Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Are Testing Accommodations Helping Or Not? A Review Of English Learner (El) Accommodations On Standardized Tests, Cole Forbes

Journal of English Learner Education

This paper examines and critiques English Learner (EL) testing accommodation policies. They have been ineffective at increasing test scores and accessibility. The policies have mandated that EL students participate in high-stakes assessments with accommodations, and sometimes without them. The purpose of the accommodation is to create an even playing field for all test-takers, so that no subgroup is put at a disadvantage, which would compromise their scores and lead to misclassification of students. Laws and Acts such as the Bilingual Education Act of 1968, No Child Left Behind, and the Every Student Succeeds Act have updated and mandated a more …

Differentiated Instruction For Multilingual Learners: A Thematic Analysis Of Research And Practice, Mohsine Bensaid, Jiayuan Jiang

Journal of English Learner Education

Differentiated instruction (DI) is widely promoted as a means of supporting diverse learners, yet its enactment for multilingual learners (MLs) remains uneven and under-theorized in mainstream classrooms. This study examines how DI is conceptualized and implemented to support MLs by attending to learners’ linguistic, cultural, and academic profiles. Using reflexive thematic analysis, this qualitative synthesis examines 20 peer-reviewed empirical studies published between 2010 and 2024 in English-medium K–12 contexts in the United States, with particular attention to elementary settings when specified. Analytic interpretation was supported by practitioner-based reflection functioning as an interpretive lens rather than a separate data source. Four …

A Quasi-Experimental Study On The Effectiveness Of Achieve3000 On The Reading Comprehension Scores Of Ells With Ld, Paula P. Fields

Journal of English Learner Education

The purpose of this quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study was to determine if a significant difference existed in the comprehension scores of secondary English Language Learners with learning disabilities after treatment. The problem addressed is that a significant correlation exists between English language learners and learning-disabled students’ low reading proficiency scores and student achievement, leading to decreased graduation rates. Schema theory served as the theoretical foundation of this research because when the appropriate schema is activated, it helps increase comprehension. The research question guiding this study was: Is there a significant difference between the reading comprehension scores of high school English language …

Book Review: Assessing Autoethnography: Notes On Analysis, Evaluation, And Craft, Margaret Berg

Journal of Educational Research and Innovation

No abstract provided.

Policy: District, State, And National: A Selected Annotated Bibliography For English Learner Research, Policy, And Practice, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

Policy: District, state, and national: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for English Learner Research, Policy, and Practice is comprised of 26 annotations from recent and seminal literature regarding policies across various levels impacting the education of English Learners (ELs) and Multilingual Learners (MLs). These annotations build on the annotations regarding policy in CEEL’s 2022 annotated bibliography, Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy, and Practice (Center for Equity for English Learners, 2022) to include publications from 2022-2025. This selected annotated bibliography serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, educators, and advocates who are working for …

English Language And Literacy Development/Proficiency: A Selected Annotated Bibliography For English Learner Research, Policy, And Practice, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

English Language and Literacy Development/Proficiency: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for English Learner Research, Policy, and Practice is comprised of 16 annotations from recent and seminal literature English language and literacy development and proficiency for English Learners (ELs) and professional development for teachers of ELs. These annotations build on the annotations regarding English language and literacy development and proficiency in CEEL’s 2022 annotated bibliography, Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy, and Practice (CEEL, 2022) to include publications from 2022-2025. This selected annotated bibliography serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, educators, and advocates who …

Comprehensive National Research: A Selected Annotated Bibliography For English Learner Research, Policy, And Practice, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

Comprehensive National Research: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for English Learner Research, Policy, and Practice is comprised of 4 annotations from national research publications regarding English Learners (ELs) and Dual Language Learners (DLLs). These annotations build on the annotations of comprehensive national research in CEEL’s 2022 annotated bibliography, Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy, and Practice (Center for Equity for English Learners, 2022) to include publications from 2022-2025. This selected annotated bibliography serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, educators, and advocates who are working for equity and excellence for ELs and DLLs.

