Language and Literacy Education Commons^™

Performance-Based Assessment In Refugee Esol Programs: Fostering Real-World Readiness Through Discussions And Presentations, Abdul Mutashobya, Elise Holcomb

MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL

A Performance-Based Assessment (PBA) framework designed to enhance the communicative competence and real-world readiness of adult refugee learners in an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program is described. Grounded in sociocultural and communicative language teaching theories, this approach intentionally blurs the lines between instruction and assessment, using authentic tasks like collaborative discussions and presentations to foster practical skills. The theoretical rationale for PBA is followed by a description of the instructional context and the specific techniques used, including scaffolding strategies, self-assessment and rubric development. Reflecting on the implementation, we share the successes, such as increased learner confidence and …

Reimagining Read-Alouds: Fostering Critical Consciousness And Social Justice Through Children's Literature, Kylie Brigham

Masters Projects

During this era of heightened political and social divides, it is more important than ever to provide elementary students with inclusive and socially conscious literacy instruction. While classroom read-alouds have been long valued for their impact on literacy development, they are often underutilized as tools for fostering student identity, empathy, and social justice. This project, grounded in the frameworks of critical literacy, culturally responsive pedagogy, and Frierian theory, positions the read-aloud as a powerful entry point for critical and age-appropriate conversations about social issues, representation, and power.

Research has shown that many educators lack the training, tools, and confidence to …

Empowering Writers: Integrating Digital Prewriting Tools In The Research Writing Process, Heather A. Rundo

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

This practitioner article explores the integration of digital prewriting tools, specifically MindMeister and VoiceThread, in a high school sophomore honors English class during a research writing unit. The author, a classroom teacher, discusses the challenges students face in research writing and seeks to enhance their confidence and organization skills. Drawing insights from student and teacher perspectives on writing strengths and weaknesses, the article delves into the significance of prewriting as a fundamental component of the writing process.

Revitalizing Literary Engagement: Innovative Approaches To Teaching Willa Cather In High School English Classes, Sarah Hoyt, Phu Vu

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

This study explores methods to enhance student engagement and interest in high school English literature classes, focusing on the analysis of Willa Cather's novels. It addresses the challenge of motivating students to engage deeply with full-length novels, crucial for cultural and literary education. Employing a qualitative approach and triangulated data sources, the study reveals significant improvements in student engagement, comprehension, and literary analysis. Additionally, students demonstrated a heightened ability to connect with the themes and characters in the prose.

Teaching To Transgress: A Practice Of Justice And Healing In Teacher Education Program, Finney Cherain, Syed Ali Nasir Zaidi

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

We create deep connections with our surroundings, people and societies, and classrooms are one of such deep connections. Classrooms are spaces where the unfulfilled dreams and painful experiences of teachers and students can fester and estrange classrooms from being places of justice and hope. The absence of justice, healing and hope estranges public education of many of its democratic ideals and promises. We believe that teachers and students can heal together to deconstruct their experiences with oppression and envision new ways of coexisting with others and personally transform. Influenced by the work of Bell Hooks and Parker Palmer we offer …

Dialogic Instruction: Teachers Can Have Their Cake, And Eat It, Too, Rebecca L. Lee

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

Dialogic instruction is a talk-intensive approach to learning and teaching that is student-centered and discussion-based, promoting collaboration and academically productive conversations. Recently, educators across the country have increased the amount of time spent preparing students for standardized assessments, which often reduces teaching and learning to test preparation. While this tension suggests that teachers must choose between good teaching or good test scores, dialogic instruction is a promising practice that can enhance students’ reading comprehension outcomes while centering student choice and valuing student voice. Research shows dialogic instruction is most effective when teachers a) co-create a conducive classroom climate, b) incorporate …

Young Adult Literature As A Catalyst For Empathy, Engagement, & Empowerment: A Generational View, Amanda Stearns-Pfeiffer, Ashleigh S. Dubie, Catherine J. Miller

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

Abstract: This article is a glimpse into Young Adult Literature (YAL) pedagogy from a generational perspective. One university professor and two of her former students describe the processes, pedagogies, and challenges of introducing YAL theory, texts, and topics in university methods courses, as well as in the secondary English Language Arts (ELA) classroom. The former students will report on how they have taken ideologies and lessons learned from their university methods courses and implemented YAL in their ELA classrooms during their intern teaching semesters. Finally, the importance of including YAL in our classrooms in order to build empathy, engagement, and …

Marveling At The Art Of Language: Centering Adolescents In Developing Disciplinary Literacy For Ela, Christina M. Ponzio

