Bridging the Gap: Equity in Language and Literacy Assessments for Bilingual Students
By Katy Salach, Sales Director at BLAST
In classrooms across the United States, the educational landscape is increasingly diverse, with students from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds enriching the learning environment.
Among them, bilingual and multilingual students face unique challenges — particularly when it comes to literacy assessments designed primarily for monolingual speakers. This discrepancy often leads to inequitable evaluation practices that overlook their abilities and suppress the potential of bilingual and multilingual learners.
Inevitably, this further widens the academic gap between them and their monolingual peers, often through little or no fault of their own.
Traditional assessments fall short in capturing bilingual students’ literacy skills and existing knowledge. Most of these assessments are administered exclusively in English (or exclusively in Spanish), disregarding the fact that bilingual students navigate both languages in their daily lives.
BLAST, which stands for “Bilingual Literacy Assessment and Skill Tracker,” is an innovative solution designed to ensure equitable assessment practices for bi/multilingual students, especially as they enter kindergarten and first grade.
As a result, these students may be inaccurately labeled as underperforming or struggling academically simply because their linguistic abilities are not fully accounted for in the assessment process. With this in mind, Dr. Rocio Raña and Dr. Xuan-Nga Cao created BLAST.
BLAST, which stands for “Bilingual Literacy Assessment and Skill Tracker,” is an innovative solution designed to ensure equitable assessment practices for bi/multilingual students, especially as they enter kindergarten and first grade. It recognizes and celebrates the linguistic diversity of students by providing a bilingual assessment in English and Spanish to cater to the unique needs of bi/multilingual learners.
Providing a holistic view of students’ English and Spanish literacy skills not only promotes equity in education but also empowers teachers to provide targeted support and instruction tailored to each student.
Unlike traditional assessments that may disadvantage bi/multilingual students, BLAST offers a comprehensive evaluation that leverages translanguaging and linguistic scaffolding practices. With BLAST, children can demonstrate their understanding of concepts and respond to prompts in a way that reflects the natural way bilingual speakers communicate in real life. By recognizing children’s rich linguistic repertoire, BLAST enhances their comprehension skills and increases their confidence to participate.
BLAST also allows educators to gain a more accurate understanding of bi/multilingual students’ abilities and learning needs. Providing a holistic view of students’ English and Spanish literacy skills not only promotes fairness and equity but also empowers educators to provide targeted support and instruction tailored to each student.
Above all, BLAST serves as a valuable tool for early intervention, helping educators identify potential language and literacy development issues at an early stage and implement appropriate strategies to support bilingual and multilingual students’ academic success.
In conclusion, equitable assessment practices are necessary for fostering an inclusive educational environment where all students have the opportunity to thrive. BLAST represents a significant step towards achieving this goal by ensuring that bilingual and multilingual students receive fair and comprehensive assessments that honor their linguistic and cultural assets.
