Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Implicitly Developing Young Learners’ Digital And Media Literacy Through Technology-Enhanced Tasks In Primary Efl Classrooms, Andreas Kullick

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This article presents a research project that explored the perspectives of preservice and in-service primary English language teachers on the use of technology-enhanced tasks to support young learners’ development of oral communicative competence in the diverse primary English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom. The classroom-based research involved the implementation of technology-enhanced tasks in three different projects in three different primary schools. The projects aimed to support young learners in developing their speaking competence in the target language. Data were collected through classroom observation, teacher training, videography of lessons, and participant interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the …

Beyond The Episode: A Case For Serial Literacy In Efl Education Classrooms, Julie Intveen, Tim Illigens

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Serial storytelling, characterized by its interplay of vertical (episodic) and horizontal (long-form) narrative structures, offers a unique opportunity for media literacy in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education. This paper argues for the development of a serial literacy framework, a concept that expands traditional film literacy models to accommodate the distinct demands of serialized narratives. By using Inventing Anna (Rhimes, 2022) as a case study, the study explores how serial storytelling fosters engagement with themes of identity construction, ethical ambiguity, and transmedial storytelling. This paper elaborates on serial literacy, considering its implications within foreign language learning contexts. The study …

Discourse, Power, And Pedagogy In Ai And Human-Designed Efl Lesson Plans: A Clil And Systemic Functional Linguistic Perspective, Christian D. Libunao, Vincent A. Morales

Journal of English and Applied Linguistics

The integration of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) into English language teaching (ELT) raises important questions about how AI-generated lesson plans shape pedagogy, interaction, and ideology compared to human-designed materials. This study examines how ChatGPT-generated lesson plans converge with or diverge from those published by the British Council, with particular attention to teacher and learner roles, classroom power dynamics, and pedagogical scaffolding. A triadic framework combining systemic functional linguistics (SFL), critical discourse analysis (CDA), and content and language integrated learning (CLIL) was applied to three British Council lesson plans and three thematically matched ChatGPT outputs. Findings reveal that both sets of …

A Content Analysis Of Spanish Language Curriculum In Texas, Sarah Moore, Jessica Sanchez, Sarah Herrera

Journal of Global Awareness

The shortage of Spanish-speaking social workers is significant in the United States, especially in border states such as Texas. Experts are calling for Spanish language training in social work education. However, it is unclear whether social work programs are incorporating Spanish into their curriculum at a pace needed to keep up with demand. Using conceptual content analysis, this article examines the frequency of Spanish language courses relevant to social work education across Texas.

Editorial Review Board Vol. 64 Issue 3

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

No abstract provided.

Teachers’ Perspectives On Text Selection In A Time Of Book Bans And Censorship, Natalie Sue Svrcek, Kathleen Colantonio-Yurko, Henry "Cody" Miller

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The last 4 years of headlines describing the various book bans and curricular gag orders happening in the United States serve as an important context for P–12 teachers’ daily work. This article describes the findings from a qualitative survey that sought to understand what influences P–12 teachers’ text selection for teaching and for inclusion in their classroom library in the aforementioned context. Teachers reported stakeholders who held decision-making power as well as which stakeholders were influential in their text selection. Three overarching themes emerged from teachers’ most influential factors in their text selection: social and communal influences, literary content and …

Beyond The Red Pen: Investigating The Formation Of Reader And Writer Identity Development In Preservice Teachers, Sarah Rutt Williams, Pengtong Qu, Lydia Denning

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The influence of identifying as a reader and writer in being a literacy teacher has been emphasized in the literature (Graves, 1983). However, few studies have explored how teacher education programs develop these identities in preservice teachers (PSTs). Grounded in Demerath’s (2006) epistemological identity theory, this study explored the fluid process of teacher identity formation, focusing on nurturing PSTs’ identities as readers and writers. The study took place over one semester in an English Education course. The researchers analyzed three PST participants’ weekly reflections about their beliefs regarding teaching and learning literacy. These statements revolved around topics that aligned with …

Exploring Teacher Beliefs And Perceptions About Teaching Reading, And Self-Efficacy For Implementing Reading Instructions, Richmond Osei Amakye

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reading proficiency among learners at the elementary school level remains a national concern despite several decades of research, investments, and policy reforms aimed at improving literacy outcomes. The Science of Reading (SoR) framework, grounded in decades of interdisciplinary research, emphasizes explicit, systematic, and evidence-based instruction across five core components — phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. This study examined elementary teachers’ beliefs about teaching reading, perceptions of the SoR, and self-efficacy in implementing reading instruction. Quantitative data were collected from teachers in west-central Indiana via an online survey that measured their beliefs about teaching reading, perceptions of SoR, self-efficacy …

