Gokhale1

Emilee Rodriguez

Estephanie Lopez Contreras

TCH_LRN 413

01 December 2023

Planning Assessments with Multilingual Learners in Mind

For my writing lesson, students can receive feedback at many stages throughout the

process. The first and broadest way that they can get instant feedback is during the discussion

and lesson introduction. If students are confused about the content, assignment expectations,

or writing process, they can simply ask the teacher for help. Even if a student doesn't ask a

question, one of their peers might ask a question that helps them understand. Once students

begin writing, they can work with a writing buddy to get feedback through peer-assessment.

Students are also encouraged to self-assess by making sure all requirements are met before

they turn in their writing samples. Underneath the assessment table, I have provided a content

objective checklist that students can use to complete their self and peer-assessments. Students

can go through this checklist after they finish writing. If students check off everything on the

checklist, they know that they have met all of the requirements. If they can't check something

off, they know exactly what they need to revise. As for the language objectives, MLLs will

complete a quick check-in with the teacher. This will be a low-stakes “interview" where the

student shows the teacher their work so they can discuss it together. The teacher will use

different prompts to encourage the student to explain how they met the language objective. If

the student can't show that they met the objective, the teacher can work with them to make a
 Gokhale2

revision plan. If the student shows evidence that doesn't quite meet the objective, the teacher

can give feedback to help the student get there. If the student meets the objective, it gives the

teacher an opportunity to comment on what the student did well and give them the option to

complete an extension. Not only does this assessment allow the teacher to give clear, specific

feedback to the student on their language development, but it also helps them build self-

assessment skills and metacognition, as they must go back and think about their thought

process in order to explain it to the teacher.

When creating assessments for the content objectives, I was mindful to give MLLs

options that sever the content from the English language. At first, I did this by giving students

the option to present their ideas verbally. However, this didn't exactly make it accessible to

MLLs, as they still may have trouble talking about things that they like. So, I gave MLLs the

option to complete the writing assignment in their home language first. This allows me to

assess their content knowledge without any barriers for the student caused by the English

language. Although this requires a translator for the teacher to be able to grade it, it's worth it

to ensure that the student is only being assessed on their content knowledge. When thinking

about the language objectives, the check-in assessment allows it to be tailored towards each

MLL's goals, as a teacher may have multiple MLLs at different levels. Since the teacher and

student are working together to make sure their writing meets the objectives, it's less likely that

the teacher will misunderstand the student's work and give them feedback that won't make

sense. This collaboration also gives MLLs additional opportunities for student voice and self-
 Gokhale3

advocacy. They can work with the teacher to come up with revision plans or language goals that

feel good for both the teacher and the student.