'Wholistic' Evaluation of Language Minority Students in Elementary and Secondary Schools.

Whereas testing is limited to the parameters of the instrument used, evaluation is a broader assessment of a situation. Wholistic evaluation amplifies the concept to include both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Student-centered evaluation acknowledges that differentiated inputs may attribute to differentiated outputs. Select sociolinguistic, psycholinguistic, and educational variables unique to limited-English-proficient (LEP) students contribute to language acquisition and learning. Their recognition and integration into an evaluation plan facilitates appropriate and meaningful educational opportunities for LEP students. Teachers are both a valuable source of data and a resource to be used in student evaluation. Teacher expertise or connoisseurship is the backbone of instruction and needs to be built into the assessment model. If English as a second language and bilingual education teachers are considered key components in student evaluation, and reliable and valid information is obtainable through informal and formal means, educational decisions that affect LEP students will be more sound, realistic, and useful. (MSE)