English Proficient Students Research Articles

The Effects of Paper-based Portfolios and Weblog-based Electronic Portfolios on Limited English Proficiency Students in Writing for Service Industry Course

The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of the use of paper-based and weblog-based electronic portfolios on the writing achievement of limited English proficiency students, to survey the students’ attitudes towards the use of the portfolio assessment, and to compare the viewpoints of the students in the control and experimental groups. The study was conducted with 60 second-year hotel and tourism students enrolled in the Writing for the Service Industry course. They had limited English proficiency, as their previous English grades were C or below in average. The simple random sampling technique was used for subject selection and group assignment. Google’s free weblog website (located at www.blogger.com) was used as a tool for creating and developing the students’ personal electronic portfolios. At the beginning of the course, the students in the control group and the experimental group were trained in the concept of portfolios, and the purposes, content, and criteria used for assessment were discussed with the students. A writing achievement test and a closed-ended questionnaire were used for the quantitative data collection, while the qualitative data were gathered from the open-ended questions, interviews, and reflection. Descriptive statistics and t-tests were employed for the data analysis. It was found that the effects of the use of paper-based portfolios and weblog-based electronic portfolios on the writing achievement were not significantly different, but some promising results of the use of weblog-based electronic portfoliosfor language learning and assessment are indisputable.

Effects of Different-Race Exposure in School and Neighborhood on the Reading Achievement of Hmong Students in the United States

Based on analyses of 1,622 Hmong adolescents in a large urban school district, we illuminate a positive association between school different-race exposure and Hmong limited English proficient students’ reading achievement. However, we also note a negative association of neighborhood different-race exposure with Hmong students from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. These findings suggest that even if school different-race exposure opportunities are developed through racially diverse schools, this does not necessarily lead to desirable interracial social ties between Hmong students and mainstream English-speaking students. Rather, Hmong students from low SES backgrounds are more likely to benefit academically when they reside in predominantly Hmong neighborhoods.

The Perceptions of English Teachers to the SIOP® Model and Its Impact on Limited English Proficiency

Limited English proficiency is the difficulty in comprehension and production in English. In this study, the efficiency of the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model was examined to indicate the components that are lesson preparation, building background, comprehensible input, strategies, interaction, practice and application, lesson delivery, review and assessment. The basic purpose of the research was to investigate how teachers improve the student’s language performance for limited English proficiency through using the SIOP® Model. In this paper, a qualitative research approach and semi-structured interview were used to discover the teacher’s perceptions about the SIOP® Model, and the research is to find out the problems in limited English proficiency. 10 participants (3 males and 7 females) aged from 26 to 34 (M = 30.9). The results indicate that the factors of SIOP® model can guide limited English proficient students and suggest some useful strategies for language teachers to handle the students’ difficulties in language comprehension.

At the intersection of mathematics and language: Examining mathematical strategies and explanations by grade and English learner status

Among the requirements of new College and Career Ready Standards are students’ abilities to explain what mathematics problems are asking, how to solve them, and why solutions make sense. A fundamental question is, how might the mathematical strategies that students adopt during tasks impact the language of their explanations? Linguistic demands are expected to be challenging to English learner and proficient students alike. English learner (EL; n=62) and English-only or proficient (n=58) kindergarten, 3rd, and 5th grade students completed a mathematics task and explained their solutions. Overall, explanations of less complex strategies contained fewer words, shorter sentences, less frequent general academic vocabulary and temporal discourse connectors, and fewer characteristics of well-developed explanations. Explanations produced by English proficient students were linguistically more sophisticated but not more cogent than those of EL students. There were differences in connections between strategies and explanations by grade but few by EL status. We discuss implications for implementing new mathematics standards with all students.

Evaluation of the DIBELS (Sixth Edition) Diagnostic System for the Selection of Native and Proficient English Speakers at Risk of Reading Difficulties

This comprehensive evaluation of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills Sixth Edition (DIBELS6) set of measures gives a practical illustration of signal detection methods, the methods used to determine the value of screening and diagnostic systems, and offers an updated set of cut scores (decision thresholds). Data were drawn from a sample of 13,507 English-proficient students in kindergarten through Grade 3, with more than 4,500 students per grade level. Results indicate that most DIBELS6 measures accurately predict comprehensive test performance and that previously published decision thresholds for DIBELS6 are generally appropriate with some key exceptions. For example, the performance of phoneme segmentation fluency did not always meet expectations. The revised DIBELS6 decision thresholds can satisfactorily identify students who may require additional supports.

