Alternative Assessments for English Language Learners: Pros and Cons
This paper examines the growing use of alternative assessments for English language learners (ELLs) in the United States, a population expected to comprise 25% of students by 2025. Situating the discussion within the accountability demands of No Child Left Behind legislation, the paper reviews four major types of alternative assessments—Curriculum-Based Assessment, Performance-Based Assessment, Portfolio Assessment, and Dynamic Assessment—and outlines their respective advantages for ELLs. It also addresses student perspectives on fair assessment practices before turning to notable disadvantages, including the absence of clear evaluation criteria and concerns about low teacher assessment literacy. The paper concludes by cautioning against wholesale abandonment of standardized testing in favor of alternative measures.
- Introduction: ELLs and the Assessment Challenge: Policy context and demographic stakes for ELL assessment
- Types of Alternative Assessments and Their Advantages: CBA, portfolio, performance, and dynamic assessment benefits
- Student Perspectives on Fair Assessment: Learner-centered criteria for fair and effective assessment
- Disadvantages and Misconceptions of Alternative Assessment: Common misconceptions and practical limitations of alternative assessment
- Conclusion: Caution against abandoning standardized assessment entirely
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What makes this paper effective
- Balances advocacy for alternative assessments with an honest acknowledgment of their limitations, giving the argument credibility and intellectual fairness.
- Draws on a range of sources—researchers, policymakers, and student perspectives—to build a well-rounded view of the issue.
- Grounds the discussion in a specific policy context (No Child Left Behind, Title I funding, Adequate Yearly Progress) that gives the argument real-world stakes.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper models effective use of multiple-source synthesis: rather than simply summarizing one author at a time, it threads several scholars' arguments together around a central tension (alternative vs. standardized assessment). The inclusion of student-voiced criteria for fair assessment is a particularly strong move, as it grounds abstract policy debate in learner experience.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens by establishing the policy and demographic context for ELL assessment. It then surveys four specific types of alternative assessments and their advantages, supplements this with student-centered criteria for fair assessment, pivots to a balanced critique covering misconceptions and practical limitations, and closes with a cautionary note about teacher assessment literacy and the value of standardization for cross-school comparison. The structure follows a clear problem–solution–complication pattern suited to an argumentative essay.
Introduction: ELLs and the Assessment Challenge
Spinelli (101) explains that the United States is the most linguistically diverse nation in the world, with over 400 languages spoken. English language learners (ELLs) represent the fastest-growing student population and are expected to make up 25% of all students by 2025. Additionally, the accountability requirements of the No Child Left Behind legislation have brought the assessment of English language learners to the forefront of educational discussion. Schools that receive Title I funds must demonstrate that their students—including the subgroup of English language learners—are making Adequate Yearly Progress on high-stakes state assessments.
According to Pappamihiel and Walser (137), great controversy still exists regarding the validity and reliability of high-stakes state assessments for English language learners. Spinelli (104) argues that children who are English language learners frequently perform poorly on standardized assessments and are misidentified as having a learning disability. Pappamihiel and Walser (136) add that this may contribute to limiting educational opportunities for ELLs. For these reasons, many educators and researchers have begun to consider the use of alternative assessments to measure what these students know and can do. While alternative assessments offer many advantages, they also present notable disadvantages.
Types of Alternative Assessments and Their Advantages
Davis Lenski et al. (28) argue that "alternative assessment tasks are a more appropriate and fair way to measure ELLs' progress." Spinelli (107) lists several types of alternative assessments that are effective in evaluating the growth and competency of English language learners. These include Curriculum-Based Assessment (CBA), Performance-Based Assessment, Portfolio Assessment, and Dynamic Assessment.
The advantages of CBA, according to Spinelli (107), are that adaptations can be made to the assessment without impacting reliability, and that CBAs can be operationalized to match a particular child's characteristics. Performance-based assessments provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate a variety of language, literacy, cognitive, social, and motor skills through tasks that are not language dependent (Spinelli, 108). Performance-based assessment involves solving a problem or creating a product using graphics or visuals. Spinelli (108) asserts that this type of assessment better demonstrates what students know and can do than traditional assessments.
The advantages of using portfolio assessment include better communication between teachers and parents, greater parent involvement, and a permanent record that can travel with the student. According to Spinelli (109), this is especially important for migrant families, because the work can be taken with them as they move from place to place. Finally, Spinelli (109) explains the benefits of dynamic assessment. Based on the work of Vygotsky, the "test-teach-retest approach can determine ELLs' current level of functioning as well as the best means to facilitate further learning" (Spinelli, 109).
Student Perspectives on Fair Assessment
Volante and Ben Jaafar (178) list the benefits of alternative assessments from the students' point of view. According to students, assessment is fair and has a positive impact on their learning when it:
- Relates to authentic tasks;
- Represents reasonable demands;
- Encourages students to apply knowledge to realistic contexts;
- Emphasizes the need to develop a range of skills;
- Is perceived to have long-term benefits;
- Rewards genuine effort, rather than measuring "luck";
- Rewards breadth and depth in learning;
- Fosters student independence by making expectations and criteria clear;
- Provides adequate feedback about students' progression;
- Accurately measures complex skills and qualities, as opposed to an over-reliance on memory or regurgitation of facts.
Conclusion
Volante and Ben Jaafar (179) caution against the abandonment of standardized assessment in favor of alternative assessment. They argue that many teachers have a low level of assessment literacy and would therefore be unable to develop assessments that would withstand public scrutiny. Additionally, one of the key benefits of standardization is that it allows for comparison across classes and schools. Alternative assessment makes it impossible to compare student learning without common tasks and rating criteria. While alternative assessments offer meaningful benefits for English language learners, their implementation must be thoughtful and rigorous to be effective.
Works Cited
Arter, Judy. Northwest Regional Educational Lab. "Performance Assessment: What's Out There and How Useful Is It Really?" (1991): ERIC. EBSCO. Web. 6 May 2011.
Davis Lenski, Susan, Fabiola Ehlers-Zavala, Mayra C. Daniel, and Xiaoquin Sun-Irminger. Assessing English-Language Learners in Mainstream Classrooms. Vol. 60. Int Reading Association, 2006. ProQuest Education Journals. Web. 6 May 2011.
Pappamihiel, N.E., and Tamara M. Walser. English Language Learners and Complexity Theory: Why Current Accountability Systems Do Not Measure Up. Vol. 73. Kappa Delta Pi, 2009. ProQuest Education Journals. Web. 6 May 2011.
Spinelli, Cathleen G. "Addressing the Issue of Cultural and Linguistic Diversity and Assessment: Informal Evaluation Measures for English Language Learners." Reading & Writing Quarterly 24.1 (2008): 101–118. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 6 May 2011.
Volante, Louis, and Sonia B. Jaafar. Assessment Reform and the Case for Learning-Focused Accountability. Vol. 44. Faculty of Education, 2010. ProQuest Education Journals. Web. 6 May 2011.
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