O que é 'does?'

Posted 10/18/12

To the Editor:October in New England is “NECAP time,” when public school students show what they know and can do on state assessments. While the stated goal of making sure that all …

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O que é 'does?'

Posted

To the Editor:

October in New England is “NECAP time,” when public school students show what they know and can do on state assessments. While the stated goal of making sure that all schools are adequately educating our children sounds laudable, these tests are not appropriate for all students.

English language learner (ELL) students who have been in the U.S. for less than one year do not have to take state tests in reading, but they do in mathematics. Each time I administer the state math assessments in English to ELLs who have been in the country for between a few weeks to one year, I wonder why I am forced to do this. Students can ask for single word translations, an accommodation that research suggests is not helpful as was illustrated this year when a student who arrived here this summer asked during the assessment, “O que é ‘does’?” or “What does ‘does’ mean?” (Think for a minute – How would you translate “does” to a third grader?) The student left more than half of his answers blank and got many others wrong – not because he does not have the math skills (he is on grade level in his native language) – but because he did not understand what he was reading. I can predict that he will score “significantly below proficient,” as has been the case with almost all of our first-year students.

To demonstrate one’s ability to “do the math” on these assessments, one has to be able to read in English.

It is time that we realize that this is a futile activity. If we believe that they have not acquired enough language proficiency to take a reading assessment, we should also realize that they have not acquired enough proficiency to take a math assessment filled with word problems. Otherwise, we are not evaluating what they can do; only how resilient they are to our ridiculous testing policies.

Julie Nora, Ph.D.
Director, International Charter School
Pawtucket

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  • sarena45

    Dear Dr. Nora, I found your comments interesting because I pretty much have had the same argument, however, it relates to American born children that are Dyslexic and I imagine ELL students and Dyslexic students view it as Greek or ελπίδα The translation is Hope, however as you point out not having mastered English Reading wouldn't allow them to translate.

    While I see you point, I take issue with ELL students, because we cannot even focus on getting children tested who show obvious weaknesses and make them take the NECAP. Unfortunately, it isn't until after the 3rd grade (after the Reading to Learn) has been established and the child has a gap that finally they concede to then looking at. The proficiency is overlooked and redirected to experimenting with such children.

    I was at the Legislative Hearing last year that heard the argument in the RI House concerning your points made. This argument was directly followed with a plea to also to recognize and treat Dyselxia. Sadly, neither passed. In the meantime, as you point out...we are diminishing the opportunities for our children and in the end lowering the bar of education.

    Sunday, November 18, 2012 Report this