The Item-Writing Process for ACCESS for ELLs™ Online Involvement by ESL Teachers Jim Bauman Center for Applied Linguistics Washington, DC January 2005 Illinois 28th Annual Statewide Conference for Teachers Serving Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students 1

Presentation Outline The WIDA Assessment Framework Structure of ACCESS for ELLs™ The Item Writing Course 2

WIDA’s Foundation Professional Development Improved teaching Standards Assessment Accountability Higher levels of learning Clear expectations for students and schools Motivation to work hard Adapted from: National Research Council, 1999 Testing, Teaching, and Learning: A Guide for States and School Districts 3

WIDA Enhanced Assessment System ELP Standards Classroom Assessment ELP Standards Large-scale Assessment State Content Standards Lesson Plan Specifications Specifications Assessment Framework Test Blueprint Standards Task Blueprint Classroom Assessments English Language Proficiency Test (ACCESS for ELLS) Alternate Assessment of Academic Achievement (Alternate ACCESS) 4

Organization of the WIDA Standards Frameworks for Classroom & Large-Scale Assessment (2) English Language Proficiency Standards (5) SI LA MA SC SS Language Domains (4) Grade Level Clusters (4) L R W S Language Proficiency Levels (5) K-2 3-5 6-8 9-12 Model Performance Indicators (>800) Model PIs are the lowest level of expression of the standards 1 2 3 4 5 5

WIDA Standards Examples Social Studies, Listening, 6-8 English language learners process, understand, interpret, and evaluate spoken language in a variety of situations. Level 1: Identify icons on maps or graphs from oral statements. Level 3: Categorize resources or products of regions from oral descriptions. Level 5: Draw conclusions about resources or products in various regions based on oral descriptions. Social & Instructional, Writing, 6-8 English language learners engage in written communication in a variety of forms for a variety of purposes and audiences. Level 4: Suggest ideas for making changes in school, such as rearranging a schedule or adding subjects. Language Arts, Reading, 6-8 English language learners process, interpret, and evaluate written language, symbols, and text with understanding and fluency. Level 5: Draw conclusions from explicit and implicit text. 6

Aligning State Content Standards with WIDA ELP Standards MIDDLE/JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL Illinois State Social Science Standards STATE GOAL 17: Understand world geography and the effects of geography on society, with an emphasis on the United States. 17.A.3b Explain how to make and use geographic representations to provide and enhance spatial information. 17.B.3a Explain how physical processes including climate, plate tectonics, erosion, soil formation, water cycle, and circulation patterns in the ocean shape patterns in the environment and influence availability and quality of natural resources. 17.C.3b Explain how patterns of resources are used throughout the world. WIDA Social Studies Standards — Listening English language learners process, understand, interpret, and evaluate spoken language in a variety of situations. Level 1: Identify icons on maps or graphs from oral statements. Level 3: Categorize resources or products of regions from oral descriptions. Level 5: Draw conclusions about resources or products in various regions based on oral descriptions. 7

Presentation Outline The WIDA Assessment Framework and Standards Structure of ACCESS for ELLs™ The Item Writing Course 8

Structure of ACCESS for ELLs Grade Level and Tier K 1-2 3-5 6-8 9-12 A (adaptive) A B C Domains Listening — group admin, machine scored Reading — group admin, machine scored Speaking — individual admin, adaptive, TA scored Writing — group admin, rater scored Forms 100 (roll-out Spring 2005) 999 (used to produce screener) 200 (roll-out Spring 2006) 9

Theme and Item Structure Item Model Item Stimulus Question and Response Options 10

Expression of the Thematic Folder Orientation Contextualizes the items Engages background knowledge Stimulus — Text and/or Graphic Presents new information Organizes information visually Reduces memory load 3 or more items at same or scaffolded proficiency levels Item levels determined by specs Address single strand of PIs 11

Sample Listening Theme Script: Look at the map. It shows some of the important economic activities in different regions of modern Russia. Each symbol in the legend shows a different economic activity. A fish indicates fishing, a factory heavy industry, logs forestry, wheat agriculture, a pick and shovel mining, and an oil rig petroleum. The Russian Economy 12

Sample Listening Items 1 Script: Find the symbol for oil. Script: Russia has many kinds of natural resources. These include coal and iron ores from mining, oil from drilling, and wood from logging. Which region in Russia has the greatest variety of natural resources? 3 Urals Western Siberia Eastern Siberia Far East Script: The part of Russia from Siberia east is extremely cold for much of the year and is sparsely populated. The western part of the country, particularly in the south, has a milder climate and a longer growing season. Almost 80 percent of the population lives in the western part. Since factories require a large labor force to run them but they also need raw materials and energy, where would you probably find the greatest concentration of Russia’s heavy industry? 5 In the southern part of the country where food is plentiful In the northern part of the country where the population is large In the eastern part of the country where raw materials are abundant In the middle part of the country where raw materials and people are abundant 13