Beyond Vocabulary: Exploring Cross-Disciplinary Academic-Language Proficiency and Its Association With Reading Comprehension

Despite a longstanding awareness of academic language as a pedagogically relevant research area, the construct of academic language proficiency, understood as a more comprehensive set of skills than just academic vocabulary, has remained vaguely specified. In this study, we explore a more inclusive operationalization of an academic language proficiency construct, Core Academic Language Skills (CALS). CALS refers to a constellation of high-utility language skills hypothesized to support reading comprehension across school content areas. Using the CALS-I, a theoretically grounded and psychometrically robust innovative instrument, we first examined the variability in students' CALS by grade, English proficiency designation, and socioeconomic status (SES). Then, we examined the contribution of CALS to reading comprehension using academic vocabulary knowledge, word reading fluency, and socio- demographic factors as covariates. A linguistically and socioeconomically diverse cross- sectional sample of 218 students (grades 4-6) participated in four assessments: the CALS-I, a standardized reading comprehension assessment (GMRT), an academic vocabulary test (VAT), and a word reading fluency test (TOSWRF). GLM analysis of variance revealed that CALS differed significantly by grade, English proficiency designation, and SES, with students in higher grades, English proficient students, and those from higher SES backgrounds displaying higher scores, on average. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses identified CALS as an independent predictor of reading comprehension, even after controlling for academic vocabulary knowledge, word reading fluency, and socio-demographic factors. By specifying a set of language skills associated with reading comprehension, this study advances our understanding of school- relevant language skills, making them more visible for researchers and educators. ACADEMIC LANGUAGE & READING COMPREHENSION 3 Beyond vocabulary: Exploring cross-disciplinary academic language proficiency and its association with reading comprehension

Teachers and students' perceptions of code switching in aviation language learning courses

Code switching, the case of switching between two languages during the course of a conversation, has sparked much interest in the field of second language acquisition in general and in foreign language instruction, in particular. This research conducted a survey among students and teachers in aviation training center in Isfahan, Iran. The aim of the research was to assess the students and teacher's perceptions of code switching and to determine whether there were certain factors influencing these perceptions and attitudes. The study investigated forty three medium English proficient students and seven teachers at the English language learning course. A set of questionnaire containing 20 items utilizing 5-points Likert-type scale and interview were managed to quantify the attitude of code switching in classrooms. The study found that most of the teacher interviewed, sometimes used code switching mainly to explain difficult concepts and when they feel their students did not understand the materials. The students and teachers' perceptions of teachers' code switching were mostly the same about the subjects related to teacher's persona and subject access and their opinions were not in line about the subjects related to classroom management and interpersonal relation. Although code switching is considered as a medium of instruction in an EFL classroom, but research has shown the negative attitudes of learners towards their teachers' too much using of code switching.

The lost generation: students of Arizona's structured English immersion

This study examines Arizona's restrictive language policy from the perspective of English learners (ELs) and reclassified fluent English proficient students who have been enrolled in the structured English immersion (SEI) model. While multiple scholars in the USA have analyzed Arizona's policy impact since its enactment in 2008, none to date have presented a portrait of who the students are or students' perception of the policy as experienced. This study surveyed 1542 students three years post-implementation of SEI. It provides a portrait of the students who have been subjected to the SEI model and presents findings which support other research that students are not exiting the SEI model in the policy's stipulated one-year goal. Findings show that most students are emergent bilinguals who have always experienced an English-only schooling in the state of Arizona. This paper also presents findings on students' attitudes toward their involvement in the SEI model with attitudes decreasing over time. Discussion regarding the status of these students' bilingualism, their overall attachment to school and academic achievement, and long-term identification as ELs is included. The findings presented here support other scholars' critique of Arizona's SEI and concurs that the policy needs to change in order to promote these students' bilingual abilities.

영어 수업환경의 유형에 따른 언어불안 정도와 불안요인에 대한 비교분석

This study examined the levels of language anxiety and their causal factors in different English class environments. The findings show that the levels of language anxiety vary significantly in different types of class environments, indicating that both the class environments and individual characteristics are meaningful variables of language anxiety. The findings also show that unlike the levels of language anxiety, its causal factors are almost constant regardless of the class environment with communication apprehension being the most important factor. This study suggests that the English proficiency of students and professors needs to be considered when constructing specific class environments, in addition to promoting class environments favorable to students' active participation in class.

