Assessment of English Language Learners
Grand Canyon University: ESL 533N
August 21, 2013

Abstract
The reason for writing this essay is to inform the reader about the processes students go through to be categorized as English Language Learners (ELLs). The administrators and educators have to follow steps to determine if a child is considered to be an ELL student. In the state of Mississippi, tests are provided to students who are entering school whom may be labelled as English language learners. The test will assist instructors with programmatic placement determinations such as identification and placement of ELLs. These assessments are called W-APT which stands for WIDA-ACCESS Placement Test. It is considered to be English language proficiency “screener” test. The tests are written from the WIDA’s five English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards: Social and Instructional Language, Language and Language Arts, Language of Mathematics, Language of Science, and Language of Social Studies. The test approaches the four communication domains of listening, talking, speaking, and writing. The Kindergarten W-APT is given to student in the second semester pre-K, Kindergarten, and first term 1st graders. Also, the paper will discuss the alternative assessment formats and importance of each one. There are many immigrants that are living in the United States. Over the past 30 years, the population of immigrants have increased more than 14 million. English language learners are reported to be revealed as a new population. ELLs are considered to be a difficult unit of scholars with distinct talents, learning requirements, personal history, speeches, and objective. These ELL students arise from environments where no English is articulated whereas several of the students arise from environments where only English is articulated. Some ELL student’s may be great highflier in school while others battles to be great in school. In federal documents, they classify students as Limited English Proficient (LEP) who is in the practice of discovering English as a second dialect. The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) prefer to the pupils as English Language Learners (ELLs). ELL students are those who are preferred to as persons who are not natives in the United States, whose intrinsic tongue is not English, and those who have acceptable trouble talking, understanding, writing or interpreting the English speech. In Mississippi, there are steps teachers and educators must go by to identify and place ELL students. They first must be recognized at the beginning of being registered into school. The registration process consists of the ELL students to take a Home Language Survey being the first step for identifying ELL placement. ELL student’s educational decision making requires methods for ID, evaluation, and correct course placement. Although, the State of Mississippi does not have any laws set ordering certain speech teaching learning curriculums and assistance for ELLs, the MDE, in combination by state rules concerning ELLs, offers the control LEAs essential to recognize, evaluate, and place learners into a suitable communication teaching learning services. In the Smith County School District, there are three schools and a total of 13 ELL students among the three schools. The second step is to handle preliminary evaluation of English language proficiency to establish the level of English proficiency. MDE approve the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA)-ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT) to aid in deciding appropriateness for placement in the LEA’s English communication training course. This test is design to access ELP in all four domains of language development; paying attention, talking, understanding, and writing in addition to understanding to make certain that the pupil’s communication demands are well recognized and directed through the LEA’s learning course. Kindergarten W-APT is governed to students in pre-K, Kindergarten, or 1st semester first grade, varying on a student’s specific situation. The third step is parent notification. The last step would be ESL program placement. Mississippi Department of Education (2011) In Stiggins and Chappius article, there are alternative classroom assessments used to reduce achievement gaps. One of these assessments is called Condition #1. This assessment is important because it is use for educators to recognize a person’s information needs and to plan assessments. Also, purposes to inform educators on how to improve student’s learning and to update pupil exactly how to increase their achievement. These assessments are called For learning (Assessment Reform Group). Educators should use these questions when using these assessments: Where am I going? Where am I now? How can I get there from here? Scholars must understand how to observe their personal improvement and also students must be capable of progressing to wherever they must be in the classroom. Condition #2: is another assessment used to reduce achievement gaps. Scholars must recognize wherever they are going to contribute vigorously in their specific education. These assessments are important because it demands that teachers become apparent themselves regarding projected learning. Another assessment discussed in the author’s article is Condition #4. Students display a vital part in the message system intended to encourage their education. Students should be concerned in becoming active members in distributing to their success with parents and other teachers. Condition #4 involves thorough interests to discuss the communication desires of both the assessment OF and For learning framework.
Why do I think standardized testing and language proficiency workable approaches for monitoring student progress in general? Because standardized testing and language proficiency are effective technique to use in monitoring student’s progress. It is a great way to observe the students and to see where they are and need to be. Standardized tests are used to measure the students at certain time in the year. Ongoing assessments offer repeated records of where students are throughout the school year. I do not think they are workable methods for observing pupil improvements because it does not provides an understanding of the student’s language proficiency. It does not show what the student has progress on throughout the year. Ongoing assessments are the best forms of assessment for ELL students. In the State of Mississippi, there are not a vast majority of ELL students that reside here. In my school district, educators use the W-APT to test ELL students. This test is done to give educators an insight on where to place these individuals.

References
Mississippi Department of Education. (2011). Mississippi Guidelines for English Learners. Retrieved from http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/student-assessment/ell-guidelines-january-2011-final.pdf?sfvrsn=2
Stiggins, R. & Chappuis J. (2005). Using student-involved classroom assessment to close achievement gaps.