Tennessee K-3 Teachers’ Perceptions Of Structured Literacy Curriculum Based On The Science Of Reading: A Phenomenological Approach, Amy L. Reece Townsend

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study was to explore the perceptions and knowledge of Tennessee kindergarten, first-grade, second-grade, and third-grade teachers regarding early literacy and science-based curricula that incorporate the science of reading. This study examined the experiences of kindergarten through third-grade teachers in a Tennessee school district as they transitioned to a structured literacy approach grounded in the science of reading. The goal was to understand how teachers adapted to the new methods, what helped them succeed, and what challenges they faced during the change.

Data collection included in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Analysis of data occurred in three phases: (a) categorization …

Middle Level English Learners’ Engagement With Digital Multimodal Resources And Each Other, Mark Stevens

Intersections: Critical Issues in Education

Students in schools who speak multiple languages need opportunities for multimodal learning. A study was conducted to observe how middle level English Learners used multimodal (text, audio, video, imagery) resources in a Language Arts - Social Studies class. The research question was: What patterns of engagement with content, and each other, were manifest by middle level ELs while using multimodal resources in a general education history class? Qualitative case study was used to observe student work and interaction, inspect work artifacts, and interview for opinions and motivations. To learn multimodally, students (a) used approaches (whole class, small group, partner) that …

Critical Dialogue As A Decolonial Feminist Approach To Healing And Restoration In Antiracist Literacy Education, Dianne Wellington, Amy Walker

Intersections: Critical Issues in Education

Antiracist work requires healing and restorative practices to sustain meaningful change. This study examines critical dialogue as a restorative practice in literacy education, using duoethnography to explore its role in antiracist efforts. Grounded in decolonial feminist research, we frame healing as an intergenerational movement and literacy education as a catalyst for transformation. Our findings advocate for restorative literacies that challenge systemic oppression, emphasizing relational, justice-driven practices to foster resilience, transformation, and coalition-building in academia. We offer implications for how literacy education can engage lived experiences, histories, and epistemologies to support individual and collective healing.

Exploring The Impact Of Statistics Course Modality On Student Learning: A Mixed Methods Approach, Becky Kelleman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The importance of statistical literacy has become increasingly evident, as individuals grapple with interpreting statistics to inform critical decisions. Despite the recognized significance of statistical literacy, challenges persist in both educators’ and students’ efforts to navigate the complexities of statistics education. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of different course modalities on undergraduate students’ academic performance in introductory statistics courses. Using Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) as a theoretical framework, this research aims to shed light on the complex dynamics influencing statistical literacy attainment. By addressing gaps and inconsistencies in the current literature, this study seeks to …

Utilizing And Creating Indigenous Children’S Literature To Reclaim The Endangered Hoche Language, Jue Wang

Occasional Paper Series

Stemming from a large ethnographic study exploring young Indigenous children’s literacy and language practices in and out of school in a Hoche elementary school in rural Northeast China, this paper focuses on the navigation of Indigenous literature, language, and literacy learning of young Hoche children. Particularly, this reflective paper challenges the efficacy of Hoche language education in the oppressive context of the public schooling system, inviting Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators in China and across the world to rethink the urgency of reclaiming this endangered language and the power of Indigenous literature in understanding Hoche Indigenous ways of knowing, belonging, and …

“I’M From The Federal Government And I’M Here To Help”: An Examination Of How Firekeeper’S Daughter Educates About Settler Colonialism, Robert Petrone

Occasional Paper Series

This essay offers an examination of various ways Angeline Boulley’s best-selling, award-winning Indigenous Young Adult novel, Firekeeper’s Daughter attends to and educates about settler colonialism. At the core of this analysis is the guiding question: In what ways does Firekeeper’s Daughter illuminate the ongoing social structure of settler colonialism within the context of what is currently known as “The United States”? Specifically, this analysis focuses on the topics of Native identity, including colonial mechanism of blood quantum; and the ways institutions such as the FBI operate from values and epistemologies of compartmentalization and deficit notions of Native Peoples. Across this …

Drawing Disintegration: A Twice-Exceptional Individual’S Autoethnographic Inquiry Into Graphic Narrative Creation As A Tool For Processing Trauma, Natalie J. Krusemeier

