Acknowledgement Note,
2016
University of Central Florida
Acknowledgement Note, Tapestry Staff
TAPESTRY
A Thank You Note from the editorial team
Book Review,
2016
University of Central Florida
Book Review, Joe Terantino, Susanne Kelley
TAPESTRY
Stanley, G. (2013). Language learning with technology: Ideas for integrating technology in the classroom. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Cambridge University Press.
Literacy In Our Lives, Past, Present And Future: Exploring Digital Stories By Uae Pre-Service Teachers,
2016
University of Central Florida
Literacy In Our Lives, Past, Present And Future: Exploring Digital Stories By Uae Pre-Service Teachers, Patience A. Sowa
TAPESTRY
The purpose of this research study was to examine how pre-service teachers in a college of education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) used multimodal digital storytelling to explore their language and literacy learning experiences in Arabic and English. Twenty-one pre-service teachers participated in this qualitative study. Drawing on the digital stories, reflection papers and open-ended surveys as data, the study explored the pre-service teachers’ bilingual literacy language experiences and how they created their digital stories. Emerging themes included early experiences in language and literacy learning at home and at school, and expanded notions of literacy. The memoirs offered a …
Toward Integrative Call: A Progressive Outlook On The History, Trends, And Issues Of Call,
2016
University of Central Florida
Toward Integrative Call: A Progressive Outlook On The History, Trends, And Issues Of Call, Kasumi Yamazaki
TAPESTRY
With the advancement of technology now allowing complex and intricate simulation gaming and virtual reality (VR), current trends and issues in language learning extend their research on the topic of digital literacy, aiming to find the ways in which the use of technology fosters, or perhaps hinders, overall performance of language learning. While there have been many published articles that claim the successful utilization of technology and digital media into the classroom, there are considerably few that deliver a successful integration of theory into practice. To address this issue, this paper provides a historical review of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), …
Problems And Possibilities: Emergent Bilinguals And Multimodalities,
2016
University of Central Florida
Problems And Possibilities: Emergent Bilinguals And Multimodalities, Kathy Marie Bussert-Webb
TAPESTRY
This commentary and review focuses on my teaching and research experiences with Mexican-heritage youths in the lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, alongside Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico. Most of these youths were emergent bilinguals of poverty. I argue that high-stakes testing environments limited their experiences in diverse sign systems, including technology, in and out of school. These youths engaged in entertainment and friendship uses of technology outside of school, even though most had access to up-to-date digital tools at home for more higher-order technology use. They did not appear to have mentors or teachers who taught them to use …
Multiliteracy In Three English As A Second Language (Esl) Middle School Classrooms,
2016
University of Central Florida
Multiliteracy In Three English As A Second Language (Esl) Middle School Classrooms, Elena Andrei
TAPESTRY
This study investigated the teaching of multiliteracy in three middle school English as a Second Language Arts classrooms. The research question was: How are English learners (ELs) developing multiliteracy - defined as critical literacy, electronic literacy, and socio-cultural literacy, if at all, in middle school ESL Language Arts classrooms? Collected data consisted of classroom observations, transcribed teacher and focus student interviews; copies of teacher and student artifacts such as handouts and student notebooks. The findings of the study suggest that teachers did not teach all aspects of multiliteracy and the students seemed to be developing mostly electronic literacy, but not …
Microblogging: Using Digital Literacies To Engage Middle School English Learners,
2016
University of Central Florida
Microblogging: Using Digital Literacies To Engage Middle School English Learners, Carolyn J. Stufft, Susan Casey
TAPESTRY
As a result of the changing technologies associated with the 21st century, the definition of literacy has changed and expanded (Antonacci & O’Callaghan, 2011) to encompass e-books, text messages, blogs, and even videogames and the peripheral literacies associated with gaming. These new literacies have demonstrated promise for engaging students in literate practices (Gee, 2007; Gerber, 2009). One practice in particular, microblogging, provides a way to engage English learners in writing and responding to text. Microblogging is a participant web technology that allows users to interact and share information in succinct online posts (Hricko, 2010). For middle school English learners, microblogging …
Exploring New Paths To Academic Literacy For English Language Learners,
2016
University of Central Florida
Exploring New Paths To Academic Literacy For English Language Learners, Mayra C. Daniel, Dong-Shin Shin
TAPESTRY
This article discusses a revised paradigm for understanding the role of technology in learning in today’s 21st century’s digital world. We propose that the digital literacy that is an integral part of learners’ daily lives requires a concentrated examination. We argue that appropriate selection and incorporation of current technologies in instruction can improve today’s schoolhouse and raise the academic achievement of English language learners. This commentary addresses the ways teachers prepare to use technology effectively in literacy education for collaborative learning, for multi-modal authoring, and for the virtual classroom. Specific applications are considered and recommended for classrooms with English learners.
Editors' Note,
2016
University of Central Florida
Announcing The Publication Of Educating English Learners,
2016
University of Central Florida
Announcing The Publication Of Educating English Learners, Tapestry Staff
TAPESTRY
The Editors of Tapestry are pleased to announce the publication of Educating English Learners: What Every Classroom Teacher Needs to Know by Joyce Nutta, Carine Strebel, Kouider Mokhtari, Florin Mihai, and Edwidge Crevecoeur-Bryant (Harvard University Press, 2014).
