Implications For Classroom Teaching Research Articles

Validating the Paraphrasing Task with the Framework of AUA

This paper aims to justify the Paraphrasing task in the Advanced English course’s final achievement test with the framework of Assessment Use Argument (AUA) and finds out the implications for classroom teaching and learning. By articulating the claims with warrants of collected evidence combining the syllabus, the students’ scores, and their answers in the questionnaire, the research shows that the Paraphrasing task is plausible for the Junior English Majors in their final test, paraphrasing practice could improve students’ reading comprehension and academic writing.

The moderating effects of psychosocial factors on achievement gains: A longitudinal study.

The moderating effects of motivation, social control, and self-regulation in predicting academic achievement were examined in Grades 11–12 for 3,281 seventh through nine graders. Standardized assessments of college readiness and student self-reported measures of psychosocial factors were used in the study. The results showed that females in Grades 7–9 scored higher than males for motivation and self-regulation. In predicting later achievement in Grades 11–12, motivation and social control moderated prior achievement, whereas self-regulation moderated both sex and prior achievement. Particularly among female students, effects of self-regulation were positive for high-achieving females (percentile rank ≥95) and negative for low-achieving females (percentile rank ≤5) in predicting achievement in Grades 11–12. The phenomenon known as the “Matthew Effect” and implications for classroom teachers and educational policymakers are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)

Lessons for teachers: A wordless picturebook in the hands of one Mexican immigrant family

Wordless picturebooks provide opportunities for both families and teachers to engage with narrative texts beyond the confines of a particular language. In this ethnographic study, the researchers examined how one multilingual family interacted with a wordless picturebook across time. They observed shifts in who engaged with the reading; evidence of sense‐making as the mother, older sister, and younger sister engaged with the book; scaffolding the mother and older sister provided for the younger sister as her telling of the story became more sophisticated; and intimacy and humor. These observations may have implications for classroom teachers who are interested in using wordless picturebooks to support culturally and linguistically diverse learners. The authors conclude with suggestions for incorporating wordless picturebooks into classroom practice in ways that may be welcoming and productive for students from diverse backgrounds.

Instructional practices and classroom interactions of high and low expectation teachers in China

This study aimed to explore and compare the instructional practices and classroom interactions of teachers within the Chinese junior high school context who had correspondingly high or low expectations for all their students. Eight junior high school teachers and their 32 lessons were observed. Results of classroom observations revealed that high expectation teachers (teachers who had overall high expectations for their students relative to student achievement) made more orientation/focus statements and more statements referring to students’ prior knowledge and learning experiences in their teaching compared with low expectation teachers (those with overall low expectations for their students relative to student achievement). High expectation teachers gave more class-level feedback and were more likely to question further and provide explanations when a student gave a correct answer. In situations when a student gave an incorrect answer or could not come up with an answer, high expectation teachers were more likely to give the student another chance by rephrasing/repeating the question, providing hints, or just asking the student to try again. These differences in high and low expectation teachers’ instructional behaviours and the socio-emotional environment they created in their classrooms are discussed and implications for classroom teaching and teacher training are proposed.

The psychometric evaluation of a wind band performance rubric using the Multifaceted Rasch Partial Credit Measurement Model

The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable rubric to be used for the evaluation of large ensemble wind band performances. The guiding questions for this study were: (a) what are the psychometric qualities (i.e., reliability and validity) of the scale developed to assess wind band ensemble performance at the high school level? (b) how do the items fit the model and vary in difficulty? (c) how does the structure of the rating scale vary across individual items? and (d) how can the rating scale be transferred into an informative rubric? The primary data analysis tool used in this study was the Multifaceted Rasch Partial Credit Measurement Model. Music content experts ( N = 20) were solicited to evaluate 40 wind band performances, each evaluator listening to four. A 4-point Likert-type rating scale (e.g., Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree) was used to evaluate each recorded performance. Results indicated good model data fit and resulted in a final rubric containing 24 items ranging from two to four performance categories. Implications for classroom teaching and consequential validity are discussed.

