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“Simplified English”

“Simplified English”. Language Issues in Assessment. What is “simplified” English? . “Simplified” English is simplification of the construct irrelevant language of the assessment. Vocabulary Sentence structure Verb tenses and forms Directions for the test Format of items.

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“Simplified English”

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  1. “Simplified English” Language Issues in Assessment

  2. What is “simplified” English? • “Simplified” English is simplification of the construct irrelevant language of the assessment. • Vocabulary • Sentence structure • Verb tenses and forms • Directions for the test • Format of items

  3. What is not “simplified” English? • “Simplified English” is NOT changes to the construct/content being tested.

  4. Why use “simplified” English in teacher-made tests? • Increases linguistic access to test • Decreases barrier of language proficiency on student performance in content areas • Useful in student portfolio to show student is proficient in the objectives from that content’s standard course of study

  5. What language features are difficult for English Language Learners? What language features affect comprehension?

  6. Control Language Demand • Word frequency and familiarity • Word length • Sentence length • Passive voice (a sample was selected) • Length of nominals (last year’s class vice president) • Comparative Structures Abedi,J. (2005). Language Issues in Item Development, 377-398.

  7. More language features affecting comprehension… • Prepositional Phrases • Subordinate clauses • Conditional clauses (if) • Relative clauses • Abstract presentations • Negation (no, not, none, never) Abedi,J. (2005). Language Issues in Item Development, 377-398.

  8. Let’s Practice Original: A certain reference file contains approximately six billion facts. Revision: Joe’s company sold six billion hamburgers. frequency/familiarity of vocabulary

  9. Let’s Practice Original: The weights of 4 objects were compared. Revision: Sue compared the weights of 4 rabbits. passive voice

  10. Let’s Practice Original: William must buy enough paper to print 28 copies of a report that contains 64 sheets of paper. Paper is only available in packages of 500 sheets. How many whole packages of paper will he need to buy to do the printing? Revision: William has to buy paper to print 28 copies of a report. He needs 64 sheets of paper for each report. There are 500 sheets of paper in each package. How many whole packages of paper must William buy?

  11. Language issues and the EOG/EOC • We must teach academic English to prepare all students for success • We must also show that LEP students are proficient in the content.

  12. Seeing with New Eyes • Sometimes the art of discovery isn’t finding new lands, it is seeing with new eyes. - Marcel Proust

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