Grading Ells Language Arts Report Card Less Than 2 Years

In our work with educators of English linguistic communication learners (ELLs), we often discover that there is a lack of resources in our field near how to equitably course ELLs. This blog post offers some insights and ideas that we hope will spur further discussion.

First, we'll share the reason behind our focus on this topic, likewise as a summary of challenges related to grading ELLs. Next, nosotros'll give you a brief overview of related enquiry earlier sharing our own recommendations developed in response to our research, which we call the Five Pillars of Deservedly Grading ELLs. (You tin can find a related infographic on the SupportEd website.) We'll finish the post past providing a space for you lot to share your thoughts, add some additional resource, and share some references with you.

Resource from Larry Ferlazzo

This mail service complements the following from Larry Ferlazzo:

Grading English language Learners – A Perspective From Two Teachers
Strategies for Grading ELLs in Content Classes

We likewise produced a webinar with Larry, available on the SupportEd website (scroll down to "The Five Pillars of Grading ELs Equitably).

COVID-xix updates

For more data on grading equitably during COVID-19, meet the following:

Disinterestedness in Grading ELLs During a Pandemic (#ELLchat Archive)
Grading During the Pandemic: A Conversation (Educational Leadership)
Why Grading Policies for Disinterestedness Matter More than Ever (KQED)
Grading Policies in the Time of COVID-nineteen: Considerations and Implications for Equity (American Institutes for Enquiry)

Why this topic?

As part of developing a blended ELL cess professional evolution grade for the Mid-Land Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network in Central New York State, nosotros were asked to create a component on grading ELLs. We idea our job would be straightforward plenty, merely once we started researching the topic, we found very limited resources specifically for ELLs.

In an effort to gather more information, we reached out to our online professional learning network. Diane posted the following questions on the Colorín Colorado Facebook folio, the Advocating for ELLs Facebook page, and Twitter in early on January 2018:

We're doing a little inquiry on grading ELs at SupportEd. Could you delight share your answers to these questions?

ane. What are the challenges that you and your colleagues may have in grading ELs?

ii. What are some strategies or tools that you lot find particularly helpful in grading ELs?

iii. Practice you have any exemplary EL-friendly report card samples you lot can share?

The responses were numerous and came quickly. Many of our online colleagues shared that they were likewise looking for guidance around this topic. We also took office in a Twitter #ELLCHAT on January eight on the same topic with a similar response from colleagues around the land. (Yous can come across a transcript from that Twitter chat by registering for a complimentary account from Participate.com.) We'll summarize the superlative 3 challenges that nosotros read about side by side. Please annotation we don't share answers to questions 2 and 3 since we comprise some resource to address these questions in our Five Pillars.

Challenges from the Field

The challenges nosotros saw most ofttimes were:

Bug with the structure and content of report cards: Teachers mentioned not having an ELL-specific study carte, and they also mentioned not beingness able to adapt their curriculum or school report card so that the ELA skills graded are "on level". (Example: fourth course beginner educatee failing ELA considering she does not run across grade four ELA standards and is performing at a grade two level.)
Lack of validity in grading content: Ane comment was, "Sometimes a child'due south grades are merely a reflection of how well the teacher taught to their learning manner, rather than a true representation of what the child knows." Another colleague wrote, "Separating ELD from content noesis! So integral to each other - how to assess accurately??" She noted these are listed separately on report carte, but there is no tool to assess them.
Challenges with schoolhouse or district policy: Often, educators commented that existing policies at the school and district level don't accost the unique considerations inherent in grading ELLs, such equally inflexible fourth dimension limits for exemption from letter grades regardless of the students' linguistic communication proficiency and educational backgrounds.

Synthesis of Research on Grading Challenges for Teachers of ELLs

The challenges our colleagues reported on social media are in line with what the research tells us, namely that at that place are many obstacles that may prevent ELLs from benefiting from equitable grading practices. Hither we summarize some of findings from relevant enquiry. Please note that this is non an exhaustive literature review!

Enquiry shows that grading, even among teachers at schools with clear grading policies, is ofttimes inconsistent (Reeves, 2008; Seeley, 1994). This inconsistency tin can lead to caitiff grading practices and even failure for certain groups of students, such as ELLs (Waldsburger, 2012). Many teachers believe that report card grades should be based solely on students' mastery of grade-level content standards, which can exist challenging for some students. Jung and Guskey (2012) notation that while an ESOL teacher may complete a supplemental progress report for ELLs, that piece of cess information does not oftentimes support the full general education teacher in assigning grades.

