Assessing Young Language-Minority Students: Validation Challenges and Future Research Directions

Abstract

This commentary highlights major validation challenges raised, explicitly or implicitly, from the four articles in the special issue on “Validity Considerations for Assessing Language Proficiency in Young Language Minority Students.” They are concerned with (a) the construct definition in consideration of young language-minority (LM) students’ characteristics, (b) the integration of scaffolding, multilingual, and translanguaging concepts into LM assessment, (c) the role of teachers in assessment, and (d) the examination of intended impact and consequences. In this commentary, I discuss useful validity frameworks that incorporate the consequences of assessment use, which is vital for the assessment of young LM students. A set of key research areas implicated by this special issue’s articles is also discussed in relation to the highlighted validation challenges.

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