Newcomers in Testing Season: Supporting Language Without Lowering the Bar

By March and April, schools are deep into benchmark and state test prep, which can be overwhelming for newcomers who are still learning school routines and English while reading texts and writing responses in a new language. The goal is to give them access to grade-level work without lowering expectations and without turning spring into test prep only.

Start by clarifying the purpose of tests. Explain that tests show which skills students have mastered and which need more practice, and that teachers use the results to plan support. Then, whenever possible, pull test-like practice from materials students already know instead of brand-new worksheets. Because Get Ready!, Connect, Bridges and Engage align with WIDA, ELPA21, and other state standards, they are a strong anchor for this work and help keep tasks connected to real language and content rather than isolated drills.

1. Turn readings into mini tests
   Choose short passages from Connect to Reading or previously read Get Reading! texts so students work with familiar topics and vocabulary. Create a small set of questions in your test style, such as:

• One vocabulary-in-context question
• One question with the answer stated directly in the text
• One short-answer question that asks students to explain or justify their thinking
• Use these quick “mini tests” once or twice a week so students build stamina and grow comfortable with the formats they will see on spring assessments.

2. Teach strategies, not tricks
   Teach students to underline keywords in questions, cross out clearly wrong answers, and use text evidence to support their choices. Model each move with more accessible Get Ready! passages, which already embed scaffolds for newcomer multilingual learners. Then have students try the same strategies on their own or with a partner, talking through how the strategy helped rather than just whether the answer was correct.

3. Use writing tasks that match test expectations
   Pull prompts from Connect to Writing and have students write responses that look like test items, such as a two- or three-sentence explanation. Provide a sentence frame at first (for example, “First, the character…, This shows that…”) and gradually remove parts of the frame so responses become more independent over time. Keep the focus on clear explanations using evidence, not on perfect grammar, so students practice the kind of writing most state tests require.

4. Leverage standards-aligned assessments
   Once students are more confident, pull mid-unit and end-of-unit tests from the VHL Supersite so practice stays tightly aligned to instruction and grade-level standards. Model test-taking strategies on one or two items, then assign the rest of the test and use results to target small-group or one-on-one support. Whenever allowed by your state and district, turn on the same supports students will see on actual assessments—such as read-aloud directions, text-to-speech, or approved glossaries—so accommodations feel familiar on test day.

A note for SLIFE newcomers:
For students with limited or interrupted formal education, use the same reading passages but ask fewer questions, and invite them to answer one strong, well-supported question instead of many. This keeps cognitive demand high while allowing more time for language processing and conferencing.

Short, regular practice like this throughout March and April builds stamina and confidence, keeps test prep rooted in meaningful language and content, and maintains high expectations for newcomer success.