Educational Methods Commons^™

Critical Incident Analysis: A Methodological Approach For Teaching Trauma Informed Practices, Penny B. Howell, Mary S. Thomas, Shantel D. Crosby, Khirsten Scott

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Drawing on sociocultural theory, a transdisciplinary, multi-racial team of teacher educators, a social work educator, and a scholar of English and rhetoric, designed a study focused on developing teacher candidates’ understanding of trauma-informed practices during their teacher preparation program. Qualitative data from teacher candidates’ reflections on Critical Incident Descriptions (CID) completed during student teaching reveal their developing understanding of trauma-informed practice with Timing, Maintaining Relationships, Holding High Expectations, and Engaging Students so they Remain in the Classroom as prevalent themes across all CIDs. Findings suggest that Critical Incident Analysis promotes teacher candidates’ reflection practices as they make connections …

Ready-To-Teach Reads: Standards-Aligned Novel Studies For Seventh Grade Using Contemporary Middle Grade Fiction, Elizabeth Duvall

Senior Theses

This project aims to provide middle school English teachers with an easy way to update their curriculum to be culturally relevant using ready-to-teach unit plans based on diverse novels. Since research shows students benefit from reading texts from diverse cultures, each novel features minority voices. Both units include lesson plans for each day, and resources like slideshows, worksheets, and discussion questions. They were created using the South Carolina College and Career Ready Standards for English Language Arts. While these units are tailored to South Carolina teachers, they can be used by any educator whose standards align with the units’ learning …

What’S Critical In Critical Media Literacy? Barriers And Good Practices In Adult Education, Stefanie Mayer, Stefanie Fridrik, Josef Mühlbauer, Brigitte Temel, Viktoria Eberhardt

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

While there is broad consensus regarding the social and educational need for CML, its actual didactic content and especially the meaning of ‘critical’ are far from clear. The article argues for a turn to educational practices. Findings are based on empirical research on adult education in Vienna (Austria) consisting mainly of interviews with expert-practitioners in the field of adult education and media and/or digital literacy. We confront academic definitions of the critical impetus of CML with an analysis of innovative projects, which were designed for accessibility and addressed learners facing high educational barriers. Our findings encourage a turn towards the …

Pennies In The Bank: Building Background Knowledge, Brooke Lee Webster

Journal of English Learner Education

Abstract

Across the United States, teachers are met with stringent time requirements that may not align with the needs of the students inside the classroom. This paper explores the efforts of condensing and prioritizing in a diverse classroom. Through a reflective narrative of teaching comprehension to emerging bilingual students, this paper presents a structure that leverages morning meetings and discussion as prongs for maximizing the benefit of students within limited instructional minutes. Tasks that build competence, confidence, and connection cycle to foster the environment that students need to thrive. Additionally, this paper investigates the role of building background knowledge in …

Supporting English Language Learners: A Comprehensive Guide For Long-Term Success, Yana Shifrina-Piljovin

Journal of English Learner Education

Abstract

This literature review provides a thorough examination of the various multifaceted challenges encountered by Long-Term English Language Learners (LTELLs) in educational settings. It critically analyzes the effectiveness of current support systems and instructional strategies, synthesizes relevant recent research findings, and offers targeted recommendations aimed for educators and policymakers striving to improve educational outcomes for LTELLs. The review evaluates the efficacy of existing support frameworks and teaching methodologies, synthesizes contemporary research findings, and presents actionable recommendations for educators and legislators to enhance the learning outcomes of these students.

Supporting English Language Learners LTELLs) in classroom settings requires a deep understanding …

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 …

Reading Comprehension Interventions For Multilingual Learners With Disabilities: A Systematic Review, Sariya Shabnam, Jennifer E. Smith, Samiratu Bashiru

Journal of English Learner Education

Multilingual learners with disabilities (MLWDs) face substantial barriers to reading comprehension given the intersecting challenges of language acquisition and disability (Artzi et al., 2022; Frates et al., 2024). Students with disabilities often need explicit, strategy-based instruction with modeling, guided practice, and scaffolding (Frates et al., 2024; Wawire et al., 2024; Moura, 2024). When learners are also multilingual, interventions must be linguistically accessible and responsive to diverse cognitive profiles (Moura, 2024; Sarisahin, 2020). MLWDs comprise 15.8% of English learners in U.S. public schools (NCES, 2024), yet research on effective comprehension interventions remains limited; most studies treat multilingual learners or students with …

The Labor Of Reading: A Personal And Pedagogical Exploration, Alisha Goldblatt

Wellspring: A Practitioner-Oriented Journal of Literacy and Language Education

While teachers bemoan the decrease in students’ ability to sustain interest in reading, and phones dominate over plain text, I have been wrestling with two questions that predate the current ubiquity of screentime: Why are some people more capable of reading fluently and with passion than others? Why can’t every person easily “lose” themselves in a text? As an English teacher and avid reader, I investigate the mechanisms of the act of reading (mainly fiction and creative nonfiction), the well-intentioned efforts of educators, and the question of whether reading itself is absolutely necessary to produce an informed, empathetic, and educated …

The Voices Of Educators And Elders: Examining A Supplemental Educational Program Through A Culturally Responsive Lens In Gullah Geechee And African American Communities, Kelly D. Shelton

Dissertations

African American students in South Carolina experience historical educational suppression (Anderson, 1988; Bowers et al., 2018; Fabel, 2019). This qualitative case study investigated how the use of African Diaspora and Gullah Geechee culture in supplemental education programs supported the academic success of youth. Using a culturally and historically responsive literacy and critical race theoretical framing (Gay, 2013; Hammond, 2015; Ladson-Billings, 2014; Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1997; Mills, 1997; Muhammad, 2020), this study captured the voices and insights of community elders and program directors of The Village Group, that makes use of Gullah Geechee cultural, academic, and vocational practices to engage and …

Amplifying Student Voice With Academic Conversations Across The Curriculum, Tara Temprano, Margaret Gelbwasser

New Jersey English Journal

This article explores the power of academic conversations to foster student engagement across disciplines. Students develop communication skills essential for all subjects through writing exercises, collaborative critiques, and historical role-playing. Strategies for integrating discussion into Art, Social Studies, and ELA classrooms help bridge the gap between the subject and the literacy space.

