*Applicable for counties who incorporate WIDA language development resources and ACCESS assessments.

In this session, participants will have the opportunity to review English language proficiency scores for multilingual learners.  After interpreting students’ scores, the educator will determine what additional language scaffolding and accommodations are needed and how they should be embedded into the targeted areas of reading instruction.

Indicators targeted:  5.1, 5.12 

 

Materials

• ACCESS for ELLS: Interpretive Guide for Score Reports: Grades K-12 (Spring 2021)
• Can Do Descriptors Key Uses Edition: Grades 4-5
• Activity 2.2.1: Rate Your Knowledge
• Activity 2.2.2: Sample WIDA Data Review PDF in folder Participants will need access to copies of the WIDA Sample Data:
  • ACCESS Score Report for Jose Puertes
  • ACCESS Score Report for Norma Sanchez
• Activity 2.2.3: Teacher WIDA Data Review (if applicable) Participants will need access to copies of their most recent ACCESS scores for any student who has been identified as an ELL and has completed the ACCESS test. Note: Some counties may have different sets of criteria and/or assessment instruments for identifying English Language Learners and their language proficiencies within their county.
• Results from Activity 2.1.1: Sample Data Review (see previous session)
• Results from Activity 2.1.2: Teacher Benchmark/Assessment Data Review (see previous session)
• RTI for English Language Learners: Appropriately Using Screening and Progress Monitoring Tools to Improve Instructional Outcomes (pgs. 1 – 7)

 

Define Session Goals

The educator will…

• Review and interpret English language learners’ ACCESS language proficiency scores.
• Analyze ACCESS scores, in conjunction with WIDA’s Can-Do Descriptors, to determine what individual students “can do” related to reading instruction.
• Cross-reference ACCESS scores with other data sources (i.e., achievement and/or benchmark data) to determine what accommodations and instructional scaffolding are developmentally appropriate for individual students.

 

Learn About the Classroom Language Proficiency Data Review

1. Activity 2.2.1:  Rate Your Knowledge

Using what they already know regarding reviewing and interpreting language proficiency data, ask participants to “rate their knowledge” by identifying themselves within one of the four categories:

• Novice – I didn’t realize there were tests that could measure an English language learner’s English language proficiency, nor did I know that there were resources tied to the specific testing outcomes available for participants.
• Apprentice – I am currently learning about English language proficiency scores for non-native English speakers. I am curious about applying and exploring basic levels of knowledge, skills, and practices related to such within my own classroom. I recognize that I need some significant mentorship regarding these topics at this time.
• Practitioner – I am currently applying concepts and skills regarding what I know about reviewing and interpreting language proficiency data. However, I am not quite ready to teach others about how to incorporate this knowledge within their own practice.
• Expert – I am currently a teacher-leader in the area of reviewing and interpreting language proficiency data and am often called upon to teach others about what I know related to this field.

Allow participants to share their ratings and ask them to elaborate on, or provide examples, as to why they identified themselves with the corresponding titles.

2. Teach participants how to review ACCESS Score Reports for English Language Learners.

In order for classroom teachers to make instructional reading decisions that meet the language needs for non-native English speakers, they will need to spend time reviewing and interpreting English Language Learners’ (ELLs) language proficiency data, based on student scores obtained from the ACCESS test, as well as reviewing the students’ reading benchmark data (see Session 2.1). For this session, participants will spend time reviewing Individual Student ACCESS Reports.

The following could potentially be a jigsaw activity or completed in small groups:
Take a few minutes to read Individual Student Scores, starting on pg. 3 of the ACCESS for ELLS: Interpretive Guide for Score Reports: Grades K-12 (Spring 2021) and discontinue reading at the bottom of pg. 7. As participants are reading and noting key information, ask them to answer the following questions upon completion of their reading:

• Do ACCESS test scores provide insight on students’ academic achievement and/or content knowledge? If they do not, what is the purpose of these scores?
• What other resources and/or assessment data should be considered alongside of this information when teachers are reviewing language proficiency data?

Let’s also read about Stages of Second Language Proficiency, located on pgs. 1 – 7 in RTI for English Language Learners: Appropriately Using Screening and Progress Monitoring Tools to Improve Instructional Outcomes. As participants are noting key information, ask them to answer the following questions upon completion of their reading:

• What is language proficiency? What are a few characteristics for students who are identified at each stage within the second language continuum?
• Why is it important for teachers to be aware of which stage, or level within the continuum, their ELL is demonstrating?

Next, let’s take a look at what the scores mean related to both receptive (listening and reading) and expressive (speaking and writing) language domains. Have participants start with the receptive language domains (i.e., listening and reading) related to their grade (identifying with either Grades 1 – 12, starting on pg. 11 and going through the end of pg. 14 or Kindergarten, starting on pg. 15 and going through the end of pg. 15 on the same document), and ask them to begin making observations about what students can generally do when it comes to language use within these two domains at their grade level. As the participants are making observations, ask them to highlight key words and/or phrases that are common to both domains.

For example:
Level One (also known as Entering) - Common key words and/or phrases found in Listening and in Reading for students who scored a Level 1 are as follows: visuals, few words, few phrases in English, familiar words and phrases/familiar language, identify steps presented in short texts/one-step directions.

With an elbow partner, have participants repeat this process by locating common terms and/or phrases at each level to begin to identify common patterns regarding what students generally CAN DO when it comes to their receptive language proficiency use at each level. After 5 - 6 minutes of partner work, allow participants to share their observations with the whole group.

