A? B? C? Assigning Meaningful Grades for ELLs

A? B? C? Assigning

Meaningful Grades for ELLs

Terry WaldspurgerTESOL Convention

Philadelphia, PAMarch 30, 2012

[email protected]

Grades are Here to Stay

“There is no doubt that our society believes in grades. We look for four-star movies, five-star restaurants, top-10 colleges, and even Grade A eggs.”

– (Scherer, 2011, p. 7)

The Culture of Grades Organizations expect teachers to

evaluate multiple areas of a student’s learning and performance and fairly synthesize them into one meaningful, understandable value for a report card

Over 90% of US schools use some kind of A-F grading scale

Only 1% do not use grades at all Grades are taken seriously by

parents, administrators, colleges

The Culture of Grades

Grades carry consequences and expectations

Poor grades can have lasting negative effects– Promotion and retention– G/T, STEM, AP, honors– Sports and extracurricular activities– College admissions and placement

Grading is Often Inconsistent

Despite importance of grades, inconsistencies cause inequity and failure for many, including ELLs

Grading is one of the last bastions of teacher power and control– Teachers determine what and how they

grade, often including the grading scale– Studies show that even teachers in the same

buildings interpret/assign grades differently despite school grading policy

– (Reeves, 2008, Seeley, 1994)

Teachers are Conflicted

Teachers need to enforce rigor of content standards

Teachers need to ensure that their students are passing state tests

Teachers need to assign grades How can teachers assess and grade

ELLs and still be able to hold them to the same learning standards as other students?

Grading is Frustrating

“I just hate grades. They are very discouraging to our children. The ones who get A’s, get A’s. Some kids come to school every day – in our community that’s really wonderful – yet they get F’s. I give them F’s, because that’s what they earn, I guess. That’s the system.”

– (Seeley, 1994, p. 5)

Teachers are Busy

Teachers have a myriad of responsibilities built into their days -- how can they also accommodate all their special populations?

How can teachers find the time to create and grade multiple assessments that allow ELLs to show mastery of content despite lower English proficiency levels?

Teachers and Time “I’m sure I’m not the only one…but 9

of my ELLs are placed in a class of 23 native speakers and 4 of my ELLs are in a class of 28 native speakers. Most of my ELLs are at a Level 2, but I do have some Level 1 students as well. Our 40-minute classes leave me with little time to deal with the issues of the native speakers, let alone to work on special assessments for my ELLs.”

– (Pawan and Craig, 2011, p. 306)

Teachers are Confused

Teachers are often unaware of (or disregard) organizational grading policies

Teachers receive little if any professional development in converting classroom assessments into grades

Teachers who effectively differentiate instruction/assessment do not know how to assign grades based on these “adapted” scores

Where Do ELLs Fit In?

Many educators believe that report card grades should measure only one aspect: mastery of grade-level, content standards

– (Marzano, 2000, Reeves, 2008)

What do teachers do, then, when an ELL can’t demonstrate grade-level “mastery” based on her English proficiency level?

The Many Facets of Grades

Teachers enjoy special relationships with their students and see more than just numbers– Attitude, motivation, effort, participation– Special circumstances (poverty, proficiency

level, disability) It is often difficult for teachers to

separate “product” from “process” Grades often reflect “justice tempered

with mercy” – (Seeley, 1994, p. 5)

Research on Grades

Reeves, 2008: The single most important change that would immediately reduce student failures in a school is to change the grading policy

The difference between failure and honor roll can often be attributed to the way a teacher grades

Toxic Grading Practices

Assigning zero’s for missing/late work (especially on a 100 pt. scale)– Averages tumble– Work remains undone (so student has

no chance to learn)– ELLs often can’t complete assignments

accurately or in a timely manner The appropriate response for

missing work is to complete it!– Use recess, lunch, before/after school


Using grades as either motivation or punishment– High grades do not motivate students to

work harder (often the opposite is true)Extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivationTeachers should foster intrinsic motivation

– Low grades do not motivate failing students to try harder

Students see no point in working hard if they are doomed to failure


Averaging all scores equally throughout a marking period– Allow more recent grades to replace

(not average with) older grades– Students who begin at different levels

can all eventually earn the same final (and high) grade

– This would benefit ELLs, who are also struggling with language and need to be measured over time


Too many small, insignificant grades (busy work, homework, group work) pull down summative averages (leading to grade inflation or failure)

Some believe that homework should never be graded (feedback only)

Too few summative grades can ruin a final grade– No single assessment can be perfectly

valid/reliable; effective accountability requires multiple measures

Grading Research

A report card grade should consist only of summative, individual, performance-based work that is standards-based

Grades should never be based on personal or behavioral factors

A benefit of more valid, reliable grading: students develop a higher motivation to learn

– (McTighe & O’Connor, 2005)

Grading ELLs

“If they (ELLs) are not proficient in English, all the types of assessment in the world are not going to put them on equal footing with native speakers. This seems like a no-win situation for the students.”

– (Pawan & Craig, 2011, p. 305)

This is often a “no-win” for teachers as well

ELLs can not be compared with non-ELLs

“Traditional grading does not work for assessing the academic learning of Limited English Proficient students.”

