Being True to Form

Formative assessment is a powerful instructional strategy that plays a crucial role in the education of English learners (ELs) and multilingual learners (MLs). When implemented effectively, formative assessment provides teachers and instructional support staff with actionable feedback that can be used to adjust ongoing language and content instruction, thereby improving students’ academic attainment.

When centered around the unique assets of each learner, the formative assessment process becomes even more effective, especially in the context of ELs and MLs. This article outlines the four key steps in the formative assessment cycle, clarifying the role and importance of student assets.

The Importance of Student Assets in Formative Assessment
At the heart of the four-step process in this new formative assessment framework for ELs and MLs is the recognition and leveraging of student assets. These assets include linguistic, cultural, and experiential strengths that each student brings to the classroom. By understanding and utilizing these assets, teachers can create more meaningful and effective assessments that are truly student-centered.

While traditional formative assessment emphasizes student progress toward content mastery, the framework shared in this article expands this focus to include progress toward both content mastery and language mastery. For ELs and MLs, mastering content is intricately linked to students’ language skills. The framework not only addresses what students need to know and do with language to achieve content objectives but also overlays language form and function onto these objectives. By doing so, it provides a deeper understanding of the interdependence between language and content, ensuring that both are developed in tandem. This student-centered approach leverages the unique assets each student brings, making formative assessment a more holistic and effective tool for educators.

Step 1: Clarifying Intended Language and Learning
The first step in the formative assessment cycle is to clarify the intended language and learning objectives. For EL students to succeed, it is vital that they understand the goals and objectives of their learning tasks. This means clearly defining what students are expected to learn (content goals) and how they will demonstrate their understanding (language goals).

Incorporating language-use expectations based on the task and the students’ proficiency levels is crucial. Explicitly modeling or co-creating these expectations with students can greatly enhance their understanding and engagement. This step also involves ensuring that goals and objectives are not only broad but also specific, concrete, and measurable. By tying these objectives to English language proficiency (ELP) standards, teachers can ensure that their assessments are aligned with both language and content goals.

Without clear goals and objectives, it becomes challenging to design opportunities to assess student progress effectively. Therefore, this step is foundational to the entire formative assessment process.

Step 2: Eliciting Evidence of Language and Content Learning
Once the goals and objectives are clear, the next step is to elicit evidence of language and content learning. This evidence must be observable, meaning that it can be seen, heard, or read. It is essential that the evidence collected is directly tied to the established goals—misaligned evidence cannot provide useful insights into student progress.

Students themselves can be a valuable resource in eliciting evidence. Peer interactions, such as “turn and talk” activities, allow all students to participate and demonstrate their understanding, rather than relying solely on teacher-led questioning. Techniques like eyeball partners (students seated in front), shoulder partners (students seated to the left or right), and clock partners (using a clock template to make appointments with classmates) can facilitate these interactions.

It is important to note that evidence can be elicited both spontaneously during lessons and through planned activities. The key is to create opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.

Step 3: Interpreting Evidence
Interpreting the evidence is a critical step in the formative assessment process. As with the elicitation of evidence, interpretation must be closely aligned with the established goals and objectives. Teachers need to analyze whether the evidence shows that students are on track to meet these goals, and if not, what adjustments are necessary.The use of peer-to-peer interaction in interpreting evidence can be particularly beneficial. When students engage in activities like turn and talk, they not only demonstrate their own understanding but also help their peers do the same. This collaborative approach can provide deeper insights into student learning and reveal areas that may need further attention.

Step 4: Acting on Evidence
The final step in the formative assessment cycle is acting on the evidence collected and interpreted. This can be done in a variety of ways, with the primary goal being to provide immediate feedback to students. Feedback should be tailored to the strengths of EL students, whether it is delivered orally, in writing, or through peer interactions. Using students’ native language peers as assets in this process can be particularly effective.

Instructional adjustments based on the evidence can be made either “on the spot” during a lesson or “after the fact” in subsequent lessons. For example, if a teacher notices during a lesson that students are struggling with a particular concept, they can provide additional support immediately. Alternatively, they may choose to revisit the concept in a future lesson based on the evidence collected, if the necessary modifications require additional planning or reteaching.

The Central Role of Student Assets
Throughout the formative assessment process, the central focus remains on the student and their unique assets. By placing student assets at the center of the assessment cycle, teachers can create a more inclusive and effective learning environment for ELs and MLs. Recognizing and leveraging these assets not only enhances the assessment process but also empowers students to take an active role in their own learning.

In summary, formative assessment is not just a tool for measuring student progress; it is a dynamic, student-centered process that, when done well, can transform the educational experience for English and multilingual learners.

Dr. Jobi Lawrence has almost three decades of experience working across all levels in the field of education. From her early career at the local level as a classroom teacher, to serving as the Title III director at a state education agency, to her role at the national level as the director for the National Clearinghouse of English Language Acquisition (NCELA), to her current role as the director of product development and strategic partnerships for UCLA-CRESST supporting ELPA21, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in working with students and families. Dr. Lawrence has developed and delivered professional development, publications, guidance documents, and tool kits for use with a variety of education stakeholders to meet the needs of diverse students and their families.