The …

Biliteracy And Bilingualism: A Selected Annotated Bibliography For English Learner Research, Policy, And Practice, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

Biliteracy and Bilingualism: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for English Learner Research, Policy, and Practice is comprised of 25 annotations from recent and seminal literature regarding biliteracy and bilingualism. These annotations build on the annotations regarding biliteracy and bilingualism in CEEL’s 2022 annotated bibliography, Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy, and Practice (Center for Equity for English Learners, 2022) to include publications from 2022-2025. This selected annotated bibliography serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, educators, and advocates who are working for equity and excellence for ELs.

The contributors provide a comprehensive selection of …

Teaching/Professional Development: A Selected Annotated Bibliography For English Learner Research, Policy, And Practice, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

Teaching/Professional Development: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for English Learner Research, Policy, and Practice is comprised of 36 annotations from recent and seminal literature regarding teaching English Learners (ELs) and professional development for teachers of ELs. These annotations build on the annotations regarding teaching and professional development in CEEL’s 2022 annotated bibliography, Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy, and Practice (Center for Equity for English Learners, 2022) to include publications from 2022-2025. This selected annotated bibliography serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, educators, and advocates who are working for equity and excellence for …

Digital Learning For English Learners: A Selected Annotated Bibliography For English Learner Research, Policy, And Practice, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

Digital Learning for English Learners: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for English Learner Research, Policy, and Practice is comprised of 17 annotations from recent and seminal literature regarding digital learning resources for English Learners (ELs) and Multilingual Learners (MLs). These annotations build on the annotations regarding digital learning in CEEL’s 2022 annotated bibliography, Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy, and Practice (Center for Equity for English Learners, 2022) to include publications from 2022-2025. This selected annotated bibliography serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, educators, and advocates who are working for equity and …

A Descriptive Study Of Culturally Responsive Practices In Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports (Pbis) In West Virginia Elementary Schools, Janna Rae Coleman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This descriptive mixed-methods study examined elementary teachers’ implementation and perceived effectiveness of culturally responsive practices within existing Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) systems in a West Virginia school district. Guided by Leverson et al.’s (2021) Culturally Responsive PBIS (CRPBIS) framework, the study explored five components of culturally responsive practice: identity, voice, supportive environment, situational appropriateness, and data for equity. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 86 elementary teachers using the researcher-developed Culturally Responsive Practices in Existing PBIS Survey. Findings indicated that teachers reported frequent implementation and perceived effectiveness across all five components, with the supportive environment receiving …

Enhancing International School Implementation Capacity: Supporting Contextualized Learning At An International Baccalaureate School In China, Christopher J. Hayden Iv

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

International schools allocate substantial resources to implement progressive curricular innovations; however, the advantages offered by these developments are contingent on their effective execution within classroom settings. This mixed methods action research (MMAR) study examined the implementation of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Global Context (GC) Strategy in the Middle Years Programme (MYP) at an international school in China and asked how the school might strengthen its capacity to enact this and similar innovations. Following a sequential MMAR design, a reconnaissance phase combined a whole-staff survey (n=87) with qualitative interviews to diagnose the individual, organizational, and contextual factors shaping implementation. Analyses identified …

From Enthusiasm To Exhaustion: Investigating Burnout In New Secondary Teachers, Casey Gruver

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Teacher burnout remains a critical concern and commonly experienced phenomenon in secondary education, particularly among educators in their first five years of practice. This mixed-methods study examined the experiences and perceptions of burnout among new secondary teachers (grades 7–12) in a single, large suburban school district. Guided by the Job Demands Resource Model and Conservation of Resources Theory, the study explored how job demands, access to resources, and organizational supports shape early-career burnout. Survey data and semi-structured interviews support the framework that burnout is a multidimensional, cumulative experience influenced by job demands and insufficient organizational resources.

