Education Commons^™

Building Connections: The Power Of Embedding Literacy And Math Content Into Science And Social Studies Contexts, Rachel Hallett-Njuguna Edd

Constellations: Online STEM Teacher Education Journal

Nationally, the lack of improvement in literacy scores continues to baffle experts. Instructional leaders from math, science, and social studies in one district knew the value of leveraging their subject areas to support literacy achievement in secondary students. Starting with an engaging STEM-related novel, the group of curriculum experts developed meaningful literacy connected tasks for their teacher and teacher leader participants. Working through the activities as their students would, the group found a new appreciation for the importance of leveraging the relevance of science and social studies content and the usefulness of math content when creating literacy lessons. The group’s …

Application Of Multicultural Literature In The Early Childhood Classroom, Deborah Wheeler, Jennifer Hill

Journal of English Learner Education

Culture equates to identity; therefore, the implementation of multicultural literature in the early childhood curriculum is an essential method for securing children’s concept of self and cultural identity. This qualitative study explored the implementation of multicultural literature in early childhood classrooms, and the research included questions pertaining to multicultural literature training, instructional methods, and barriers encountered. The purpose of the study was to answer questions regarding teachers use of multicultural literature in the classroom, how often teachers read multicultural literature and how teachers integrated multicultural literature into instruction. An additional question inquired about what multicultural books titles were teachers reading …

Best Practices For English Learners With Disabilities In Us Schools – A Systematic Review, Samiratu Bashiru, Jennifer E. Smith

Journal of English Learner Education

This systematic review investigated best practices for enhancing academic achievement among English Learners with Disabilities (ELDs) in US schools. By examining 17 peer-reviewed articles and comparing them to the CEC 2014 Quality Indicators, the study identifies significant practices, including culturally responsive methods, technology integration, evidence-based strategies, addressing service delivery challenges, and improving assessment tools. This review has limitations related to inconsistent terminology and highlights the need for standardized language and continued research. It recommends integrating culturally responsive practices, leveraging technology, and refining inclusive assessment tools. This review provides educators, policymakers, and researchers insights, emphasizing ongoing teacher development and policy alignment …

"Our Students Vs. Their Students:" Perceptions Of Teachers In English Language Learning, Leah Day

Journal of English Learner Education

The purpose of the study was to understand the perceptions of teachers on English Language Learners and how this shapes the educational paths of students. Data was collected in the form of interviews with the participants. The interviews were guided by a set of questions that were designed to interrogate perceptions and experiences with regard to language learning in the context of one student. Interviews were recorded and transcribed and the data was coded inductively. This study does not seek to generalize beyond this context but can provide insight into similar experiences and perceptions of the English Language Learning process. …

Asset-Based Teaching; Uncover, Cultivate, And Empower Students’ Uniqueness, Stephanie K. Knight, Marjaneh Gilpatrick, Tracy Vasquez

Journal of English Learner Education

As instructors who are in tune with their learners learning and communication styles as well as their family and cultural backgrounds, it makes sense that they view their students’ skills and abilities from an asset-based lens. This article provides the readers with some tactics on how to develop and nurture that growth mindset.

When we consider the assets students bring to individual classrooms, the teaching becomes more personalized and relevant to their learning needs. By implementing these teaching practices, instructors are uncovering, cultivating, and empowering their students’ unique abilities. Ultimately students are able to apply their knowledge, skills, and abilities …

Late Starts Leading To Native-Like Pronunciation In Second Language Acquisition, Antonio Losavio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This study sought to investigate the self-perceived factors that led adult language learners, who acquired L2 after the critical period, to acquire native like pronunciation in their second language. Given the impact of accent and pronunciation on perceptions of a speaker's status, intelligence and/or competence, there exists a need for thoughtful and comprehensive research into why adult second language learners reach different outcomes in pronunciation attainment. A qualitative phenomenological design was employed to recruit adults who began learning English as an L2 after 12 years old but attained a native-like English accent. Participants recorded vocal samples that were presented with …

Empowering Chinese Students To Regain The “Voice” Via Vygotsky’S Zpd Integrated With The Socratic Seminar, Zhengjie Li Dr.