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This autoethnographic study explores the researcher’s lived experience of childhood trauma as a twice exceptional individual with an arts-based autoethnography research design, specifically in the form of graphic narrative. Grounded in Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD), this study examines how emotional and sensory intensity, overexcitability (OE), and psychological disintegration intersect with twice-exceptional (2e) identity development and identity authenticity potential. Data sources include personal artifacts from childhood and adulthood—journals, letters, graphic narrative, documents, and photographs—alongside reflective writings and completed graphic narrative pages. Using descriptive coding and TPD’s developmental levels as analytic lenses, the study interprets the processes of disintegration and …

Effectiveness Of Pre-Service Teachers’ Service Learning With English Language Learners Via Zoom, Donita Grissom, Padideh Fattahi Marnani, Sophie Cuocci, Irina Mclaughlin

Journal of English Learner Education

This study investigates service-learning experiences for university students in a teacher certification program, explored through the lens of sociocultural theory. Data was collected from pre-service teachers (PST) involved in service learning conducted virtually using Zoom with Vietnamese pre-service teachers. Data was in the form of surveys, which included short reflections and yes/no responses. Findings show that the service-learning program allowed PST to have the opportunity to apply the strategies learned in their coursework with ELs and increased their sense of preparation as a result. Pre-service teachers reported the service-learning communities of practice to be beneficial for their ELs. Implications highlight …

Transdisciplinarity Through A Functional Approach In The Content Areas: Commonalities For School Teachers, Karen L. Terrell, Luciana C. De Oliveira, Jia Gui

Journal of English Learner Education

In 2020, the WIDA Consortium released a revised English language development standards framework that integrates a functional approach to language development, grounded in systemic functional linguistics, across core subjects: English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Central to this framework are four Key Language Uses—Narrate, Inform, Explain, and Argue. While this holistic approach is promising, it poses challenges for elementary and middle-grade teachers and ESOL specialists, who often teach multiple subjects. To ensure all teachers can implement this approach effectively, the integration of functional language must be simplified for generalist instructors. This article explores how identifying linguistic commonalities across …

Exploring Language Through Systemic Functional Linguistics: Importance Of Communicating And Developing Academic Language For Multilingual Learners, Yana Shifrina-Piljovin

Journal of English Learner Education

Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) is a comprehensive theory of language that offers a unique perspective on how we use language to communicate and create meaning. SFL provides educators with a powerful theoretical framework for understanding how language functions in various contexts and how this knowledge can be applied to enhance classroom instruction. Developed by linguist Michael Halliday in the 1960s, SFL has become an influential framework for understanding linguistic metafunctions, from everyday conversations to academic discourse. The "systemic" aspect of SFL refers to the idea that language is a network of systems, each offering a set of choices for expressing …

The Benefit Of Qualified English Language Teachers In Non-English-Speaking Countries, Tina M. Allen-Abulhassan

Journal of English Learner Education

Abstract

This study explores the impact of qualified English language teachers on English Language Learners (ELLs) in their home countries, assessing how English language instruction can enhance their preparedness for higher education in Western universities. The need for effective English language education is underscored by the scarcity of qualified ESL instructors, which leaves L2 learning ill-equipped for academic success. Utilizing Vygotsky’s social development theory, particularly the Zone of Proximal Development, this research examines the role of social interactions with qualified native speakers in fostering language proficiency and academic achievement. The literature review highlights significant barriers ELLs face, including inadequate teaching …

Utilizing Interactive Ebook For Language Learning: Designing A Computer-Assisted Approach For Basic English Listening, Ita Sarmita Samad, Umiyati Jabri, Ismail Ismail, Mustakim Mustakim, Rahmad Risan, Imam Akbar

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

The low listening skill ability of the students at Muhammadiyah University of Enrekang is a challenge because it is often making them failing to obtain an English competency certificate as a requirement for a proposal seminar. This research aims to develop an interactive eBook to help the students improve their listening skills by focusing on 2 things, doing needs analysis and designing eBook listening prototype. This research uses the research and development (R&D) design. There are 9 English lecturers and 40 students as participants which taken purpossively. The instrument used is a survey and analyzed qualitatively. The results show that …

Towards An Ecofeminist Pedagogy: The Environmental Ethics Of Ai, Jessica K. Crowell

Feminist Pedagogy

Previous scholarship has outlined some of the ethical considerations regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom and beyond, such as the potentials for plagiarism, information bias, disinformation, or even violations of user privacy. Though research suggests that machine learning is a major and ever-increasing contributor to carbon emissions, there has been little discussion of how we teach about the ethics of AI from an environmental perspective. Therefore, this critical commentary first outlines how an ecofeminist pedagogy can help students consider the environmental and ecological effects of new technologies, including AI. At its core, an ecofeminist pedagogy argues …

Call To Submissions Volume 74, Issue 1, Cinde Wollenberg

Virginia English Journal

No abstract provided.