Tapping The Potential Of El Paraprofessionals Through Professional Development,
2016
University of Central Florida
Tapping The Potential Of El Paraprofessionals Through Professional Development, Michaela Colombo, Qing Zhao, Heidi Perez
TAPESTRY
Many paraprofessionals provide instructional support to English Learners (ELs), yet little research exists regarding their preparedness. Research on paraprofessionals in special education suggests that paraprofessionals are often under-prepared for their responsibilities. This paper explores ongoing professional development (PD) for paraprofessionals using findings from a study of the first year of a 5-year PD initiative for 109 paraprofessionals who worked with ELs in a high-poverty, high-minority urban district. Study findings are derived from the analysis of 57 participant reflection journals, interviews with 12 paraprofessional participants, a focus group with six PD providers, and de-identified observation and focus group data provided by …
Bridging The Gap: Preparing Teachers To Meet The Needs Of Ells Through Service-Learning,
2016
University of Central Florida
Bridging The Gap: Preparing Teachers To Meet The Needs Of Ells Through Service-Learning, Michele Regalla
TAPESTRY
Although the U.S. student population has become increasingly diverse, our teaching force does not reflect equal levels of diversity. Teacher education programs are charged with the task of preparing pre-service teachers to meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students. This paper addresses one option for providing pre-service teachers with diversity experiences by offering a short term service-learning program abroad. Research has shown that pre-service teachers feel more prepared to meet the needs of English learners after their participation in international experiences with service-learning or study abroad. This paper presents practical guidance for teacher educators who wish to start …
“Textbooks Come Alive:” Engaging Teacher Candidates In Service-Learning To Enhance Their Learning About English Language Learners,
2016
University of Central Florida
“Textbooks Come Alive:” Engaging Teacher Candidates In Service-Learning To Enhance Their Learning About English Language Learners, Carla Amaro-Jiménez, Kim K. Winter
TAPESTRY
This article describes the results of a Service-Learning collaboration initiative between several community partners and two teacher preparation programs (i.e., bilingual education and middle level education) at a large, urban university in the Southwest. We draw on data collected from a total of 77 teacher candidates (38 in bilingual education and 39 in middle level education) who were enrolled in a course focusing on methods of literacy instruction for ELL. The manuscript focuses on the impact that participating in Service-Learning had on teacher candidates’ personal, professional, and academic experiences as they worked with ELL as part of their teacher preparation …
Editors' Note,
2016
University of Central Florida
Living Here, Yet Being There: Facebook As A Transnational Space For Newcomer Latina/O Adolescents,
2016
University of Central Florida
Living Here, Yet Being There: Facebook As A Transnational Space For Newcomer Latina/O Adolescents, Mary Amanda Stewart
TAPESTRY
Under the category of diaspora media studies, the present case study investigates the social networking use of four newcomer adolescent English Learners in a U.S. high school. Demonstrating their transnational skills, the students use the social networking site of Facebook prolifically outside of school in order to connect to their home countries, maintain their Latina/o identities, and acquire English. Findings from analyzing the students' Facebook pages, interviews, and in-school observations illustrate that they are transnational, multicultural, emergent bilinguals who engage in sophisticated multimodal ways of communication outside of school, challenging their at-risk label in their high school. Immigrant students' transnational …
Preparing Teachers Of English Learners: How Field Reports Bridge The Gap Between Theory And Practice,
2016
University of Central Florida
Preparing Teachers Of English Learners: How Field Reports Bridge The Gap Between Theory And Practice, Judy Lombardi
TAPESTRY
Preservice teachers of English learners need practical experience in real classrooms to supplement the rich strategies learned in college methods classes. In classes of preservice teachers in secondary education at California State University Northridge, state course standards require teacher candidates to complete not only classwork but also field observation reports. The field observation reports help teacher candidates bridge theory and practice, making connections between university course strategies and public school classroom applications. With access to the largest number of English learners in any school district in the nation, candidates are able to observe and report on the diverse needs, strategies, …
Classroom Assessment Of Language Levels: A Quick Formative Assessment Tool,
2016
University of Central Florida
Classroom Assessment Of Language Levels: A Quick Formative Assessment Tool, Paul Boyd-Batstone
TAPESTRY
When a newly arrived English learner (EL) enters the classroom, time is not on the teacher’s side. It is not uncommon for the EL to arrive far ahead of assessment data, such as a standardized measure of language level. Yet, the teacher is obliged to immediately provide instruction. Time is not on the student’s side either. English learners need immediate and appropriate instruction. This calls for a quick, formative assessment tool for identifying language level and appropriate accommodations. The purpose of this article is to present the Classroom Assessment of Language Levels (CALL) a tool for teachers to identify an …
Editor's Note,
2016
University of Central Florida
Technology And Language Teaching: A Conversation With Dr. James May,
2016
University of Central Florida
Technology And Language Teaching: A Conversation With Dr. James May, Tapestry Staff
TAPESTRY
TAPESTRY recently caught up with Dr. James May, winner of 2011-2012 Carnegie Foundation Florida Professor of the Year award, at a recent state conference. Dr. May is currently a Professor of English as a Second Language at Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida. His research focuses on helping teachers to incorporate Web 2.0 technologies into instruction. Dr. May graciously agreed to share some of his insights into issues surrounding technology in the modern classroom with TAPESTRY.
Dramatic Differences: The Power Of Playbuilding For Young English Language Learners,
2016
University of Central Florida
Dramatic Differences: The Power Of Playbuilding For Young English Language Learners, Jamie Simpson-Steele, Daniel A. Kelin Ii
TAPESTRY
Through a combination of anecdotal stories, the findings of a qualitative evaluative study and overview of experiential activities, this article outlines how a group of 4th and 5th grade English Language Learners benefited from a drama-based project focused on building student confidence, collaborative and communicative skills and facility with drama processes to engage interest and stimulate a sense of investment with the ELL participants. A portion of the article focuses on one participant who experienced a particularly intriguing journey that stimulated both discoveries and questions about the drama program.