Michigan Reading Journal

This article explores how we invite adolescents to be insiders in the discipline of ELA by inquiring together into the art of language. I begin with a brief overview of the varied perspectives, research and frameworks about the importance of apprenticing students’ into disciplinary literacy in ELA. Next, I share examples of authentic contexts, purposes, and audiences for inquiring into the art of language with adolescents across a school year and zoom into one unit through the lens of Moje’s (2015) 5E framework for designing inquiries that foster the development of students’ disciplinary literacy. I conclude with a “before and …

From Theory To Practice: How Job-Embedded Professional Learning Labs Support Implementation And Application, Megan Kortlandt, Samantha Keesling, Asha Williams, Jay Haffner

Michigan Reading Journal

Educators in any role know that supporting application of new learning is critical. Classroom teachers ground their instruction in the gradual release of responsibility, problem-based learning, and other frameworks that support students in taking on new learning themselves. Similarly, it’s long been understood that, in order for professional learning to be effective for adults, it must support educators in transferring new learning to practice (Darling-Hammond et al, 2017). Yet most professional learning frameworks still involve large groups that often take place in settings removed from the students and settings where educators apply the learning. Though they may ask participants to …

The Dangers Of Teacher Deficit Thinking And Language: Practices To Disrupt The “They’Re So Low” Literacy Paradigm, Heather Rottermond, Bridget Regan

Michigan Reading Journal

Teacher deficit thinking, a deeply ingrained paradigm in education, attributes students' academic challenges to their backgrounds, families, and cultures rather than examining systemic inequities. This mindset fosters low expectations, reinforces stereotypes, and limits student success. Research indicates that deficit-oriented teachers believe students must be "fixed" to achieve academic success, perpetuating harmful educational practices. Furthermore, data-driven decision-making, particularly in high-stakes testing environments, can exacerbate deficit thinking by framing students in terms of their weaknesses rather than strengths. Studies reveal that teachers often use labels such as "low" or "deficient," reinforcing biased instructional decisions that fail to leverage students' existing knowledge and …

Using Picturebooks To Promote Student Inquiry, Inferential Thinking, And Reading Comprehension In A 9th Grade Ela Classroom, William P. Bintz

Michigan Reading Journal

This article reports findings from a classroom-based, action research project that used one award-winning picturebook to promote student inquiry, inferential thinking, and reading comprehension in a 9^th grade English/Language Arts classroom. It begins by describing a read-aloud experience that sparked my interest in developing and implementing an action research project, followed by an overview of action research as a research methodology. Next, it shares samples of work that resulted from students using three interrelated, instructional strategies with the picturebook to promote inquiry, inferential thinking, and reading comprehension. Then, it discusses major findings and implications and ends with concluding thoughts.

Recentering Family-Teacher Partnerships Through The Lens Of Unconditional Positive Regard, Lindsay Stoetzel, Jennifer Vanderground, Karen Abraham

Michigan Reading Journal

This paper examines the complexities of building family-teacher partnerships in the literacy classroom. While research continues to support the need for family engagement in literacy learning, a number of contextual factors pose barriers to building such relationships, negatively impacting children, families, and teachers alike. While organizational approaches are needed to fully address this long-standing issue, we offer the lens of unconditional positive regard as an approach individual teachers might adopt in their own work. Unconditional positive regard supports educators to partner with families by focusing on emotional regulation, acknowledging agency over ideologies, and prioritizing shared goal setting. Recommendations illustrate how …

Creating A Dynamic Online Teaching Environment: A Review Of Engaging Online Language Learners: A Practical Guide (2022), Aaron David Mermelstein

MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL

Review of Pawan, F., Daley, S. L., Kou, X., & Bonk, C. J. (2022). Engaging Online Language Learners: A Practical Guide. TESOL Press.

Effective Elementary Vocabulary Instructional Strategies, Staci A. Brown

Masters Projects

Vocabulary knowledge upon entering school is a known predictor of literacy success (Moody et al., 2018; NPR, 2000). However, students enter school with various levels of vocabulary knowledge, creating gaps in literacy skills. Teachers must be equipped with the most efficient and effective vocabulary instructional strategies to compensate for these deficits in vocabulary and help all students become successful readers (Moody et al., 2018). This project seeks to research the most successful methods of structuring and implementing vocabulary instruction and provide this knowledge to kindergarten and second-grade teachers through professional development (PD). The PD will consist of several workshops introducing …

Increasing Parental Involvement Of Low Socioeconomic Status Families, To Help Increase Student Reading Achievement, Jean M. Routley Robinson

