Tailoring Assessments for ELLs at Every Proficiency LeveL
LAND
OF ELD
Objective...
To familiarize teachers with English Language Learner (ELL) proficiency levels (1-6) and how they impact assessment needs.
SECTION 1
What Are ELL Proficiency Levels?
01
SECTION 1
WIDA, What?
"The WIDA Consortium is a member-based organization made up of 41 U.S. states, territories, and federal agencies dedicated to the research, design, and implementation of a high-quality, standards-based system for K-12 multilingual learners."
Source: WIDA-ELD-Standards-Framework-2020.pdf#page=33 PDF (wida.wisc.edu)
WIDA WEBSITE
SECTION 1
Language Proficiency Levels...
WIDA Levels 1-6 Overview:
Lvl 1: Limited to no understanding of English.
Lvl 2: Can understand and use simple phrases and sentences.
Lvl 3: Can handle familiar topics and produce basic sentences. Lvl 4: Can engage in academic conversations with more complex language. Lvl 5: Near-native proficiency; can handle most academic language (2-year monitoring stage).
Lvl 6: Proficient, comparable to native English speakers in both academic and social settings (2-year monitoring stage).
Source: Monroe County Community School Corporation ( https://www.mccsc.edu/2650_4)
Quick Check 1
Section 1
Why are proficiency levels important?
- ELLs at different levels need varying levels of support.
Proficiency impacts:
- Language demands (reading, writing, speaking, listening).
- Access to assessment content.
Source: WIDA. (2024). ACCESS for ELLs Interpretive Guide for Score Reports Grades K-12. Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.
Section 1
Why are proficiency levels important?
- ELLs at different levels need varying levels of support.
Proficiency impacts:
- Language demands (reading, writing, speaking, listening).
- Access to assessment content.
Source: WIDA. (2024). ACCESS for ELLs Interpretive Guide for Score Reports Grades K-12. Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.
Quick Check 2
SECTION 2
Content Knowledge vs. Language Proficiency
02
SECTION 2
Content Knowledge:What the student knows about the subject matter (e.g., math, science). Language Proficiency: The student’s ability to express that knowledge in English *Assessments often combine the two, making it hard to determine if the issue is language or content understanding.
SECTION 2
Challenges for ELLs in Language-Loaded Assessments
ELLs may struggle with:
- Complex vocabulary and academic language.
- Unfamiliar cultural references.
- Long passages requiring advanced reading skills.
- Multi-step directions or complex questions.
ELLs often struggle not with the content, but with understanding the language used to test it.
The magic formula for EL modifications and support is: Firm Goals, Flexible Means Remember: ELs move along a continuum of proficiency, so have at least 2 lesson variants created: Beginners and Intermediate/Advanced for ELs
SECTION 3
03
Case Study: Understanding Gaps
SECTION 3
Activity: Case Study Analysis Goal: Identify gaps between student proficiency and the demands of an assessment.Process:
Examine sample student profiles with different proficiency levels.
DON'T GIVE UP
Case Study: EL Learner in Science
Student: Silly Sally (Level 2 - Emerging)
Background:
Silly Sally is in a 5th-grade science class and has a WIDA proficiency level of 2 (Emerging). The student can understand and use simple phrases and sentences but struggles with more complex language, especially in reading and writing tasks.
Science Scenario:
The class is studying ecosystems, and the teacher assigns a reading on food chains. The assessment asks students to describe how energy flows from plants to animals and to create a diagram illustrating the process.
Challenges for Student:
Reading Comprehension: Struggles with scientific vocabulary (e.g., “producer,” “consumer,” “decomposer”). Writing Responses: Limited to basic sentences (e.g., “Plant is food for animal”).
SECTION 3
SECTION 3
Activity: How would you use language or content supports to adjust the assessment for this student? Discuss: Are the issues related to content knowledge and/or language proficiency?
You Got This!
Examples of Assessment Support
Scaffolding the Language: Simplified version of the reading on ecosystems, with highlighted or underlined important parts to focus on key concepts, shorter sentences, and fewer complex structures.
Provide access to a bilingual glossary if Sally is literate in her home language to help her understand complex ideas.
Provide a visual glossary. Pair written instructions with visuals to aid comprehension.
