How English as an Additional Language (EAL) can complicate assessment

Assessment is designed to show what students can do. When it comes to English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners however, it may measure what they know in English instead.

The difference matters. Schools use the results of assessments to decide everything from placement and attainment to academic support. But if you don’t have a complete picture of each student’s performance, you can’t make choices in their best interests.

Let’s look at the specific ways EAL can complicate assessment. Using these insights, we can explore what you can do to ensure teaching and assessment practice are fair and accurate for all your students.

The assessment challenges that EAL learners face

EAL complicates many different aspects of the assessment process:

• Extended writing tasks: Students may still be learning how to write in academic English and lack the vocabulary to express ideas in certain subjects. In some cases, they may be getting used to a new alphabet or writing system.
• Reading-heavy question papers: Unfamiliar language and complex sentence structures may prevent students from grasping the content of texts. They might already understand the topic but misinterpret what the question is actually asking.
• Oral exams assessed for fluency: Students may be simultaneously translating from their native language to English in their head and keep pausing to find words. These hesitations may be mistaken for weak understanding or make it hard for them to make the most of the allotted time.
• Group assessments with unequal language abilities: Classmates with stronger English may dominate discussions or presentations, giving EAL learners fewer opportunities to demonstrate what they know.

The impact of EAL on assessment is likely to vary. Some students may cope well in one assessment format and struggle more in another due to their different linguistic backgrounds. For example, some children may find it challenging to write in a formal register if their language doesn’t have a close equivalent.

What happens when EAL obscures academic performance

Failing to account for EAL in classroom assessments will inevitably lead some students to get lower marks. But the real issue isn’t the results. The bigger risk is that schools will misunderstand what’s causing poor performance and make decisions that don’t address the underlying problem.

For example, many schools sort students into tiers based on exam results. EAL learners may fail to achieve the marks to get into the higher sets due to their level of English rather than their subject knowledge. But once they’re inside these groups, they may struggle to advance as they get assigned less challenging work and given fewer opportunities to demonstrate what they know.

Other EAL learners may be overlooked because their results don’t raise any concerns. However, they might not be reaching their full potential. It’s possible with the right support that these students would not just achieve decent marks but excel in certain subjects and become eligible for more higher education pathways.

Practical solutions to support EAL learners with assessment

What can schools do to support their EAL learners with classroom assessment? Some might invest more resources into developing English skills but this takes time and places a lot of pressure on students and faculty.

Here are some more immediate and effective ways to bridge the gap:

Supplementary assessments

Supplementary assessments can help you differentiate between subject knowledge and language proficiency. There’s a range to consider:

• Multimodal: Assessments use different formats to test understanding such as diagrams, models, and presentations, meaning learners don’t have to rely on their writing skills.
• Bilingual response: Students can use their first language for part or all of a response so teachers can check whether they understand the ideas being tested.
• Oral with scaffolding: The teacher provides the vocabulary and structures that students need to respond so they can focus on their answer rather than the language.
• Portfolio-based: Teachers look at a range of work over time rather than relying on a single assessment, giving them a fuller picture of progress.

Pre-teaching and familiarisation

Once teachers have a clearer sense of students’ actual subject knowledge, they can support them more effectively through the formal assessment process. A big part of that is pre-teaching them the language they’ll need for tests and familiarising them with the different task formats. This might include going over instructional language, subject-specific vocabulary and specific task types.

Pre-teaching works best when it’s incorporated into the curriculum. That way you can consider what EAL learners need at every stage and build that on that knowledge rather than taking an inconsistent approach.

Read our article on How to incorporate EAL into your school’s curriculum for a closer look at how to implement this.

Access arrangements

Some EAL learners may qualify for access arrangements during tests. These arrangements should be decided on an individual basis as different students are likely to face different linguistic barriers. Support needs to match the actual difficulty they experience when taking assessments.

Some examples of access arrangements for EAL learners include:

• Translator tools
• Bilingual dictionaries
• Extended reading time
• Modified instructions
• Extra rest breaks
• Separate rooms and invigilators

Some arrangements may not directly support EAL learners with language but might be necessary. For example, a separate room can help when watching classmates finish the test faster is causing a student a lot of anxiety and stress.

Looking beyond English in assessment

EAL can obscure what students actually know and can do. When that happens, schools may end up judging English proficiency alongside – or worse, instead of – s subject knowledge.

Students shouldn’t feel pressure to catch up in English while assessment practices remain the same. A better approach is to separate linguistic ability from academic performance as much as possible. That means asking whether current assessment practices are accurate and considering what may need to change.

Further reading

Looking for more ways to support EAL students? Read our articles on Navigating a multilingual classroom and partnering with parents.