Practices, Approaches and Strategies to Meet the Needs of English Learners

Strategy 6 - Ongoing Assessment and Evaluation

English learners grow in different ways and at different speeds. To support them, it's important to check their progress often and in different ways so that you can adjust how you teach and help every student succeed.

Note that the next section will explore these assessment types in more depth.

Use Ongoing Assessment (Formative Assessment)

Check for understanding often, not just at the end of a unit.

Ask simple questions while students work.
Use thumbs up/down, sticky notes, or quick exit slips.
Listen to group discussions or partner work.
Give short “check-in” tasks to see what students understand and what they need help with.

Example: After a reading activity, ask students to draw or explain (orally or in writing) what happened in their own words.

These small “check-ins” help you plan the next steps.

Use Different Types of Assessment (Varied Methods)

Not all students show what they know the same way.

Try using:

Oral presentations (with visuals or notes)
Projects or posters
Portfolios (student-selected work samples that show growth)
Performances or role-play
Graphic organizers, comic strips, or drawings

Give students choices and let them use the format that helps them showcase their best work—especially when writing is still difficult.

Example: Instead of writing a traditional book report, students can choose to create a comic strip summarizing the story, perform a scene from the book, or present a character analysis using a visual poster.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

UDL is a teaching approach that helps all students learn, especially those learning English. It means giving students more than one way to learn, join in, and show what they know.

Multiple Ways to Learn (Representation)

Give students information in more than one format:

Use visuals, videos, audio, text, and real-life examples.
Show ideas with demonstrations or objects, not just words.

Why this helps ELs: It fills in language gaps and supports understanding through pictures, movement, and models.

Example: While teaching how plants grow, show a time-lapse video; use a diagram and let students examine a real plant.

Multiple Ways to Engage (Engagement)

Use different strategies to keep students interested and involved:

Add group work, hands-on tasks, games, and projects.
Choose topics and examples that connect to students’ cultures and real lives.

Why this helps ELs: Students feel included and excited when lessons relate to their background and when they can learn from others.

Example: Let students work in groups to build a model of a community using materials from home.

Multiple Ways to Show Understanding (Expression)

Give students different ways to show what they have learned:

Let them speak, write, draw, act, or record a video.
Allow choice so that they can use their strengths.

Why this helps ELs: Students can succeed even if writing is still hard. It builds confidence and language skills.

Example: Instead of writing an essay, a student creates a short video explaining what a character did and why.