Education Commons^™

Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story Of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, Jordyn Rizzo

Diverse Families Bookshelf Lesson Plans and Activities

No abstract provided.

Three Steps To Create A Designated Eld Curriculum Aligned To Academic Content, Melanie Wolf-Greenberg, Tracey Horvath, Eugenia F. Krimmel

Journal of English Learner Education

One of the top five factors influencing student achievement is the development of a curriculum that ensures all students have an equal opportunity to learn (Marzano, 2003). Many schools today do not have a comprehensive plan for the education of English Learners (ELs) blended or aligned to the mainstream content classroom. The authors have developed a process to create a designated English Language Development (ELD) curriculum which uses content area academic standards as its foundation. The benefits of a designated ELD curriculum reach beyond the individual ELD specialist’s lesson planning. School administrators and key stakeholders in the community will be …

Six Strategies For Classroom Success: Enhancing Teaching And Learning For English Learners In Diverse Content Areas, Scott Freiberger

Journal of English Learner Education

As a result of the pandemic, teaching and learning has changed drastically over the past few years (Dascalu et al., 2021). Planning for classroom success for English Learners (ELs) includes pivoting to using educational technology to keep students motivated with well-planned topics, thought-provoking discussions, and respectful yet probing questioning techniques (Freiberger, 2020). In addition to enhancing academic language, educators may also consider infusing various contemporary technologies to revamp vocabulary knowledge, uplift language and literacy, and polish academic performance. Here are six strategies for enhancing teaching and learning for ELs in diverse content areas.

When Teachers Are The Gatekeepers Of Gifted And Talented Programs: Potential Factors For English Learners' Underrepresentation And Possible Solutions, Isabel Haller-Gryc

Journal of English Learner Education

The inclusion of English learners (ELs) in gifted and talented (GT) programs is an issue needing attention as data reveal that this group is still disproportionately under-represented. This article discusses the concerns when the GT identification process is dependent upon general education teacher referrals. Teachers’ implicit biases, lack of familiarity with the knowledge and skills required to work with English learners, and a lack of understanding of what "gifted" looks like in diverse students are identified as potential contributors to an inequitable gifted identification process that many ELs experience. The author discusses perceived solutions to combat the under-representation that results …

Collaborative Writing With Young Multilingual Learners, Loren D. Jones, Luciana C. De Oliveira

Journal of English Learner Education

Effectively teaching writing to multilingual learners (MLs) has been identified as one of the most prominent challenges currently facing educators. Collaborative writing has been identified as one promising pedagogical practice that responds to this challenge; however, little of the existing research focuses on the elementary level. This study seeks to address this gap in the literature, describing a design-based research study focused on collaborative writing with MLs in a diverse first-grade classroom. This paper showcases two iterations of collaborative writing, closely examining the how-to and opinion texts that two focal MLs produced with their peers. The evaluation of students’ writing …

Closing The Opportunity Gap: A Story Of English Learners And Their True Ability, Natasa Karac

Journal of English Learner Education

When English learners (ELs) are presented with opportunities to participate in enrichment activities, their motivation to learn and their performance mimic those of their non-EL peers. Opportunities that offer authentic engagement and challenge student thinking bring together learners of all profiles to show that their true ability is more than that observed through a lens of standardized test scores. EL academic outcomes can be negatively impacted by limited opportunities offered within academic settings as a result of perceived differences. This text challenges the perspective of standard, remedial English learning program models and calls for a model that truly builds on …

Boats For Papa, Reilly Reinhold

Diverse Families Bookshelf Lesson Plans and Activities

No abstract provided.

An Ethnographically Informed Case Study Exploring The Culture Of Writing Instruction In One Middle School English Language Arts Class, Misha Zaidi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This qualitative, ethnographically informed case-study examines how social, psychological, and organizational factors of a culture impact writing instruction and practice within an English Language Arts middle school class. In order to explore possible reasons for stagnant writing instruction in middle schools, two research questions guided this study: (RQ1) What do the components of writing instruction look like in one middle school class?, and (RQ2) How does one middle school ELA class exhibit identity distinction, writing development, and discourse surrounding writing instruction? I examined how one middle school class exhibits identity distinction among students and teachers within writing, development of writing, …

The Element Of Cognates And Its Impact On Second Language Learners, Azimeh Kazemian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

There are different factors associated with learning a second language such as English. Among the factors including motivation and socioeconomic is the element of cognates that may impact second language acquisition. Through exploring multiple studies, this secondary research paper aims to examine the impact of cognates on language acquisition among different participants with different language backgrounds. Through different research methodologies, the findings of each published study revealed that students whose mother tongues do share cognates with their second language have an advantage over speakers of languages that do not share cognates with a second language such as English. On the …

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Reading Components Of The English Language Arts Florida Standards Assessment In Grades 3 To 8, Lorna Kesner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This study investigated teachers' perspectives of the digital interface used in the English Language Arts (ELA) Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) Practice Test. The ELA FSA is a high-stakes, standardized, computer-based test used to assess student, teacher, and school performance Prior research has focused on the validity of the test items as opposed to how the interface may affect the response process. Survey and focus group data were collected from teachers and instructional coaches in grades 3 to 8 in one Central Florida school district. Participants expressed that the ELA FSA interface is not user-friendly, along with the students not being …

Newsgirl, Chapters 1-8, Jennifer Starch

Diverse Families Bookshelf Lesson Plans and Activities

No abstract provided.

