Assessment and Placement Process

for ELL Students

By: Dominique Robinson

What Are English Language Learner (ELL)

Students?
English Language Learner (ELL) students
are students who are not proficient with
the English language.
These students require special
educational needs with in English
language so that they can become
proficient with the language.

Identifying Exceptionalities in ELL Students

These students typically have trouble turning in
completed work.
They struggle with reading and word recognition.
They speak in short sentences or phrases.
Behavioral issues because they cant get their
point across or other students making fun of
their speaking.
These students score low on there reading and
writing assessments.
Attention and memory problems.

Identifying the Gift and Talented ELL

Students

Motivated to learn more

Creative and uses imagination well
Effective communicator
High volume of memory
Great at problem solving

Parents and Teachers Role in Placement

Parents and teachers have an important
role in their child place in the special need
program.
Student cannot be placed in any program
without the consent of their parents.
The parents have the right when they feel
deem to disagree and request a
reassessment for their child.

Formal Assessments for ELL Students

Formal assessments are used to measure
the master of critical skills and concepts at
key development skills through standardize
test compared to other students.
If students dont meet these standard set by
the state they factor in the placement of the
student into special education based off the
areas of special need.

Informal Assessments for ELL Students

Informal assessments are based off the
evidence that the instructor provides
about how the student is performing on a
continuous basis in the classroom.
This type of assessment factors in
placement based on how the individual
student is performing in the classroom
and what type of placement is needed.

Placement for Special Need ELL Students

Placement for Special Need student is
based on the IEP team of the student. The
IEP team with the consent of the parents is
then responsible for finding the best for
the student based on their formal and
informal assessments. The parent and
teachers helps determine what is best for
the student.
Parents have the right to appeal any
decision they dont agree with.

Placement for Gifted ELL Students

Placement for Gifted ELL students is based
on the the standardized testing scores, the
language and social behavior, and data and
input collected from the family and school.
Teachers must generate a multiple source
assessment record for each student with
formal and informal data, including work
samples. The parent and teachers helps
determine what is best for the student. The
student are then nominated for the gifted
program.

Reasons for Underachievement

Often students underachieve because of:

Testing environment
Material covered on assessment
Time given to test
Personal factors such as: no sleep, issues
at home
Instructions not clearly understood
Type of assessment
Culture background

Integrating Assessments in the Classroom

When a student with exceptionalities is place
in a mainstream classroom setting, their
results from their assessment are taken into
consideration by their IEP team before any
type of placement is determined.
These student may struggle in specific areas
only so their IEP team will provide them with
assistance in their areas of need so that they
can progress while in a mainstream
classroom setting with their peers.

Benefits of SIOP Protocol for Students

SIOP benefits students because it
provides the teachers with the tools and
the support they need in order to assist
each student on meeting their
academic need in the classroom.
It helps design lesson plans so that all
students can benefit from it and work
without any interruptions.

Improvements Throughout the School Year

The main goal for the special needs program is
for each student to improve in the classroom.
Student progression is closely looked at and
feedback is given to his or her IEP team. It is up
to how the IEP team on the placement or change
of it based on improvement or digression.
These improvements will indicate the student is
ready for either part time or full time general
education. While digression may mean the
student may not be ready for general education.

Arizona English Language Learner

Assessment (AZELLA)
It accesses student language proficiency
Aligned with English Language Proficiency
standards
Help determine the entry and exit from
ELL program
5 stage for levels K-12
4 domains: Listening, Reading, Writing,
Speaking
This test is help school districts determine
whether or not a student need English

AZELLA vs. W-APT

The AZELLA is equivalent to the W-APT in the state
of Missouri. The W-APT is designed to determine
whether or not a child is in need of English language
instructional services.
Compared to the AZELLA they both test on five
stage levels for K-12 students.
Although similar, however, the W-APT is designed to
be individually administered and once a student
meet his or her goal the test can be discontinued.
Compared to the W-APT, the AZELLA requires
monitoring of the student up to two once placed in
mainstream setting.

AZELLA Scoring Report

The AZELLA scoring report is broken into
several part for teacher and students to
understand.
The domain scores are for the students:
reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
They are scored on basic, intermediate,
and proficient in these categories.

AZELLA Scoring Report

The additional scores are scores based
on language, oral, and comprehension.
They are scored on basic, intermediate,
and proficient in these categories.
The combined scores are the score for
all four domain scores. They are scored
on emergent, basic, intermediate, and
proficient in these categories.

W-APT Scoring Report

Although similar to the AZELLA,
the W-APT consist of four categories
for scoring and that is writing,
speaking, reading, and listening.
These four categories are scored
by the following:
No response
Approaches
Meets
Exceeds

References
Arizona Department of Education. (2015). Guide to Navigating
and Using AZELLA Reports. Retrieved from
http://www.azed.gov
Tannenbaum, J. (2009).Practical ideas on alternative
assessment for ESL students.KidsSource Online, Inc.
Retrieved August 20, 2016 from
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/practical.
assessment.4.html
Ovando, C. J., & Combs, M. C. (2011).Bilingual and ESL
classrooms: Teaching in multicultural contexts(5th ed.).
New York, NY: McGraw- Hill.

Field Experience Form