Dive Brief:
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Though 4th-grade reading scores for English learners on the National Assessment of Education Progress, may look stagnant to some for the last 20 years, those who work with these students say the scores reflect something different — that the system is working.
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Students entering these courses are expected to be at beginning levels, although some have more proficiency than others, said Sarah Sahr, head of education and events with TESOL International Association, a professional organization for English language teachers. And characterizing their scores as stagnant, she said, is a “deficit approach.”
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“Since we’re always refreshing the English language learner population, we’re always going to be around the same level of scores,” Sahr said. “And it’s also important to remember that scores do not make the student.”
Dive Insight:
English learners’ average scores are up 16 points, from 174 in 1998 — the first year for which data is available — to 190 in 2022. By comparison, scores for students identified as “Not English learners” averaged 222 in 2022 on NAEP, also know as the Nation's Report Card.
From 2003 to 2022, however, scores rose just four points, from 186 to 190.
The most recent results show “many student groups had lower average scores” in 2022, according to the NAEP website, but English learners’ scores “did not differ significantly from 2019.”
Noting that NAEP scores are based on reading tests, Sahr said some English learners may have strengths in spoken English comprehension and conversation that outpace their reading scores. Focusing on scores is too limiting, she said, encouraging stakeholders instead to broaden how they assess English learners and their progress.
One of the best ways to support English learners is to ensure that all teachers — not just those focused on English language arts — have some credentials in teaching language strategies, Sahr said.
For example, Sahr suggested that educators look into certification courses and workshops, including TESOL's “The 6 Principles,” which offers learning materials that take a more holistic approach to supporting students rather than a path to boosting scores.
“It’s important that we look at whole language development and its process, and not just one test,” said Sahr.
