Plan Engaging Lessons During Testing

Thank you for joining me today as I share some lesson ideas you can use during testing season. 

Before we get started I want to hear your wins for the week. If you have small or big win please email me at millie@myadventuresinesl.com. I will share them on the podcast to encourage other teachers. 

Testing season is upon us and having engaging lessons for your ELLs can be an obstacle. Naturally students may not feel like engaging in a lesson after spending 3 hours testing. That is why it is crucial to make sure your lessons are engaging.

Last school year I felt I was on a roller coaster with testing. First, there was a district mandated Common Formative Assessment. Immediately following the CFA the students had a diagnostic exam. After the diagnostic, the students were preparing for their WIDA assessment. Additionally the students had a high stakes state assessment. 

Putting myself in the students shoes I knew they were mentally exhausted after all of those exams. I wanted them to have some engaging assignments and fun activities to do during testing season. At the same time I wanted to keep their minds sharp since these exams are connected to so much that will impact their lives in school. 

That is when I came up with some lesson ideas that are engaging and will keep the students on their toes during testing season. I brainstormed some of the top activities and lessons that my students loved during the school. One of their favorites that was SCOOT with task cards. I had task cards for spelling, punctuation, reading skills, and so much more. I also reflected on how the students participated in the project based learning activities. The students loved working in teams and completing tasks. One of my co-workers does educational games after testing such as Kahoots and Quizzizz games centered around grammar and vocabulary. You should see how the students get so hyped during their after testing lessons. 

Here is how you can create some engaging lessons for your ELLs during testing season.

1. Incorporate lessons that require movement. For example, SCOOT is an activity that requires the students to stand up and move from task card to task card. You can have the students focus on specific skills they will be tested on during the exam. I would also suggest during this time provide them with the opportunity to work with a partner. 
2. Setup a research project or a project based learning activity for your ELLs. This will give your ELLs the opportunity to learn more about topics they love. You can also have them present the project. I would encourage you to still provide structure and independence for your ELLs during the research project. 
3. After testing, have  students play games that are educational and focus on key skills. For instance, if you are learning complex sentences create a game on Kahoot or Quizziz that the students can play about complex sentences. Students love the competitive play. 

BONUS TIP: Have your students create a book. Around this time of year Target has blank books in the dollar section. You can usually get an 8 pack of books for $1-1.5. Your students can write a book of poetry, a narrative, an autobiography the opportunities are endless.

Here are your next steps:

• Look at your testing calendar for the upcoming year. 
• Plan some engaging activities based on what you learned in today’s episode. 

What are some of your ELLs favorite activities that you do with your students after testing?