Impact of Using Word Banks on the Performance of Young English Learners in Writing Tasks

• In Event: Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: Considerations in Assessing Diverse Student Populations

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate students’ perceptions and use of scaffolding via word banks during a writing task. In this study we explore the potential use of the word banks in formal summative assessment settings for ELs in Grades 3-5. From our findings, we conclude that the use of word banks does not seem to affect the students’ performance on the writing tasks or the quality of the texts they generate. However, the words in the bank serve as a reference for students to complete the task, and thus make assessment tasks more appropriate for the full range of the EL student population.

Authors

• Alexis Lopez, Educational Testing Service

• Danielle Guzman-Orth, Educational Testing Service

• Mikyung Kim Wolf, ETS