English Learners Report Roundup

Research Report: English-Language Learners

By Mary Ann Zehr — March 10, 2009 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

How students score in reading and writing on an English-language-proficiency test is a good indicator of how they will score on the reading, writing, and mathematics tests that their states give to all students.

That’s what a study of 5th and 8th graders who took the English-proficiency test developed by the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment consortium, or WIDA, concluded. Researchers for the study, which was commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, found that students’ reading and writing scores on the test were stronger predictors of how they did on regular academic tests than were their scores in the speaking and listening portions.

The 5th and 8th graders in the study were from New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, which are all members of WIDA and thus use the access for ELLs English-proficiency test. Students in those states also take the same academic-content tests, called the New England Common Assessment Program.

A version of this article appeared in the March 11, 2009 edition of Education Week

Events

School Climate & Safety Webinar Engaging Every Student: How to Address Absenteeism and Build Belonging
Gain valuable insights and practical solutions to address absenteeism and build a more welcoming and supportive school environment.
Student Well-Being K-12 Essentials Forum Social-Emotional Learning 2025: Examining Priorities and Practices
Join this free virtual event to learn about SEL strategies, skills, and to hear from experts on the use and expansion of SEL programs.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Inside PLCs: Proven Strategies from K-12 Leaders
Join an expert panel to explore strategies for building collaborative PLCs, overcoming common challenges, and using data effectively.
Content provided by Otus

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

English Learners Q&A What’s Ahead for the 5.3 Million English Learners in Our Schools?
If English learners do well, the whole nation will, says the outgoing director of the federal office of English language acquisition.
6 min read
Photograph of a Hispanic elementary school girl writing at her desk in a classroom setting
E+
English Learners Which Students Are Earning the Seal of Biliteracy, in Charts
A growing number of students are graduating high school with a seal of biliteracy recognizing their multilingualism.
2 min read
Karen language students work on a presentation highlighting historical figures during a Karen for Karen speakers class at Washington Tech Magnet School in St. Paul, Minn., on May 22, 2024.
Karen language students work on a presentation highlighting historical figures during a Karen for Karen-speakers class at Washington Tech Magnet School in St. Paul, Minn., on May 22, 2024. The St. Paul district has boosted seal of biliteracy participation by creating courses and assessments for less commonly spoken languages.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
English Learners Schools Are Graduating More Students With a Seal That Shows They're Multilingual
All 50 states now allow students to earn a distinction on their diploma signaling their mastery of multiple languages.
6 min read
A students throw their caps into the sky at the Tupelo Christian Preparatory School graduation ceremony at Hope Church on Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Tupelo, Miss.
Students throw their caps into the sky at the Tupelo Christian Preparatory School graduation ceremony at Hope Church on Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Tupelo, Miss. The seal of biliteracy on students' high school diplomas recognizes their multilingualism.
Hunt Mercier/The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal via AP
English Learners What New Research Shows About the Academic Success of Former English Learners
A new study offers a more nuanced look at English learners' academic performance in high school by disaggregating data.
4 min read
Photo of Latino teen studying in library.
iStock/Getty