SECTION 3
Examples
Adjusted
Original
Resource: https://softschools.com/language_arts/reading_comprehension/science/67/food_chains_and_webs/
Rewordify
How to Draw Food Webs
Bilingual Glossary
Image Source: ScienceFacts.net
Visual Aids and Graphic Organizers: Introduce key vocabulary using picture cards and gestures, real-life examples, and simplified definitions.(e.g., “producer,” “consumer,” “decomposer”). Have Sally create a simple food chain diagram with labeled pictures (e.g., sun → plant → animal), rather than relying on text-heavy explanations.
Include hands-on activities like sorting or matching cards for producers, consumers, and decomposers to reinforce understanding. Modify the diagram task by providing pre-labeled pictures for Sally to organize in the correct sequence, allowing her to demonstrate understanding without heavy writing demands.
Examples of Assessment Support
SECTION 3
REsources
Section 3
Source:https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Producers-consumers-decomposers-CARD-SORT-ACTIVITY-Feeding-relationships-game-11259137
Source:https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Producers-consumers-decomposers-CARD-SORT-ACTIVITY-Feeding-relationships-game-11259137
Adjusted
Examples
Original
Source: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Visual-Science-Assessment-Food-Chain-Food-Web-and-Energy-Pyramid-9064112
Source: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Visual-Science-Assessment-Food-Chain-Food-Web-and-Energy-Pyramid-9064112
Adjusted
Examples
Original
Sorting Activity
Multiple Choice
Source: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Producers-consumers-decomposers-CARD-SORT-ACTIVITY-Feeding-relationships-game-11259137
Source: https://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=food-chainswebs-quiz
Using Sentence Frames and Word Banks for Writing Responses: “A plant is a ______” or “The ______ eats the ______” Offer a word bank with key terms (producer, animal, energy, food) to fill in the blanks when writing. Reduce the writing task from full sentences to fill-in-the-blank or matching activities where Sally can demonstrate her understanding with shorter phrases.
Examples of Assessment Support
SECTION 3
Case Study: EL Learner in Math
Student: Merry Marvin (Level 4 - Expanding)
Background:
Merry Marvin is a 3rd-grade student who has reached WIDA Level 4 (Expanding) in his English language development. He can participate in academic conversations, read grade-level texts with some support, and write detailed responses. In math, Marvin understands basic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division), but he struggles when the math is embedded within word problems that use complex language or abstract phrasing. Math Scenario: The math unit focuses on solving multi-step word problems that involve addition and subtraction. An example word problem given in class is: Word Problem: “Maria has 24 apples. She gives 8 apples to her friend, then she buys 16 more apples from the store. How many apples does Maria have now? Show and explain your work.” Challenges for Student:
Difficulty solving multi-step math word problems due to language complexity. Difficulty understanding Complex Phrasing and the sequence of actions described in the problem.
SECTION 3
SECTION 3
Activity: How would you adjust assessments for this student? Discuss: Are the issues related to content knowledge and/or language proficiency?
You Got This!
Examples of Assessment Support
Scaffolding the Language of the Word Problem: The teacher rephrases the problem using simpler, more familiar language: Original: “Maria has 24 apples . Maria gives 8 apples to her friend, then buys 16 more.” Simplified: “Maria has 24 apples. She gives away 8 apples. Then she gets 16 more apples.” Visual Aids and Graphic Organizers: The teacher provides a visual diagram to represent the problem, showing apples being taken away and added. A graphic organizer helps break down the problem step-by-step. Using Sentence and Paragraph Frames: “First, I will subtract ____ because...” “Next, I will add ____ because...” “The answer is ____ apples.”
SECTION 3
Adjusted
Examples
Original
Maria has 24 apples. She gives away (subtracts) 8 apples. Then she gets (adds) 16 more apples. How many apples does Maria have now? Show and explain your work.
Maria has 24 apples. She gives 8 apples to her friend, then she buys 16 more apples from the store. How many apples does Maria have now? Show and explain your work.
subtract (-)
adds (+)
EL Support for Projects & Essays
When modifying a larger unit project or essay writing, be sure to include for all students, especially ELs: Product: (modeled before) Process: (how do they do the task) and Content: (what information must be included) Do not just give a question or simple prompt.
(Tomlinson, 2017)
Break multiple part questions into separate pieces:
Examples of Assessment Support
SECTION 3
Examples of Assessment Support
SECTION 3
Asking ELs to write a paragraph response or project? Remind them how to organize an English paragraph. Other languages organize longer text in differing patterns. This chart and other organizers help ELs write more completely. For Level 1 & 2 give paragraph frames or starters!
