Toward Informative Assessment and a Culture of Evidence

Examines how campuses in the Strengthening Pre-collegiate Education in Community Colleges initiative combined traditional and innovative measures of student performance such as "think-aloud" protocol and pre-post testing to improve teaching and learning

Writing pedagogy from a systemic functional linguistics perspective

textIn recent years, US elementary and secondary education has put more emphasis on advancing students’ academic literacy. To address this need, many teachers have looked to systemic functional linguistics (SFL) theory to frame writing instruction. Drawing from this literature, this report identifies major pedagogical principles relevant for an English as a foreign language (EFL) instructional context, delineates the linguistic markers characteristic of academic registers, and expands on the existing literature in regards to feedback and error correction. SFL-informed literacy instruction can benefit English language instruction in countries such as South Korea, where learners’ writing development has traditionally been neglected. The report begins with a brief overview of systemic functional linguistics, and follows with a review of the literature on SFL-based writing pedagogy. Implications for EFL educational settings are discussed.Foreign Language Educatio

Perspectives of ESL Teachers on Translanguaging Pedagogy in Supporting the Literacy Engagement of Emergent Bilingual Students in a Texas Charter School

The interconnectedness of the world today through advanced technology and travel allows students exposure to a diverse cultural landscape. Combined with a fast-changing computer technology-driven education, and culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms, there cannot be just one way to teach and learn. This study explored the perspective of ESL teachers on translanguaging pedagogy in supporting the literacy engagement of emergent bilingual (EB) students in an urban elementary charter school in Texas. Through Participatory Action Research (PAR), data was collected from three ESL teacher participants using the spiral-action cycle. Findings that emerged included (a) intrinsic motivation that translanguaging pedagogy support emergent bilingual students; (b) uncertainty and excitement during planning and instruction; (c) teacher gaining knowledge of EB’s languages; and (d) teacher enthusiasm on translanguaging fueled by high student engagement. The findings of this study are relevant not just for teachers, but also for school administrators since participatory action research has not previously investigated translanguaging from a school principal\u27s viewpoint using PAR

An e-learning authoring tool for a didactic unit for Early Childhood Education students (5 year olds): Pets, farm and wild animals

This dissertation analyzes the general contribution of ICT and, in particular, of authoring tools to the pedagogical practice of teachers. The didactic unit “pets, farm and wild animals”, which is included in the second area of the curriculum of the 2nd Cycle of Early Childhood Education: “The physical, natural, social and cultural environment”, was developed with the authoring tool ARTICULATE Storyline 360. In the development of the modules, an attempt has been made to create animations in order to generate points of attention: put triggers (status or intersection of an object), buttons, add audios, videos and connections with web addresses, etc. Furthermore, different sorts of questions and activities have been created for students, to obtain an overview of student learning and performance during the course. Lastly, the teaching unit has been published in Articulate 360, HTML5, Flash, Word, CD, etc., to be used on computers, tablets, mobile phones, etc. This didactic unit is an attempt to use the authoring tool as a didactic mediation strategy elaborated to contribute to the strengthening of the pedagogical practice of the teachers and at the same time to the learning process of the students.Este proyecto fin de grado analiza la contribución general de las TIC y, en particular, de las herramientas de autor a la práctica pedagógica de los docentes. La unidad didáctica “Las mascotas, los animales de granja y los animales salvajes”, la cual está recogida en la segunda área del curriculum del 2º Ciclo de Educación Infantil: “El medio físico, natural, social y cultural”, se desarrolló con la herramienta de autor ARTICULATE Storyline 360. En el desarrollo de los módulos que comprenden la unidad, se ha intentado crear animaciones para generar puntos de atención: poner activadores (el estado de los dibujos o la intersección de un objeto), botones, añadir audios, videos, links con direcciones web, etc. Asimismo, se han creado diferentes tipos de preguntas y actividades, para obtener una visión general del aprendizaje y el rendimiento de los alumnos durante el curso. Finalmente, la unidad didáctica ha sido publicada en Articulate 360, HTML5, Flash, Word, CD, etc., para ser utilizada en ordenadores, tabletas, teléfonos móviles, etc. Esta unidad didáctica es un intento de utilizar la herramienta de autor como una estrategia de mediación didáctica elaborada para contribuir al fortalecimiento de la práctica pedagógica de los docentes y al mismo tiempo al aprendizaje de los discentes.Aquest projecte fi de grau analitza la contribució general de les TIC i, en particular, de les eines d'autor a la pràctica pedagògica dels docents. La unitat didàctica “Les mascotes, els animals de granja i els animals salvatges”, la qual està arreplegada en la segona àrea del currículum del 2n Cicle d'Educació Infantil: “El medi físic, natural, social i cultural”, es va desenvolupar amb l'eina d'autor ARTICULATE Storyline 360. En el desenvolupament dels mòduls que comprenen la unitat, s'ha intentat crear animacions per a generar punts d'atenció: posar activadors (l'estat dels dibuixos o la intersecció d'un objecte), botons, afegir àudios, vídeos, links amb adreces web, etc. Així mateix, s'han creat diferents tipus de preguntes i activitats, per a obtindre una visió general de l'aprenentatge i el rendiment dels alumnes durant el curs. Finalment, la unitat didàctica ha sigut publicada en Articulate 360, HTML5, Flash, Word, CD, etc., per a ser utilitzada en ordinadors, tauletes, telèfons mòbils, etc. Aquesta unitat didàctica és un intent d'utilitzar l'eina d'autor com una estratègia de mediació didàctica elaborada per a contribuir a l'enfortiment de la pràctica pedagògica dels docents i al mateix temps a l'aprenentatge dels discents.Educació