Dachy's Deaf, Hadassa Jean-Louis

Diverse Families Bookshelf Lesson Plans and Activities

The student will be able to retell a text using story elements (characters, setting, beginning, middle and end) to enhance comprehension. ● The student will be able to identify ways people can make positive contributions in their community through kindness.

Teaching Young Dual Language Learners: A Critical Review Of The Strengths And Limitations Presented In Alanís And Colleagues’ 2021 Book, The Essentials: Supporting Dual Language Learners In Diverse Environments In Preschool & Kindergarten, Jessica Summers

Journal of English Learner Education

The increase in dual language learners (DLLs) in the United States is shifting the way many districts, schools, and individual educators approach teaching and learning in order to better meet the needs of emergent bilinguals. Iliana Alanís, María G. Arreguín, and Irasema Salinas-González’s wrote The essentials: Supporting dual language learners in diverse environments in preschool and kindergarten (2021) to help early childhood educators, administrators, and instructional coaches understand guiding principles of bilingual education and implement evidence-based practices for working with young DLLs. This book review highlights five strengths and provides three critiques.

Bilingual Refugee-Background Student Resilience, Meta-Linguistic Awareness, And Pride In Bilingual Skills, Tunde Szecsi Dr., Debra Giambo, Rachel Bledsoe Bass, William Buchanan

Journal of English Learner Education

This qualitative phenomenological study sought to explore the experiences of emergent bilingual refugee-background [1] students in Florida and their self-perceptions as bilingual learners. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with seven participants learning English both in-person and virtually in high school or adult education programs during the pandemic. The researchers completed content analysis individually and, in subsequent collaboration, identified patterns, and themes. Findings indicated that students took pride in their bilingual skills, demonstrated metalinguistic awareness, and were resilient and proactive learners with strong determination to succeed in the new country. The following recommendations for teachers are offered: (1) building …

Strategies For Equitable Ell Family And Community Engagement, Stephanie K. Knight, Tracy Vasquez, Marjaneh Gilpatrick

Journal of English Learner Education

Families have been involved in their ELL students' education now more than ever. Families are truly now ALL IN. How can we make this dynamic engagement we are seeking to be easier and more seamless for our families? It’s no secret that students whose families reinforce and extend learning at home are more successful in school; moreover, when there exists a mutually supportive network of educators, families, and students, a climate is created to promote learning and success. In this article, the authors have highlighted the significance of family and community engagement in the academic achievement of students.

Teachers Of Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students And Effective Professional Development: A Critical Review Of Research, Irish Farley

Journal of English Learner Education

Effective Professional Development (PD) is essential for teachers of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) students. Despite the continuing increase of diversity of students, teachers are underinformed with best practices for teaching and support. Many good teachers may not know how to best support CLD students. In 2018, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that only 44% of surveyed teachers who had at least one CLD student in their classroom received professional development specifically for working with these students. This review of the literature covers two distinct but related topics: why teachers of CLD students need more PD and what …

Early Childhood Family Education: Language And Pre-Academic Skills For Latinx Dual Language Learners, Katherine B. Green, Robert A. Griffin, Chelsea T. Morris, Mary Alice Varga

Journal of English Learner Education

This study describes the effectiveness of an early childhood family education (ECFE) program built on a two-generation and strengths-based model to support dual language learners (DLLs) and their families. The researchers investigated the extent to which participation in the ECFE program influenced adult caregivers (n = 15) and the preschool-aged Latinx DLLs (n = 32) who participated, specifically regarding change related to the children’s language and literacy skills and pre-academic skills, families’ perceptions of their home literacy environments, caregivers’ perceptions of their own literacy skills, and caregivers’ actions regarding early literacy at home. Findings were robust and revealed …

Planning For Instruction Using A Language-Based Approach To Content Instruction For Multilingual Learners, Luciana C. De Oliveira, Destini Braxton, Jia Gui

Journal of English Learner Education

This article briefly describes a language-based approach to content instruction (LACI), an approach to content instruction for multilingual learners in general education classrooms that incorporates six Cs of support for scaffolding. The authors provide examples of classroom instruction by a fifth-grade teacher who used several elements of LACI in her instruction. A planning guide to assist implementation of these elements is proposed and concrete examples of how to plan for classroom instruction for multilingual learners are included.

Voices From The Sunshine State: Program And Policy Advocates, Ryan W. Pontier, Rosa Castro Feinberg, Arlene Costello

Journal of English Learner Education

As educators, we are engrossed in a world that pushes us to critically examine what is. Particularly in language education, we explore the various theories and practices involved in learning new language(s)—or expanding our linguistic repertoire, depending on your paradigmatic stance. No matter our position—whether it refers to our jobs or to an ideological stance—we are advocates. We are thus challenged to understand our diverse roles as advocates, which, as Foley and Valenzuela (2004) demonstrate, come in many forms.