Learning Styles in the Context of Reasoning and Problem Solving Ability: An Approach based on Multivariate Analysis of Variance

Reasoning and problem solving skills are not just for researchers; they are also progressively significant for making knowledgeable decisions in our everyday lives. Showing variations in learning styles have any influence on these skills? The current state of research address the learning styles in context of reasoning and problem solving ability. High school students (598) completed the reasoning ability test, problem solving ability test and learning style inventory. SPSS software was used for evaluating data obtained from three measurement tools. The entire three tools were validated through different techniques and found significant and acceptable. The data was analysed by using MANOVA and Scheffe’s post hoc test. The results indicated that participants showed variations in reasoning and problem solving ability while using learning styles. Moreover, students having assimilating and diverging learning styles possess better reasoning and problem solving ability skills. The results of this research will contribute to the literature of learning styles and cognitive abilities, as well as provide a wide range of implications for class room teachers, curriculum developers, researchers and educational planners.

AN ANALYSIS OF EFL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ DIFFICULTIES IN SPEECH PRODUCTION

This study aims to discover the students’ difficulties in retelling their experiences. Nine Junior High School students participated in this study. Two research instruments were utilized to collect the research data, including spoken text analysis and students’ interview. By analyzing the linguistic features and generic structures of the students’ spoken texts, it is discovered that all students had constructed their stories based on the required elements of recounts. However, most of the students did not elaborate their personal comments on the texts they have spoken. In relation to the grammatical errors, misformation becomes the most general errors found in the students’ spoken texts, followed by omission, addition, and misordering. The students are also interviewed to reveal their perceptions regarding their speaking difficulties. Based on the interview, limited understanding of verbal forms, vocabularies, as well as anxiety or nervousness are identified as the possible causes of the students’ difficulties. This study also provides further suggestions and implications for classroom teachers as well as recommended directions for future researchers in the relevant field. .

The Role of Teacher Educators’ Personal Histories and Motivations in Shaping Opportunities to Learn about Social Justice

Background As social-justice-focused teacher education programs continue to gain prominence, a wealth of research explores approaches for preparing teachers for social-justice-minded teaching. This study looks closely at a key aspect of teacher education programs frequently absent from the research—the teacher educators (TEs) themselves. Focus of Study The study intentionally expands the consideration of TEs’ identities beyond reductive demographic characteristics to explore how the personal histories and motivations of TEs impact teacher candidates’ (TCs’) opportunities to learn about teaching for social justice. Setting and Participants The study follows two parallel sections of a single teacher education course taught by two different TEs. Because the TEs taught from the same syllabus, within the context of the same program, the impact of each TE's instructional choices is revealed. Research Design Using a comparative case study design, data sources included field notes, audio recordings of class meetings, course readings and materials, and two interviews with each TE. Audio recordings were transcribed and analyzed following a micro-ethnographic discourse analysis approach. The second interview took place after initial analysis of the data, allowing the TEs to respond to initial findings. Findings Although both TEs focused on social justice topics, in alignment with the program goals, their choices of what topics to focus on differed greatly. One TE used the course readings to open up discussions of gender and sexuality, critically examining heteronormative ideals and a dismissive attitude toward adolescent relationships and sexuality. The other TE used the same readings and assignments to create inquiry into complicated issues of racial and ethnic identity with implications for classroom teaching. In each case, the choices by the TEs in how they framed discussions and assignments and what ideas they took up and built on during class interactions shaped the curriculum in unique ways. These instructional choices corresponded to each TE's own personal experiences and motivations. Conclusions The findings suggest that research on teacher education programs must look beyond course syllabi or the structural components of a program to understand the opportunities to learn provided to TCs. Decisions by TEs during classroom instruction shape very different opportunities to learn. These decisions are based, at least partially, on TEs’ unique personal histories and motivations. When considering how teacher education programs address the issue of social justice, a TE's own history and motivations will impact the enacted curriculum as much as, if not more than, the written curriculum. As we continue to wrestle with how to prepare teachers for a diverse and inequitable society, teacher education programs and teacher education research would benefit from more nuanced consideration of the role TEs play in what gets taught in teacher preparation courses.

A Study of Reading Strategy Use of Chinese College Students

Successful second language learners are generally believed to be active strategy users, and a high level of language proficiency has been found to correlate with frequent and complex strategy use. Based on a questionnaire, this study explores the reading strategy use of Chinese non-English majors, finds out the strategies of high frequency use as well as low frequency use, and discusses their implications for classroom teaching.