The Relationship between English Language Arts Teachers’ Use of Instructional Strategies and Young Adolescents’ Reading Motivation, Engagement, and Preference

Conducted at 10 schools in four communities, this study investigated relationships of young adolescents’ reading motivation, reading preference, and reading engagement as influenced by their English Language Arts teachers’ use of instructional strategies. Students in eight sixth grade (N=196) and nine seventh grade (N=218) classes completed a post Reading Behavior Survey and the Motivation to Read Questionnaire (MRQ) and a Class Strategies Checklist at the beginning and end of the academic year. The 17 teachers also completed a pre/post Strategies Checklist and a Survey. Mean MRQ difference scores were averaged by ELA class group. Scores in nine MRQ dimensions revealed a decline except for Challenge with a slight positive increase for seventh graders. These results confirm prior research findings that as adolescents move along in grade level their reading motivation decreases. However, 11 of the 17 class groups indicated some positive change in one or more MRQ dimensions with five classes revealing positive reading motivation growth in four dimensions. Enjoyable reading activities noted by all students involved receptive and expressive oral language. Such preference may have been due to large class populations of Hispanic, subsidized lunch, and limited English proficient students who found that oral language interaction helped them understand and enjoy the readings. The most preferred reading activity during out-of-school time was that of a social nature involving text messaging. Both this current and prior research suggest that successful teachers motivate their students through classroom interaction, challenging literacy activities and discussion about what was read.

Writing with Laptops

This study examines the effects of a one-to-one laptop program on the scientific writing of 5th and 6th grade students. A total of 538 native English-speaking, fluent English-proficient, and limited English-proficient students from four laptop schools and three control schools were prompted to write scientific essays at the start and end of the school year. Essays were examined along three dimensions: word use, text complexity, and writing quality. Overall, students who used laptops wrote longer, better structured essays that included more paragraphs and sentences. Students in the laptop condition also wrote higher quality prose that contained richer details and better addressed the prompts. Students in the laptop condition additionally showed greater gains from the beginning to the end of the year in the number of sentences per paragraph and the number of words per sentence than students in control classrooms. Finally, we found that although students’ writing varied as a function of proficiency in English, the effects of writing with laptops, in terms of both modality effects and gains associated with the treatment, were comparable for students with limited English proficiency, language minority students who were considered to have fluent English proficiency, and native English speakers. Thus, the benefits of including individual laptops in writing instruction may be enjoyed by elementary school students with varying levels of English proficiency.

Migration of P–12 Education from its Current State to One of High Quality: The Aspirations of Abu Dhabi

Key system challenges identified by the Abu Dhabi Education Council provided the impetus for an aggressive strategic plan as necessary guidance and support for the development of the P–12 education system to contribute to advancing its positioning in the global knowledge economy. For the Abu Dhabi Education Council, the analysis served as a tool to assess the education system and to develop strategies to transform it into an internationally competitive model. The strategic plan was built on a thorough analysis of the organisation's existing environment, culture, structure, governance, staff, programme or service mix, collaborations and resources. Some of the major evidence-based challenges included student performance below grade levels, teacher quality, and the English proficiency of students when entering higher education and then the job market, along with other challenges. The strategic plan focused on elevating school quality to international standards, improving opportunities in P–12 education, providing students with affordable options of high-quality private education, and helping learners to contribute positively to society by preserving national identity and the local culture and developing successful careers. A major outcome of the reform process called for pursuing a bilingual education system with balanced emphasis on both Arabic and English. As a result, a strategy of recruiting native English speakers was sought. A careful analysis of school efficiency led to many school mergers. The efficiency of schools was related to class capacities and utilisations, and the optimum utilisation of teachers and school administrators. The article also provides a summary of some of the outcomes after two years of implementing the strategic plan.

An investigation of vocabulary learning strategies employed by high and low English proficiency students based on selected vocabulary from a business corpus

An investigation of vocabulary learning strategies employed by high and low English proficiency students based on selected vocabulary from a business corpus

Framework Structure Design on College English Assisted Instruction System

Faculty shortage of college English teaching which is caused by the reform, limit the improvements of students English proficiency, and an effective mechanism to resolve this contradiction is the English assisted instruction system. This paper makes research on the frame structure, aiming at the problems in the process of system development and maintenance. First, study the functional framework composed by three roles, students, teachers, administrators, based on the analysis of system function; Then, research framework, on the presentation layer, business logic layer, data access layer, so it is easy for developers to complete the business process specific in the framework; Finally, research on security framework composed by ASP.NET, IIS, .NET Framework, the operating system. College English assisted instruction system, based on the construction of the framework structure, can achieve the ability of sharing teaching resources, enriching teaching mode, and improving the quality of teaching.

