Creating High Quality Assessments for a Bilingual Population

Abstract

Lack of teacher training in test writing in both colleges and professional development programs has resulted in poorly designed assessments, particularly for culturally diverse and bilingual populations, that do not align with the high standards expected of standardized tests. Weak teacher-made assessments can result in improper student placement, ill-fitting lessons and interventions, and unnecessary frustration and confusion among test takers. These low quality tests can also serve as false predictors for student performance on standardized tests. The danger caused by skewed scores is such that if teachers do not have a reliable means by which to predict students’ future success, many students will be left unprepared. In an attempt to remedy the negative effects of poorly constructed and administered assessments, this research has created a professional development program through which teachers will be trained in writing culturally sensitive multiple-choice items and essay prompts that are aligned to the Common Core State Standards. This research and professional development program place a heavy emphasis on the importance of culturally sensitive language combined with well-crafted test items in order to insure that culturally and linguistically diverse students are provided an equal opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge on teacher-made tests. In addition, this researcher hopes that by improving the quality of teacher-made tests, educators can better prepare students for standardized tests, particularly those that are based on the new Common Core State Standards.