Laws and Requirements for Esl Assessment
Forum Discussion: Laws and Requirements for ESL Assessment
What impact would you say No Child Left Behind has had on ESL learners and their education, either based on your actual experience/observations or your best guess after reading the text of the law?
Although I am not a teacher yet, in my opinion, the impact that No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has had on ESL learners and their education should be positive. First, NCLB demands additional state and local accountability and greater attention to student assessment (Burden, 2010, p. 50). Second, NCLB requires annual measurement of progress in English language acquisition for schools receiving federal funding under this act (Module 1 / Theme 2, 2012). According to Module 1 / Theme 2 (2012), annual assessment in English acquisition serves two purposes; it helps to decide which ESL programs are effective and it helps develop future English Language Instructional programming. Assessment is crucial for English Language Learners (ELLs) (Echevarria, et al, 2008, p. 185). Because assessment is crucial to ELLs, it helps gauge the effectiveness of ESL programs and it helps in the development of future class programming, NCLB has a positive impact on ELLs and their education.
Do you agree or disagree with states being held accountable to the federal government for use of federal funding for education? Do you think that accountability should include hard data on the academic and/or English proficiency progress of what the law calls “Limited English Proficient” students? Why or why not?
I agree that states should be held accountable for to the federal government for use of federal funding for education. Personally, I think the states and local districts deserve more control over education content and methods of instruction. This allows parents and the local community greater access to and greater influence over education curriculum and standards. However, as long as states receive funding from the federal
What impact would you say No Child Left Behind has had on ESL learners and their education, either based on your actual experience/observations or your best guess after reading the text of the law?
Although I am not a teacher yet, in my opinion, the impact that No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has had on ESL learners and their education should be positive. First, NCLB demands additional state and local accountability and greater attention to student assessment (Burden, 2010, p. 50). Second, NCLB requires annual measurement of progress in English language acquisition for schools receiving federal funding under this act (Module 1 / Theme 2, 2012). According to Module 1 / Theme 2 (2012), annual assessment in English acquisition serves two purposes; it helps to decide which ESL programs are effective and it helps develop future English Language Instructional programming. Assessment is crucial for English Language Learners (ELLs) (Echevarria, et al, 2008, p. 185). Because assessment is crucial to ELLs, it helps gauge the effectiveness of ESL programs and it helps in the development of future class programming, NCLB has a positive impact on ELLs and their education.
Do you agree or disagree with states being held accountable to the federal government for use of federal funding for education? Do you think that accountability should include hard data on the academic and/or English proficiency progress of what the law calls “Limited English Proficient” students? Why or why not?
I agree that states should be held accountable for to the federal government for use of federal funding for education. Personally, I think the states and local districts deserve more control over education content and methods of instruction. This allows parents and the local community greater access to and greater influence over education curriculum and standards. However, as long as states receive funding from the federal
References: Burden, P (2010). Classroom Management Creating a Successful K-12 Learning Community. 4th ed. Hoboken, NJ: WILEY. p. 50 Wabilingual. (2012). Understanding Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAOs). Available: http://www.wabilingual.org/memos/trainings/Understanding%20AMAOs_Jan2011.pdf. Last accessed 3rd Apr 2012. Echevarría, J. ,Vogt, M.E. & Short, D. J.,(2008) Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners, THE SIOP MODEL p. 185