Assessment
Research on assessment and the bilingual learner
Whilst in the UK, statutory assessment for pupils with EAL is the same as assessment for native or mother-tongue English speakers, many English speaking countries have developed EAL standards and assessment frameworks which are linked to the mainstream curriculum. The learning of EAL takes place at the same time as learning academic content. Social English is clearly differentiated from academic English. The issue of appropriate assessment is addressed with practical ideas for assessment.
Professional experience in school over the past thirty years has shown EAL development is a very complex phenomenon. In the UK, the current official insistence on a unitary English National Curriculum scale has led to a debate within the EAL profession on how to assess EAL development. Research is needed on practice in assessment and to help construct useful ways of measuring EAL development.