SECTION 3
04
Discussion
Section 4
OR
How can proficiency levels impact the ability of ELLs to demonstrate their knowledge?
Think about how language proficiency influences students’ ability to:
- Understand test instructions.
- Respond to questions accurately.
- Complete assessments within time limits.
Share experiences from your own class.
Discuss any challenges you’ve encountered with ELLs and assessments.
What We’ve Learned
- We now understand the importance of adjusting assessments based on proficiency levels.
- Language proficiency affects a student’s ability to produce language (e.g., writing or speaking) and comprehend language (e.g., reading or listening).
- Assessments need to clearly reflect whether difficulties arise from language barriers or content gaps.
Takeaways
Thank you!
Got an idea?
Let the communication flow!
With Genially templates, you can include visual resources to wow your audience. You can also highlight a particular sentence or piece of information so that it sticks in your audience’s minds, or even embed external content to surprise them: Whatever you like! Do you need more reasons to create dynamic content? No problem! 90% of the information we assimilate is received through sight and, what’s more, we retain 42% more information when the content moves.
- Generate experiences with your content.
- It’s got the Wow effect. Very Wow.
- Make sure your audience remembers the message.
Got an idea?
Let the communication flow!
With Genially templates, you can include visual resources to wow your audience. You can also highlight a particular sentence or piece of information so that it sticks in your audience’s minds, or even embed external content to surprise them: Whatever you like! Do you need more reasons to create dynamic content? No problem! 90% of the information we assimilate is received through sight and, what’s more, we retain 42% more information when the content moves.
- Generate experiences with your content.
- It’s got the Wow effect. Very Wow.
- Make sure your audience remembers the message.
Got an idea?
Let the communication flow!
With Genially templates, you can include visual resources to wow your audience. You can also highlight a particular sentence or piece of information so that it sticks in your audience’s minds, or even embed external content to surprise them: Whatever you like! Do you need more reasons to create dynamic content? No problem! 90% of the information we assimilate is received through sight and, what’s more, we retain 42% more information when the content moves.
- Generate experiences with your content.
- It’s got the Wow effect. Very Wow.
- Make sure your audience remembers the message.
Got an idea?
Let the communication flow!
With Genially templates, you can include visual resources to wow your audience. You can also highlight a particular sentence or piece of information so that it sticks in your audience’s minds, or even embed external content to surprise them: Whatever you like! Do you need more reasons to create dynamic content? No problem! 90% of the information we assimilate is received through sight and, what’s more, we retain 42% more information when the content moves.
- Generate experiences with your content.
- It’s got the Wow effect. Very Wow.
- Make sure your audience remembers the message.
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Transcript
Tailoring Assessments for ELLs at Every Proficiency LeveL
LAND
OF ELD
Objective...
To familiarize teachers with English Language Learner (ELL) proficiency levels (1-6) and how they impact assessment needs.
SECTION 1
What Are ELL Proficiency Levels?
01
SECTION 1
WIDA, What?
"The WIDA Consortium is a member-based organization made up of 41 U.S. states, territories, and federal agencies dedicated to the research, design, and implementation of a high-quality, standards-based system for K-12 multilingual learners."
Source: WIDA-ELD-Standards-Framework-2020.pdf#page=33 PDF (wida.wisc.edu)
WIDA WEBSITE
SECTION 1
Language Proficiency Levels...
WIDA Levels 1-6 Overview: Lvl 1: Limited to no understanding of English. Lvl 2: Can understand and use simple phrases and sentences. Lvl 3: Can handle familiar topics and produce basic sentences. Lvl 4: Can engage in academic conversations with more complex language. Lvl 5: Near-native proficiency; can handle most academic language (2-year monitoring stage). Lvl 6: Proficient, comparable to native English speakers in both academic and social settings (2-year monitoring stage).
Source: Monroe County Community School Corporation ( https://www.mccsc.edu/2650_4)
Quick Check 1
Section 1
Why are proficiency levels important?
- ELLs at different levels need varying levels of support.
Proficiency impacts:Source: WIDA. (2024). ACCESS for ELLs Interpretive Guide for Score Reports Grades K-12. Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.
Section 1
Why are proficiency levels important?
- ELLs at different levels need varying levels of support.
