech. Rep. No. 552). Los Angeles: University of Los Angeles, National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards and Testing.
Swierzbin B., Liu K., & Thurlow M. 2000. Initial perceptions of English as a second language educators on including students with limited English proficiency in Minnesota's high standards: State assessment series. St. Paul: Minnesota State Department of Children, Families and Learning.
Taylor L., & Saville N. (Eds.), 2002. Developing English language tests for young learners. In University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate. English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Research Notes 7, (pp. 2– 5). Cambridge: University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate.
Teasdale A., & Leung C. 2000. Teacher assessment and psychometric theory: A case of paradigm crossing? Language Testing, 17 (2), 163– 184.Google Scholar
TESOL. 1997. ESL standards for pre-K-1. students. Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.
University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations. 2003. Cambridge young learners handbook. Cambridge: University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.
Wiliam D. 2001. An overview of the relationship between assessment and the curriculum. In D. Scott(Ed.), Curriculum and assessment (pp. 165– 181). Westport, CT: Ablex.