Assessing English Language Learners: Bridges to Educational Equity
Connecting Academic Language Proficiency to Student Achievement
Foreword by Margaret Heritage
Second Language Assessment
Build the bridges for English language learners to reach success!
Ten years ago, the first edition of Margo Gottlieb’s Assessing English Language Learners changed the dialogue about how educators envision educational equity for students. Since then, the ELL and dual language student populations have grown exponentially, and so has the need for forward-thinking and effective approaches to facilitating students’ academic language development alongside their content knowledge.
This thoroughly updated edition of Gottlieb’s classic delivers a complete set of tools, techniques, and ideas for planning and implementing instructional assessment. The book includes:
- A focus on academic language use in every discipline, from mathematics to social studies, within and across language domains
- Emphasis on linguistically and culturally responsive assessment as a key driver for measuring academic achievement
- A reconceptualization of assessment “as,” “for,” and “of” learning
- Reflection questions to stimulate discussion around assessment policies and practices to maximize opportunities for teacher input and student engagement
This book is an essential resource for pre-service and in-service teachers, educator teams, and school leaders striving toward equity in every classroom.
"In this exciting, practitioner-friendly volume, Margo Gottlieb shows us how assessment as, for, and of learning can provide a level playing field for today’s language learners. Educators working with English language learners will find this assessment-moxie book truly invaluable."—W. James Popham, Professor Emeritus
University of California, Los Angeles
"There are no other books available that cover the topic of fair and equitable assessment practices for English learner as comprehensively as this one. Nor are there any other books with such a rich selection of tools readily available for practitioners. It must belong in every TESOL professional’s library!"
—Andrea Honigsfeld, Associate Dean and EdD Program Director
Molloy College
Supplements
"Few writers have the chops to capture the potent links between assessment and instruction, and even fewer language-learning specialists possess such skills. Happily, Margo Gottlieb is the exception. In this exciting, practitioner-friendly volume, she shows us how assessment as, for, and of learning can provide a level playing field for today’s language learners. Educators working with English language learners will find this assessment-moxie book truly invaluable."
"This practical book provides excellent background information and practical guidance for educators interested in improving the assessment of English learners (ELs) and connecting academic language proficiency to academic achievement. Its format of using reflections throughout each chapter offers opportunities for readers to think more deeply about topics and helps guarantee that they will be engaged and apply what they are learning to their own settings. Sharing the reflections with colleagues will help readers gain multiple perspectives related to the assessment of language proficiency in ELs. The practical resources at the end of each chapter will help educators apply what they learned."
"There are no other books available that cover the topic of fair and equitable assessment practices for English learner as comprehensively as this one Nor are there any other books with such a rich selection of tools readily available for practitioners. It must belong in every TESOL professional’s professional library!"
"Assessing Language Learners: Bridges to Educational Equity
/ Connecting Academic Language Proficiency to Student Achievement, 2e is a great resource for teacher education programs and professional learning opportunities for schools. The book presents a new vision about assessment in the 21st century, which is influenced by new standards, accountability and technological advances in education. The new concept of Assessment as, for, and of Learning that Gottlieb presents will transform education and provide a different perspective of assessment to all stakeholders. This is definitely a book that all educators should read."
"Assessing English Language Learners: Bridges to Educational Equity lays out a much needed practical process for instructional professionals to design equitable access to educational opportunity for English learners! Margo Gottlieb both responds to and promotes growing awareness of the critical importance for teachers and instructional leaders to ensure English learners’ meaningful engagement with content through academic English. This authentic evolution of appropriate assessment as, for and of learning answers the “how” part of the clarion call for English learners to participate in rigorous curricula and instruction."
"Framed by a lens of equity, Gottlieb makes the complex landscape of assessment accessible for classroom practitioners of English language learners. Readers will walk away with a crystal clear understanding of the instructional conditions they can create for English language learners, promoting linguistically responsive assessment practices."
"While we know that first-hand teaching experiences cannot readily be substituted by reading about the work and practice of others, with evocative scenarios of teachers, students and schools used throughout Assessing English Language Learners: Bridges to Educational Equity, Margo Gottlieb comes close to making this happen. This is critical in two ways: first, the book is lively and interesting--serving as a welcome, well-designed text for teacher preparation courses, and second, the scenarios with their companion reflection questions can serve as an excellent stand-alone reference and thought-provoking resource for the increasing number of classroom teachers who find themselves responsible for the instruction and assessment of students acquiring English alongside their content area learning."
"Assessing English Language Learners is an important contribution to the field for the many educators who believe that assessment for second language learners is important, but only if it is valid. This book lays out a clear and compelling argument that assessment and equity are not mutually exclusive concepts in educational programs for the nation's burgeoning population of multilingual learners. Its breadth is impressive and includes important discussions about language proficiency assessment, but also adds ideas for content area assessment practices. Important reading for practitioners and educational leaders."
"High quality and relevant - perfect for our assessment course."