Beyond the Bubble Test: How Performance Assessments Support 21st Century Learning

Chapter 6Adapting Performance Assessments for English Language Learners

Jamal Abedi

Traditional standardized achievement test outcomes are used for high-stakes decisions in assessment and accountability systems throughout the United States. Often developed and field-tested for the mainstream student population, these assessments may not be sensitive enough to the needs of some subgroups of students, such as English language learners (ELLs), who are faced with challenging academic careers. Research clearly demonstrates that some variables unrelated to the focal measurement construct (e.g., unnecessary linguistic complexity, cultural biases in construction of items) can affect the quality of high-stakes assessments for these students (Abedi, ...