ACCESS

1. ACCESS Accessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State for English Language Learners

2. ACCESS for ELLs is the official instrument for teachers in Georgia to measure the English language proficiency of the English Language Learners.

3. The ACCESS assessment instrument is based upon the Wisconsin, Illinois, Delaware, Arkansas (WIDA) English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards.

4. WIDA is a multi-state consortium, established through a federally Enhanced Assessment Grant.

5. WIDA developed ELP standards and ACCESS for ELLs (Accessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State for English Language Learners).

6. ACCESS replaces the Language Assessment Battery (LAB), which had been used in Georgia since 1985.

7. Advantages of ACCESS for ELLs: • Meets federal reporting requirements to comply with the Title I and Title III of the No Child Left Behind Act • Is based on the content and language functions which are taught to ELLs throughout the school year

8. The WIDA standards differ from the English Language Arts standards. They are designed specifically for the linguistically and culturally diverse group of students known as ELLs.

9. WIDA standards are tailored to provide academic rigor for learners whose levels of English language proficiency preclude them from accessing, processing, and acquiring unmodified grade level content in English.

10. WIDA standards reflect both the social and academic dimensions of acquiring a second language.

11. The five overarching ELP standards are:

12. 1. English language learners communicate in English for SOCIAL AND INSTRUCTIONAL purposes within the school setting.

13. 2. English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of LANGUAGE ARTS.

14. 3. English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of MATHEMATICS.

15. 4. English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of SCIENCE.

16. 5. English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of SOCIAL STUDIES.

17. Each of the five English language proficiency standards encompasses four language domains:

18. Listening Listening is to process, understand, interpret and evaluate spoken language in a variety of situations.

19. Speaking Speaking is to engage in oral communication in a variety of situations for an array of purposes and audiences.

20. Reading Reading is to process interpret and evaluate written language, symbols and text with understanding and fluency.

21. Writing Writing is to engage in written communication in a variety of forms for an array of purposes and audiences.

22. The five language proficiency levels outline the progression of language development that ELLs will process, understand, produce or use at each language level.

23. Level 1: Entering • Pictorial or graphic representation of the language of the content areas • Words, phrases, or chunks of language when presented with one-step commands, directions, WH-questions, or statements with visual and graphic support

24. Level 2 - Beginning • General language related to the content areas • Phrases or short sentences

25. Level 2 - Beginning (continuation) • Oral or written language with phonological, syntactic, or semantic errors that often impede the meaning of the communication when presented with one to multiple-step commands, directions, questions, or a series of statements with visual and graphic support

26. Level 3: Developing • General and some specific language of the content areas • Expanded sentences in oral interaction or written paragraphs

27. Level 3: Developing (continuation) • Oral or written language with phonological, syntactic, or semantic errors that may impede the communication but retain much of its meaning when presented with oral or written narrative or expository descriptions with occasional visual and graphic support

28. Level 4: Expanding • Specific and some technical language of the content areas • A variety of sentences lengths of varying linguistic complexity in oral discourse or multiple related paragraphs

29. Level 4: Expanding (continuation) • Oral or written language with phonological, syntactic, or semantic errors that do not impede the overall meaning of the communication when presented with oral or written connected discourse with occasional visual and graphic support

30. Level 5: Bridging • The technical language of the content areas • A variety of sentence lengths of varying linguistic complexity in extended oral or written discourse

31. Level 5: Bridging (continuation) • Oral or written language approaching comparability to that of English proficient peers when presented with grade level material

32. The annual administration of ACCESS for ELLs determines the language proficiency levels of each ELL in the language domains and his/her progress.

33. An ACCESS teacher report is provided to help the classroom teacher adjust and implement strategies to guide instruction and assessment for the English language learner.

34. WIDA English Language Proficiency standards CAN DO Descriptions for the English language proficiency levels are available.