Some other obstacle in grading in full general is that many classroom teachers experience uncertain about how to hold all students to the same expectations for operation as other students (Guskey, 2011). Teachers can find it challenging to differentiate educational activity and grading for ELLs while trying to meet the needs of the other students in their classroom (Pawan & Craig, 2011). Fifty-fifty those teachers who are able to differentiate pedagogy may find it difficult to score learning tasks and assign grades based on differentiated student work.

Still some other claiming that stands in the mode of equitable grading for all students is the belief that grades should be used to identify and maximize differences among students (Guskey, 2011). Many teachers feel that there should be students who perform well and students who perform poorly, such every bit with a normal bell-shaped curve. Jung and Guskey (2012) share that teachers often grapple with questions of fairness, such as giving a passing grade to an ELL who did non see grade-level content standards. However, Guskey (2011) notes that when teachers identify what they want students to learn and exist able to do and when they practice all they tin to support students in coming together these goals, it is possible for all students to obtain loftier scores on academic tasks and thereby receive high grades.

The literature we reviewed notes several recommendations for improving ELL grading systems every bit a whole (due east.g., Waldsburger, 2012). For example, 1 recommendation is not giving letter of the alphabet grades to newly arrived ELLs who are beginning to learn English. Another option is to provide narrative assessments but or apply a system of pass, neglect, and high pass that measures endeavour, language growth, and content standard mastery based on students' levels of language proficiency. Tomlinson (2001) suggests providing two grades for all students. The first would exist a traditional, standards-based grade, and the second would be a grade based on an private student'south progress towards linguistic communication and content learning goals. Similarly, several authors (e.m., Jung & Guskey, 2010; Tomlinson, Moon, & Imbeau, 2015) recommend three grades for differentiated classrooms based on a student's production (mastery of content), process (effort, motivation, and participation), and progress (improvement over time).

Our Recommendations: The V Pillars of Equitably Grading ELLs

We drew from our colleagues' responses, the enquiry we synthesized on grading ELLs, our review of best practices in ELL grading, equally well as our own expertise in the field to create 5 recommendations for equitably grading ELLs. We call them the 5 Pillars of Equitably Grading ELLs. For each colonnade, we provide a few steps to incorporate that pillar. In defining and describing the 5 pillars, we fully realize how intertwined effective instruction and equitable grading are. You just tin't adequately class ELLs if you haven't already positioned them to access the instruction of content.

Pillar ane: Identify the content and language standard(due south).

In setting up a system in which ELLs can be graded fairly, teachers get-go demand to define which content as well as language standards they would similar their students to meet. Hand in paw with these ii sets of standards go content and language learning objectives for ELLs based on these standards. We recommend that teachers share these content and language learning objectives with ELLs using "student-friendly" versions to the degree possible. Also, we recommend that teachers identify success criteria for ELLs in meeting the objectives, and share models of strong piece of work samples with ELLs so that students are enlightened of teachers' expectations. Model piece of work samples should too include models produced by ELLs at different levels of proficiency and so ELLs can run into themselves reflected in exemplary student work.

Pillar ii: Incorporate scaffolding to support ELLs in achieving the standards.

Depending on their level of English proficiency, well-nigh ELLs will not be able to access grade-level content standards without appropriate scaffolding. We recommend using three types of scaffolds in the areas of materials, instruction, and strategic grouping of students to work toward removing linguistic barriers for ELLs. In implementing scaffolds, we recommend you do so based on ELLs' English linguistic communication proficiency level as well every bit individual ELL strengths and needs and also the demands of the item lesson (Staehr Fenner & Snyder, 2017). In addition, nosotros recommend that teachers prepare expectations with students for the gradual removal of scaffolding, as advisable. ELLs should be enlightened that scaffolds are temporary and volition be removed as they gain language proficiency and content noesis and skills. Farther, nosotros stress that it'due south crucial for ESOL and content teachers to interact to determine appropriate scaffolds for their ELLs to meaningfully access content.

Colonnade iii: Support ELLs' progress toward mastery.

Nosotros believe that grades should non exist used punitively for whatsoever students, and especially not for ELLs who are already more inclined to drib out of school than non-ELLs. Therefore, we suggest providing ELLs sufficient time and opportunities for learning, such as offering "lunch bunch" and afterward-schoolhouse opportunities to do schoolwork with guidance from teachers, tutors, or peers. In add-on, we recommend focusing on ELLs' progress towards mastery also as their achievement. It is important to underscore that we are evaluating ELLs' progress towards mastery, not only whether they have mastered the objective or not. In spite of careful scaffolding, all grade-level standards may not always exist 100% achievable for certain ELLs. It may be more motivating for an ELL to recognize his or her progress than to see an achievement score alone.