Proficiency impacts:Source: WIDA. (2024). ACCESS for ELLs Interpretive Guide for Score Reports Grades K-12. Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.
Quick Check 2
SECTION 2
Content Knowledge vs. Language Proficiency
02
SECTION 2
Content Knowledge:What the student knows about the subject matter (e.g., math, science). Language Proficiency: The student’s ability to express that knowledge in English *Assessments often combine the two, making it hard to determine if the issue is language or content understanding.
SECTION 2
Challenges for ELLs in Language-Loaded Assessments
ELLs may struggle with:
ELLs often struggle not with the content, but with understanding the language used to test it.
The magic formula for EL modifications and support is: Firm Goals, Flexible Means Remember: ELs move along a continuum of proficiency, so have at least 2 lesson variants created: Beginners and Intermediate/Advanced for ELs
SECTION 3
03
Case Study: Understanding Gaps
SECTION 3
Activity: Case Study Analysis Goal: Identify gaps between student proficiency and the demands of an assessment.Process: Examine sample student profiles with different proficiency levels.
DON'T GIVE UP
Case Study: EL Learner in Science Student: Silly Sally (Level 2 - Emerging) Background: Silly Sally is in a 5th-grade science class and has a WIDA proficiency level of 2 (Emerging). The student can understand and use simple phrases and sentences but struggles with more complex language, especially in reading and writing tasks. Science Scenario: The class is studying ecosystems, and the teacher assigns a reading on food chains. The assessment asks students to describe how energy flows from plants to animals and to create a diagram illustrating the process. Challenges for Student: Reading Comprehension: Struggles with scientific vocabulary (e.g., “producer,” “consumer,” “decomposer”). Writing Responses: Limited to basic sentences (e.g., “Plant is food for animal”).
SECTION 3
SECTION 3
Activity: How would you use language or content supports to adjust the assessment for this student? Discuss: Are the issues related to content knowledge and/or language proficiency?
You Got This!
Examples of Assessment Support
Scaffolding the Language: Simplified version of the reading on ecosystems, with highlighted or underlined important parts to focus on key concepts, shorter sentences, and fewer complex structures. Provide access to a bilingual glossary if Sally is literate in her home language to help her understand complex ideas. Provide a visual glossary. Pair written instructions with visuals to aid comprehension.
SECTION 3
Examples
Adjusted
Original
Resource: https://softschools.com/language_arts/reading_comprehension/science/67/food_chains_and_webs/
Rewordify
How to Draw Food Webs
Bilingual Glossary
Image Source: ScienceFacts.net
Visual Aids and Graphic Organizers: Introduce key vocabulary using picture cards and gestures, real-life examples, and simplified definitions.(e.g., “producer,” “consumer,” “decomposer”). Have Sally create a simple food chain diagram with labeled pictures (e.g., sun → plant → animal), rather than relying on text-heavy explanations. Include hands-on activities like sorting or matching cards for producers, consumers, and decomposers to reinforce understanding. Modify the diagram task by providing pre-labeled pictures for Sally to organize in the correct sequence, allowing her to demonstrate understanding without heavy writing demands.
Examples of Assessment Support
SECTION 3
REsources
Section 3
Source:https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Producers-consumers-decomposers-CARD-SORT-ACTIVITY-Feeding-relationships-game-11259137
Source:https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Producers-consumers-decomposers-CARD-SORT-ACTIVITY-Feeding-relationships-game-11259137
Adjusted
Examples
Original
Source: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Visual-Science-Assessment-Food-Chain-Food-Web-and-Energy-Pyramid-9064112
Source: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Visual-Science-Assessment-Food-Chain-Food-Web-and-Energy-Pyramid-9064112
Adjusted
Examples
Original
Sorting Activity
Multiple Choice
Source: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Producers-consumers-decomposers-CARD-SORT-ACTIVITY-Feeding-relationships-game-11259137
Source: https://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=food-chainswebs-quiz
Using Sentence Frames and Word Banks for Writing Responses: “A plant is a ______” or “The ______ eats the ______” Offer a word bank with key terms (producer, animal, energy, food) to fill in the blanks when writing. Reduce the writing task from full sentences to fill-in-the-blank or matching activities where Sally can demonstrate her understanding with shorter phrases.