Social identity and parallel text dynamics in the reporting of educational action research

This paper focuses on textual issues in the reporting of action research. There exists a large body of text-analytical work on research reports from various fields, examining for example the organisation and rhetorical purpose of research articles or sections thereof. However, less has been done on the specific issues of reporting action research, and this paper seeks to fill that gap by an exploration of text dynamics in action research reports. It focuses on three small corpora of educational action research reports: page-length reports intended to share classroom practice, medium-length article reports which situate pedagogic interventions in some detail, and lastly, full length research article reports. The research discussed in this paper indicates possible relationships between text patterns and action research processes, and facilitates examination of the issues involved when attempting to represent a cyclical and often recursive process in textual form. It allows an exploration of the textually articulated relationships between the researcher and other aspects of the research context, be they structures or actors. This is a particularly complex and important issue in action research where groundedness, collaboration, appropriacy and reflexivity are key values. The paper has teacher education implications. Given the role of action research modules on in service teacher education programmes there is a need to facilitate, for new action researchers, an insight into forms of discourse that may assist them to articulate their experiences. To be of maximum benefit, such insights should also be educational in the sense of facilitating the development of discursive literacy

L2 Teachers\u27 Efficacy: The Impact Of Professional Development

This quasi-experimental explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined the impact of a 25-hour professional development on English as a foreign language (L2) teachers’ sense of efficacy in writing instruction in the country of Georgia. It also explored the links between teachers’ beliefs about teaching writing, self-efficacies in instructional strategies, and the professional development. A convenience sampling technique was used to select teachers for participation in the professional development. The quantitative data was collected through the teacher efficacy scale. The qualitative methods in the form of semi-structured questions about efficacy were used to enhance the data by examining teachers’ perceptions of the influence of the program on their beliefs. The results of this study indicate that L2 teachers who attended the 25-hour professional development had higher self-efficacy in instructional ability, namely their ability to deal with students’ writing problems, teach writing skills, assess writing assignments’ difficulty level, and an efficacy in the belief that the amount that a student can learn in writing is related to the teacher’s qualification and knowledge. These findings were supported by the qualitative data which further enhanced understanding of the quantitative findings

Educational Considerations, vol. 26 (2) Full Issue

Educational Considerations, vol.26 (2) Spring 1999 - Full issu

In time on time: Website for teachers of English to speakers of other languages

The purpose of the In Time On Time TESOL website for Teachers of English to Students of Other Languages (TESOL) is to provide adult-education teachers online access to classroom managing techniques, teaching and learning strategies, and online resources based on constructivism and adult-learning theory. The instructional design and navigation structure is based on Random Access Instruction (RAI) and hypertext theory