Journal of English Learner Education

Many Chinese students studying in the United States (U.S.) today report that they do not have a “voice.” They feel marginalized because of a lack of communicative competence in English and their inability to understand Western cultures, especially during their first year in the U.S. (Ching et al.). Some Chinese students are unable to adapt to the academic environment in American high schools, which leads to feelings of exclusion. To smooth this transitional period, this study suggests that the scaffolding (see Bruner, 1978, 1985) from ESL teachers in both verbal and written forms be implemented before students are placed into …

Effectiveness Of English Learners Computer-Based Testing Accommodations: A Meta-Analysis, Tuba Gezer Dr., Claudia Flowers, Richard Lambert

Journal of English Learner Education

With the increased number of English learners (ELs) participating in large-scale state testing, there has been an increased focus on fairness in testing for these students. Test accommodations have shown promise in eliminating barriers and improving accessibility, and computer-based testing (CBT) allows individual customization of tests with built-in accessibility features. Most research on testing accommodations focuses on paper-based tests, but CBT is the most predominant mode of delivering large-scale state assessments. This study aims to synthesize research on the validity and effectiveness of CBT accommodations for EL students. Meta-analysis methodology was used to summarize the findings from previous CBT studies. …

Accelerate Beginner English Learner’S Writing Skills From Day One, Eugenia F. Krimmel Ed.D.

Journal of English Learner Education

This article addresses the customary practice of delaying teaching of writing for Beginner English Learners (BELs) which often results in slowing writing development. Barriers preventing teachers from earlier writing instruction include a belief BELs cannot produce written English before learned orally first, a lack of teaching writing know-how, and few level-appropriate materials for older BELs. The systematic approach ALL Beginner Learners of English (ABLE) Writing Method is a solution to build both teachers’ confidence and BELs’ phonics, spelling, and writing skills from day one. The basic premise of the ABLE Writing Method is that if one is able to think, …

Exploring English As A Foreign Language (Efl) Saudi Arabian Teachers' Perceptions Vis-A-Vis The English Education Context In Primary And Secondary Schools, Mona Abdullah A. Al Mogeerah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The education system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is given a great deal of attention by the government as it is keen to provide an educational system that caters to teacher and student needs. Because English has the potential to provide access to resources that may facilitate advancement in science and technology, it is difficult to deny or underestimate the importance of the English language in Saudi Arabia. Despite the history of EFL teaching and resources allocated to the teaching of English in Arabia, the quality of Saudi students' English language skills has raised many concerns. Saudi students currently …

The Impact Of Competency Based Education On Educational Equity, Ndifor Manjong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

For centuries, minority groups, students from low socio-economic background, and girls in public schools especially K-12 educational institutions in the United States have experienced prejudice, injustice, and bigotry. Unfortunately, the conventional approach of education, based on a one-size-fits-all approach, has failed to deal with these obstacles. In the past decades, however, there has been an increasing demand for the adoption of the Competency-Based system of education, a personalized learning approach that focuses on the acquisition of concrete skills rather than abstract knowledge. In a Competency-Based model, students advance based on the demonstration of mastery of knowledge and skills other than …

Vocabulary Masks, Kim Hardiman

Journal of English Learner Education

As language instructors, we should teach vocabulary in every lesson. How can we combine L2 vocabulary with active teaching and learning techniques? In the past, language instructors taught EL to write long word lists int their notebooks. Do ELs remember these new words? Is there a better way to teach vocabulary for ELs to practice using them in authentic context? Wearing masks has become a daily activity around the world. ELs can express and share their raw emotions by writing and wearing inspirational words on their masks. Vocabulary masks will ignite salient discussions and reconnect ELs with their emotional journeys …