Examples of Assessment Support
SECTION 3
Case Study: EL Learner in Math Student: Merry Marvin (Level 4 - Expanding) Background: Merry Marvin is a 3rd-grade student who has reached WIDA Level 4 (Expanding) in his English language development. He can participate in academic conversations, read grade-level texts with some support, and write detailed responses. In math, Marvin understands basic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division), but he struggles when the math is embedded within word problems that use complex language or abstract phrasing. Math Scenario: The math unit focuses on solving multi-step word problems that involve addition and subtraction. An example word problem given in class is: Word Problem: “Maria has 24 apples. She gives 8 apples to her friend, then she buys 16 more apples from the store. How many apples does Maria have now? Show and explain your work.” Challenges for Student: Difficulty solving multi-step math word problems due to language complexity. Difficulty understanding Complex Phrasing and the sequence of actions described in the problem.
SECTION 3
SECTION 3
Activity: How would you adjust assessments for this student? Discuss: Are the issues related to content knowledge and/or language proficiency?
You Got This!
Examples of Assessment Support
Scaffolding the Language of the Word Problem: The teacher rephrases the problem using simpler, more familiar language: Original: “Maria has 24 apples . Maria gives 8 apples to her friend, then buys 16 more.” Simplified: “Maria has 24 apples. She gives away 8 apples. Then she gets 16 more apples.” Visual Aids and Graphic Organizers: The teacher provides a visual diagram to represent the problem, showing apples being taken away and added. A graphic organizer helps break down the problem step-by-step. Using Sentence and Paragraph Frames: “First, I will subtract ____ because...” “Next, I will add ____ because...” “The answer is ____ apples.”
SECTION 3
Adjusted
Examples
Original
Maria has 24 apples. She gives away (subtracts) 8 apples. Then she gets (adds) 16 more apples. How many apples does Maria have now? Show and explain your work.
Maria has 24 apples. She gives 8 apples to her friend, then she buys 16 more apples from the store. How many apples does Maria have now? Show and explain your work.
subtract (-)
adds (+)
EL Support for Projects & Essays
When modifying a larger unit project or essay writing, be sure to include for all students, especially ELs: Product: (modeled before) Process: (how do they do the task) and Content: (what information must be included) Do not just give a question or simple prompt.
(Tomlinson, 2017)
Break multiple part questions into separate pieces:
Examples of Assessment Support
SECTION 3
Examples of Assessment Support
SECTION 3
Asking ELs to write a paragraph response or project? Remind them how to organize an English paragraph. Other languages organize longer text in differing patterns. This chart and other organizers help ELs write more completely. For Level 1 & 2 give paragraph frames or starters!
SECTION 3
04
Discussion
Section 4
OR
How can proficiency levels impact the ability of ELLs to demonstrate their knowledge?
Think about how language proficiency influences students’ ability to:
Share experiences from your own class. Discuss any challenges you’ve encountered with ELLs and assessments.
What We’ve Learned
Takeaways
Thank you!
Got an idea?
Let the communication flow!
With Genially templates, you can include visual resources to wow your audience. You can also highlight a particular sentence or piece of information so that it sticks in your audience’s minds, or even embed external content to surprise them: Whatever you like! Do you need more reasons to create dynamic content? No problem! 90% of the information we assimilate is received through sight and, what’s more, we retain 42% more information when the content moves.
Got an idea?
Let the communication flow!
With Genially templates, you can include visual resources to wow your audience. You can also highlight a particular sentence or piece of information so that it sticks in your audience’s minds, or even embed external content to surprise them: Whatever you like! Do you need more reasons to create dynamic content? No problem! 90% of the information we assimilate is received through sight and, what’s more, we retain 42% more information when the content moves.
Got an idea?
Let the communication flow!
With Genially templates, you can include visual resources to wow your audience. You can also highlight a particular sentence or piece of information so that it sticks in your audience’s minds, or even embed external content to surprise them: Whatever you like! Do you need more reasons to create dynamic content? No problem! 90% of the information we assimilate is received through sight and, what’s more, we retain 42% more information when the content moves.
Got an idea?
Let the communication flow!
With Genially templates, you can include visual resources to wow your audience. You can also highlight a particular sentence or piece of information so that it sticks in your audience’s minds, or even embed external content to surprise them: Whatever you like! Do you need more reasons to create dynamic content? No problem! 90% of the information we assimilate is received through sight and, what’s more, we retain 42% more information when the content moves.