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Reflection: Standard 4.c. Classroom-Based Assessment for ESL.

This artifact is based on an observation paper that I wrote for the Course ESC 759Foundations of Bilingual/Bicultural Education. For this observation, I spent nearly a day in a
charter school called Inwood Academy for Leadership Charter School (IAL). IAL is located in
the Inwood section of Manhattan. Their doors opened in 2010 with just a 5th grade, and part of
their mission is to educate ELLs from that neighborhood.
When I observed, I got to see a 5th grade ELA classroom in action. The ELA teacher was
teaching the concept of compare and contrast and students were working on small projects. She
also had rubrics in front of them as they were working, so they knew which targets to meet. As
they were working, the ESL specialist pulled-out and pushed-in struggling students.
How did she know these were struggling students? From the previous days do now. If
they didnt complete the do now correctly, she sat with them and went over their errors. It was
really amazing, I thought. She performed on the spot assessment based on a small task. This
indicated that the student wasnt ready to move on in the days lesson. So, instead of the student
going in the classroom lost, he/she would have the support necessary to comprehend the gist of
the lesson.
She also pushed in as well. What I saw was her circulating the room and providing
guidance. As students worked on their projects, she reinforced vocabulary usage. She checked
for correct spelling and comprehension as well. Shed ask questions like: can you use that word
in a sentence for me? Where can you use that word on your project? etc. That way the students
were cognizant of the words and their proper use.
I also observed a 6th grade ESL specialist who pushed in as well. She was working with a
6th grade teacher who was having the students annotate Steve Jobs 2005 Commencement Speech
at Stanford University. Realizing that there were students with different literacy abilities, she

met with the lowest level group. What I admired was that she kept the group moving quickly
and skillfully. She was very intentional about them working on task. Although this group was
struggling, she didnt move slowly or dumb it down, as she liked to say.
This artifact meets the standard because of its assessment of learners through the content
areas. And the teachers focus on having the students achieve independently from their language
ability. She also adapted to their stage of English literacy and development. Lastly, she
depended on rubrics to help guide their learning.
I need to grow in this Standard by actually following her model. Presently, I teach ELA
and dont have a co-teacher. However, I hope to implement some of her strategies- mainly the
ones where I meet with students in small groups by literacy level. This helps with
comprehension because other students can chime in and assist when another is lost. I also tend
to teach slowly to struggling students; I hope to emulate her in teaching swiftly. I think this
method keeps students more engaged and produces more lively conversations.