There are a variety of standardized tests which include achievement tests, aptitude tests, career or educational interest inventories, and personality tests. Standardized tests used in the classroom are formative and summative in certain contexts. A teacher may give a formative assessment to see student progression throughout a unit or to see whether the material has been understood. A summative standardized test would be given at the end of a unit or at the end of a lesson to assess learning and see the general trend in scores, which can determine whether the material was taught well or not. Another form of standardized tests can be professionally created, such as ISTEP, which can be used to compare students from all across the state and, in certain cases, the country. Both formative and summative standardized tests can assess performance and may be beneficial for students to use for improvement. Summative standardized tests are more formal than classroom tests. More rules must be followed and necessary measures must be taken to ensure that the tests are reliable and valid.
When an assessment is reliable, it means that if a person were to take the assessment multiple times it will yield the same, or similar, results. When a test is valid, it is actually measuring what it is intended to measure. An example of an assessment being reliable, but having poor validity is giving a 5th grader a 3rd grade level math test. He may receive a hundred percent all three times he takes it, making it reliable, but the test is not valid because he is being tested on something that he should have mastered.
In my opinion, standardized tests are not that “standardized.” Students who migrate to America from a different country and have no command on English, should not be expected to do well on standardized tests. The entire test is in English, making it a disadvantage for foreign students. A Spanish speaker may know how to find the area of a square, but a word problem written in English asking about the area of a farm may be difficult for the child to understand, thus causing her to answer the question wrong. In order for a test to be “standardized,” it must appeal to everyone, in any capacity. Giving this test in Spanish, for example, might allow Spanish-speaking students the opportunity to actually showcase their knowledge and not fall into the negative stereotype that is placed on Hispanics and many other minorities.
I agree with the solution you have to give standardized tests in the native language of the student. I think it would be a great way to reach out to them.
ReplyDeleteI really like your idea of giving a student their test in their natural language. As future teachers, we all will most likely have to deal with students who speak another language at home, or students who may have even been born in a different country. It can be hard to accommodate to those students' needs, but also very important. While I agree with you that a test should be given in their native language, how long do you think that should go on? For instance, if a 2nd grade student immigrates from Puerto Rico, would you only give them tests in their native language for that school year? Or even after that?
ReplyDeleteI think giving students tests in their own language should be allowed for the first or second year; however, I think it's important to note that these tests should only be given in the native language for tests that are examining comprehension. For example, I would give a separate test for a history lesson or a math lesson. If I did it in language arts or reading, that would be counterproductive because those subjects are supposed to help TEACH English. By giving it in Spanish, you're not testing how much English they have learned and if they are improving.
ReplyDeleteI like your points here. Your ideas about giving a test in someone's first language also speaks to the validity of the test. If the test is meant to test mathematical understanding, then like you say, it is actually (unintentionally) testing language comprehension as well for second language learners. In that way, it might in fact be inequitable. Your suggestion makes the assessment more targeted toward mathematical understanding and not language comprehension as well.
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