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Articles 61 - 90 of 96

Full-Text Articles in Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research

Language Policy And The Preparedness Of Mainstream Teachers For Serving Els In K-12 Classrooms, Laureen A. Fregeau, Robert D. Leier Dec 2016

Language Policy And The Preparedness Of Mainstream Teachers For Serving Els In K-12 Classrooms, Laureen A. Fregeau, Robert D. Leier

TAPESTRY

English language learners (ELs) numbers are increasing steadily in classrooms across the United States. Some southeastern states have seen more than a 200% EL student increase in recent years (Migration Policy Institute, 2010). Since the inception of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and especially since Title I “flexibility” revisions, responsibility for educating ELs has shifted from ESOL and bilingual teachers to primarily mainstream teachers. States that have opted out of NCLB under flexibility revisions are no longer as accountable to the U. S. Department of Education for the education of ELs. States and school districts are no longer required to …

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An Esol Curricular Model: Infuse Esol Standards In Teacher Education, Deborah L. Wheeler, Jane M. Govoni Dec 2016

An Esol Curricular Model: Infuse Esol Standards In Teacher Education, Deborah L. Wheeler, Jane M. Govoni

TAPESTRY

Florida approved teacher preparation programs provide coursework in English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) based on a mandate that began for graduates in 2004; however, there are few studies on the effects of an ESOL integrated model. The data show that an ESOL-infused program effectively prepares teacher candidates in demonstrating ESOL standards. The data were applied to a Likert scale and the results revealed that the program ranked between the ranges of average and exceeds expectations. The results will foster further research on a larger scale on ways to effectively prepare teacher candidates to work with English learners (ELs).

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Accommodations And English Learners: Inconsistencies In Policies And Practice, Florin M. Mihai, N. Eleni Pappamihiel Dec 2016

Accommodations And English Learners: Inconsistencies In Policies And Practice, Florin M. Mihai, N. Eleni Pappamihiel

TAPESTRY

This article outlines the results of a survey of all the large-scale testing accommodations used with English learners across the United States, addressing the increasing challenge of integrating this population into a state’s accountability system in a valid and reliable manner. This examination of accommodation policies used in standardized content area assessments reveals that there is little consistency across states with regard to testing accommodations for ELs in providing accommodations when ELs are tested in academic content areas.

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Book Review, Joe Terantino, Susanne Kelley Dec 2016

Book Review, Joe Terantino, Susanne Kelley

TAPESTRY

Stanley, G. (2013). Language learning with technology: Ideas for integrating technology in the classroom. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Cambridge University Press.

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Literacy In Our Lives, Past, Present And Future: Exploring Digital Stories By Uae Pre-Service Teachers, Patience A. Sowa Dec 2016

Literacy In Our Lives, Past, Present And Future: Exploring Digital Stories By Uae Pre-Service Teachers, Patience A. Sowa

TAPESTRY

The purpose of this research study was to examine how pre-service teachers in a college of education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) used multimodal digital storytelling to explore their language and literacy learning experiences in Arabic and English. Twenty-one pre-service teachers participated in this qualitative study. Drawing on the digital stories, reflection papers and open-ended surveys as data, the study explored the pre-service teachers’ bilingual literacy language experiences and how they created their digital stories. Emerging themes included early experiences in language and literacy learning at home and at school, and expanded notions of literacy. The memoirs offered a …

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Toward Integrative Call: A Progressive Outlook On The History, Trends, And Issues Of Call, Kasumi Yamazaki Dec 2016

Toward Integrative Call: A Progressive Outlook On The History, Trends, And Issues Of Call, Kasumi Yamazaki

TAPESTRY

With the advancement of technology now allowing complex and intricate simulation gaming and virtual reality (VR), current trends and issues in language learning extend their research on the topic of digital literacy, aiming to find the ways in which the use of technology fosters, or perhaps hinders, overall performance of language learning. While there have been many published articles that claim the successful utilization of technology and digital media into the classroom, there are considerably few that deliver a successful integration of theory into practice. To address this issue, this paper provides a historical review of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), …

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Problems And Possibilities: Emergent Bilinguals And Multimodalities, Kathy Marie Bussert-Webb Dec 2016

Problems And Possibilities: Emergent Bilinguals And Multimodalities, Kathy Marie Bussert-Webb

