Standard 4.

c Classroom-Based Assessment for ESL

Artifact 2

The use of portfolios is very effective for ELLs as it promotes reflection on their own

learning. Portfolios also allow students to self-select work that shows their master of skills.

The attached artifact is a writing portfolio that I use in my Writing Lab class. Students in

this class have completed the English sequence, but still need a composition credit. Therefore,

students in this class usually have a fairly strong writing skills. Throughout the course they write

a variety of texts. They also participate in peer-reviews of each others work. At the end of the

term, students self-select an example of narrative, persuasive, and expository texts to include in

their portfolio. Then, they write a reflection on each piece to explain why they believe it to be

their best piece of writing. This demonstrates my ability to not only engage students in writing a

variety of texts, but also employ portfolio assessments to best measure student growth.

This had made me a stronger teacher of ELLs because my assessment strategies are all

summative and involve feedback and input from the students in the process. This makes

assessment something they understand and are engaged in and not something I am imposing

upon them. Instead of just getting a grade on something, they use the feedback I provide to

revisit and revise work.