From Deference To Dialogue: How International Gtas From High Power Distance Cultures Adapt To U.S. Classroom Dynamics, Deborah Akua Afi Appiah

Theses and Dissertations

International graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) from high power distance cultures play a significant role in undergraduate education at U.S. universities, yet they face challenges that go well beyond language proficiency. Coming from educational backgrounds where teacher authority is unquestioned and hierarchical, these GTAs must navigate American classrooms that operate on fundamentally different assumptions, where authority is earned rather than assumed, informality is the norm, and students expect to question, negotiate, and be personally known by their instructors. The present study examined how eighteen (18) international GTAs from seven (7) high power distance countries perceived and adapted to these differences while …

New Hampshire Tcap, Riley Lane

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

The (Non) Numeric Truths Behind College And Career Aspirations: A Quantcrit Analysis Of The Precarious Pathways For Secondary Students Of Color, Norma A. Marrun, Danielle Mireles, Jori S. Beck, Christine Clark

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This article explored the college and career choices of 963 students across six urban secondary schools in a large public school district in the Southwestern United States. A Quantitative Critical Race Theory, or QuantCrit, analysis was applied to expose the false narrative of number neutrality and the systemic racism that belies it. Findings demonstrate how the myth of meritocracy through education (as ‘the great equalizer’) is perpetuated when educators hold onto racist and ableist beliefs about who can pursue college, and ignore the structural disadvantages underlying the college and career aspirations of students of Color juxtaposed with the reality of …

(In)Consequential Rhetoric: Grading Policy And Values Misalignment At First-Generation-Serving Community Colleges, Sarah N. Seiffert

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

Research indicates that first-generation (FG) students face a number of barriers to success in higher education when compared to their continuing-generation peers. Although many institutions serving a large number of FG students have implemented programs to support this population, little attention has been paid to institutional grading policies that reinforce harmful practices by attempting to standardize assessment while perpetuating inequalities. This study uses document analysis and critical policy analysis to examine the alignment between the grading policies and institutional values of 25 community colleges serving high FG student populations. Findings reveal critical tensions between the stated values of these colleges …

Can Web-Based International Standardized Tests Be More Inclusive? A Udl Mixed-Methods Study Of Accented Tasks, Abdelbaset Haridy

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

This dissertation explores the critical, yet understudied, issue of using a variety of accents/dialects within standardized listening assessments. The current study argues for a paradigm shift from dominant accent to the use of a variety of accents in foreign language testing and assessment. The shift is guided by the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), World Englishes, and Intercultural Communication Theory. Following a mixed-methods design, the study compares student perceptions (N=202) and experts’ (N=64) opinions across two distinct linguistic contexts: English and Arabic. College student participants rated listening samples across nine parameters, including Fluency, Accuracy, Comprehensibility, Intelligibility, and Approachability. …

Language Attrition As A Social Process, Or Barzilay

Master's Projects and Capstones

Language attrition is a process in which the gradual decline in proficiency of a language occurs when another language becomes more prominent among individuals, families, and broader societies. This shift often occurs not by choice but by necessity, as speakers are expected to adapt to the other language in educational settings, for employment, and to conform to societal pressures in their new environments. Although language attrition is often described as an individual loss of proficiency, contemporary research reveals a far more complex picture—one shaped by factors that determine which languages are valued and which fade into obscurity. These forces collectively …

A Curriculum For Teaching English-Speaking Fluency, Jue Xia

Master's Projects and Capstones

This field project intends to apply theories of second language acquisition to practical implementations. The purpose of this project is to design a curriculum that teaches speaking fluency to low level English literacy English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. The theoretical frameworks it uses are Stephen Krashen’s Input Hypothesis Theory (Brown 2014, p.288), Barry McLaughlin’s Attention-Processing Model (Brown 2014, p.292), Lev Vigotsky’s Sociocultural Theory (Brown 2014, p.295). Fink’s (2003) Integrated Course Design model gives important insights when designing the curriculum. In the project, the author developed three themed units to teach speaking skills. In each unit, three modules are …

Digital Solutions For Bridging Language Barriers: Designing And Testing An App For Construction Spanish Safety Communication On Construction Jobsites, Adrian Cappella

All Theses

Language barriers between English-speaking supervisors and Spanish-speaking workers create safety risks on U.S. construction jobsites. Hispanic workers face higher injury and fatality rates, with miscommunication being a major contributing factor. Existing translation tools lack the accuracy, cultural context, and jobsite relevance needed for effective safety communication.