– Solis, 2005 “Fairness does not exist when

assessment is uniform, standardized, impersonal, and absolute. Rather, it exists when assessment is appropriate…”

– Indiana Department of Education, 2005

Equality vs. Equity

Equality:– Absolute– Normed (on the curve)– Standardized– Same for all

Equitable– Fair opportunities for all– Accommodating/modified– Individualized

What is Not Equitable

Assigning lower grades based solely on English proficiency level

Giving low grades to punish/motivate lower performing students

Using grades to rank and/or differentiate student abilities

Grading on the curve Continuing flawed policies because

“we’ve always done it this way”

A Quandary for Teachers

Assigning a low or even failing grade to an ELL for not mastering course content based on a lower language proficiency level is inherently unfair.

However, if ELLs cannot demonstrate mastery as well as a native speaker, teachers often feel they can’t assign them an equally high grade

Where is the Balance?

“I asked an administrator one time if I should flunk all of my ESL students because they did not meet the requirements of the 10th grade curriculum, and he told me, ‘You must judge them on what they CAN do.’”

– (Pawan & Craig, 2011, p. 305)

Finding the Balance

How do teachers find the balance between fairness and validity?

We can’t assign low grades based on proficiency level

However, neither can we “pass” a student who has not met content standards

We must provide access to same content while supporting instruction at the ELL’s current proficiency level

Lussi, 2010, p. 4 Giving an ELL an “A” for completing

a graphic organizer while the native speakers are writing essays is fair!

“Fair means giving the student what he/she needs so they will have the same opportunity as any other student to succeed…although the assignment may be perceived as ‘easier,’ the ELL student is already doing double the work” (learning both content and language)

Grading Tips for ELLs

Assess in a variety of modalities based on student strengths– (listening, speaking, reading, writing)

Utilize rubrics and performance-based assessments

Do not grade language– Ignore/forgive spelling, grammar, vocabulary

gaps Allow more time, grade recouping

– No zero’s for late/missing work

Grading Tips for ELLs

Give ELLs choices in what they can do to demonstrate learning

Provide timely, specific, understandable feedback that an ELL can use to improve

Allow assessment in native language if possible, appropriate

Explain passing criteria in advance and show examples of excellent and weak work

ELL Grading Systems

No grade given -- for newly arrived students who know no English

Narrative assessments only (P)ass, (F)ail, (HP) High Pass

– Includes effort, language growth, and content standard mastery measured at the level of language proficiency

– Students can fail if they make no effort to do any work, do not cooperate, do not ask for help

Grading Systems

Tomlinson, 2001: For ELLs, a superscript appears next to each “traditional” grade– 1 – above grade level– 2 – at grade level– 3 – below grade level– For example, A3 indicates student is

earning an A in progress, etc., but is not yet on grade level

Grading Systems

Assign multiple grades per class Tomlinson, 2001: Two grades

– Traditional, standards-based (e.g. D)– Personal, effort, progress, growth in linguistic

and content goals (e.g. B) Jung & Guskey, 2010: Three grades

– Product (standards-based)– Process (effort/motivation/participation)– Progress (improvement over time)– Multiple grades are easier for teachers

ELL Grading Sytems

Students in an ELL program who are receiving instructional support and/or accommodations have a comment or notation on their report cards indicating such:– “Student enrolled in ESL, no grade given

(narrative only)”– “ESL Adapted Instruction”– “ESOL Student receiving instructional

and/or assessment accommodations”

Jung & Guskey, 2010

For each ELL, determine the following:– Is content mastery achievable without

accommodations or modifications? If yes, no grading changes or notations are

necessary

– Is content mastery only achievable with accommodations or modifications?

Jung & Guskey, 2010

Accommodations only– (extra time, read aloud, bilingual dictionary,

responding orally, etc.)Attempting to “level the playing field”

– Standards remain the same but the method(s) for demonstrating mastery is adjusted

– Provide accommodations but no change in grading process necessary

– Possible report card notation noting accommodations

Jung & Guskey, 2010

Modifications – content standards are changed, adapted, simplified based on linguistic level and/or content gaps

New 7th grade ELL with no English being taught 4th-5th grade science vocabulary

If modifications needed, determine appropriate adapted standards

E.g., 4th grade science for 7th grader

Teach/assess student and report grades on modified standards only

Jung & Guskey, 2010

For any reporting changes made, always communicate grades’ meaning to parents and other stakeholders

Add notation to grade or report card For example, a footnote stating,

“Grade(s) based on modified standards”

Narrative could be attached

A Note on Legality

According to USDE’s Office of Civil Rights (2008)

It is legal to report ELL status and/or accommodation/modification adaptations on a report card, but not on transcripts

If grade-level standards are fundamentally modified, these can be legally noted on transcripts

Some Final Thoughts

Whatever grading system is used:– It needs to be based on clearly articulated

and accepted policies – It needs to be adopted and used by all

teachers– It needs to be explained to all

stakeholders ELLs should be graded on growth and

progress as well as mastery of standards

A? B? C? Assigning Meaningful Grades for ELLs

Education

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