Changes in Cafeteria Menu Sample Writing Theme The principal at your school has decided to change the prices of some foods in the school cafeteria. Some students like the changes and some do not. Changes in Cafeteria Menu Item Old Price New Price Hamburger 1.25 1.50 Soda .45 .60 Milk .50 .25 Apple .40 Banana .30 Pie .90 1.00 Ice Cream .80 1.10 Yogurt 14

Sample Writing Item Look at the new cafeteria price list. Suggest changes you would make to the prices for these or other foods. Write a short paragraph of at least 8 sentences. Write about changes you would make to cafeteria prices. 15

Goals of an Item Specification Social Studies, Listening, 6-8, Level 1 State the assessment objective By grade By PI Describe the item stimulus Use of graphics/text Mode of presentation to test taker Describe the test taker’s task Method of selecting a correct response Method of constructing a scorable response Properties of response options Assessment Objective Assessment tasks will allow ELLs in the 6th to 8th grade to demonstrate the ability to identify icons on maps or graphs from oral statements by selecting the corresponding picture. Stimulus Description Stimulus is a simple oral statement or command (no more than one sentence) that requires the students to identify an icon (e.g., stars, trees, compass rose, ) on a map. The teacher will read the stimulus aloud from the test administration book. The stimulus will not be printed in the student's test booklet. Task Description Description: Given four pictures on a map, the student selects the picture that matches the oral statement. The map can be of a fictitious country. Response Options: There are four options. Options consist of pictures of icons on a map. There is a single, correct answer. One picture is the key; the others are distractors representing other icons commonly confused with the key. 16

Life Cycle of a Test Item Receive theme & items from item writer Submit items to external review Commission illustrations Check thematic folder for internal consistency Submit folder and items to bias review Layout folder in test form Field test to establish item properties Operationalize for one year Retire the folder and items 17

What the Item Writer Does R e v i e w & R e v I s e Read the scope of the item in the specs statement Read the stimulus description & identify an appropriate content area Write or describe the theme stimulus and/or model Write the item stimuli or prompts Read the task description & write response options for the items 18

Bias & Content Reviewers Approved Items (ready for field testing) Item Creation & Review Specifications Raw Items Item Writers Internal Reviewers Cleaned Items Bias & Content Reviewers Approved Items (ready for field testing) 19

Raw Item Selected-Response Item Language Arts, Reading, Grade 6-8, Level 5 Orientation In your test booklet are some sentences that tell why something happened in the story I will read. Theme Stimulus Leo and his father went to the grocery store. They bought food for a party they are having. At the grocery store, they picked out a cake and some ice cream. When they got home, Leo’s father put the cake on the table in the kitchen and walked away. Then, Leo’s dog, who had not eaten all day, came into the kitchen and ate the whole cake! Specification (in part) Performance Indicator Draw conclusions from explicit and implicit text Assessment Objective Assessment tasks will allow ELLs in the 6th to 8th grade to draw a text supported conclusion from a reading passage by selecting the corresponding text option. Stimulus Description Stimulus is a fictional story of 4 to 6 sentences, some of which may show complex sentence structures. Vocabulary is familiar. Stimulus None Question Why did Leo’s dog eat the cake? Options A. Because he was hungry B. Because he was a bad dog C. Because Leo told him to eat it D. Because he was thirsty Key A. Because he was hungry 20

Cleaned Item Orientation The Brown family is going to have a party for their friends and neighbors to celebrate the Fourth of July. Item is reconceived as part of a thematic folder with items at levels 3, 4, and 5 (only level 5 is shown here) Theme Stimulus Generic picture of a family making preparations for a party. Leo and his father went to the grocery store to buy food for the party, but they forgot to feed their dog Rambo before they left. At the grocery store, they picked out a cake, some ice cream, and soda. When they got home, Leo put the food on table in the kitchen and went to help his father. When he got back, he was horrified to see that Rambo had his nose in the cake, happily eating away. Item Stimulus (Level 5) Question Why did Rambo eat the cake? Options A. Because he was hungry B. Because he was happy C. Because Leo took him to the grocery store D. Because Leo did not buy him dog food Key A. Because he was hungry 21

