Language and Literacy Education Commons^™

Bridging Research And Practice: A Mixed Methods Study Of Principals' Use Of Implementation Driver Strategies To Support The Adoption Of Evidence-Based Literacy Practices In Minnesota K-12 Public Schools, Jamie L. Nord

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Despite a substantial research base identifying effective reading instruction, some schools continue to struggle to translate evidence-based literacy practices into consistent classroom use. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study examined the relationship between Minnesota K–12 public school principals’ self-reported use of implementation driver strategies and their self-reported adoption of evidence-based literacy practices, while also exploring how principals perceived implementation within their school contexts. Guided by the Implementation Drivers framework, the study included a statewide survey of 138 principals using the researcher-developed Leadership for Literacy Implementation Scale, followed by two focus groups with 10 participants. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive, …

Social Emotional Learning (Sel) For Secondary English Language Learners (Ells), Summer E. Wallace

Honors Projects

This literature review and unit plan seeks to understand what Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is and provide resources to educators on its importance in the classroom. The literature review provides an overview of peer-reviewed sources from various educational journals, as well as online publications. It also contains interviews with two educators currently in the field. This project examines the benefits of SEL within the classroom and beyond, and proposes steps and considerations for implementing SEL into the classroom. It also includes specific provisions for SEL instruction to secondary English Language Learners (ELLs). Additionally, it discusses specific strategies to implement in …

We All Read: Adapting An Early Literacy Program For Children With Developmental Differences And Their Families, Rachel Podl

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Children with developmental differences face elevated risk for early literacy delays, while their caregivers experience significant difficulty accessing appropriate and supportive resources. This paper describes an adaptation of WeRead, an existing story-time and psychoeducation program through the University of Denver's Baby S.T.E.P.S. Lab, for children ages 0–7 with developmental differences and their caregivers. The program integrated a neurodiversity-affirming read-aloud, a strengths-based art activity, movement and music, caregiver psychoeducation on visual schedules, and collaboration with four community partners. The event drew approximately 65 attendees. A post-program survey, though limited by few responses, indicated that caregivers valued the program's accessibility, community partnerships, …

A Mindful Approach To Language Learning: Investigating Attitudes, Self-Efficacy, And Well-Being In The Efl Classroom, Sharon E. Fayerberger, Anca D. Cehan

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

A Mindful Approach to Language Learning: Investigating Attitudes, Self-Efficacy, and Well-Being in the EFL Classroom

This study aimed to explore the effect of a 13-week mindfulness intervention program conducted in English, within the framework of English Foreign Language lessons for 10th-grade students. The aspects researched were attitudes, language self-efficacy, and student well-being, which are essential components for successful foreign language learning. Fifty-seven 10th-grade students were divided into an experimental group and a control group. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative questionnaires to assess the students' self-efficacy and attitudes pre- and post-stage, and qualitative data collected from semi-structured questionnaires, which …

Performing Proficiency: Ethnodrama As Arts-Based Research In An Esl Acting Classroom, Angel M. Morales

Journal of English Learner Education

This study explores the use of ethnodrama as an arts-based research method and pedagogical tool in English as a Second Language (ESL) education. Drawing on the work of Saldaña, Salvatore, and Denzin, the project examines how performance can communicate lived experiences, foster language development, and promote social justice in multicultural classrooms. Based on interviews and observations of ESL students in an Acting I course, the resulting ethnodrama, What?! Acting?!, presents verbatim narratives that reveal learners’ identities, struggles, and resilience. The findings highlight how theatrical practice enhances linguistic fluency, self-expression, and cultural understanding, demonstrating the transformative potential of performance in …

A Franco-American University Collaboration: Oral Assessment With Cefr And Star, Nadia Yassine-Diab, Christina Torres University Of Central Florida, Aimee Schoonmaker

Journal of English Learner Education

This article describes the collaboration between faculty at two international
universities, one in France and one in the U.S., who partnered their students to practice and assess oral skills. Using computer-mediated communication with both synchronous and asynchronous elements, the collaboration provided a valuable opportunity for both groups to engage in pedagogically meaningful and structured exchanges integrated into coursework that mirror their future professional situations (O’Dowd et. al., 2020). More specifically, each semester, the U.S. TESOL students interview and assess French speaking English language learners using the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) and the Situation Task Action Results (STAR) interview …

Unlocking Affixes In The Esl Community College Classroom: The Language Of Law, Science, And Technology, Patricia George-Hunter Edd