Teacher Preparation, Professional Development, and Long-Term English Learners

This article presents a synthesis of research linking Long-Term English Learners (LTELs) and the underprepared schools and teachers they have encountered. The purpose of this article, though small in scope, is to explore the policies, practices, and conditions surrounding teacher preparation and professional development in relation to the growing number of LTELs. While the standards designed to guide curriculum have paid little attention to second-language development and differ only slightly from those designed for native English speakers, the number of LTELs in the United States has continued to rise therefore causing the factors which impact the failure of English Learners (ELs) to achieve reclassification as English Proficient students to become an issue of focus in education. Multi-cultural theorists have argued that diversity issues are central to the rest of the curriculum and must be infused throughout courses, field experience requirements, and professional development in order to strengthen preservice and inservice teachers’ multi-cultural relational capacity and knowledge of instructional strategies for ELs and LTELs. While other nations have taken the initiative to produce highly effective, experienced, and dedicated teachers there remains a desperate need for a general consensus to build a policy infrastructure that supports reform with the intention of preventing future harm to the diverse student population in the U.S.

Editorial

Editorial

Impact of bilingual education programs on limited English proficient students and their peers: Regression discontinuity evidence from Texas

Texas requires a school district to offer bilingual education when its enrollment of limited English proficient (LEP) students in a particular elementary grade and language is twenty or higher. Using school panel data, we find a significant increase in the probability that a district provides bilingual education above this 20-student cutoff. Using this discontinuity as an instrument for district bilingual education provision, we find that providing bilingual education programs (relative to providing only English as a Second Language programs) does not significantly impact the standardized test scores of students with Spanish as their home language (comprised primarily of ever-LEP students). However, we find significant positive impacts on non-LEP students' achievement, which indicates that education programs for LEP students have spillover effects to non-LEP students.

Speech-Language Pathologists’ Comfort Levels in English Language Learner Service Delivery

This study examined speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs) comfort levels in providing service delivery to English language learners (ELLs) and limited English proficient (LEP) students. Participants included 192 SLPs from the United States and Guam. Participants completed a brief, six-item questionnaire that investigated their perceptions regarding their comfort levels in assessment and intervention of ELL/LEP students and whether they received professional development in working with ELL/LEP students. The results suggested most SLPs are uncomfortable assessing ELL/LEP students. A moderate correlation existed between the number of workshops attended and assessment comfort levels. Weak correlations existed between the number of workshops attended and intervention comfort levels and between numbers of workshops attended and years of professional experience. Years of experience were not significant in assessment and intervention comfort levels. Disparity existed between SLPs who felt prepared to provide services to ELL students and those who actually provided services.

TBLT IN CHINA (2001-2011): THE CURRENT SITUATION, PREDICAMENT AND FUTURE

Abstract : With the reform of English education in China since 2001, a communicative and task-based language teaching has emerged into Chinese English classroom. To understand task-based language teaching (TBLT) practice in China, a synthesis study was conducted to analyze the current situation and predicament of TBLT in China over the last ten years based on the published TBLT articles (2001-2011) in Chinese journals and educational newspapers. The study shows that there is questioning and criticism on the effectiveness of TBLT in the forein languagae teaching classes despite the amazing growth of research in TBLT in China. It is also found that the predicament of TBLT may be attributable to a variety of factors such as no professional and systematic training TBLT for teachers, little knowledge of the latest development of TBLT, differences in student English proficiency, gap between local educational levels, no enough educational funds as well as misunderstanding and mispractice of TBLT. Thus, how to appropriately adapt and localize TBLT in China has become the major concern of researchers and educators as well as teachers. To solve the problem, this paper puts forward some suggestions to localize TBLT in the Chinese context, which is concerned with (1) task design; (2) integrating target tasks and pedagogical tasks; (3) balance between meaning and form; (4) tasks for big classes; (5) developing school based textbooks and (6) combining tasks and other teaching principles. Such a context-based approach to TBLT could provide a reference for other contexts similar to China.

Estimating the Impact of the Massachusetts English Immersion Law on Limited English Proficient Students’ Reading Achievement

The large number of limited English proficient (LEP) children in U.S. schools and the uncertainty about the impact of bilingual education versus English immersion on their achievement warrant rigorous investigation of the effects of “English immersion laws.” We estimated the impact of Question 2, the Massachusetts English immersion law, and explored whether programs provided to LEP students before and after Question 2 imparted different language and reading skills. The results suggested that Question 2 had no substantial effect on third-grade LEP students’ reading achievement; there was suggestive evidence that pre- and post- Question 2 programs might attach emphasis to different subskills.