Primary School Pupils’ Use of Verb Collocations in Science Assessment: Patterns of Linguistic Behaviour by Language Background Factor

This article explores patterns of linguistic behaviour and challenges associated with low(er) linguistic competences in primary school learners in subject-specific areas of the curriculum. The study draws on science test data, specifically on two assessment tasks, collected from 209 primary school students, aged between 9 and 11 years (Key Stages 5 and 6 of the statutory framework for learning in England). The population sample is made up of learners from six state primary schools in Yorkshire and the Humber Region, UK. Some of the learners speak English as their mother tongue while others speak English as their second or third language. Learner test data were analysed in order to answer the following research questions: (1) What verb collocations do learners use when demonstrating their content knowledge on the topic of “separating solids and liquids” in Science? (2) Do English language learners (ELLs) and English native speaking learners (ENSs) use verb collocations differently? If so, what is the nature of these differences? The results revealed differences between linguistic performances in the two groups of learners. ENSs tended to produce natural collocations with motion verbs. ELLSs, however, faced challenges in producing idiomatic language. They also encountered more difficulties than ENSs in understanding assessment tasks’ instructions and/or in reporting subject-specific knowledge in response to the assessment tasks.EAL-Science Project, 2013–2015 & 2018–201

Formative use of language assessment:Supporting learning through the medium of a second language

Over the last decade, there has been an increased interest in investigation of assessment for learning. However, to date, there are still very few studies that investigated assessment for language learning or formative language assessment, focusing particularly on: (a) effects of formative assessment on learners’ linguistic development and on teachers’ teaching and lesson planning; (b) variables influencing the frequency and extent of effectiveness of formative assessment; (c) teachers’ and learners’ views on teacher feedback and learner peer- and self- assessment; and (d) fulfilment of the requirements set in the official United Kingdom (UK) policy documents on effective teaching and assessment of learners with English as an additional language (EAL), also known as English as an second language (ESL) in the United States (U.S.), in real classrooms. This article addressed these issues, and thus, extended the limited knowledge base on formative language assessment research to date. Moreover, through examining classroom-embedded language assessment processes from various perspectives, this research paper made a link between two research areas: (a) language testing and assessment; and (b) second language acquisition, also a relatively neglected field of research. This paper investigated two intact primary immersion classrooms, with learners as young as 8-10 years old and teachers whose teaching roles in the classrooms differed; two teachers were mainstream classroom teachers (CTs) and one was a mainstream teacher with specific responsibilities for language development in the school. The data were derived from literacy, numeracy, and science lessons through classroom observations and from the research participants through interviews. The data were firstly transcribed and coded qualitatively and then analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The findings revealed that various language assessment strategies were used regardless of the subject area of the lessons or role of the teachers and had formative potential for both the teachers and the learners. However, the frequency of use and extent of effectiveness of these strategies sometimes varied. It was also found that four out of five language assessment strategies, namely, teacher feedback, teacher questioning, learner peer-assessment, and learner self-assessment, had a clear positive effect on learners’ linguistic development, with the teachers and the learners overall reporting having a positive attitude to these strategies

Zadovoljevanje potreb učencev s posebnimi učnimi težavami pri poučevanju jezika na daljavo in v živo: prepričanja in prakse učiteljev

Drawing on communities of practice and social cognitive learning theories, this paper explores language teachers’ beliefs, knowledge and practices concerning the provision of high-quality education to learners with specific learning difficulties in various educational settings around the world. The data sample for this paper comprises qualitative data (video-recorded interviews and teaching resources) collected from six teachers working across various educational settings (primary, secondary, college and university) across several geographical areas (Europe, Middle East, and Southeast Asia). Thematic analysis was adopted to analyse the data. The findings suggest that teachers continue to experience challenges in educating learners with specific learning difficulties regardless of the educational setting. Limited opportunities for receiving specialised training in this area have been identified by several teachers as one of the key factors affecting the quality of their practice. The change in the mode of instruction from face-to-face to online was not always reported as negatively affecting the quality of educational provision to learners with specific learning difficulties. Technology-assisted online lesson delivery was seen as being advantageous to learners with some types of learning difficulties. Findings from this paper can be useful to teacher-practitioners and teacher-educators who are interested in improving the quality of language education for learners with specific learning difficulties. (DIPF/Orig.