Journal of English Learner Education

Since vocabulary plays a significant role in second language acquisition, expansive vocabulary targets should be set and pursued. This paper explores the results of introducing affixes to develop vocabulary and increase motivation for beginner to intermediate-level English language learners (ELLs) pursuing academic disciplines in law, science, and technology at a New York City community college. Participants included 23 ELLs with diverse linguistic, educational, and sociocultural backgrounds enrolled in an online synchronous Integrative Language Seminar (ILS) designed to develop all areas of English language proficiency. Pre‑, post‑, delayed tests, questionnaires, and post‑intervention interviews were conducted and analyzed to establish the language …

Math Language Acquisition And Improving English Language Learners’ Ability To Understand And Solve Math Word Problems, Crystal L. Gammon, Jillian Skelton

Journal of English Learner Education

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore third- through fifth-grade teachers’ perceptions of effective vocabulary instruction and collaboration practices used to support English Language Learners (ELLs) in understanding, discussing, and solving math word problems. The problem addressed was that ELL students in rural southeastern U.S. school districts were not achieving mathematics proficiency at the same rate as their native English-speaking peers, particularly when solving word problems requiring academic language comprehension. The findings revealed that teachers viewed math vocabulary instruction as essential for closing academic gaps while also identifying vocabulary as a major barrier when it was not explicitly …

Making The Implicit Explicit For Multilingual Learners: A Language-Based Framework For Literacy Development, Luciana C. De Oliveira

Journal of English Learner Education

Literacy is fundamentally an act of meaning-making that requires bridging micro-level linguistic choices with macro-level text structures across genres. Current literacy policies dominated by Science of Reading (SoR) mandates often overemphasize isolated, word-level foundational skills. This narrow focus creates a one-size-fits-all model that reduces reading to the level of individual words, not appropriate for multilingual learners (MLs) who require access to dense, specialized disciplinary discourse. This article proposes an intentional, language-based literacy framework designed to build high-challenge, high-support classrooms for MLs without lowering academic expectations. Integrating genre-based pedagogy through the Teaching and Learning Cycle (TLC) with the mode continuum, the …

Researching Readers And Writers: The Role Of Serendipity, Elizabeth L. Jaeger

The Qualitative Report

I trace here three case studies of readers and writers: third grade children participating in a Writing Workshop, fourth grade vulnerable readers in a tutoring setting, and adults with major mental illness interacting in a writers’ group. Specifically, I collected and analyzed data related to students extending a classroom practice called Class Meeting (during which they shared concerns and compliments) into the writing workshop context; expanding the focus of tutoring practice from children who struggled with comprehension of text to include those with English vocabulary and decoding issues; and changes when I moved from a participant in, to facilitator of, …

Dyslexia: A Beginner’S Guide For Criminal Justice, Forensic Mental Health, And Legal Professionals, Jerrod Brown Ph.D., M.A., M.S., M.S., M.S., Amy Guillot, Morgan Rutkowski, Jeremiah B. Schimp, Jonathan Q. Ward, Kimberly Dodson, Shelley Mydra Dmft, Lmft, Amanda Fenrich, Joshua Kirven, Bettye Sue Hennington, Matthew Peacock, Janina Cich, Nicole Kimberley-Staeheli

Forensic Scholars Today

Dyslexia is a heritable, neurobiological learning disorder that persistently interferes with reading, spelling, and writing and is distinct from intellectual, visual, or hearing impairments. Although an estimated 15% to 20% of the general population may show symptoms of dyslexia, studies report that 41% to 62% of incarcerated individuals display dyslexia-related characteristics. This beginner’s guide introduces dyslexia for criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal professionals. It reviews diagnostic considerations, including the distinction between dyslexia and low literacy, the varied cognitive profiles of dyslexia, and the influence of co-occurring conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The article frames the link between dyslexia …

Development And Validation Of An Ai-Assisted Eco-Batik Gringsing Student Worksheet, Intan Kurniawati, Arif Widiyatmoko, Bambang Subali 5, Novi Ratna Dewi

Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran

Background: Science literacy among Indonesian students remains low, indicating a need for contextual learning resources that connect scientific concepts with students’ environments. Local cultural heritage such as Batik Gringsing, combined with artificial intelligence (AI) as a supporting tool, offers a promising context, yet their integration in a single student worksheet remains underexplored.

Objectives: This study aimed to develop and validate an AI-assisted Eco-Batik Gringsing student worksheet for science learning.

