Understanding CELDT scores

1. Understanding CELDT scores Morgan Hill Unified School District 2010-2011

2. What is the CELDT? California English Language Development Test • It is a test given every year to students who have been identified as English Learners. The purpose of the test is to see how well they know English. It is also used to monitor growth from year to year.

3. Why was my student identified? • When parents register their children for school, they fill out a home language survey. • If the answer to any of the first three questions is another language other than English, then the process of identification begins. • The child has to take the CELDT test to confirm that he/she is an English Learner. We call English Learner students ELs

4. Who has to take it? • Only English Learners take the test from kindergarten through 12th grade. • They take it only once a year, but they take it every year thatthey are an EL. • If they are a student returning to the district, they take it at the beginning of the school year during the annual testing window. (July- October) • If they are new to the district, EL students must take it within 30 calendar days of enrollment.

5. Why give the CELDT test? • Every public school in California is required by state law to administer the CELDT to all EL students.

6. How does the CELDT test help my child? • Teachers have two jobs with students who need to learn English as their second language. • Teach them EnglishPLUS • Teach them all the subjects that students learn in school • Reading * Writing * Math *Science *Social Studies *PE • The information from the CELDT test helps teachers understand how much English language EL students know and what more they need to learn.

7. What is on the test? The test covers four parts of learning a new language. These four parts are called domains. • Listening • Speaking • Reading • Writing

8. Sample Question

9. Question and table talk • What are you thinking about this test? • Have you heard your children talk about it?

10. Tests are the same in grade level groups The tests come in five grade spans. • K-1 • 2 • 3-5 • 6-8 • 9-12

11. How is the test scored? • Each of the four sections or domains of the test get scored and a level is assigned to each domain. • Each domain is totaled for an overall score and level. The five proficiency levels are: • 1= Beginning • 2=Early Intermediate • 3= Intermediate • 4= Early Advanced • 5= Advanced So what does that mean?

12. 5 4 3 2 1

13. 1=Beginner • Student may be new to the country or new to school • Could be a kinder in school for the first time or a 10th grader • Knows little to no English • Teachers will have to use strategies or special ways to teach so that students understand what they see and hear in English. • More visual aides (pictures, maps, charts) • Use body movements, repetition, gestures, • Primary language might be used

14. 2=Early Intermediate • Student can speak English in small phrases, and they still make errors. • They can write simple words or phrases. • Teachers will use many of the same strategies to help students make connections to what they are learning. • Students need to practice speaking as much as possible.

15. 3=Intermediate • Students seem to communicate with ease. • They can speak and write in complete sentence. • Students continue to make some errors that may interfere with communication. • To many people, they may seem to be fluent English speakers. • They lack the higher academic language required to be successful in other courses . • Teachers will work on increasing vocabulary, improving sentence structures, and providing opportunities for students to speak and listen to each other.

16. 4=Early Advanced • Students are able to communicate in more demanding situations. • Written communication is more elaborate. Students are able to write paragraphs and composition with few errors. • Errors rarely interfere with communication. • Teachers will work on increasing academic language.

17. 5= Advanced • Students are able to speak, read, write and listen effectively in various social and academic settings. • They still need to increase academic vocabulary. • They rarely make errors that interfere with communication. • Students are able to be successful in their other courses. • Teachers still need to monitor and provide assistance when needed.

18. Think and Talk • Do you have an idea of how well your students speak English? • How can we help you understand what this means? • What more information do you need?

19. Is there a certain score that is good? • What we want for your child is GROWTH • They should be learning more and more English each year • You should be able to watch their bars grow over time

20. How much growth should my child grow in a year? • Generally, growing about a level a year is good. A child moving from beginning up make take a little longer. It is not uncommon to be an early intermediate student (2) or an intermediate student (3) for two years. • If a student spends more than two years in any one level, we want to explore what might be an issue. What more can we do in class? What more can we do in partnership at home?

21. When a student scores in these levels, they may be considered for reclassification. Possible reclassification

22. What does reclassification mean? • When an EL student is reclassified, that means that the student no longer needs language support. • We will talk in detail at another meeting about reclassification but remember Reclassification means your student knows enough English to be successful without English language support Reclassification is our ultimate goal so that students can be successful in all their classes.

23. What are some of the EL services? • They are the supports provided to your student to learn English and to learn the academic information (Math, Science, History, etc) • English Language Development classes or ELD • Qualified teachers who are trained to teach EL students. • Help for parents

24. Any more questions about CELDT scores?