English language learners and easyCBM

In designing the easyCBM system, we've incorporated a lot of best practices for English language learners (ELL) students. For example, the system is designed to be intuitive for students to use, without requiring a lot of written (or oral) instructions. In addition, all the math items are written with particular attention to reducing the impact of language knowledge on student performance.

Although there are no ELL modifications to the test, the assessments and the easyCBM system as a whole, are built from a framework of scaffolded and sheltered instruction that have an emphasis on ensuring their appropriateness for students from special needs populations, including English learners.

We created the Basic Reading assessments (Deluxe) to use shorter, easier-access text to assess students’ reading comprehension, with a focus on literal comprehension (compared to Proficient Reading measures, in contrast, are significantly longer and assess students’ literal, inferential, and evaluative comprehension).

We added Vocabulary tests (Deluxe) to assess students’ ability to figure out the meaning of words in context, and include both individual words as well as idiomatic expressions (a sub-set of vocabulary knowledge particularly challenging for ELL students.