Teacher Development Program On Math Elementary Teaching Strategies

Este artículo trata sobre la intersección de la didáctica del inglés como lengua extranjera (EFL) y de las matemáticas. Uno de los presentadores trabaja en un programa de formación docente en una universidad y el otro enseña matemáticas en una escuela bilingüe. En el programa Teaching EFL en una universidad en Bogotá, los maestros de pre-servicio tienen una sólida formación en idiomas, mientras que el mercado parece tener una gran demanda de maestros bilingües en el área de contenido. Tratando de satisfacer esta necesidad, realizamos un estudio de investigación de acción que analiza la capacitación de 12 profesores de inglés antes del servicio para enseñar matemáticas como materia. Realizamos una investigación de acción cualitativa que recopiló datos con observaciones, entrevistas y cuestionarios sobre lo que sucedió durante y después de la capacitación, y sobre cómo se sentían los participantes sobre lo que estaba sucediendo. Los participantes recibieron un curso de capacitación de 30 horas y cuatro sesiones de seguimiento en un aula. La intervención se basó en las matemáticas de la primera infancia (ECME) que intentaban lograr un equilibrio entre un enfoque muy directo, didáctico y centrado en el maestro para el ECME, y un enfoque basado en el juego, centrado en el niño y no didáctico para el ECME (Sherman-Levos 2010). Los alumnos trabajaron en los conceptos de principios y estrategias, estándares y vocabulario para enseñar matemáticas, medidas y geometría, operaciones matemáticas y resolución de problemas. El desarrollo profesional también se basó en estos aspectos de CLIL: a) Seis etapas de reflexión; b) mapeo mental de CLIL; c) planificación de lecciones CLIL; d) notas del maestro del plan de lección de CLIL; y e) lista de verificación de la unidad CLIL. Los resultados resaltaron que al comprender la didáctica del inglés y las matemáticas, es posible enseñar a construir una metodología con la que los participantes adquieran el conocimiento de la materia mientras enseñan idiomas extranjeros.This paper deals with the intersection of the didactics of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and of Mathematics. One of the presenters works in a Teacher education program at a university and the other teaches mathematics at a bilingual school. In the Teaching EFL program at a university in Bogotá, pre-service teachers leave with a strong background in language, while the market seems to have a high demand for bilingual content area teachers. Trying to meet this need, we conducted an action research study that looks into the training of 12 pre-service English teachers to teach math as subject matter. We conducted a qualitative action research that collected data with observations, interviews and questionnaires on what happened during and after the training, and on how the participants felt about what was happening. The trainees received a 30-hour training course and four follow-up sessions in a classroom. The intervention drew on Early childhood mathematics (ECME) trying to strike a balance between a very direct, didactic, and teacher-centered approach to ECME, and a play-based, child-centered, non-didactic approach to ECME (Sherman-Levos 2010). Trainees worked on the concepts of principles and strategies, standards and vocabulary to teach Math, measurement and geometry, math operations, and problem solving. The professional development also drew on these aspects of CLIL: a) Six stages of reflection; b) CLIL mind mapping; c) CLIL lesson planning; d) CLIL lesson plan teacher notes; and e) CLIL unit checklist. The results highlighted that by understanding English and Math didactics, it is possible to teach to construct a methodology with which participants gain knowledge of the subject while teaching foreign language

Media Literacy and the English as a Second Language Curriculum: A Curricular Critique and Dreams for the Future

This thesis investigates whether or not the Ontario English as a Second Language/English Literacy Development (ESL/ELD) curriculum imparts the critical literacy skills necessary for students to deconstruct the multimedia messages with which the contemporary world is saturated, in order to function as informed, agentic citizens of Ontario society. Using foundations of cultural theory, radical critical pedagogy, and critical race theory, particularly the work of James Paul Gee, Henry A. Giroux, Paulo Freire and Michael Apple, this thesis explores the ways in which the current ESL/ELD curriculum can be found lacking due to its enforcement of the banking model of education, which devalues student experience and enforces dominant Western ideologies. The final chapter recommends an experiential, media literacy-based curriculum that validates student experience and empowers students to become both critics and producers of media texts and culture writ large