Masters Projects

There is a gap in reading achievement for children from low socioeconomic status families despite efforts to the contrary. A major factor contributing to achievement in reading is parental involvement. This involvement is important for all children, but is especially important when it comes to raising the reading abilities of children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. A focus on Pierre Bourdieu and his theories around social and cultural capital shape the framework for understanding why a lack of involvement can exist, as well as what can be done to increase it. Four main themes emerged to improve participation. They are: shifting …

Promoting College And Career Ready Readers And Writers: A Guide For English, Science, And Social Studies Teachers To Support Instruction Of Sat Reading And Writing Skills, David Fitzpatrick

Masters Projects

In Michigan and across the United States, student scores on the Evidence Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT have been steadily declining. This project responds to this decline by developing a set of resources for skills-based literacy instruction that English language arts, social studies, and science teachers can use to revise their approaches to teaching literacy skills. Highly effective curriculum design and literacy instruction strategies were reviewed to design guides, templates, and models for practicing high school teachers at all grade levels to adapt in order to improve literacy instruction in their classrooms. By scaffolding literacy skills across …

Mentoring And Supporting All Writers: Strengthening Writing Instruction In Pk To 5th Grade With Halpern’S “Interactive Writing” And Anderson’S “Mentor Texts”, Chad H. Waldron, Meghan K. Block, Alicia D. Fluker, Mariah C. Schepak, Michelle R. Snyder

Michigan Reading Journal

Shared, co-authored book review by educators and researchers of Matt Halpern’s (2023) A Teacher’s Guide to Interactive Writing, Grades PreK-2 and Carl Anderson’s (2022) A Teacher’s Guide to Mentor Texts, Grades K-5 (Heinemann)

Reclaiming And Celebrating Our Names: Storytelling-As-Connection Through An Elementary-Middle School Partnership, Christina M. Ponzio, Janine Kopera, Jennifer Krueger, Katharine Kwiatkowski, Heather Shiveley

Michigan Reading Journal

Affirming each student’s identity is fundamental to fostering the connection needed for our students to grow as a community of readers and writers across the year–and this begins when teachers learn their students’ names. This article highlights how students, teachers and literacy coaches through a partnership between an elementary school and middle school in southeast Michigan connected together through storytelling as an avenue to reclaim and celebrate their names. The second author shares her collaboration as the literacy coach with elementary teachers, which began with a read aloud of read Alma and How She Got Her Name (Martinez-Neal, 2018) and …

Developing Adolescent Word-Level Knowledge: Challenges And Opportunities In Professional Learning With Secondary Educators, Jenelle Williams

Michigan Reading Journal

This article aims to highlight the research base for disciplinary literacy approaches, emphasize foundational literacy components that apply to the majority of adolescent learners, and propose tangible approaches to attend to morphological development in multiple academic disciplines. The article will conclude with a call for additional research into the role of morphological awareness in strengthening adolescent reading comprehension, as well as further study of the implications for systemic approaches across all disciplines in secondary educational settings.

Back To The Future: Looking At Nostalgic Practices To Conceptualize A More Inclusive Literacy Future (Part 2), Darreth R. Rice, Rebecca L. Witte

Michigan Reading Journal

No abstract provided.

It’S “A Good Day” To Make Inferences: Helping Emergent And Reluctant Readers, Amy Davis

Michigan Reading Journal

A skilled reader can understand and connect to relationships that are not explicitly stated in text. The process of making inferences can be divided into two categories: text and prior-knowledge-based. This paper offers examples of inference questions using the picture book, “It’s a Good Day” by Kevin Henkes, that teachers can use during shared book readings with emergent and reluctant readers.

Improving Elementary Fluency Instruction Through Professional Learning And Development, Katherine Paulsen

Masters Projects

Research has proven that reading fluency is an important bridging process between word recognition and comprehension for early readers. However, many students in elementary classrooms across the United States struggle with the ability to read with sufficient accuracy, rate, and expression to make sense of the text they are reading. Additionally, many curricula, assessments, and professional development programs do not sufficiently incorporate reading fluency instruction, leaving teachers and students without adequate knowledge about and practice of reading fluency. This project explores history, theories, and research-based practices that support reading fluency development. It also explores research behind the importance of effective …

Understanding The “L” In Cslp Within The Literacy Conundrum, Julia Lynch, Andrea Perrone

