Module 2: Understanding Cultural and Linguistic Factors on Assessment

Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association & National Council on Measurement in Education, 1999) notes the importance of considering issues related to language and culture “when developing, administering, scoring and interpreting test scores and making decisions based on test scores” (p. 91). The performance of students who are not proficient in English on tests administered in English may be impacted by their lack of English proficiency and may not be an accurate reflection of the competencies the test was designed to measure. “For all test takers, any test that employs language is, in part, a measure of their language skills. This is of particular concern for test takers whose first language is not the language of the test.”
Educators working with students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) groups need to develop culturally competent practices and use them during the consultation, assessment and intervention process. This involves culturally sensitive attitudes, skills, and knowledge (Klotz & Canter, 2006). In addition, school personnel need to gain knowledge about the cultural and language groups represented in their schools and interpret school performance and behavior in light of students’ individual backgrounds. For example, students may have started school at ages that differ from those customary in the U.S., maybe unaccustomed to timed tasks and standardized tests, have different communication styles, have had varying types of learning experiences in their native language and in English, be the product of different child-rearing practices, and may lack familiarity with the rules and expectations of the school environment (Wilen, 2004). It is important for educators to be aware of how our testing practices affect all students, as assessment directly impacts their academic success.

Factors that can impact test performance among ELLs include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Extent and nature of educational experiences outside the U.S. including the type of educational program and attendance patterns
• Extent and nature of educational experiences in the U.S. including the type of educational program and attendance patterns
• Level of English proficiency compared to the language requirements of the test
• Vision, hearing, speech/language, medical and/or developmental problems
• Test-taking skills, expectations and experience
• Family and life experiences that may impact school achievement
• Level of acculturation of the student compared to the test requirements (Rhodes, Ochoa & Ortiz, 2005; Wilen, 2004)

It is important to use multiple sources of appropriate information to make informed decisions about students as opposed to a single score (Joint Committee on Testing Practices, 2004). These sources include information from the home, a review of current and prior educational history, formative and summative assessments, such as teacher-made tests, work samples, portfolios, journals, observational data, non-verbal representations, interviews, and Responses to Interventions (RtI)/Multi-tier System of Support (MTSS). Test scores should be interpreted in the context of cultural and linguistic background factors.

Limitations of assessments with ELLs can include difficulties in the testing setting itself (e.g., anxiety, time limits, lack of familiarity with test formats or test-taking skills) as well as biases in test content. For example, a student may be unfamiliar with specific cultural content on tests such as questions about activities or sports that are uncommon in their countries of origin (Díaz-Rico & Weed, 2006).