Effects Of Synchronous And Asynchronous Online Instructional Approaches On English-Learning Undergraduate College Students: An Exploratory Study, Ivana Markova, Cristina Azocar

Journal of English Learner Education

Although the significance of the use of online classes remains evident due to their growing prevalence at US universities, they still remain an untested experience for countless English learners (ELs). This research explores EL students’ perceptions of the opportunities for interaction in synchronous and asynchronous online university classroom modalities. It also examines how socioacademic relations and Bandura’s social learning theory can explain the interactions between students and instructors that influence EL students’ literacy development. Participants (n=105) were selected from a large sample pool of 261 EL undergraduate student participants aged 18 to 35. A mixed methods design was …

Technology In The Classroom: The Features Language Teachers Should Consider, Sophie Cuocci, Padideh Fattahi Marnani

Journal of English Learner Education

The fast development of technology and the new generation of highly computer literate students led to consider the integration of technology in school as essential. Throughout the last two decades, research has identified multiple factors leading to the successful and unsuccessful integration of technology in the classroom. Educators must consider these factors when deciding on which technology tools to use and how to integrate them to their lessons. Simultaneously, the increasing number of English learners in the United States calls for the identification of teaching strategies that will best support their needs. Many language teachers now rely on teaching techniques …

Foreign Language Anxiety: A Review On Theories, Causes, Consequences And Implications For Educators, Padideh Fattahi Marnani, Sophie Cuocci

Journal of English Learner Education

Anxiety has been considered one of the main obstacles in second language learning in instruction-based contexts. During the last few decades, many scholars have tried to shed light on different aspects of this phenomenon. This literature review clarifies previous scholarly works and covers some of the most significant empirical studies conducted in this field. The purpose of this literature review is to review various aspects of foreign language anxiety, its corresponding theoretical frameworks and models, causes, consequences, gender differences, class modalities (face-to-face and online) and lastly, implications for educators. Foreign language anxiety is a significant barrier that hinders the learning …

Implementing A Humanistic Approach Towards Educational Equity For English Learners, Deborah Wheeler

Journal of English Learner Education

Schools must provide equitable education to English learners (ELs), ensure equitable opportunities to education programs, and facilitate comprehensible instruction. ELs encounter challenges consisting of learning English, adjusting to a new culture, achieving academic expectations, and assimilating. Implementing a humanistic approach helps ELs mediate through cultural nuances, language learning, academic objectives, and by applying a humanistic approach, educational equity will be established. To guarantee that every student is given an equitable opportunity, all stakeholders are responsible for ensuring the educational system is prepared for diversity, equipped with multicultural knowledge, provided with enriching resources, and ready to implement of a humanistic approach. …

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 …

The First Days Of School Are The Most Challenging: English Learners’ Stories Of Resilience And Their Recommendations, Jill Hendrickson Lohmeier, Shanna Rose Thompson, Bangsil Oh

Journal of English Learner Education

The Multilingual learner (ML) population is steadily increasing in U.S. schools. Navigating new educational environments can be challenging for MLs, especially on the first day. This study draws upon data collected during two improvement-focused evaluations and is guided theoretically by the extant ML literature as well as Bronfenbrenner’s (2005) bioecological model of human development and Bandura’s (2018) concept of human agency in social cognitive theory. Mixed methods were used to identify the strengths and opportunities for improvement for two school districts’ ML programs. This article draws mainly from the data collected through student focus groups. Through the high school MLs’ …

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 …

Micro-Credentialing Of English Learner Teaching Skills (Melts) Preparation: Teacher Candidates' Use Of Read-Alouds To Support Reading Comprehension For English Learners, Shayla Roberts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Over the past decade, the population of students learning English as a second language in the United States has grown astronomically. Presently, the number of English learners (ELs) across the country has reached 4.8 million and is projected to rise in the coming years. Because of this steadily increasing metric, the demand for effective reading instruction as a critical component of overall academic achievement and learning success is crucial. As such, there is a great need for schools to address the language, literacy, and academic needs of ELs in mainstream classrooms. To address this concern, major responsibilities fall on teachers …

