Standardized Assessment of the Content Knowledge of English Language Learners K-12: current trnds and old dilemmas by Francis A. Butler & Robin Steven

The article focused on the students who are classified as limited English proficient and that teachers are now challenged to teach the content knowledge of English. These students are also challenged wit the high stakes of standardized assessment of the content knowledge wit the mainstream English language. For second language learners of English, it is considered a problem as well as unaccountable to use the standardized content assessment due to test material unknown to the students. Although approaches were attempted and discussed, they were found to be problematic or had mixed results. Now the authors state that research should focus directly and facilitate for the ELLs on the issues of: academic language assessment, opportunity to learn, and inclusion approaches. While reading this article, it reminded me about a time when our site principal stressed his concerns to the teachers about the annual yearly progress for our school. The teachers had to become highly qualified to be teachers, too. Then questions like, "Should I teach to the test?" came up among the teachers. Now there is always testing going on in the school. Sometimes a teacher will call me saying she will test so and so during Yup'ik time. Then I will say, its fine with me. While inside of me is sadden with the thought of trying to teach those students their native language with the little time I have with them each day. But, we do what is best for our students.