11/15

I have a lot of mixed thoughts about testing and assessments. As a bilingual education major, I'm the first one to say that I don't agree with how much importance is given to standardized tests. I really disagree with the fact that a single test can determine one person's future. After learning so much about validity and reliability in ENG 346, I see so many more reasons why a standardized test isn't the best way to assess a student. Factors like how clear the instructions are, the person scoring the test, and the time of day or setting can all impact the outcome of the test taker.

With this in mind, it's clear why alternative assessments are much more beneficial. They are more low-stakes and allow the students to use their background knowledge and interests to produce their work. The teacher also has the opportunity to get multiple samples of their work, rather than using one instance to determine their skills. Assessments like portfolios are especially great because it gives the student a chance to see how much they have progressed, something a standardized test does not do. These assessments also allow the teacher to give immediate feedback to the students which can help them start improving on their weaker areas right away.

Although I am a huge supporter of alternative assessments, ESPECIALLY for English language learners, I think it's important to play "devil's advocate" or look at it from the opposite perspective. From the government's point of view, standardized tests are used to make sure there is some sort of structure in our education and to make sure our teachers are teaching what they are supposed to. Is there another way to maintain some sort of structure and "check up" with schools to make sure they are teaching meaningful lessons? Personally, I feel like standardized tests might be more useful if they were more low-stakes and there was more emphasis on areas of alternative assessment to determine what level the student is at. The way our educational system is currently structured is putting a lot of pressure on students and leaving less room for teachers to be creative in the classroom because of these high stakes test.