TAPESTRY

This commentary and review focuses on my teaching and research experiences with Mexican-heritage youths in the lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, alongside Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico. Most of these youths were emergent bilinguals of poverty. I argue that high-stakes testing environments limited their experiences in diverse sign systems, including technology, in and out of school. These youths engaged in entertainment and friendship uses of technology outside of school, even though most had access to up-to-date digital tools at home for more higher-order technology use. They did not appear to have mentors or teachers who taught them to use …

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Multiliteracy In Three English As A Second Language (Esl) Middle School Classrooms, Elena Andrei Dec 2016

Multiliteracy In Three English As A Second Language (Esl) Middle School Classrooms, Elena Andrei

TAPESTRY

This study investigated the teaching of multiliteracy in three middle school English as a Second Language Arts classrooms. The research question was: How are English learners (ELs) developing multiliteracy - defined as critical literacy, electronic literacy, and socio-cultural literacy, if at all, in middle school ESL Language Arts classrooms? Collected data consisted of classroom observations, transcribed teacher and focus student interviews; copies of teacher and student artifacts such as handouts and student notebooks. The findings of the study suggest that teachers did not teach all aspects of multiliteracy and the students seemed to be developing mostly electronic literacy, but not …

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Microblogging: Using Digital Literacies To Engage Middle School English Learners, Carolyn J. Stufft, Susan Casey Dec 2016

Microblogging: Using Digital Literacies To Engage Middle School English Learners, Carolyn J. Stufft, Susan Casey

TAPESTRY

As a result of the changing technologies associated with the 21st century, the definition of literacy has changed and expanded (Antonacci & O’Callaghan, 2011) to encompass e-books, text messages, blogs, and even videogames and the peripheral literacies associated with gaming. These new literacies have demonstrated promise for engaging students in literate practices (Gee, 2007; Gerber, 2009). One practice in particular, microblogging, provides a way to engage English learners in writing and responding to text. Microblogging is a participant web technology that allows users to interact and share information in succinct online posts (Hricko, 2010). For middle school English learners, microblogging …

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Exploring New Paths To Academic Literacy For English Language Learners, Mayra C. Daniel, Dong-Shin Shin Dec 2016

Exploring New Paths To Academic Literacy For English Language Learners, Mayra C. Daniel, Dong-Shin Shin

TAPESTRY

This article discusses a revised paradigm for understanding the role of technology in learning in today’s 21st century’s digital world. We propose that the digital literacy that is an integral part of learners’ daily lives requires a concentrated examination. We argue that appropriate selection and incorporation of current technologies in instruction can improve today’s schoolhouse and raise the academic achievement of English language learners. This commentary addresses the ways teachers prepare to use technology effectively in literacy education for collaborative learning, for multi-modal authoring, and for the virtual classroom. Specific applications are considered and recommended for classrooms with English learners.

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Editors' Note, Tapestry Staff Dec 2016

Editors' Note, Tapestry Staff

TAPESTRY

Editors' Note of the Special Issue, 2014

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“Textbooks Come Alive:” Engaging Teacher Candidates In Service-Learning To Enhance Their Learning About English Language Learners, Carla Amaro-Jiménez, Kim K. Winter Dec 2016

“Textbooks Come Alive:” Engaging Teacher Candidates In Service-Learning To Enhance Their Learning About English Language Learners, Carla Amaro-Jiménez, Kim K. Winter

TAPESTRY

This article describes the results of a Service-Learning collaboration initiative between several community partners and two teacher preparation programs (i.e., bilingual education and middle level education) at a large, urban university in the Southwest. We draw on data collected from a total of 77 teacher candidates (38 in bilingual education and 39 in middle level education) who were enrolled in a course focusing on methods of literacy instruction for ELL. The manuscript focuses on the impact that participating in Service-Learning had on teacher candidates’ personal, professional, and academic experiences as they worked with ELL as part of their teacher preparation …

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Living Here, Yet Being There: Facebook As A Transnational Space For Newcomer Latina/O Adolescents, Mary Amanda Stewart Dec 2016

Living Here, Yet Being There: Facebook As A Transnational Space For Newcomer Latina/O Adolescents, Mary Amanda Stewart