Scaffolding learning:developing materials to support the learning of science and language by non-native English-speaking students

In recent years, the UK, like many other English first-language-speaking countries, has encountered a steady and continuous increase in the numbers of non-native English-speaking learners entering state primary and secondary schools. A significant proportion of these learners has specific language and subject learning needs, many of which can only be addressed by: (a) specialized teacher training courses and (b) the use of academically appropriate, context- and language-specific materials. At present, such materials are largely non-existent for use in primary school contexts across the country. This article addresses this gap and proposes a set of innovative classroom-based and take-home materials aiming to support the teaching and learning of science at Key Stage 2 of the English National Curriculum. The materials were developed as part of an intervention research project conducted over a period of 24 months (2013–2015) in four state primary schools in Sheffield with a varied density of English non-native-speaking learners. The materials were piloted with nearly 400 learners over a period of 10 months; the teachers were trained in using the materials prior to their trial. In this paper core features of the materials will be highlighted and their main functions discussed. Specific emphasis will be put on the following aspects: (a) support for language development, (b) support for subject knowledge development, (c) use of the first language in learning through the medium of a second language, (d) development of learner autonomy, and (f) promoting learning outside the classroom – making use of parental resources. The article will also argue that the proposed materials can be used equally effectively with non-native and native English-speaking learners

Translanguaging in diverse multilingual classrooms in England:oasis or a mirage?

This article takes the idea of multiple language use in classroom settings, also known as pedagogical translanguaging, as its starting point and a) proposes a framework that illustrates to teachers the power of pedagogical translanguaging, b) highlights its strengths drawing on empirical classroom data (namely, learner performance data, teacher and learner interview data), c) investigates factors that can hinder the effective use of pedagogical translanguaging in mainstream classrooms, and d) proposes classroom practices that encourage the use of translanguaging in educational contexts where teachers are largely monolingual, that is speak only the language of mainstream instruction

A formative perspective on language teaching and assessment: supporting young ethnic minority children in English primary classrooms

Over the last decade there has been an increased interest in investigation of assessment for learning. However, to date there are still very few studies that investigated assessment for language learning, or formative language assessment, focusing particularly on: (1) effects of formative assessment on learners' linguistic development and on teachers' teaching and lesson planning; (2) variables influencing the frequency and extent of effectiveness of formative assessment; (3) teachers' anc leamers' views on teacher feedback, learner peer- and self-assessment; and (4) and lulfilment of the requirements set in the official policy documents on effective teaching and assessment of leamers with EAL in real classrooms.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Meeting the Needs of Learners with Specific Learning Difficulties in Online and Face-to-Face Language Classrooms: Teacher Beliefs and Practices

Drawing on communities of practice and social cognitive learning theories, this paper explores language teachers’ beliefs, knowledge and practices concerning the provision of high-quality education to learners with specific learning difficulties in various educational settings around the world. The data sample for this paper comprises qualitative data (videorecorded interviews and teaching resources) collected from six teachers working across various educational settings (primary, secondary, college and university) across several geographical areas (Europe, Middle East, and Southeast Asia). Thematic analysis was adopted to analyse the data. The findings suggest that teachers continue to experience challenges in educating learners with specific learning difficulties regardless of the educational setting. Limited opportunities for receiving specialised training in this area have been identified by several teachers as one of the key factors affecting the quality of their practice. The change in the mode of instruction from face-to-face to online was not always reported as negatively affecting the quality of educational provision to learners with specific learning difficulties. Technology-assisted online lesson delivery was seen as being advantageous to learners with some types of learning difficulties. Findings from this paper can be useful to teacher-practitioners and teacher-educators who are interested in improving the quality of language education for learners with specific learning difficulties

Use of formative assessment, self- and peer-assessment in the classrooms: some insights from recent language testing and assessment research.

A considerable number of studies on formative teacher assessment and feedback, learner self- and peer-assessment have been carried out in the field of Language Testing and Assessment (LTA) research over the last two decades. These studies investigated the above mentioned concepts from different perspectives (impact of assessment on learning, attitudes towards assessment, comparison between teacher and learner assessment practices, types and quality of formative teacher feedback), in a number of different contexts (English as second language classrooms, mainstream classrooms, immersion classrooms, i.e. for mainstream classrooms, teaching and learning is done through the medium of a second or additional language) and in a number of different ways (experimental studies, observational studies, surveys, research review studies). This paper systematically reviews most recent research on formative teacher assessment and feedback, learner self- and peer-assessment, and reveals gaps which have not yet been addressed by research