Support and Advocacy
- FLAD
- Foreign Language Assessment Directory
- Understanding Assessment Tutorial
- Introduction
- Validity
- What do I want to know?
- What skills do I want to measure?
- What is the intended purpose of the test?
- How will I use the test results?
- What information will the test provide?
- Show what you know!
- Puzzle Piece
- Reliability
- What is the relationship between reliability and validity?
- How do I determine if a test is reliable for my situation?
- What could affect reliability?
- Show what you know!
- Puzzle Piece
- Practicality
- Do I have the resources to use this test in my classroom?
- What are the practical considerations for test administration?
- What are the practical considerations in scoring a test?
- Show what you know!
- Puzzle Piece
- Impact
- What are the possible effects of a test?
- What does positive washback look like?
- What does negative washback looks like?
- Who will be affected?
- How will different stakeholders be affected?
- Show what you know!
- Puzzle Piece
- Putting It All Together
- Needs Assessment
- Resources
- Heritage Language Assessment Module
- Introduction
- Linguistic Characteristics and Considerations
- Cultural Characteristics and Considerations
- Factors in Language Development
- Program Types
- Implications for Assessment
- Show What You Know!
- Assessing HLLs: The Why
- Assessing HLLs: The What
- Placement Tests
- Formative Assessment
- Summative Assessment
- Examples of Effective Assessment Tasks
- Summary of Best Practices
- Show What You Know!
- Assessing HLLs: The How
- Needs Assessment
- Selecting Assessments
- Modifying Assessments
- Developing Assessments
- Show What You Know!
- Putting It All Together
- Resources
- Introduction
- Post-Secondary World Language Assessment Module
- Introduction
- Proficiency
- Acquiring Proficiency
- Proficiency Levels
- Proficiency-Based Approach to Assessment: The What
- Proficiency-Based Approach to Assessment: The Why
- Proficiency-Based Approach to Assessment: The How
- Types of Assessments
- Summary of Best Practices
- Show What You Know!
- Placement Testing
- Placement Testing: The Why
- Placement Testing: The How
- Types of Assessment Tools and Approaches for Placement
- Selecting Placement Tests
- Additional Considerations
- Using Placement Test Results
- Summary of Best Practices
- Show What You Know!
- Assessment Plans
- Assessment Plans: The Why
- Assessment Plans: The How
- Aligning Assessment with Instruction
- Performance-based Assessment Tasks
- Designing Performance-based Assessment Tasks
- Scoring Performance-based Assessment Tasks
- Using Integrated Performance Assessments
- Designing Integrated Performance Assessments
- Intercultural Communicative Competence
- Assessing Intercultural Communication
- Assessing Cultures
- Assessment and Program Articulation
- Summary of Best Practices
- Show What You Know!
- Putting It All Together
- Resources
How can heritage-specific assessment practices support and advocate for students?

Assessment for heritage learners should recognize and celebrate the assets and abilities that HLLs bring to the classroom, even if they are different from the expectations of the classroom context. The institutional or standardized goals of the classroom can often be very different from the way in which HLLs have learned the language outside of the classroom. Students may experience insecurities and anxiety about their abilities or familiarity with the heritage language/culture, especially when it comes to speaking “correctly” according to academic standards. As many HLLs speak a specific variety or dialect of the heritage language, they may feel uncomfortable in classrooms that do not recognize, celebrate, or support these versions of the language.
To students, assessment can send a powerful message about what matters, and can shape what they focus on and how they study. Assessment practices that are heritage-specific can ensure that all students feel seen and represented, leading to more positive assessment experiences and reduced feelings of otherness or alienation. Inclusive practices can also show students that languages exist in various forms, and that to learn or speak different varieties can be both a reality and an advantage.
Some examples of inclusive and supportive assessment practices include:
- Tasks that are adapted to the different skills or needs of learners, based on the demonstrated skills or needs of learners
- Activities and examples that are relevant and authentic to the learners’ context
- Clear standards and guidelines that are appropriate for the student being assessed
Teachers will also be able to appropriately identify areas of need in the classroom and use this information to advocate for their students when requesting various instructional materials that support an assets-oriented approach to language development.