After a brief discussion, have participants repeat the process with the expressive language domains (i.e., speaking and writing). As the participants are making observations, ask them to highlight key words and/or phrases that are common to both domains.

For example:
Level 4 (Also known as Expanding) – Common key words and/or phrases found in Speaking and Writing for students who scored a Level 4 are as follows: language related to specific topics in school, concepts, opinions supported by detailed reasons/reasons with details, examples.

With a new or the same elbow partner, have participants repeat this process by locating common terms and/or phrases at each level to begin to identify common patterns regarding what students generally CAN DO when it comes to their expressive language proficiency use at each level. After 5 - 6 minutes of partner work, allow participants to share their observations with the whole group.

Allow participants to share any final observations they made for either or both sections.

3. Teach participants how to interpret ACCESS scores using data using sample student data.

Let’s look at two sample ACCESS Score Reports for two students in Ms. Teacher’s fifth grade classroom and draw possible conclusions about what the students CAN Do related to language development in Activity 2.2.2: Sample WIDA Data Review. Pass out the following documents (see below) if participants do not already have access to them.

• ACCESS Score Report for Jose Puertes
• ACCESS Score Report for Norma Sanchez

What initial and/or general observations can be made about Jose and Norma’s ACCESS Score Report Information?

• They both generally scored the same in their Proficiency Level and Composite Scores.
• According to their proficiency levels, they can generally perform the same/similar tasks related to each of the language domains (see chart at the bottom of the page)
• Other observations, including examples pulled from the Proficiency Level Descriptors taken from pgs. 11 – 16 of the ACCESS for ELLS: Interpretive Guide for Score Reports: Grades K-12 (Spring 2021)?

Allow participants two split themselves into two groups: Group One will be composed of participants who identified themselves as Novice and Apprentice; Group Two will be composed of participants who identified themselves as Practitioner and Experts.

Using the sample assessment data and observation results from the previous session, begin identifying the academic strengths and weaknesses for Jose Puertes and Norma Sanchez. Then, using their language proficiency scores from their ACCESS Student Score Reports, begin incorporating additional observations related to what both students CAN DO within each of the language domains. By cross-referencing the data, the participants should begin to identify additional strategies and/or scaffolding they can incorporate into their instructional practice later on when they create lessons based on the student data.

Group One: Novice & Apprentice
Participants in this group should have access to:
+ACCESS Score Report for Jose Puertes
+ACCESS Score Report for Norma Sanchez
+Sample Data & Results from Activity 2.1.1

Group Two: Practitioner & Expert
Participants in this group should have access to:
+ACCESS Score Report for Jose Puertes
+ACCESS Score Report for Norma Sanchez
+Sample Data & Results from Activity 2.1.1
+Can Do Descriptors Key Uses Edition: Grades 4-5

Allow 20 minutes for small group discussion regarding the two students’ performances, in light of their ACCESS Score Report data. Group Two: Practitioner & Expert will have an additional resource to consider (Can Do Descriptors Key Uses Edition: Grades 4-5) for further scaffolding when making their observations. Using the two students’ iReady, STAR, and AR scores, and cross-referencing them with the students’ language proficiency levels, participants can provide further scaffolding within each language domain across the students’ levels of language proficiency and related to how students can incorporate the Key Uses of: Recount, Explain, Argue, and/or Discuss.

*Note: There is an update in the new WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework (2020), in which the Key Uses from the 2012 ELD Standards (i.e., Recount, Explain, Argue, and Discuss) have been updated to the Key Language Uses in the 2020 ELD Standards (i.e., Narrate, Inform, Explain, Argue). However, Can Do Descriptors have yet to be updated.

After the 20 minutes of collaboration has concluded, allow the participants to share observations from their small group discussions.

 

Collaborate

Allow participants to break into even smaller groups of three or four members (if appropriate), and allow educators to have an opportunity to complete Activity 2.2.3: Teacher WIDA Date Review (if applicable), where they will make observations regarding their own student performance and WIDA data, noting strengths/weakness related to reading performance and identifying additional strategies and/or scaffolding they can incorporate into their instructional practice later on when they create their lessons.

Allow 20 minutes for educators to review their own assessment results. Then, ask for volunteers to share a few of their observations. It is possible that participants may not complete this task in its entirety during the 20 minutes. Note: Continued observations may take place after this session has ended.

 

Reflect and Next Steps

Ask the participants to revisit Activity 2.2.1: Rate Your Knowledge, where they were asked to identify themselves as either a Novice, Apprentice, Practitioner, or Expert. Now that the session on Classroom Language Proficiency Data Review has concluded, ask them to rescore themselves and to add one or two sentences reflecting on why they scored themselves as such, as well as some things they learned in this session. Lastly, the participants need to write down the grade that they are currently teaching. Afterwards, ask volunteers to share their responses to the reflection questions.

Ask participants to bring either a physical copy or access to an electronic copy of any additional benchmark screeners (or access to those screeners) their county may use for additional testing purposes (i.e., DIBELS, AimsWEBB, easyCBM, etc.). If one is available, the participant should have access to it for his/her grade level and should be able to practice administering the screener in the next session. If the participant is unable to access an additional screener, one will be provided to him/her to practice during the next session. The facilitator will remind each participant to write down the grade level s/he teaches, so that the corresponding grade level resources are available at the next session.

Thank you for participating in today’s PLC session on Language Proficiency Data Review!