Reviving Independent Reading: A Review Of Just Read It, Cinde Wollenberg

Virginia English Journal

This is a book review of Just Read It: Unlocking the Magic of Independent Reading in Middle and High School Classrooms by Jarred Amato in 2024. Reviewed by a high school Reading Specialist, this thorough review of Amato's book for educators includes many strategies and tools for having an effective independent reading program in the classroom.

Letting Students Amaze Us: Teaching For Success In A 4th Grade Classroom, William D. Smyth

Virginia English Journal

A look back at a year in a 4th grade classroom with highly motivated students that came about when a former student, now 48 years old, returned home to visit his 4th grade teacher. According to this student, this was the seminal year that launched his engineering career that he now enjoys in Portland, Oregon. And, speaking for others, this was the turning point in his classmates' educational journeys too.

Fixing Our Failures With Data: Data Literacy And Global Issues In A Middle School Novel Study, Mary Grace Scartz

Virginia English Journal

This paper explains the rationale behind and need for teaching data literacy approaches in an English classroom. It outlines a unit of study based on the book by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohammad, When Stars are Scattered, which follows the true story of Omar as he navigates education and family responsibilities in a refugee camp in Kenya. Because of the relevant and important global challenges that arise in the story, students need a wealth of background knowledge to approach the text. This paper argues that this background knowledge is best delivered through the use of real-world data about refugees …

Language As Power In Angeline Boulley's Firekeeper's Daughter, Liz Shanks

Virginia English Journal

Angeline Boulley's Firekeeper's Daughter offers a fresh counternarrative for students in the ELA classroom, opening new doors for students to see themselves and others more accurately reflected in a thrilling, page-turning novel. This article dives into the way power manifests in educational systems, and how students can advocate for themselves in such educational settings through Boulley's novel.

The Furious Flower Poetry Center: Teaching The Worlds Of Black Poetry To High School Students, Mary Beth Cancienne Phd, Hermione Dewitt, Zoe Mcdowell, Kaleigh D. Phelps, Liz Shanks James Madison University

Virginia English Journal

This article titled The Furious Flower Poetry Center: Teaching the Worlds of Black Poetry to High School Students features lesson plans that high school English graduate candidates wrote in a high school English methods course after participating in the decennial Furious Flower Poetry Conference in September of 2024 at James Madison University. High School poetry lessons featured are based on the poetry of Gwendolyn Brooks, Jericho Brown, Nikki Giovanni, Sophia Elhillo, DaMaris B. Hill, Darrel Alejandro Holnes, and Yalie Kamara. Poetic themes and craft taught and discussed in the lesson plans include identity, language, culture, hope, symbolism, tone, diction, and …

A Model Research Synthesis Essay: Gender Justice In Contemporary Texts In Conversation With Arthur Miller's The Crucible, Jennifer Golobic

Virginia English Journal

No abstract provided.

Reflections From A Summer Literacy Intervention: Unlocking A Love Of Literacy In Struggling Readers, Rory K. Cantwell, Jenny M. Martin

Virginia English Journal

Summer literacy interventions offer a solution to the devastating impacts that summer literacy loss can have on struggling readers and writers. However, these interventions should consider the impact of student attitudes towards literacy on their learning and strive to develop positive associations between literacy and enjoyment. Camp Curious, a summer literacy intervention developed as a collaboration between the Virginia Association of Teachers of English and Shrine Mont, a retreat and conference center, embodies this idea. The intervention, in the form of a week-long camp experience, strives to provide third through sixth graders with positive and varied experiences related to literacy. …

Windows Into Refugee Lives: Using Graphic Novels To Cultivate Empathy And Understanding Across K-12 Classrooms, Donna Fortune, Anna Kambach

Virginia English Journal

Graphic novels, like When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar

Mohamed, provides a powerful gateway for teachers to foster empathy and understanding with K12 students. This article explores how graphic novels combine visual storytelling with text to engage learners of all ages in discussions about refugee experiences. By integrating reflective activities and critical literacy strategies adaptable across grade levels, educators can use graphic novels to build cultural awareness, deepen comprehension, and inspire students to connect with global issues meaningfully. The article offers grade-specific implementation strategies that can be scaled appropriately for elementary, middle, and high school contexts.