Date of Award
6-1-2015
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Education/Leadership in Urban Schools
First Advisor
Wenfan Yan
Second Advisor
Zeena Zakharia
Third Advisor
Jack Levy
Abstract
This study analyzed English language learner (ELL) performance on the June 2012 Biology MCAS, namely on item attributes of domain, cognitive skill, and linguistic complexity. It examined the impact of English proficiency, Latinate first language, first language orthography, and late-entry ELL status. The results indicated that English proficiency was a strong predictor of performance and that ELLs at higher levels of English proficiency overwhelmingly passed. The results further indicated that English proficiency introduced a construct-irrelevant variance on the Biology MCAS and raised validity issues for using this assessment at lower levels of English proficiency. This study also found that ELLs with a Latinate first language consistently had statistically significant lower performance. Late-entry ELL status did not predict Biology MCAS performance.
Recommended Citation
Mitchell, Mary A., "Analysis of English Language Learner Performance on the Biology Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System: The Impact of English Proficiency, First Language Characteristics, and Late-entry ELL Status" (2015). Graduate Doctoral Dissertations. 211.
https://scholarworks.umb.edu/doctoral_dissertations/211
Included in
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, First and Second Language Acquisition Commons, Science and Mathematics Education Commons