Routledge Assessing English Language Proficiency in U.S. K–12 Schools (Innovations in Language Learning and Assessment at ETS)

Assessing English Language Proficiency in U.S. K–12 Schools offers comprehensive background information about the generation of standards-based, English language proficiency (ELP) assessments used in U.S. K–12 school settings. The chapters in this book address a variety of key issues involved in the development and use of those assessments: defining an ELP construct driven by new academic content and ELP standards, using technology for K–12 ELP assessments, addressing the needs of various English learner (EL) students taking the assessments, connecting assessment with teaching and learning, and substantiating validity claims. Each chapter also contains suggestions for future research that will contribute to the next generation of K–12 ELP assessments and improve policies and practices in the use of the assessments. This book is intended to be a useful resource for researchers, graduate students, test developers, practitioners, and policymakers who are interested in learning more about large-scale, standards-based ELP assessments for K–12 EL students. Review "The requirement for the valid and reliable assessment of English language proficiency has grown remarkably since the need initially arose as a consequence of the Civil Rights Act and the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Lau v. Nichols in 1974. As the English Learner population increased and the nature of Federal assistance to these students evolved, the linguistic theories and the technologies involved also advanced. This book captures the state of the art, telling an important story about how assessment development responds to policies, practices and theories to serve the needs of educators and students. It is a critical resource for graduate students, researchers, test developers and educational leaders." Kenji Hakuta, Stanford University, USA. "This timely volume expertly tackles the complexity involved in the development, validation, and use of large-scale, standards-based assessments of English proficiency in K-12 education. By addressing research on key assessment development considerations while attending to the diversity of the test taker population and the historical and policy context in which these assessments take place, the authors in this volume offer new insights that will certainly stimulate further discussion and inquiry. Those interested in the assessment of English language proficiency, whether in the U.S. or in other countries, will find this book to be an invaluable resource." Lorena Llosa, New York University, USA. About the Author Mikyung Kim Wolf is Senior Research Scientist at the Center for English Language Learning and Assessment Research at Educational Testing Service.