Michigan Reading Journal

Rooted in culturally relevant pedagogy, culturally sustaining literacy practices (CSLP) focus on equity in education (Gay, 2000; Ladson-Billings, 1995; Paris, 2012). Our view of CSLP emphasizes integrating the arts into literacy instruction to leverage students' cultural assets, stimulating their cognitive processes and recognizing literacy's interdisciplinary role in learning. As we align literacy practices with state standards, high-stakes testing, and research-based methods, it's crucial for educators and society to embrace them. Traditionally, literacy instruction has prioritized written language, creating hierarchical structures that lead to learning gaps and inequitable opportunities. An arts-based CSLP framework addresses these issues by ensuring literacy includes diverse …

Teacher Candidates Develop And Apply Pedagogical Content Knowledge To Support Multilingual Learners, Kyongson Park, Danielle L. Defauw

Michigan Reading Journal

To ensure English Learners (ELs) / Multilingual Learners (MLs) have access to well-prepared educators, one regional university integrates a seven-credit block of courses to ensure teacher candidates learn and apply English as a Second Language methods within clinical experiences. Teacher candidates must create a technology-integrated Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) lesson plan by utilizing the following key strategies designed to support EL/MLs’ literacy development for academic purposes: adding both content and language objectives, building background knowledge through connecting students’ cultural experiences, and developing comprehensible input in different proficiency levels.

Nurturing A Community Of Literacy Coaches: A Comprehensive Approach To Improved Literacy Instruction, Heather Rottermond, Colleen Whalen, Laura Gabrion, Joseph L. Musial

Michigan Reading Journal

Because equitable literacy practices provide students with access and opportunity, it is essential to build strong and supportive communities for literacy educators. At the center of these communities are literacy coaches who work extensively to cultivate trusting relationships to disrupt the status quo, thereby improving literacy instruction and student success. Literacy coaches build coaching structures and learning cultures that equitably expand educators’ knowledge, skills, and capacity to increase student literacy within and beyond classrooms. This article examines Years One through Three of the Wayne County COSA (Coach on Special Assignment) Initiative. It explores the value of building and sustaining an …

Implementing Siop In Online Teaching: Experiences From An Elementary School Teacher, Emily Dulaney, Virginia David, Amira Eldemerdash

MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL

This paper describes how one ESL elementary school teacher implemented the SIOP Model in her teaching when her school shifted from in person to online learning in the spring of 2020. Ms. Dulaney serves as the ESL teacher in a rural school district with 15% Multilingual Learners (MLs). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all schools in the state of Michigan were shut down for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year in early March, forcing K-12 teachers to shift to online learning. Ms. Dulaney met with her MLs online once a week for 30 minutes and planned lessons that incorporated …

Review Of Rubin, H., Estrada, L., & Honigsfeld, A. (2022). Digital-Age Teaching For English Learners: A Guide To Equitable Learning For All Students (2nd Ed.), Hanrui He, Andrea Rakushin Lee

MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL

Review of Rubin, H., Estrada, L., & Honigsfeld, A. (2022). Digital-age teaching for English learners: A guide to equitable learning for all students (2^nd ed.)

Improving Fluency And Its Components To Enhance Comprehension, Amanda J. Skellie Ms.

Masters Projects

As students face many obstacles in their educational journey, it is agreed upon that literacy achievement is an essential skill for all humans. Once students are able to read fluently they can focus on reading to learn for a purpose. With numerous factors affecting literacy development, it is important to scaffold students learning to meet their needs in order to acquire necessary reading skills. The focus of this project is to improve fluency through a scaffolded model in order to focus attention on reading to learn as lifelong learners. Fluency and its components: accuracy, rate, and prosody, is an important …

Reflections On Justice: Empowering Ells Through Political Philosophy, J. Paul Marlowe

MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL

In today’s polarized political climate, language education that includes more critical thinking, develops argumentative skills, and fosters conflict resolution is vital to functioning democracies with increasingly diverse societies. To address this need, the popular Justice course taught by Harvard professor Michael Sandel was adapted for English language learners in the context of an English for Academic Purposes program at a Japanese university. The author describes the experience of adapting this course to the context including a discussion on why the topic is relevant, ideas for how materials can be adapted for English language learners in different settings, how to use …

Promoting A Truly Thriving L2 Writing Classroom For Bilingual And Multilingual Learners: A Review Of Losey And Shuck’S Plurilingual Pedagogies For Multilingual Writing Classrooms: Engaging The Rich Communicative Repertoires Of U.S. Students, Antonella Beatriz Dell'aquila

MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL

Book review of Plurilingual Pedagogies for Multilingual Writing Classrooms: Engaging the Rich Communicative Repertoires of U.S. Students by Kay M. Losey and Gail Shuck.