Discussion
Your initial discussion thread and you have to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Reference the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated.
Read case study #5 from ESL case studies. For the last several years, the administrators and the teaching staff at Smith Elementary School have been happy to report their school's high achievement test scores. The school district has spent countless dollars on professional development workshops for teachers.
Assessment experts have presented valuable information on test taking strategies that bring positive results. Mrs. Madison, who teaches second grade, has faithfully attended all of the information packed presentations. She can now reap the benefits of her new approach to standardized testing.
Her students' scores last year far exceeded her expectations as a classroom teacher. Mrs. Madison was very pleased with the level of academic performance her students displayed on the end of year exams. Ironically, these latest scores arrived on the same day Mrs. Madison received her student list for the upcoming school year. After reviewing the names of her new second graders, Mrs. Madison became quite concerned.
The list of students revealed two last names that were obviously not typical American names. After a brief conversation with the principal of her school, she learned that an expanding business in the area had hired employees from other countries to join their corporation.
As a result, new families were moving into the local community to work at this prestigious business. These specialized employees were moving their families into an unfamiliar country and culture in order to take advantage of an opportunity to work in the United States. The principal informed Mrs. Madison that these new students coming to Smith Elementary would be hearing the English language for the first time.
The determined principal also relayed to Mrs. Madison the importance of maintaining their school's reputation of producing high test scores. Mrs. Madison was now facing an unfamiliar task of teaching ELL (English as a Second Language) students and upholding high standardized assessment scores.
What issues, related to the standardized assessments and real-classroom assessments can Mrs. Madison expect to encounter?
Considering Mrs. Madison's level of experience with ELL, the level of language proficiency she expects to encounter in her students, and the school's expectations - compare and contrast three language proficiency instruments you would use to determine your student's current academic and language level.
How can Mrs. Madison prepare herself, as a professional educator, for her new ELL students?
Guided Response: Review your classmates' posts and respond to at least three of them. Take the standpoint of the school principal when replying to posts and address the issues that Mrs. Madison can expect to encounter from an administrative perspective, her choice of language proficiency instruments and reflect on her professional growth needs.