Assessing Achievement with the ELL in Mind (Coursera)

You will learn to use and modify rubrics to align to and measure student achievement of your language and content learning objectives. The course will also briefly cover strategies for supporting ELL students during standardized testing.
Upon completing this course, you will be able to:

• Conceptualize theories of authentic assessment as they apply to second language learners
• Design formative assessment types incorporating language and content objectives
• Design summative assessment types incorporating language and content objectives
• Incorporate project and task-based assignments as assessment tools for ELLs
• Design rubrics that align to language and content objectives for your ELL(s)
• Apply the use of rubrics, both language and content, to the work of your ELL(s).
• Support your ELL(s) as they participate in standardised testing

Assessing Achievement with the ELL in Mind is course 2 of 4 in the ELL Success in the Content Classroom: Teacher Toolbox Series Specialization.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Introduction to Authentic Assessment with the ELL in Mind
Welcome to week 1 of the course! The material presented in the lessons this week is key to understanding assessments and its impact on ELLs. By the end of this module, you will be able to identify the purpose of different types of assessment, identify key concepts in authentic assessment, understand the difficulties associated with assessing ELLs, review language and learning objectives within a lesson or unit plan for assessment purposes, apply techniques for authentic assessment design using specific questions as criteria. Let's get started!

WEEK 2
Formative and Summative Assessment with the ELL in Mind
Welcome to week 2 of the course! The lessons this week focus a bit more specifically on the different types of assessment and how they uniquely impact our ELLs. We hope that you find some helpful strategies in the lessons provided. By the end of this module, you will be able to: identify purposes of formative and summative assessment types, employ a variety of formative assessments in the content classroom while keeping in mind ELL language acquisition, design plenary activities within the lesson plan as a means of formative assessment design summative assessments in the content classroom while keeping in mind ELL language acquisition, use “can-do” statements as a means of describing assessment criteria for language and content objectives. Let's get started!

WEEK 3
Alternative Assessments with the ELL in Mind
Welcome to week 3 of the course! This module will give you an opportunity to take a look at some of the ways that you can create and modify the assessments you use in your class. By the end of this module, you will be able to: use alternative assessment formats to best assess your ELL, create modified assessments to allow for content assessment of ELLs at any language level, use visual assessments for basic-level ELLs, apply a variety of support strategies for assessment, and assign appropriate grades for modified assessment. Let's get started!

WEEK 4
Grading with the ELL in Mind
Welcome to week 4 of the course! This module covers the hot topic of grading and the many ways that ELLs are impacted by grading. By the end of this module, you will be able to use peer-and self-assessment strategies specified for your content classroom, design rubrics for peer-and self-assessment specified for your content classroom and/or lesson, design rubrics appropriate for assessment of content and necessary language objectives for your ELL, identify appropriate use of linguistic error correction in assessment. Let's get started!

WEEK 5
Project Based Assessment with the ELL in Mind
Welcome to week 5 of the course! We are excited to focus on project based assessment in this module and the many benefits it can have when assessing ELLs. By the end of this module, you will be able to: understand the impact of project and task-based learning and assessment, align project and task-based assessment to learning and language outcomes, design project and task-based assessments, use scaffolding strategies for project and task based assessment, use revision in project and task-based projects as a means of encouraging summative assessment grades. Let's get started!

WEEK 6
Assessment
Welcome to week 6! Congratulations and well done. It is now time to apply the many strategies for lesson planning with the ELL in mind to your own teaching context. By the end of this module, you will be able to synthesize course material, complete the final exam and complete the optional peer review. Good luck!