3. Testing. There are so many changes I would make to testing. My biggest problem with standardized testing is how quickly English learners are forced to take the exams. In New York State students take the English language arts exam after being in this country for one school year(if you come before April 1st the previous school year, you are eligible. Imagine going to a foreign country and taking a language arts exam after less than twelve months. Research shows that it takes five years or more to master a language, including the academic language expected on an exam. Why are we ignoring proven research? Before No Child Left Behind the ESL students had more than a year before taking an exam.
4. Testing Out. There should be other ways to get out of ESL other than state testing. I have had many students that have missed passing the test by one or two points. They did not need another year of ESL class. Instead of spending more time in class, they spent another year with a pull-out that was unnecessary. There needs to be a way for portfolios to become a part of transitioning out of ESL. Or even for a way for teachers to challenge the outcome of individual scores. Some students work brilliantly in class, and panic or just plain don’t do well the day of the test. This needs to be taken into account. Special education students need to be mentioned in this category. In New York, special education students that are exempt from other state exams are not exempt from the NYSESLAT(NYS English as a Second Language Achievement Test). This defies logic. How could a student be deemed incapable of taking a state exam but still be required to take a state exam to get out of ESL? Please comment below on the situation in your state.
5. Testing In. I understand the reasoning behind having an entrance exam for the ESL program. There will always be a call for a unified way to place students into any program. However, in my experience, the exam does not take a student’s socio-economic status into account. Even if a student speaks mostly English at home but has never been read to due to financial constraints, work schedules, etc., then how can I ask that student to identify letters and read words? I even had one student test in because he was a selective mute and refused to speak to me! There needs to be allowances for special cases. I understand that leaves the door open for people to abuse the system, but teachers need to be allowed to be flexible enough to provide appropriate services for their students.
