Educators must be creative and flexible in their approach to assessing and grading children with limited English proficiency. Whenever possible, bilingual children should be given an opportunity to demonstrate what they know in both of their languages, as even seemingly balanced bilingual students may have gaps in one or both of their languages. In addition, it is common for there to be shifts in language dominance, and as a child becomes more proficient in English, he or she may actually lose ground in the native language, making it even more important to assess in both languages.

In order to avoid bias in assessment and grading, it is advisable to concentrate on the state standards (what students are required to know and be able to do). Consult with state and district specialists to see how the standards are being adapted for English language learners and which types of assessments are aligned to the standards and developed specifically for ELLs. ELLs must not receive "watered-down," or less rigorous instruction; they need to receive the same content instruction as the mainstream student population.

Of course it is also important to monitor students' individual growth. McLaughlin and colleagues (1995) recommended what they termed instructionally embedded assessment, in which teachers make a plan for assessment, gather information from a variety of sources, and then use the information gathered to inform their instruction. Assessments are informal, including such tools as portfolios, observations, and interviews, and are designed to document individual growth.

For more on this topic, please see our Assessment and Placement section.