Methods: The study employed a research and development (R&D) approach adapted from the 4D model, covering the Define, Design, and Develop stages. The evaluation focused on the validity and practicality of …

Literacy Activities To Prepare Mll Students For An Art Museum Visit, Marion J. Tate

Michigan Reading Journal

This article describes how I prepared newcomer Yemeni students to visit, understand, and learn from museums while also strengthening their English language development and cultural identity. Many students had limited English proficiency; however, they brought rich personal, family, and cultural knowledge into the classroom. To build on those strengths, I used literacy-based activities before, during, and after museum visits. These activities included shared and independent reading with e-books, pre-assessment charts, vocabulary development, guided discussions, reflective writing, collage-making, and student-led decision-making. Each strategy helped students practice English in meaningful ways while connecting museum content to memory, immigration, history, culture, and identity. …

Redefining “Back To Basics:” Critical Place-Based Education As Essential Practice, Jeffrey Austin, Rosalyn D. Shahid

Michigan Reading Journal

This article explores how an environmental justice-centered summer program in Wayne County, Michigan, one of the areas most impacted by environmental harm in the United States, uses storytelling, critical place-based education practices, teen advocacy frameworks and local curriculum development to push back on current “back-to-basics” education mandates, including scripted curriculum, skills-dominant instruction, and decontextualized learning.  Using the MAISA GELN Disciplinary Literacy Essentials: Grades 6-12 as a guide, we attempt to redefine what ought to be seen as “basic” in schools to ensure that students can be a meaningful part of building a more just, equitable, and sustainable future for our …

Reading With Dad: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Of Fathers’ Literacy Practices In China And The United States, Wei Gu

Michigan Reading Journal

Family literacy research has often centered on mothers, with fathers’ roles receiving comparatively less attention, particularly in studies that examine family literacy across cultural contexts. This study, comparing the literacy practices of fathers with young children in China and the United States, explores cultural patterns of paternal family literacy engagement. The article reveals the relationship between father and child demographic characteristics (age, education, income, child age, number of children, and child gender) and fathers’ literacy involvement in two countries. Using a survey instrument administered to 500 fathers (250 in the United States and 250 in China), the study analyzes fathers’ …

Korelasi Foreign Language Anxiety Dengan Performansi Berbicara Bahasa Mandarin Peserta Didik Sma Laboratorium Universitas Negeri Malang, Kharisma Budi Setyawati, Lukluk Ul Muyassaroh, Herri Akhmad Bukhori

Journal of Language, Literature, and Arts

This study aims to describe the Mandarin speaking performance of eleventh-grade IBB students at the Laboratory High School of Universitas Negeri Malang and to examine the relationship between foreign language anxiety (FLA) and Mandarin speaking performance. A quantitative correlational design was applied to 24 students selected through total sampling. Anxiety levels were measured using an adapted Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS; Horwitz et al., 1986), while speaking performance was assessed through role-play dialogues scored with an analytic rubric. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Shapiro-Wilk normality test, a linearity test, and Pearson product-moment correlation. Students’ FLA fell into …

The Impact Of Code-Switching In Daily Conversation: An Inclusive Effort To Reduce Language Anxiety Among Arabic Education Students, Subhi Muhamad

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

Abstract: This study examines the role of code-switching in daily conversation among Arabic Language Education students, focusing on its relationship with foreign language anxiety (FLA) and willingness to communicate (WTC). Using a qualitative approach, data were collected through observations and interviews involving 28 students. The findings indicate that code-switching functions as an adaptive communicative and psychological strategy that supports interaction, reduces anxiety, and increases speaking participation. However, excessive reliance on the first language may hinder linguistic accuracy. The study highlights code-switching as a form of psychological scaffolding in Arabic language learning.

More Than ‘School-Based’: Unpacking Definitions Of Literacy In Local Nonprofit Work, Angela J. Stefanski, Peggy S. Rice, Veronica M. Fife-Demski

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

This participatory action research explores how non-profit literacy initiatives in a Midwestern city define literacy as they engage in an ongoing collective effort to ‘move the needle’ on local literacy outcomes. Data for this study includes interviews, marketing materials, and participatory fieldnotes focusing on the work of 20 local initiatives. Analysis of the data reflects both compliance and resistance to institutionalized literacy norms. Additionally, findings demonstrate that where literacy occurs shapes how initiative leaders define literacy, including the involvement of community members in the shaping of the initiatives. The discussion includes recommended resources for researchers and local non-profit organizations focusing …

