Degree Date

6-2023

Document Type

Dissertation - Public Access

Degree Name

Ed.D. Doctor of Education

Academic Discipline

Postsecondary Teaching and Instructional Leadership

First Advisor

Elizabeth Minor

Second Advisor

Stuart Carrier

Third Advisor

Jason Stegemoller

Abstract

From the time of the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) to the present day, standardized testing has become the benchmark measure for student assessment and school accountability in the United States. Multilingual learners are a vulnerable population with more testing and accountability requirements than mainstream students. Not only are they required to learn a second language, but they are also assessed within the same standardized testing paradigms as their peers - native speakers of the English language. This study aimed to examine and evaluate the benefits of instructional practices and assessments that provide multilingual students and teachers prompt and meaningful feedback where the data inform further instruction. The context of the study assesses the multilingual student population in K-8 with the Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners (ACCESS) test. For this study, the researcher used a mixed methodology research design. The researcher surveyed and interviewed teachers with experience working with the multilingual student population, and interviewed parents of children receiving bilingual services in combination with reflective memos. The research findings concluded that assessment data is essential for planning future instruction and providing measures to assist students. However, the ACCESS data is not immediate, lacks specificity, and yearly testing depletes the opportunities for interventions to assess multilingual learners' progress and language development adequately. Therefore, the researcher recommends using performance-based instructional practices and assessments that ignite student learning, curiosity, and relevancy.

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