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 …

Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions Of Literacy In Stem Classroom Instruction By Implementation Of Project-Based Lessons, Sarah Ferguson, Maryam Enderson, Jamie Colwell

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This study examines how project-based learning (PBL) supports pre-service STEM teachers (PSTs) in understanding and applying disciplinary literacy in classroom instruction. Conducted in a semester-long PBL course at a mid-sized public university, the research explores PSTs’ shifting perceptions of literacy in STEM and the challenges and successes they experience. Using qualitative methods grounded in student voice and case study frameworks, data were collected through focus groups, reflections, and lesson plan analyses. Findings show PSTs initially held narrow views of literacy but developed more nuanced understandings through PBL. Key successes included increased confidence and use of inquiry-based strategies; challenges involved time …

Ecosystem Of The Loch Ness Monster, Ava Bauch, Cami Mayo, Sean Savage

OER Materials

This lesson plan provides an engaging interdisciplinary learning experience for fourth-grade students by combining language arts and science through the theme of the Loch Ness ecosystem. Using the 5E instructional model students build understanding of ecosystems, food webs, and informational text comprehension. The lesson aligns with standards focused on making inferences with text evidence and constructing arguments about how plants and animals use structures for survival, growth, and reproduction. Students begin by analyzing an image of the Loch Ness Monster and discussing what they see, think, and wonder. This introductory activity activates prior knowledge from earlier lessons while encouraging curiosity …

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 …

Enhancing English Literacy Through Task-Based Learning In A Technology-Integrated Classroom, Yueh-Tzu Chiang

Journal of English and Applied Linguistics

This study explored the impact of task-based teaching in a technology-enhanced environment, following the blended ladder model (Gravel et al., 2014), on second language (L2) learners’ English reading and writing skills. The study aimed to promote reading habits through extensive reading (ER), improve language skills via technology-assisted platforms (e.g., ZUVIO and Classdojo), and reduce writing anxiety. Two classes of 40 students each were divided into higher proficiency (HP) and lower proficiency (LP) groups for an eight-week intervention. Both classes participated in two interventions: self-selected reading materials with reading journals and task-based learning involving grammar, sentence structure, and authentic writing tasks …

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 …

“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 …

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 …

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 …

Creative Engagement With Ai Through Poetic Inquiry: A Posthuman Pedagogy, Amanda B. Deaton

Feminist Pedagogy

In this article, I describe an original teaching activity that explores the intersection of generative AI, poetic inquiry, and posthuman pedagogy, examining how students can critically and creatively engage with disruptive technologies. Using Rosi Braidotti’s posthuman framework (2013, 2019), I consider how generative AI might be used to challenge traditional notions of creativity, authorship, and knowledge production. Through a structured learning activity, students analyze a human poet’s work, generate AI-assisted poetry, and compose their own creative pieces, fostering non-linearity, memory and imagination, and defamiliarization—three key elements of Braidotti’s posthuman thinking. This pedagogical approach encourages ethical, affirmative engagement with AI, offering …

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 …

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 …

9th Gsep Research Symposium - 2025

GSEP Research Symposium

The Ninth Annual GSEP Research Symposium, themed "Building Bridges to Elevate Humanity: Innovations and Insights in Education and Psychology", was hosted by the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) on June 19–20, 2025, at the historic Château d’Hauteville in Switzerland and virtually via Zoom.

This hybrid symposium convened a vibrant global community of students, alumni, faculty, and scholars to share research that addresses real-world challenges, advances scholarly inquiry, and builds pathways for inclusive collaboration and leadership. Spanning a wide array of topics—from artificial intelligence and mental health to trauma-informed practices, educational equity, social justice, and cross-cultural leadership—the …

Red: A Crayon’S Story Bibliotherapy, David Wolff

OER Materials

The goal of this assignment was for preservice teachers to practice writing a chain of questions that focused on the social and/or emotional needs of young learners. Bibliotherapy is therapeutic in nature to help individuals understand themselves and the world around them through guided reading experiences (American Library Association, 2025; Delisle & Galbraith, 2002). Further, bibliotherapy allow individuals to identify a personal problem mirrored by a character in a book. As the reader connects with the character, the reader experiences the emotions expressed by the character. Finally, the reader applies the character’s experience to their own personal problem (American Library …

Better Together: Including Students In High School English Language Arts Course And Curriculum Design, Katelin E. Held

Doctorate in Education

This qualitative action research study examined how having students cocreate secondary English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum alongside teachers influenced student engagement and ownership of learning and staff attitudes toward cocreation. Conducted in a Midwestern U.S. public high school ELA department, the study involved four student and four educator participants, all of whom engaged in restorative-style focus groups with a larger number of students and teachers to collaboratively generate ideas for new course offerings. The study students and adults then participated in small-group semi structured interviews. Data were collected through audio-recorded group discussions, individual interviews, and researcher memos and were analyzed …