See the difference? Using that as a guideline, you can make modifications in your teaching expectations and find ways your English learners can keep up and demonstrate their knowledge.

Some ideas for modifying your lessons in Language Arts include:

• Use graphic novels
• Use cliff notes
• Use modified versions of the text
• Use excerpts. Read crucial pieces that will lead the student to learn the standard of the expectation.

Now let’s consider an example from science class.

Does a student need to create a full-blown lab report or could the student orally demonstrate/explain the process, procedures, and outcomes of whatever happened? A lab report is an important piece of information, but developmentally our beginning level proficiency students often aren’t there yet in their writing and will need a good deal of support. They could still demonstrate their knowledge, just in a different method.

The flexibility you can provide your students can make a world of difference.

Consider how you could accept different models as evidence of what a student is learning rather than just forcing them to deliver one format (ex: lab report, term paper, test, etc.). The variability in your willingness to accept different formats can be the acceptance an English learner needs to boost their confidence and strengthen their skills.

What is true evidence of the standard for a proficiency level one student?

And for each level up until they are a fluent English speaker? When you look at your standards and begin planning, consider how the student will show you evidence of achieving the standard.

Here are a few thoughts to help you:

1. Know the proficiency level and know what the level means.
1. Ask your ESL teacher for your students' proficiency level data if you don’t know where to find it. 
2. Ask for the break down by the four domains and the overall score.
1. Listening
2. Speaking
3. Reading
4. Writing
5. Overall score
3. These scores will tell you the “comfort zone” of your student is in their proficiency of English. Your expectations need to shift if you are assessing an oral response vs. a written response - based on their scores.  Remember, these scores are just once a year, so if you as the school year goes by, aim higher as the students have most likely made progress toward the next level since the assessment.
   
2. Know what those proficient levels mean so you can adjust your expectations accordingly.
   If you are in a WIDA state, use the WIDA Performance Definitions to look up your students' levels and understand the expectations for that level. You can download the Performance Definitions from https://wida.wisc.edu.  If you aren’t in a WIDA state, all states are required to have something similar that describes each proficiency level.
   
3. How do you challenge yourself to think differently about assessment and grading?
   How can a proficiency level one English learner show you what they know while being held to the same content standard as a native English speaker? The proficiency levels can help you to determine a reasonable expectation for what you can expect from your students and provide you fair ways to assess the student.

Disclosure: Before attempting to create your own guidelines for assessment, be sure to always check first with your district about their policy. Sometimes they have one established that can help you.