Correct Response: B. The teachers in this scenario plan to use published assessments to determine if students have grasped target mathematical concepts. By providing appropriate linguistic modifications to the assessments for English language learners in the class, the teachers can ensure that the assessment is assessing these students' understanding of the targeted mathematics concept and not their language proficiency. A is incorrect because determining if the assessments were normed using a student group that involved English language learners implies that the assessments are norm- referenced, whereas the assessments in textbooks are almost always criterion-referenced. Also, even if the assessments were norm-referenced, simply ensuring that the assessment items were normed using a student group that included English language learners would not ensure that the language of the assessments is appropriate for students at both the expanding and bridging levels. Content-area assessments should be differentiated for students at different language proficiency levels. C is incorrect because selecting assessment items from the textbook that are language neutral and contain only numerical problems would not necessarily ensure that the assessment measured all the target objectives of a given lesson. Also, simplifying the material to such an extent would not be appropriate for students at the expanding and bridging levels. D is incorrect because administering the assessments orally and allowing the students to respond orally is not appropriate for students at the expanding and bridging levels. This strategy would be more appropriate for English language learners at the emerging or entering level.
