Research paper

As teachers we always hear about special accommodations to meet the needs of students and although this is a great and fair concept, many times the accommodations we use are not making a difference for the students we mean to help. Because of this, I chose to write my research paper on accommodations for ESL students focused on testing and instruction delivery. “Fairness does not mean everybody gets the same; it means everybody gets what they need”. I feel this saying applies perfectly to testing ESL students. Giving these students extra time and a dictionary has been a popular accommodation. However, many times the use of a dictionary alters the construct being measured and therefore the test will not be an accurate representation of what the ESL student knows. Some of the research I found shows how computer accommodations are effective in providing these students with the proper scaffolding and accommodations they need in order to receive fair testing. I feel this is very important for ESL students and for educators as well, since a portion of the APPR score depends on how well these students score on the tests. Another interesting finding has to do with the listening portion of testing. There is computer software that slows down the tempo without changing the pitch. This helps ESL students understand the listening input. This could make a huge difference for students starting to learn the English language. Although this technology might not push any changes at the state level with regards to testing, it is something that can be used with students daily in the classrooms. When it comes to instruction, technology can be extremely helpful to teach main elements of the English language. Based on the research I found, there are computer-assisted instruction programs and multimedia technology that can help ESL students develop phonological awareness and a more in depth understanding of phonics. In addition, technology can help with the acquisition of grammar, comprehension, writing and speaking. I believe this technology targets their different levels of proficiency and makes instruction appealing, engaging and most importantly, a more successful experience for ESL students.