We expand Staehr Fenner’s (2014) definition of advocacy—working for students’ equitable and excellent education by taking appropriate actions on their …

How Does A Veteran Teacher Implement A Prekindergarten Math Curriculum?, Heidi Butterfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The purpose of this study was to explore how a veteran teacher implemented a state-approved commercial math curriculum in a prekindergarten classroom. In this action research study, guided by ethnographic principles, I employed Spradley's (2016) developmental research sequence to study what resources from the curriculum the teacher used, how the teacher adapted the curriculum, and what influenced the decisions the teacher made while implementing the curriculum. Data collected for this study included: the teacher guide provided by the commercial curriculum; teacher lesson plans; photographs of student created artifacts; the teacher's reflection journal and notes; and videos of a teacher implementing …

Secondary Teachers' Perceptions Of Teacher Authenticity, Robert Hovel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Teachers are confronted with many obstacles when learning to be the best teacher they can for their students. Teachers face challenges such as working with introverted students, developing activities that are fruitful and sustainable for varying students, and keeping students all focused on the goal of learning (Tasgin & Tunc, 2018). However, the authenticity of an instructor, while being researched in college and counseling settings, has not been sufficiently examined in high school settings. The authenticity of the instructor is a motivating factor for students at the college level (Kreber & Klampfleitner, 2013; Kreber & Klampfleitner, 2012; Kreber et al., …

A Plan For Pops, Hannah Irene Hollowell

Diverse Families Bookshelf Lesson Plans and Activities

The students will be able to navigate a character’s perspective from a literary text. ● The students will be able to summarize the text using correct conventions for their grade level. ● The students will be able to write a personal or fictional narrative using the rules of grammar. ● The students will be able to name a couple of characteristics that make someone diverse.

The Day War Came, Alexandra Mcmillin

Diverse Families Bookshelf Lesson Plans and Activities

No abstract provided.

Be Who You Are, Brittany Watley

Diverse Families Bookshelf Lesson Plans and Activities

The students will understand that everyone is unique and that they should embrace who they are and everything that makes them special; as well as the differences of everyone around them. The students will write about what makes them different and create a new book cover and title page illustrating what they wrote about. The students will demonstrate knowledge of basic concepts of print by identifying parts of a book. The students will identify the topic and multiple details in the text “Be Who You Are” by Todd Parr. The students will create and share personal book creations with others …

Home Again, Jessica Georges

Diverse Families Bookshelf Lesson Plans and Activities

The students will identify celebrations and national holidays as a way of remembering and honoring the heroism and achievements of the people, events, and our nation’s ethnic heritage The students will describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text. The students will identify words and phrases in stories at various points in a text. The students will add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings. The student will, with guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, …

Holes In The Sky, Stephanie Chipner

Diverse Families Bookshelf Lesson Plans and Activities

The students will be able to explain how one or more characters develop throughout the plot in a literary text • The student will be able to explain a theme and how it develops, using details, in a literary text. • The student will be able to summarize a text to enhance comprehension. Include plot and theme for a literary text. Use the central idea and relevant details for an informational text. • Students will be able to identify opportunities to serve or help others in the school or community.

Coolies, Trishell Matthews

Diverse Families Bookshelf Lesson Plans and Activities

The student will describe the main character(s), setting, and important events in a story. ● The student will retell the text in oral or written form to enhance comprehension; the student will use main story elements at the beginning, middle, and end for a literary text. ● The student will use one or more multimedia element(s) to enhance oral or written tasks. ● The student will use grade-level academic vocabulary appropriately in speaking and writing. ● The student will understand how to use and create a timeline. ● The student will recognize the importance of celebrations and national holidays as …

A Most Unusual Day, Dakota Kraft

Diverse Families Bookshelf Lesson Plans and Activities

The students will ask and answer such questions as who, where, when, why and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in the text. ● The students will describe how characters in A Most Unusual Day respond to major events and challenges. ● The students will use information gained from illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot. ● The student will participate in collaborative conversations about family, family that is biological and family that is not.

Dreamers, Joyce Montanez

Diverse Families Bookshelf Lesson Plans and Activities

The student will understand that everyone is different and unique no matter where they come from. ● The student will be able to understand the impact of building vocabulary and understanding by reading. ● The student will be able to understand what the word “immigrant” means. ● The student will be able to understand the difference between “emigrate” and “immigrate”. ● The student will be able to answer key details from the book “Dreamers” by Yuyi Morales. ● The student will be able to identify the elements of the story. ● The student will be able to analyze what the …

Coming Home, Jessica Harrod

Diverse Families Bookshelf Lesson Plans and Activities

The students will understand that everyone is different, and it is important to embrace and support everyone’s differences through discussions about patriotism and different kinds of families. 2. The students will use the illustrations and details in the story to describe the setting, characters, and events. 3. The students will be able to write letters, following the standard English grammar appropriate to grade level, to members of military families. 4. The students will implement the digital letter writing resource that will help teach parts of a friendly letter.