Q: What are some ways to modify typical classroom assessments to

meet the needs of ESL, SPED, and GATE students?

​A: There are many different ways to modify assessments so that all
students are able to reach their full potential. Students can take a test orally
rather than written or vice versa if they would better succeed in these
scenarios. Students could also be given an audio version of a text to listen to
rather than read if it would be beneficial. Another way to help students would
be to allow more time on an assessment or to provide a quieter place with
less distractions to take an assessment. When necessary, less questions
could also be given to a student so that they are not overwhelmed by the
number of questions they are receiving at one time. Technology can also be
incredibly helpful when taking assessments for certain students. It can be
used to transcribe or translate in some scenarios. Some assessments could
even be given with a partner or small group. Working with others can be a
great opportunity for growth for all students involved. GATE students could
benefit from taking on a teacher role during an assessment in a situation like
this by getting to talk through things with another student and maybe even to a
deeper level. GATE students could also be given higher level assessments to
really stretch their thinking. Some assessments could even include an
additional component. For example, including an opportunity to present on a
written assessment or producing an artifact to go along with a written
assessment. We want to remember that all students need to be given
opportunities to reach their fullest potential and assessments can often hinder
this. As teachers, we must be ready to offer different modes of showing one's
abilities so that all students can be recognized for their learning achievements.
I personally believe that anytime assessments are used we must be wary of
the results. We need to know our students to be able to recognize if the
assessment is doing them justice or not. Once we know this, we can make
adjustments and modifications as needed to ensure that the assessments we
are using for each individual student is accurately reflecting their ability.