Approved Item Item after review by content and bias committee. Orientation The Rodriquez family is going to have a party for their friends and neighbors to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, an important holiday in Mexico. Item after review by content and bias committee. Theme Stimulus Generic picture of a family making preparations for a party. Family members should look Hispanic. Leo and his father went to the grocery store to buy food for the party, but they forgot to feed their dog Cabo before they left. At the grocery store, they picked out a cake, some ice cream, and soda. When they got home, Leo put the food on table in the kitchen and went to help his father. When he got back, he was horrified to see that Cabo had his nose in the cake, happily eating away. Item Stimulus (Level 5) Question Why did Cabo eat the cake? Options A. Because he was hungry B. Because he was happy C. Because Leo took him to the grocery store D. Because Leo did not buy him dog food Key A. Because he was hungry 22

The Review Process Check for fit to PIs Does length of stimulus match spec? Does linguistic complexity of stimulus match spec? Is vocabulary appropriate to spec? Check response options properties Is there only one correct response option? Are distractors motivated and equally attractive? Are response options balanced in length & complexity? Check for inter-item balance & integrity Are items consistent with theme? Are items independent? Check for content accuracy Check for language, culture, and gender bias 23

Presentation Outline The WIDA Assessment Framework and Standards Structure of ACCESS for ELLs™ The Item Writing Course 24

Course Goals Understand and apply established principles of language test construction, including notions of test validity and reliability Develop test items which accord with guidelines established for determining item difficulty, bias and authenticity Develop test items which accurately address a set of predetermined item specifications (the WIDA specifications), including writing test prompts and scoring rubrics Develop test items across the range of item formats designated by the WIDA specifications Develop test items that target specific levels of English language proficiency Develop test items that are aligned with the functional language requirements of social and classroom language and of the content areas: English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. 25

Course Work Requirements Study and apply the specifications for the participant’s designated grade level Write test items in each of the four language domains for the designated grade level Communicate with the class on substantive issues via discussion boards Communicate with the class on procedural issues via chat room Interact with other members of designated grade level Take and pass quizzes and final exam 26

Course Participants Lead Instructor: Jim Bauman Associate Instructors: Jessica Motz & Ellen Parkhurst Teaching Assistants: George Motz (1-2), Lee Gough (3-5), Jennifer Himmel (6-8), Ellen Daniels (9-12) Active Participants (28) From IL: Marion Flaman—SD54 Michael Safina—CCSD59 Diane Wilkin—SD99 Delia Rodriguez—CUSD300 Irene Pelc—CCSD15 Deb Grant—HSC220 Auditors (5) 27

Course Grading Structure Item submission 60% Participation in chat sessions and discussions 20% Quizzes 20% Successful completion of course requirements at an 80% level earns 2 university credits from the University of Wisconsin 28

Course Home Page Course Menu 29

Structure of the Course 30

Structure of a Module Each module contains: Readings Self-Paced Exercises Interactive Exercises Discussions Chats Assignments Quizzes 31

Documents 32

Discussion Boards 33

Discussion Board Results Discussion Forum Responses Pages Words Exploring the item specifications 41 15 3,000 Sources of difficulty in listening items 106 36 10,700 How to evaluate constructed responses 115 43 13,700 Assessing language vs assessing content 85 34 11,725 Sources of reading errors 97 35 9,225 Total 444 163 48,350 34

Completing an Assignment Specification Download appropriate set of item specs from Documents area Download data entry form from Documents Conceive & research folder and items Complete item data entry form Submit completed form to Dropbox Revise per instructor’s feedback Resubmit to Dropbox Blank Data Entry Form Content Standards Completed Data Entry Form Dropbox 35

The Dropbox 36

Test Item Results Number of Items Produced Standard Language Domain   Standard    Language Domain GradeLevel LA MA SC SI SS Grand Total Listening 1-2 39 32 38 53 21 183 3-5 49 56 51 108 33 297 6-8 60 44 83 42 268 9-12 43 34 29 65 15 186 Listening Total 191 161 162 309 111 934 Reading 28 25 20 11 135 48 45 89 247 71 19 188 26 13 12 Reading Total 141 116 109 249 63 678 332 277 271 558 174 1612 37

What Teachers Got as Item Writers University credit or CEUs Direct experience with on-line learning Professional development on the WIDA standards and writing items for large-scale assessments Informed discussion on how to apply WIDA standards to the curriculum Professional contacts with other teachers across the consortium The deep gratitude of the ACCESS for ELLs™ development staff!! 38

What WIDA Got from Teacher Item Writers Approximately 1600 raw items A nucleus in each state of WIDA informed staff A pool of talent to serve as test coordinators, administrators, and future item reviewers Valuable insight on teachers’ perspectives on standardized testing Important clues on how to build professional development to apply the WIDA framework in the classroom 39

Questions, Discussion, Feedback? 40