Silence And Whispering In The L2 Pragmatics Classroom: Duoethnographic Insights From A Vietnamese Context, Duong Minh Tuan, Le Thi Diem Lan

The Qualitative Report

This article examined how silence and whispering shape participation in an L2 pragmatics course for English majors at a Vietnamese university. Using a duoethnographic approach, we, as lecturer–researchers and the sole participants in this study, engaged in written dialogic exchanges over a 12-week semester, drawing on salient classroom incidents and institutional texts as prompts. Our dialogues revisited scenes in which students were quiet or whispered in Vietnamese, and we interrogated our shifting interpretations of those moments in light of scholarship on silence, L2 pragmatics, and language policy. Four themes emerged. First, silence as calibrated participation showed how students strategically modulated …

Character-Value Internalization Through Tembe Nggoli Motifs And Weaving Practices In The Mbojo Weaving Community Of Wawo District, Indonesia, Imamatul Islamyah, Meisar Ashari, Irsan Kadir

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

Traditional weaving constitutes an important part of Indonesia's cultural heritage, yet its role in character-value learning remains underexplored. This study examines how character values are interpreted, experienced, and reinforced through Tembe Nggoli motifs and weaving practices within the Mbojo weaving community of Wawo District, Indonesia. Using a qualitative mini-ethnographic design, data were collected from four participants through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and documentation and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's six-phase thematic analysis. The findings indicate that character-related values are encountered through three interrelated dimensions: visual symbolism, embodied weaving practices, and community participation. Within the observed setting, participants associated these dimensions …

Freedom Is Taught Here: Freedom Schools And The Radical Tradition Of Intergenerational Community Learning In Black Education, Trayc D. Freeman, Wintre F. Johnson, Tiffany D. Meadows, Christine Onyinyechi-Uju Emuka, Naila A. Smith

Occasional Paper Series

The Black American community has always understood the power of literacy and education, and the importance of Black self-sufficiency to attain these. The establishment of Freedom Schools during the 1964 Freedom Summer in Mississippi is an actualization of that understanding. Since 1995, the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) has carried on the work and legacy, with Freedom Schools still taking place all over the United States. For two summers, we, researchers from the University of Virginia, have had the opportunity to partner with a CDF Freedom School as part of a mixed-method research study. This essay serves as a reflection and …

The Case For Required Tesol Coursework In Michigan Educator Preparation Programs, Angela Komsic Super

MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL

This study examines teacher candidate preparedness to support English learners across Michigan educator preparation providers (EPPs) using data from the Michigan Department of Education Educator Workforce Data Report. Data from the statewide Candidate Survey Suite, including responses from candidate supervisors, cooperating teachers, and teacher candidates, were analyzed to examine perceived preparedness at both state and institutional levels. Findings indicate that preparedness to support English learners remains comparatively lower than other areas of teacher preparation and showed little change following implementation of Michigan’s revised 2020 teacher preparation standards. Considerable variation was also observed across EPPs. To explore this variation, a document …

Development Of Reading Skill Material Using Book Creator For Eighth-Grade Students At Ma'had Al-Harby Batusangkar, Partomuan Harahap, Muhammad Yusuf Salam, Maratul Husna

Al-Arabi: Journal of Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language

تتمثل مشكلة البحث في ضعف إتقان التلاميذ لمهارة القراءة بسبب غياب الوسائل التعليمية التفاعلية، واعتماد المدرّسين على الأساليب التقليدية كالمناقشة والسؤال والجواب. وتهدف هذه الدراسة إلى: (١) معرفة الحاجة إلى تطوير مادة مهارة القراءة باستخدام منشئ الكتاب Book Creator، (٢) تقييم صلاحية المادة المطوّرة، و(٣) قياس مدى عمليتها في الصف الثامن.اعتمدت الباحثة منهج البحث والتطوير (R&D) وفق نموذج 4D الذي يشمل: التحديد، التصميم، والتطوير. تم جمع البيانات باستخدام استمارات للتحقق من الصلاحية والعملية، وحُلِّلت كمياً بمعامل "أيكِن V"، ونوعياً بالتحليل الوصفي الكمي.أظهرت النتائج أن المادة المطوّرة باستخدام Book Creator حققت مستوى صلاحية عالياً، حيث بلغت النسبة المئوية العامة ٩٢.٥%، كما …

Phonological And Lexical Potentials Of Angkola Batak As Indigenous Resources For General Linguistics Instruction, Eli Marlina Harahap, Markhamah Markhamah, Yunus Sulistyono, Laili Etika Rahmawati, Ali Imron Al Ma'ruf