Likewise, since many ELLs have responsibilities such equally work and taking care of siblings outside of school, they may not be able to complete all assignments on fourth dimension. Therefore, we recommend allowing ELLs to turn in some work late without penalty if they are in communication with the instructor almost the unique circumstances. Moreover, late work may exist a sign that an ELL is needing more support to exist able to access the content, understand the directions, and/or complete the task. Finally, if homework is given, we recommend using information technology as an opportunity for not-graded practice.

Pillar 4: Assess ELLs' progress equitably.

In club to equitably assess ELLs, teachers need to blueprint assessments and supports that allow ELLs to access and demonstrate mastery of content and/or language objectives. To equitably assess ELLs' progress, it is critical to also scaffold assessments (non just educational activity) for ELLs based on individual ELL strengths and needs. For example, depending on an ELL'southward level of English language proficiency, that student could be provided judgement frames, images, or a word bank to lighten the "linguistic load" of the cess to be able to provide a more valid picture show of what that student knows and tin can exercise in a particular content area. During instruction, ELLs should take ample classroom opportunity to practice with any scaffold that volition also exist provided during an assessment. Another aspect of equitably assessing ELLs' progress comes in the form of group work. While nosotros recommend strategically grouping ELLs as a form of scaffolding instruction, for grading group work we recommend assigning individual scores instead of a group grade to students, including ELLs. In this way, private students aren't penalized if all students aren't contributing as to a particular grouping project.

Colonnade 5: Involve ELLs, families, & colleagues.

We have often found that ELLs and their families practise not accept a full agreement of course-level expectations, how grades are given, and what each section of a report card ways. We abet for explaining grade level expectations, the grading process, and report cards to ELLs in their dwelling house language whenever possible. In addition, ELLs and their families should be involved in the entire grading process, beginning the schoolhouse year or their enrollment in school with an overview of what the grading expectations and processes look like. Such meetings are also a practiced time for ELLs and their families to set goals for their learning. Finally, while collaboration and co-instruction have been on many teachers' radar for some time now, co-grading may not be. We strongly recommend that ESOL and content teachers co-course, collaborating to assign grades to ELLs on formative and summative assessments also as hash out last grades on report cards. In that way, the level of collaboration will strengthen, and all teachers can leverage their expertise when information technology comes to ELLs.

Your Thoughts

While we offer our ideas on guidance around equitably grading ELLs, we as well encourage y'all to share your thoughts hither. If you lot accept any samples of ELL-friendly written report cards, grading policies, success stories, or additional considerations, please share them in the web log mail service comments!

Additional Resources

Larry Ferlazzo's Best Resources on Differentiated Grading for ELLs: http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2018/01/05/the-best-resources-on-differentiated-grading-for-english-linguistic communication-learners/
Emily Francis' weblog mail with sample ELD Progress Reports based on Tin Do Descriptors: https://inspiringenglishlanguagelearners.weebly.com/blog/lets-go-a-step-further-with-tin can-practise-descriptors
Long Island Regional Bilingual Educational Resource Network ENL Report Card Templates: https://www.esboces.org/Page/1794
half-dozen Tips for Going Gradeless from Education Week: https://youtu.exist/F56hTKUk8j4

References

Guskey, T. (2011). Five obstacles to grading reform. Educational Leadership, 69(3), sixteen-21.

Jung, L. A., & Guskey, T. R. (2010). Grading exceptional learners. Educational Leadership, 67(5), 31–35.

Jung, Fifty.A. & Guskey, T. R. (2012). Grading exceptional and struggling learners. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Pawan, F. & Craig, D. (2011). ESL and content surface area teacher responses to discussions on English language learner education. TESOL Periodical, 2(3), 293-311.

Reeves, D. (2008). Leading to change: Constructive grading practices. Educational Leadership, 65(5), 85-87.

Seeley, M.M. (1994). The Mismatch Between Cess and Grading. National Education Association. National Education Association. Retrieved from http://world wide web.nea.org/teachexperience/ ask040326.html.

Staehr Fenner, D., & Snyder, Southward. (2017). Unlocking English learners' potential: Strategies for making content accessible. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). Grading for success. Educational Leadership, 58(vi), 12-15.

Tomlinson, C.A., Moon, T. and Imbeau, M.B. (2015). Cess and educatee success in a differentiated classroom, Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Retrieved from http://world wide web.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/assessment-and-di-whitepaper.pdf

Waldspurger, T. (2012, March). A? B? C? Assigning meaningful grades for ELLs. Presented at the TESOL Convention, Philadelphia, PA.

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