TAPESTRY

Under the category of diaspora media studies, the present case study investigates the social networking use of four newcomer adolescent English Learners in a U.S. high school. Demonstrating their transnational skills, the students use the social networking site of Facebook prolifically outside of school in order to connect to their home countries, maintain their Latina/o identities, and acquire English. Findings from analyzing the students' Facebook pages, interviews, and in-school observations illustrate that they are transnational, multicultural, emergent bilinguals who engage in sophisticated multimodal ways of communication outside of school, challenging their at-risk label in their high school. Immigrant students' transnational …

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Preparing Teachers Of English Learners: How Field Reports Bridge The Gap Between Theory And Practice, Judy Lombardi Dec 2016

Preparing Teachers Of English Learners: How Field Reports Bridge The Gap Between Theory And Practice, Judy Lombardi

TAPESTRY

Preservice teachers of English learners need practical experience in real classrooms to supplement the rich strategies learned in college methods classes. In classes of preservice teachers in secondary education at California State University Northridge, state course standards require teacher candidates to complete not only classwork but also field observation reports. The field observation reports help teacher candidates bridge theory and practice, making connections between university course strategies and public school classroom applications. With access to the largest number of English learners in any school district in the nation, candidates are able to observe and report on the diverse needs, strategies, …

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Classroom Assessment Of Language Levels: A Quick Formative Assessment Tool, Paul Boyd-Batstone Dec 2016

Classroom Assessment Of Language Levels: A Quick Formative Assessment Tool, Paul Boyd-Batstone

TAPESTRY

When a newly arrived English learner (EL) enters the classroom, time is not on the teacher’s side. It is not uncommon for the EL to arrive far ahead of assessment data, such as a standardized measure of language level. Yet, the teacher is obliged to immediately provide instruction. Time is not on the student’s side either. English learners need immediate and appropriate instruction. This calls for a quick, formative assessment tool for identifying language level and appropriate accommodations. The purpose of this article is to present the Classroom Assessment of Language Levels (CALL) a tool for teachers to identify an …

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Technology And Language Teaching: A Conversation With Dr. James May, Tapestry Staff Dec 2016

Technology And Language Teaching: A Conversation With Dr. James May, Tapestry Staff

TAPESTRY

TAPESTRY recently caught up with Dr. James May, winner of 2011-2012 Carnegie Foundation Florida Professor of the Year award, at a recent state conference. Dr. May is currently a Professor of English as a Second Language at Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida. His research focuses on helping teachers to incorporate Web 2.0 technologies into instruction. Dr. May graciously agreed to share some of his insights into issues surrounding technology in the modern classroom with TAPESTRY.

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Preparing Preservice Teachers To Address The Disproportionality Of Ells In Exceptional Education Programs, Leah J. Lerma, Martha Lue Stewart Dec 2016

Preparing Preservice Teachers To Address The Disproportionality Of Ells In Exceptional Education Programs, Leah J. Lerma, Martha Lue Stewart

TAPESTRY

As our nation’s classrooms become more diverse, how to best educate all of our students is of paramount importance. The educational placement of students of racial, cultural, ethnic, and linguistic diversity in classes for students with special needs at a disproportionate level is well documented. This paper addresses the issue of disproportionate representation of English Language Learners (ELLs) in special education programs. Teacher beliefs, cultural bias, lack of culturally responsive professional development opportunities, and assessments contribute to inappropriate referrals and identification. Preparing preservice teachers to understand disproportionality and why it exists can help reduce the inappropriate referrals and placement of …

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Editor's Note, Tapestry Staff Dec 2016

Editor's Note, Tapestry Staff

TAPESTRY

From the Editors

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Preparing Teacher Candidates To Meet The Needs Of English Language Learners: The Tells Certificate, Martha Castañeda, Jeannie Ducher, Amy Fisher-Young, Bruce E. Perry Dec 2016

Preparing Teacher Candidates To Meet The Needs Of English Language Learners: The Tells Certificate, Martha Castañeda, Jeannie Ducher, Amy Fisher-Young, Bruce E. Perry

TAPESTRY

A report on the development and implementation of the Teaching English Language Learners (TELLs) certificate program at Miami University, in Oxford Ohio.

