What: Use the goal setting template created in Ellevation and support documents to have goal setting conversations with multilingual learners who will take the WIDA ACCESS test.
Why: We are focused on supporting students to understand the assessment they take yearly to measure their English language proficiency. We want students to understand the current level of performance they have shown and what they will need to do in order to make progress toward exiting their status as a multilingual learner.
How: All staff should support the effort in goal setting conversations with multilingual learners. This is especially important for multilingual learners who do not have designated instruction as part of their ELD services.
When: Goal setting should start in the first 30 days of school and be reviewed with students as they begin test prep for ACCESS testing.
Resources for Goal Setting Conversations
Watch this brief video to understand how to print the report used for ACCESS goal setting discussions
As we begin working on ACCESS goal review, we want to encourage you to spend a little extra time with your students who have a composite of 4.0 or above on their ACCESS test. These students are good candidates to test out of English language development services on ACCESS test this year.
Please take a few minutes to review this video on how to find the students who have a composite 4.0 or above and work with your team on how to push them to exit ELD services.
Talk with them about the test and their areas of growth
Encourage them to use complete sentences and academic vocabulary on the writing and speaking sections
Have them complete the ACCESS test samples and talk about what makes a good response for writing or speaking
Talk with your students about test anxiety and teach them techniques to help relieve it
Consider testing specific students individually on the speaking portion of ACCESS
Be sure students are raising their hands during the stop portions of the writing and ensure they have written in that section of the test
When we make testing a positive experience and let students know how they can be successful on all domains of the test, they have a chance to show us what they know.