In this study a mobile application with construction-specific safety phrases in English and Spanish was designed and field tested. The research included a literature review, phrase collection and validation with industry experts, application development and design with a computer science collaborator, and usability testing with supervisors and workers. Surveys and field trials measured navigation, …

Bridging The Gap: Culturally Responsive Bereavement Support In Latino Families, Maria I. Hernandez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Hospice of the Central Coast (HCC), a division of Montage Health, delivers high-quality end-of-life care and bereavement support to adults and families in Monterey and select areas of San Benito County. This capstone project sought to address the disparities by developing and implementing an eight-week bereavement support group curriculum translated and adapted for Spanish-Speaking Latino families. Despite the organization’s longstanding commitment to compassionate and inclusive healthcare, internal data reveal substantial gaps in service for the latino population: of 628 patients served in 2023, only 47 patients were of Hispanic or Latino origin. This discrepancy stems from ingrained barriers such as: …

Language Learner Literature: A Mixed Methods Study, Esmeralda Mora

Dissertations

This dissertation, Language Learner Literature: A Mixed Methods Study, by Esmeralda Mora, Ed.D., of National Louis University, specializing in Curriculum, Advocacy, and Policy, investigated the impact of shifting a Midwest high school world language department from a traditional, grammar-focused model to a proficiency-based approach centered on Language Learner Literature (LLL). Employing a Modified Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Design, the study first analyzed longitudinal AAPPL proficiency scores from 1,134 high school students (2020–2025) using T-tests and Multiple Linear Regressions to establish measurable outcomes (the "what"). This quantitative phase demonstrated significant and consistent gains in expressive skills (Writing and Speaking) post-LLL implementation, …

Research Essay_Eng 110, Justine Matias

Open Educational Resources

This research essay assignment for English 110 (First-Year Composition) provides students with flexible topic options and multimodal format choices while teaching essential academic research skills including source integration, audience awareness, and rhetorical decision-making. Designed with Universal Design for Learning principles, the assignment includes extensive scaffolding and support materials to help multilingual and multicultural first-year students successfully navigate the research writing process.

“We Sing Too:” Pedagogical Approaches For Listening To Children In Indigenous Picturebooks, Rachel Stubbs, Anja Dressler Araujo, Kari Dressler, Jadyn Fischer-Mcnabb, Aubrey Hanson, Erin Spring

Occasional Paper Series

This article explores how storytelling, particularly through picture books, facilitates learning across boundaries of age, culture, gender, and education. In this article, we emphasize the value of picture books in integrating Indigenous oral traditions into the classroom, highlighting how these texts foster a reciprocal relationship between listener and storyteller. By focusing on the act of listening, our article argues that Indigenous picture books require active participation and decentering of the individual, positioning listeners as part of a larger collective. This article also underscores the importance of viewing children as active, responsible, and agential members of their communities, aligning with Indigenous …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Integrating Goal-Setting Into An Urban Community College Developmental Mathematics Course: A Multi-Perspective Learning Experience, Tamie S. Dickson

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Developmental mathematics (DM) students often encounter systemic and contextual obstacles in higher education. Low self-efficacy, math anxiety, multiple external demands, and pervasive gaps in prerequisite knowledge can all undermine the strategic behaviors needed to manage the academic environment independently. Although DM reforms are widely researched, the literature lacks a firsthand perspective on the daily processes students apply as they assume control over their learning. This qualitative action research study investigated the integration of intentional goal-setting into a recently redesigned one-level pilot DM course at an open-access, urban community college. The practitioner-researcher created the PATHway framework—rooted in Zimmerman’s (2000) three-phase Self-Regulated …

Dual Or Full Immersion - What Do Wida Access Scores Reveal Might Work Best For Primary Grade Ell Students?, Charla D. Chailland, Lori Gumbert-Harris

Journal of English Learner Education

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the academic performance of primary-grade English Language Learner (ELL) students attending Dual Immersion programs compared to their ELL peers in Full Immersion programs. This Indiana study employed a quasi-experimental design for non-equivalent control groups and analyzed three years of WIDA ACCESS assessment scores in reading, writing, and Overall English Proficiency. Archived test results from ELL students who attended one of 12 qualifying Dual Immersion programs were compared to the scores of ELL students who attended one of 12 comparable Full Immersion programs. Results were analyzed by grade level (K-3) and demographic …

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 …

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 …