Module 3: Accommodations for ELLs

Accommodations are provided to ELLs who are currently receiving services in the ESOL program, operated in accordance with the approved Broward County ELL Plan. State, District and classroom assessments must be administered with any combination of accommodations that are determined to be appropriate for the particular needs of the ELLs. However, all testing, with or without accommodations, must be completed during the prescribed testing dates.

Accommodations for ELLs are listed below:

• Flexible Setting: ELLs may be offered the opportunity to be tested in a separate room with the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) or heritage language teacher acting as test administrator. Schools must inform parents of this option for students not of legal age and parents shall be given the opportunity to select the preferred method of test administration.
• Flexible Scheduling: ELLs may take a part or session of the test during several brief periods within one school day; however, a session of the test must be completed within one school day.
• Flexible Timing: ELLs may be provided additional time; however, a session must be completed within one school day.
• Assistance in the Heritage Language: For the mathematics and science tests, ELLs may be provided limited assistance by an ESOL or heritage language teacher using the student’s heritage language. The teacher may answer specific questions about a word or phrase that is confusing the student because of limited English proficiency, but is prohibited from giving assistance that will help the student solve mathematics and science test questions. A student’s questions must not be answered in a way that would lead the student to unmistakably infer the correct answer to a question. If the FCAT is administered to a group of students, the teacher may answer questions about directions for the benefit of the group; questions of clarification from individual students must be answered on an individual basis without disturbing other students taking the test.
• For the reading test, the ESOL or heritage language teacher may answer student questions about the general test directions in a way that the student would not be unmistakably led to infer the correct answer to any of the questions. The teacher is prohibited from reading words to the student from the passages, test items, and performance tasks, and from answering student questions about the passages, test items, and performance tasks.
• For the writing test, the ESOL or heritage language teacher may answer student questions about the general test directions in their heritage language. The teacher may answer specific inquiries concerning a word or phrase in a writing assessment prompt that is confusing the student because of limited English proficiency. In no case shall assistance be given to the student in responding to the writing assessment prompt. The teacher is prohibited from reading the prompt to the student. All student responses must be written in English. Responses written in languages other than English will not be scored.
• Bilingual Dictionaries: ELLs must have access to an English-to-heritage language translation dictionary and/or heritage language-to-English translation dictionary, such as those made available to ELLs in an instructional setting. However, a dictionary providing definitions written exclusively in the heritage language or in English may not be provided. Use of electronic dictionaries is strictly prohibited and may be cause for invalidation. A list of suggested dictionaries can be found on the Bilingual/ESOL Department/Bilingual Dictionaries web site for school purchasing.