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 …

Methodology Of Augmented Reality Chinese Language Articulatory Pronunciation Practice: Game And Study Design, Daria Sinyagovskaya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Learning a language can be hard. Learning a language that contains tones to convey meaning is even harder. This dissertation presents a novel methodology for creating a language practice using augmented reality that has never been used before. The design of a new app in AR and non-AR versions can evaluate the same practice methodology. This methodology was applied to new software and was examined in regard to the importance of this software. Although the study results are inconclusive, progress has been made in answering research questions on the effectiveness of AR versus non-AR and the reliability of peer assessment. …

Exploring The Effects Of Masks On Student Engagement In Ece And Ese: A Literature Review Of Related Research, Anna M. Frahm

Honors Undergraduate Theses

During the advancement of COVID-19, safety protocols (including facial masks) were incorporated into public settings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), due to safety regulations, recommend wearing face masks when in close contact with other people in public environments, such as in a classroom, where social distancing is difficult. Understanding these CDC recommendations is still critical when looking for effective and safe alternative forms of masking for particular industries. Many industries smoothly transitioned to daily use of traditional cloth masks, but other industries (such as education) serving clients with high communicational needs and communication-centered services sought masking alternatives. …

The Impact Of A Growth Mindset Intervention On Growth Mindset, Self-Efficacy, & Learning Behaviors Of Adult Esol Learners At A Technical College, Wei-Chun Stiskin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The purpose of this mixed study was to determine the impact of a growth mindset intervention on adult ESOL learners' growth mindset, self-efficacy, and learning behaviors at a technical college. This study adopted paired samples t test to analyze quantitative component part of the study, including pre and post Growth Mindset Surveys and Self-Efficacy Surveys. For the qualitative component of the study, participants' interview responses were recorded and analyzed to explore their perspectives on the quantitative part of the study. Quantitatively, the findings of the study showed that there was no significant difference between growth mindset intervention and adult ESOL …

The Emotions, Emotional Labor, And Identities Of Korean Teachers Of English, Emily Puckett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Despite being an emotionally charged profession, there is a paucity of research on the roles of emotions and emotional labor in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Khong & Saito, 2014; Kocabas¸-Gedik & Hart, 2021; Schutz & Lee, 2014; Zembylas & Schutz, 2009). Furthermore, these concepts and their link to identity formation in nonnative English-speaking teachers (NNEST) have rarely been investigated in local contexts (Song, 2018; Zhang & Zhu, 2008). In order to help fill this gap in literature, this exploratory qualitative study was conducted in Korea with three NNESTs of English employed in private after-school academies. Semi-structured interviews …

The Effect Of Audiovisual And Written Interactivity On Teacher-Candidates' Application Of Instructional Support Practices For English Learners In An Online Tesol Course, Sophie Cuocci

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

With the increased number of English learners in the United States, teacher candidates need to be prepared to address their needs in their future classrooms. Teacher preparation programs around the nation are continuously exploring solutions to better develop teacher candidates' skills. Simultaneously, the rise in popularity of online education has pushed universities to identify and integrate technology tools which best promote students' learning. This study, connecting both challenges, aims to identify which type of interactivity promoted by technology, in an undergraduate online teaching English for speakers of other languages (TESOL) course, most benefits pre-service teachers in their ability to apply …

Reading And Writing For High School Students' Writing Identity Construction, Marie Gentile

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This research case study was conducted to determine how, if at all, the purposeful pairing of reading and writing activities helped students construct a writer's identity. As reading and writing are both skills separately taught, it is useful to explore the outcomes when pairing them together. This research study addresses how students can transact with texts, build upon their own ideas through a sociocultural lens, to create written products that will foster their identity as a writer. This case study relies on pattern matching to examine the extent to which students from an honors level junior English course perceived themselves …