Translanguaging and the Assessment of Young Dual Language Learners

• In Event: 70.051 - Assessment and Young Dual Language Learners in Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten: Issues to Consider

Abstract

Purpose

A commonly used pedagogical approach in bilingual classrooms is translanguaging, where dual language learner (DLL) students are presented with opportunities to actively learn and strategically participate using all their languages resources, depending on their communicative needs (Baker, 2001; García, 2009; García, Flores, & Woodley, 2012). This study investigates differences in young students’ responses on English language assessment tasks when utilizing comparative assessment scoring frameworks (a monolingual framework, and a multilingual framework). In this presentation, we demonstrate empirical evidence supporting the use of translanguaging in measuring young DLLs’ language proficiency.

Perspective

According to Garcia (2009), bilingual students and teachers engage in complex discursive practices that include the home language in order to make sense of teaching and learning, to communicate and appropriate content knowledge, and to develop academic language practices. These practices students the opportunity to show what they know and are able to do during learning experiences and assessment practices, which can lead to more appropriate score use and interpretation. Using translanguaging during the assessment process is hypothesized to elicit a better understanding of DLLs’ linguistic proficiency.

Methods & Data Sources

We analyzed the responses of five DLL kindergartners on constructed response speaking tasks. The participants were identified by their district as Spanish-speaking English Learners. The tasks were delivered on an iPad and designed to measure students’ ability to retell a story or an event in English. Data was collected with one-on-one cognitive laboratories using think aloud item protocols to elicit feedback from the students and to examine how they interacted with the speaking tasks (e.g., Ericsson & Simon, 1993). Cognitive labs were conducted in English or in Spanish, depending on the student’s needs. Cognitive lab data and student responses were analyzed qualitatively using open coding to identify themes illustrating (1) how students completed the tasks, (2) the quality of their responses, and (3) how translanguaging helped them complete the tasks (i.e., discourse-level analysis).

Results

Findings suggested that when analyzing the responses from a monolingual framework, students’ performance had limited usefulness for identifying what young DLLs know and are able to do in a language assessment context. However, using a multilingual framework like translanguaging elicited rich opportunity to identify language features that could help illuminate incoming-students’ language skills. Examples from student responses will be shown in detail during the presentation.

Significance

DLLs transitioning into kindergarten face the difficult task of meaningfully participating in classroom instructional activities in their home language or second language. For a majority of these students, entering kindergarten also brings an added pressure of learning English for social and academic purposes, as well as participating in assessments designed to measure language proficiency. However, for DLLs, using one language at a time to participate in a learning experience or assessment may result in construct irrelevant variance if the act of separating languages is a new, artificial, experience. The findings from this study have the potential to make assessments more effective for young DLLs who will transition to English-speaking kindergarten classrooms.

Authors

• Danielle Guzman-Orth, Educational Testing Service

• Alexis Lopez, Educational Testing Service