Oral Proficiency Assessment of English‐Proficient K–8 Spanish Immersion Students

Abstract

This cross‐sectional study used assessments developed by the Center for Applied Linguistics to examine the oral proficiency of 218 K–8 English‐proficient students in 4 Spanish immersion programs. Following a comprehensive review of assessment results for English‐proficient immersion learners, the article reports findings from statistical analyses. Ratings of student proficiency were significantly higher between Kindergarten and Grade 2 and between Grades 2 and 5; however, no significant differences were found between Grades 5 and 8, lending empirical support to the plateau effect identified in earlier immersion studies. Furthermore, positive moderate to strong correlations were found between teacher ratings and ratings assigned by trained assessment administrators. The article discusses implications for assessment tools and practices, immersion program design, and pedagogy.

Linguistic performance of dual language immersion students

“…Rather consistently, studies have found that speaking scores tend to be lower than the receptive skills and, also, that they vary widely, a finding reported for secondary and postsecondary studies as well. Studies that were conducted on a smaller scale found that students achieved at the upper Intermediate range by fifth grade (e.g., Fortune & Tedick, ; Xu et al, ). In contrast, Burkhauser and her colleagues (), who conducted a district‐wide study, reported achievement of Intermediate High generally no earlier than eighth grade.…”

“…In contrast, Burkhauser and her colleagues (), who conducted a district‐wide study, reported achievement of Intermediate High generally no earlier than eighth grade. Studies that tracked DLI students’ proficiency levels into middle or high school (e.g., Burkhauser et al, ; Fortune & Tedick, ) found that proficiency gains tended to slow down or even decline in grades 7 and 8. The results for middle school grades are somewhat sobering, but not surprising, considering that instructional time in the immersion partner language typically declines from at least half of a school day in elementary grades, to no more than about 30% in middle school.…”

The development of oral ability in L2 Spanish by English‐home language learners in a TWI program

“…Regardless of the assessment instrument used, most findings show that ratings of speech samples in L2 Spanish of EHL learners in DLI/TWI increased from one grade level to the next, indicating positive growth in proficiency (Burkhauser et al, 2016; Watzinger‐Tharp, Rubio, & Tharp, 2018). Results also suggest that EHL learners attained lower levels in oral proficiency than in reading and listening (Fortune & Tedick, 2015; Watzinger‐Tharp et al, 2018). Other studies, however, show limited development in L2 proficiency by EHL learners in DLI/TWI settings (Potowski, 2007a; Stipek, Ryan, & Alarcon, 2001; Tedick & Young, 2016).…”

“…The vast majority of studies have focused on the academic progress and achievement of students on content‐based, district and/or standardized tests in English, or on the overall L2 proficiency levels students attain across grade levels (Carranza, 1995; Christian, 1996; Downs‐Reid, 2000; Essama, 2007; Fortune, 2001; Genesee, 1987, 2004; Lindholm‐Leary, 2001; Potowski, 2007a, 2007b; Turnbull, Lapkin, & Hart, 2001). Few studies have explored, in depth, the linguistic features that characterize Second Language Acquisition (SLA) in English by language‐minority children (Potowski, 2007a, 2009); even less is known about L2 development in the partner language by EHL students (Fortune & Song, 2016; Fortune & Tedick, 2015; Tedick & Young, 2016). Research on L2 acquisition processes and development in the partner language within TWI contexts is necessary to gain a deeper understanding of how these programs progress.…”

Language education in elementary schools: Meeting the needs of the nation

“…Findings from a number of studies have pointed out that both native speakers of English (e.g., Marian, Shook, & Schroeder, ; Padilla, Fan, Xu, & Silva, ; Steele et al, ) and nonnative speakers (e.g., Lindholm‐Leary & Block, ; Marian et al, ; Steele et al, ; Thomas & Collier, ) can reach high levels of academic achievement when they are assessed in English on standardized (national, state, and/or district) assessments. Although less extensive, there has also been research proving the linguistic benefits of immersion programs (Burkhauser et al, ; Fortune & Tedick, ; Padilla et al, ; Watzinger‐Tharp & Rubio, ) and the positive effect that immersion programs can have on students' motivation and attitudes toward college as well as their academic success (Lindholm‐Leary & Borsato, ).…”