A Practical Guide to Assessing Multilingual Learners for Inclusive Education(UNESCO/UNICEF)




Assessment of the progress that children make in learning can be a hot topic. For government officials it can be something they are held accountable to, for parents it can make them evaluate the school and even more important: for teachers it can help them know how well the children are doing. But little is known on how to do assessment in a multilingual classroom. This new publication with guidelines is therefore more than welcome, especially because it is based on real classroom experiences and founded in solid theoretical frameworks. It is a good start as I am sure much more will be learned over the coming years as the reality of multilingual classrooms is more embraced!


The UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok and UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office have released the document "Guidance for the Classroom-Based Assessment of Multilingual Learners: Assessing Languages, Literacies, and Learning across the Curriculum."  This publication is designed to empower multilingual education (MLE) educators and stakeholders with tools and strategies for effective assessment in diverse, multilingual classrooms.

According to this publication, globally, 40% of learners are taught in languages they do not understand, creating significant barriers to accessing quality education. This language mismatch poses challenges in multilingual classrooms, where traditional assessment methods often fail to address the needs of diverse learners. As a result, inclusivity and equity in education are frequently compromised, underscoring the critical need for multilingual education to bridge these gaps and provide fair opportunities for all students.

The  document provides a comprehensive framework for conducting language-inclusive and equitable assessments. These guiding principles are designed to address the unique realities of linguistically diverse classrooms. Additionally, it equips educators with practical, classroom-based strategies to assess language skills, literacy, and overall learning, ensuring that assessments accurately reflect students' abilities rather than being hindered by language barriers. The publication also features regional case studies that showcase successful multilingual assessment practices, serving as inspiration and guidance for implementing effective strategies in similar contexts.

A crucial insight from the document  is the importance of assessing language skills separately from subject content knowledge. This approach ensures that language barriers do not distort the evaluation of learners' true understanding and progress.Some more key insights from this document include the following:

  1. Tailoring Assessments for Multilingual Learners:

    • The use of diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments is encouraged, designed specifically to accommodate the needs of learners in multilingual environments.

    • These assessments aim to measure learning outcomes while respecting the learners' linguistic diversity.

  2. Encouraging L1 or Bilingual Assessments:

    • Assessment practices are more effective when conducted in the learners' first language (L1) or in a bilingual format, which fosters inclusivity and better reflects students' understanding.

  3. Policy Support for Multilingual Assessments:

    • The document connects these practices to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which emphasizes equitable and inclusive education.

    • Policymakers are provided with guidelines to address language mismatches between home and school contexts, ensuring that assessments are both fair and culturally responsive.

  4. Overcoming Challenges in Multilingual Contexts:

    • Multilingual assessments require significant adaptation to avoid language bias and ensure cultural relevance. This includes developing tools that reflect students' linguistic realities.

These insights highlight the critical role of well-designed assessment practices in achieving equity and inclusivity in education for linguistically diverse populations.

By offering evidence-based strategies and insights, this publication is a step towards bridging the gap between assessment challenges and effective solutions, paving the way for inclusive and equitable education in multilingual contexts.  The main author of this publication, Dr Carol Benson,  has also presented on this topic in this  webinar by the Asia-Pacific Multilingual Education Working group and another one by National Consortium for Multilingual Education in India (video)in the last year. 


Regards,

Karsten, in collaboration with Upasana Lepcha






Resources:

  1. UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok, & UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office. (n.d.). Guidance for the classroom-based assessment of multilingual learners: Assessing languages, literacies, and learning across the curriculum.  Asia-Pacific Multilingual Education Working Group (MLE WG). 

  2. NCMLEI Webinar #3 | Assessing Multilingual Learners Multilingually | Dr. Carol Benson 

  3. UNESCO and UNICEF webinar on inclusive learning outcome assessment methods for multilingual learners

  4. Dr. Carol Benson's Presentation from the UNESCO/UNICEF Webinar