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Enhancing Reading Proficiency In English Language Learners (Ells): The Importance Of Knowing Your Ell In Mainstream Classrooms, Marth Castañeda, Eva Rodríguez-González, Melissa Schultz Dec 2016

Enhancing Reading Proficiency In English Language Learners (Ells): The Importance Of Knowing Your Ell In Mainstream Classrooms, Marth Castañeda, Eva Rodríguez-González, Melissa Schultz

TAPESTRY

In this manuscript, the authors encourage classroom teachers and school leaders to learn about the home culture and language of the growing English learner population if they are to respond effectively to these students’ language, literacy, and content learning needs. These funds of knowledge have been shown to help teachers adjust instruction in ways that permit students to engage more actively in language, literacy, and content learning tasks. In addition to offering recommendations for administrators and teachers working to improve literacy of ELLs within and outside the school setting, the authors share sample surveys that can be used to gather …

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In English You Read With A Stopwatch: A Journey Towards Biliteracy In Two Older Adopted Salvadoran Children, Mary A. Petron, Barbara J. Greybeck Dec 2016

In English You Read With A Stopwatch: A Journey Towards Biliteracy In Two Older Adopted Salvadoran Children, Mary A. Petron, Barbara J. Greybeck

TAPESTRY

This longitudinal case study provides an in-depth exploration of the journey toward bilingualism and biliteracy of two older adopted Salvadoran siblings in U.S. schools. Data sources include observations in the home and school, interviews, written artifacts, field notes, and various reading test scores. Analysis suggests that literacy instruction in English tended to focus more on phonics and fluency than comprehension and vocabulary, and it assumed a level of oral proficiency in English that neither of the children had. Spanish literacy instruction was aimed toward children of Mexican origin that was neither culturally relevant nor geared toward their specific language needs. …

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Teaching Inclusivity: Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Knowledge, Skills And Attitudes Toward Working With English Language Learners In Mainstream Classrooms, Philip C. Smith Dec 2016

Teaching Inclusivity: Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Knowledge, Skills And Attitudes Toward Working With English Language Learners In Mainstream Classrooms, Philip C. Smith

TAPESTRY

This study investigated the effect of one semester of ESOL education on preservice teachers by examining their perceived knowledge and skill in working with English Language Learner (ELL) students, and their attitude toward having ELL students in their mainstream classrooms. The survey identified two factors: a) Perception of ESOL Knowledge and Skills (PEKS) and b) Attitude Toward Inclusion (ATI). Results showed that preservice teachers’ perceptions of both knowledge & skill (PEKS) changed from introductory to the final ESOL course, and that PEKS changed significantly from pre- to post-test within the same course. No significant changes were found in students’ attitude …

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“You Got The Word Now”: Problematizing Vocabulary-Based Academic Language Instruction For English Learners In Science, Katherine Richardson Bruna, Roberta Vann, Moises Perales Escudero Dec 2016

“You Got The Word Now”: Problematizing Vocabulary-Based Academic Language Instruction For English Learners In Science, Katherine Richardson Bruna, Roberta Vann, Moises Perales Escudero

TAPESTRY

With increasing numbers of English Learners enrolling in public schools, teachers of core academic subject area classes are facing the challenge of integrating English language development into instruction. This article describes how teachers' understanding of infusing language into science teaching can shape instructional practices and consequently influence the simultaneous English language development and science learning of English Learner students.

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Deciding When To Step In And When To Back Off: Culturally Mediated Writing Instruction For Adolescent English Learners, Leslie Patterson, Carol Wickstrom, Jennifer Roberts, Juan Araujo, Chieko Hoki Dec 2016

Deciding When To Step In And When To Back Off: Culturally Mediated Writing Instruction For Adolescent English Learners, Leslie Patterson, Carol Wickstrom, Jennifer Roberts, Juan Araujo, Chieko Hoki

TAPESTRY

Culturally Mediated Writing Instruction invites students to take an inquiry stance toward issues of interest and significance—exploring issues, framing questions, gathering information, synthesizing findings into messages, publishing or presenting their findings, and assessing their efforts before moving on to other inquiries. CMWI can be seen as a rich and dynamic landscape of literacy tasks, routines, practices, materials, and dialogues that invites students to ask questions and to look for answers to those questions. Data from four high-school classrooms illustrate that CMWI teachers made interdependent and layered instructional decisions in response to students' needs, and that they provided mediation toward for …

