Assessment adaptations

Here are some general suggestions for adapting tests/exams. Please consider using some of these:

- Allow the use of bilingual dictionaries

- Check on students after a few minutes to make sure they know what to do

- Give practice tests that have similar types of questions (this will help students feel more confident and comfortable during an actual test)

- Reduce language demands (use sentence starters, fill in the blank, accept point form notes, etc)

- Simplify instructions and wording (avoid the passive voice and tricky words they haven’t seen before in class, make your instructions as clear and direct as possible)

- Reduce the number of questions required

- Reduce the length of answers required

- Allow students to answer some questions orally or through demonstrations.

- Teach test-taking strategies in class

- Be explicit about what students need to do (eg. number of sentences or examples required)

- Remove or explain cultural references that may cause confusion

- Include examples of how to answer a question (eg. If there are 10 matching questions, complete the first one for students to see and they complete the following 9)

- Remove multiple choice questions and replace with T/F or fill in the blank

- Allow more time

- Complete activities and questions in class that are similar to the questions students will see on a test (eg. Don’t ask students to find similarities and differences in class, but then on a test use the words compare and contrast. If you want students to know compare/contrast, use that vocabulary while you are teaching so they can learn it)

- Allow students to demonstrate comprehension in alternate ways (projects, portfolios, demonstration of a skill learned, etc)