Equity-Oriented Formative Assessment in K–12 STEM Classrooms
A Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33830/ijrse.v8i1.14021Keywords:
Culturally and linguistically responsive assessment, Formative assessment, Multilingual learners, STEM, TranslanguagingAbstract
Multilingual learners (MLs) remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related careers and minority in K-12 STEM education, partly due to inequitable assessment practices that fail to account for their cultural and linguistic diversity. Culturally and linguistically responsive (CLR) formative assessment has the potential to enhance equity and inclusivity in K-12 STEM classrooms. This systematic literature review examines the key trends and challenges in CLR formative assessment practices for MLs in STEM education in the United States. Through the systematic search and elimination process, 25 articles (12 empirical and 13 non-empirical) were selected, analyzed and discussed. Findings highlighted key trends, including collaborative design, translanguaging, multimodal assessment, and tailored feedback, while also identifying persistent challenges such as balancing of STEM content learning goals with language acquisition, professional development (PD) gaps, and the marginalization of MLs through standardized language policies in mainstream K-12 STEM classrooms. Implications highlighted the need for formative assessment frameworks that center equity, policy reforms to support linguistically inclusive assessment, and PD opportunities that equip educators with CLR formative assessment strategies.
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