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Vocabulary Development In The Science Classroom: Using Hypermedia Authoring To Support English Learners, Robert Pritchard, Susan O'Hara Dec 2016

Vocabulary Development In The Science Classroom: Using Hypermedia Authoring To Support English Learners, Robert Pritchard, Susan O'Hara

TAPESTRY

This study investigated the impact of authoring hypermedia projects on the academic vocabulary development of middle school, ESL students. Vocabulary definitions, inprocess verbalizations, observations and semi-structured interviews were the primary means of collecting data and assessing vocabulary growth. The results of this study indicate that hypermedia authoring had a positive impact on students' understanding of grade level, science concepts as well as on student engagement in and attitudes toward vocabulary building activities. Thus, the procedures implemented in this study provide a potential model for teachers to follow as they attempt to facilitate their students' vocabulary and concept development.

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A Grounded Theory Study Of The Impact Of Florida School Report Cards On High School English Language Arts Teachers' Self-Efficacy And Perceptions Of Student Writing, Casey S. Briand Jan 2016

A Grounded Theory Study Of The Impact Of Florida School Report Cards On High School English Language Arts Teachers' Self-Efficacy And Perceptions Of Student Writing, Casey S. Briand

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study sought to uncover how the annual Florida School Report Card influences secondary English Language Arts (ELA) teachers’ self-efficacy and perceptions of student writing. The study’s findings suggested that ELA teachers’ self-efficacy may be indirectly influenced by the School Report Card. The participants in this study suggested that they do not feel totally capable of applying the information learned from the School Report Card to their own classrooms. The teachers who participated in the study also reported that they have low outcome expectations when interacting with the School Report Card. They do not believe that their actions can influence …

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Medulla: A 2d Sidescrolling Platformer Game That Teaches Basic Brain Structure And Function, Joey R. Fanfarelli, Stephanie Vie Sep 2015

Medulla: A 2d Sidescrolling Platformer Game That Teaches Basic Brain Structure And Function, Joey R. Fanfarelli, Stephanie Vie

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This article explores the design and instructional effectiveness of Medulla, an educational game meant to teach brain structure and function to undergraduate psychology students. Developed in the retro-style platformer genre, Medulla uses two-dimensional gameplay with pixel-based graphics to engage students in learning content related to the brain, information which is often pre-requisite to more rigorous psychological study. A pretest posttest design was used in an experiment assessing Medulla’s ability to teach psychology content. Results indicated content knowledge was significantly higher on the posttest than the pretest, with a large effect size. Medulla appears to be an effective learning tool. These …

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Individual Differences In Digital Badging: Do Learner Characteristics Matter?, Joey R. Fanfarelli, Thomas Rudy Mcdaniel Jun 2015

Individual Differences In Digital Badging: Do Learner Characteristics Matter?, Joey R. Fanfarelli, Thomas Rudy Mcdaniel

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Badge use has rapidly expanded in recent years and has benefited a variety of applications. However, a large portion of the research has applied a binary useful or not useful approach to badging. Few studies examine the characteristics of the user and the impact of those characteristics on the effectiveness of the badging system. This study takes preliminary steps toward that cause, examining the effectiveness of a badging system across two web-based university courses in relation to the individual differences of the learners. Individual differences are examined through the lens of Long-Dziuban reactive behavior types and traits. Results revealed differences …

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Complete Issue, Volume 34, Issue 2 Jan 2015

Complete Issue, Volume 34, Issue 2

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This is the complete issue for Volume 34, Issue 2 of the Journal of the Association for Communication Administration.

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Gender Segregated Learning Environments An Analysis Of The Perceived Impact Of Single-Sex Classrooms In South Carolina, Paul Gleason Jan 2011

Gender Segregated Learning Environments An Analysis Of The Perceived Impact Of Single-Sex Classrooms In South Carolina, Paul Gleason

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Educating male and female students in separate learning environments has been a common practice since the early inception of educational programs. However, this practice was heavily debated in the 20th century for its perceived inequalities in the treatment of students based on their gender resulting in today's coeducational classroom structure. Recently, interest in single-sex classrooms returned as an alternative for educating America's youth. Political support for this educational approach was evident in modifications to the 2006, No Child Left Behind Act which in turn led to increased availability and popularity of this educational venue. Despite same-sex classrooms' acceptance, research results …

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