Keeping Language in Mind - An Exploratory Study of English Learners’ Performance on Three Language and Literacy Assessments

Oct 15, 2026

Mixed-method research investigates how adolescent English learners (ELs) perform on three widely used language and literacy assessments—QRI-5, PPVT-4, and ESI—by comparing EL results with existing data from English-proficient examinees. The study highlights that linguistic demands embedded in syntax, phonology, orthography, and especially vocabulary relate to observed performance differences. Findings suggest ELs may benefit from linguistic modification or first-language support during administration. The analysis also models how educators can interpret test data beyond scores.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages21

Reading Time53 min

AccessFree to download

Background and Purpose

Research Design and Comparison Approach

Selected Assessments

QRI-5

PPVT-4

ESI

Keeping Language in Mind: An Exploratory Study of English Learners’ Performance on Three Language and Literacy Assessments Assessing English learners (ELs) in US schools is challenging because many widely used assessments have not been designed with ELs in mind. Yet if teachers are sensitive to how ELs may perform differently from native speakers on such assessments, these assessments reveal useful information about ELs’ language and literacy skills. This mixed-method study compared adolescent ELs’ performance on the Qualitative Reading Inventory-5 (QRI-5), Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-4 (PPVT-4), and Words Their Way Elementary Spelling Inventory (ESI) to existing data from English-proficient examinees’ performance to explore how ELs’ performance may differ. The observed differences suggest that linguistic aspects of the QRI-5, PPVT-4, and ESI, including syntax, phonology, orthography, and especially vocabulary, played a role in ELs’ performance and indicate that ELs may benefit from linguistic modification or firstlanguage support during test administration. The process used in this analysis also demonstrates how teachers can examine test data alongside test scores as they interpret ELs’ results. To effectively account for the language and literacy development of English learners (ELs) and to provide ELs with targeted instruction, it is essential to have valid assessments oftheir language and literacy skills. Although assessments used with ELs should undergo field testing with ELs, some assessments that are used in schools with ELs have not undergone such evaluation. García, McKoon, and August (2006b) point out a wide range of concerns that educators and researchers have raised about using language and literacy assessments that are not specifically designed for language-minority students with such learners in the Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth. One concern is The CATESOL Journal 31.1 • 2019 • 79 that language and literacy assessments normed for native English speakers may not be valid or reliable when used with nonnative speakers of English and ELs. In other words, when normal performance on a given assessment is determined with a group that does not include nonnative speakers or ELs, it cannot be known for sure what normal performance might look like for these learners. Another concern is that the linguistic demand of assessments is a major factor in ELs’ performance (Abedi, 2002; Abedi & Gándara, 2006) . To address these concerns, this exploratory study analyzes EL performance on three assessments, which have not been extensively examined with ELs, with a specific focus on the role of linguistic demands on assessment outcomes. The Qualitative Reading Inventory-5 (QRI-5; Leslie & Caldwell, 2011), Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-4 (PPVT-4; Dunn & Dunn, 2007), and Words Their Way Elementary Spelling Inventory (ESI; Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton, & Johnston, 2012) were chosen for this study because they hold potential for use with ELs. Peregoy and Boyle (2016) recommend informal reading inventories, such as the QRI, as a tool for assessing ELs’ reading. The QRI is a well-respected informal reading inventory (Nilsson, 2008) that, beyond its use in this study, I have seen used in Massachusetts to assess elementary-level ELs in schools and a high school EL at a tutoring center. The PPVT-4 is a widely used assessment of receptive vocabulary (Umberger, 1985), and speech-language pathologists commonly learn to administer the most recent edition of the PPVT in graduate programs (Susan Gray, personal communication, January 29, 2018). Additionally, the PPVT was one of the most common language assessments that school-based speech-language pathologists from 34 states, including California, indicated using with bilingual students in a survey conducted by Arias and Friberg (2017), and it was the most commonly used vocabulary measure in the literacy research with second-language l

FAQs

Why are English learner assessments in US schools challenging?

Many common assessments were not designed for ELs, so normal performance benchmarks may not be valid. Differences in linguistic demand can affect how ELs perform.

Which three assessments are analyzed in the study?

The study compares performance on QRI-5, PPVT-4, and Words Their Way Elementary Spelling Inventory (ESI). Each assessment targets different language or literacy domains.

What do the observed differences suggest about EL performance?

The differences indicate that linguistic aspects—particularly vocabulary—may influence ELs’ results. The study concludes that linguistic modification or first-language support during administration may help.

Oct 15, 2026

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