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

Studies of the phonology and lexicon of regional languages need to be strengthened as sources of empirical data for teaching general linguistics. Batak Angkola has distinctive sound patterns and lexical forms that can be used to explain various linguistic concepts. This study aims to describe the phonological and lexical potential of Batak Angkola as a local linguistic resource for teaching general linguistics. The study employs a descriptive qualitative language research approach using 200 lexical forms corresponding to Swadesh glosses collected from native speakers of Batak Angkola in South Tapanuli Regency. The analysis was conducted through phonetic transcription as data documentation, …

Exploring Translanguaging Strategies In Brazilian Efl Classrooms: Teacher Perceptions, Challenges, And Institutional Pressures, Vitoria Castor

MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL

This study explores the role of translanguaging in Brazilian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms, focusing on how in-service teachers perceive translanguaging and how they navigate the challenges of implementing translanguaging to support student learning. While using a qualitative approach, three EFL teachers were interviewed. Three findings reveal a significant tension between institutional beliefs that enforce English-only policies and the practical realities of student comprehension. Teachers report that using Portuguese strategically enhances understanding, reduces student anxiety, and fosters engagement. Participants highlighted a lack of formal training in translanguaging during their teacher preparation program, leading them to rely on autonomous …

A Comparative Study Of Four Typographic Treatments In Coffee Shop Brand Visual Perception, Ivo Ramadhani, Siti Indah Lestari

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

Typeface is an integral component of visual identity that communicates verbal information while contributing to the visual character through which a brand is perceived. This study compares audience responses to four specific typographic treatments in the fictional coffee shop brand Titik Temu, rather than treating Serif, Sans Serif, Script, and Decorative as universally representative categories. A quantitative comparative approach with a repeated measures within subject design was employed. The stimuli used Sabon, Work Sans, Authentic Harmony, and Nusantara Font for the Serif, Sans Serif, Script, and Decorative treatments, respectively. The brand name, coffee shop concept, color palette, and major visual …

Representation Of Beauty: Gendered Discourses In Czech And Indonesian Advertisements, Indah Kurnia Herliani, Nurenzia Yannuar, Yusnita Febrianti, Ahmad Faizuddin

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

Beauty advertising is a public multimodal site in which gendered beauty ideals are made visible and linked to consumption. This study examines how beauty is constructed in the linguistic landscape (LL) of public advertisements in two localized urban settings: Olomouc, the Czech Republic, and Malang, Indonesia. We combine LL as the spatial and sociolinguistic framework, multimodal analysis through Cheong's (2004) Generic Structure Potential (GSP), and Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis (FCDA), operationalized through Fairclough's (1992) three-dimensional model. Rather than treating the two sites as representative of their countries or regions, we use them as comparative case studies to examine how similar …

Navigating Japanese Expatriate Children’S Linguistic, Cultural, And Psychological Adjustments To Their Host Communities In Southeast Michigan, Kiyotaka Suga

MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL

This case study explored how three Japanese expatriate children who moved to Southeast Michigan because of their parents’ job-transfer reacted and adjusted linguistically and culturally to new communities. Based on their experiences and perspectives, this study investigated what kind of potential supports can be provided to navigate their linguistic, cultural, and psychological adjustments to their new host communities in Southeast Michigan. To address these research questions, the three participants’ trajectories of their cross-linguistic, cultural, and psychological adjustments were examined through retrospective semi-structured interviews. Content analyses on their interview comments highlighted the following themes: (1) language-related challenges; (2) cross-cultural experiences and …

Piloting Translation Earbuds With Newcomer Multilinguals: An Exploratory Case Study With Teachers In Michigan Public Schools, Robyn Edwards, Joe Terantino

MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL

This exploratory case study examines how in-service teachers (n = 6) piloted translation earbuds to support WIDA Level 1-2 newcomer multilinguals in Michigan K–12 public schools. Grounded in Sociocultural Theory, the study highlights teachers’ perceptions of how the earbuds mediated classroom participation and access to instruction. Teachers identified the earbuds as most effective during content-heavy teacher talk, where real-time interpreting supported newcomers’ comprehension of grade-level content and reduced communication barriers. Teachers also reported that the earbuds increased student participation, encouraged socioemotional engagement, and helped strengthen teacher-student relationships by enabling more immediate and meaningful interaction. At the same time, teachers emphasized …

Call To Submissions, Cinde Wollenberg

Virginia English Journal

No abstract provided.