Learning to Queer Text: Epiphanies From a Family Critical Literacy Practice

AbstractCritical literacy provides the opportunity to queer picture books and challenge normative depictions of family. In this autoethnography, the author describes her 4‐year‐old's journey of learning to talk back to texts as she actively constructs a better, more just world. The author argues that a critical literacy tool kit is vital to every child's first experiences with books. Implications for classroom teaching are discussed.

Gender Differences in Communication Styles: Implications for Classroom Teaching In Nigerian Schools

Gender Differences in Communication Styles: Implications for Classroom Teaching In Nigerian Schools

SELF-EFFICACY, ACHIEVEMENT GOALS, AND ACHIEVEMENT: ACADEMIC HELP-SEEKING TENDENCIES AS MEDIATORS

This study investigated how students’ academic help-seeking tendencies mediate motivation and subsequent achievement. A large sample of Singapore Secondary 2 students took a survey on math self-efficacy, achievement goals (mastery and performance), and help-seeking tendencies (adaptive, expedient, and avoidant), followed by a math achievement test about 3 months later. We conducted structural equation modeling and found that after controlling for gender and previous math achievement, students’ help-seeking tendencies fully mediated the predictive relationship from math self-efficacy and achievement goals to subsequent math achievement. More specifically, math self-efficacy was associated positively with adaptive help seeking, mastery goals were associated positively with adaptive help seeking and negatively with avoidant help seeking, and performance goals were associated negatively with adaptive help seeking and positively with both expedient and avoidant help seeking. Adaptive help seeking in turn positively and expedient help seeking negatively predicted subsequent math achievement. Through the mediation of help-seeking tendencies, math self-efficacy and mastery goals positively and performance goals negatively predicted subsequent math achievement. The importance of help seeking in learning and implications for classroom teaching are discussed. Keywords: Helpseeking, Self-efficacy, Achievement goals, Achievement

Common Core State Standards for ELA/Literacy and Next Generation Science Standards

As the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English language arts (ELA)/literacy and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) highlight connections across subject areas, convergences and discrepancies come into view. As a prominent example, this article focuses on how the CCSS and the NGSS treat “argument,” especially in Grades K–5, and the extent to which each set of standards is grounded in research literature, as claimed. Analysis of both sets of standards and relevant bodies of research literature on argument in ELA/literacy and science education indicates that what counts as argument (i.e., disciplinary norms) and when argument is expected developmentally and whether children are capable of engaging in argument (i.e., developmental progressions) differ substantially and often contradict. Such discrepant information presents a dilemma to practitioners, especially classroom teachers who are faced with the real-time work of resolving these differences in their classrooms. I consider implications for classroom teaching and recommendations for educational policies and research agenda.

K-12 multimodal assessment and interactive audiences: An exploratory analysis of existing frameworks

Abstract Multimodal writing today often occurs through membership in an online, participatory culture; thus, based on affordances of online compositions, the audience for student writers has shifted from imagined readers to actual, accessible readers and responders. Additionally, recent content and technology standards for students in US schools emphasize the importance of distributing multimodal compositions to wider audiences. In this article, we closely examine attention to interactive audience and collaboration in a purposive sample of kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) assessment frameworks, as well as how these frameworks define multimodal composition. We found that multimodal composition is being defined consistently across all frameworks as composition that includes multiple ways of communicating. However, many multimodal composition examples were texts that were non-interactive composition types even though many authors acknowledged the emergence of interactive online composition types that afford the writer the ability to communicate and collaborate with an audience. In addition, the frameworks reviewed tended to focus on the final product and less often on the process or dynamic collaboration with the audience. In the discussion, implications for classroom teachers as well as considerations for researchers exploring the construct of online multimodal writing are offered.

Chinese College Test Takers' Individual Differences and Reading Test Performance: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach.

This study reports on the relationships between test takers' individual differences and their performance on a reading comprehension test. A total of 518 Chinese college students (252 women and 256 men; M age = 19.26 year, SD = 0.98) answered a questionnaire and sit for a reading comprehension test. The study found that test takers' L2 language proficiency was closely linked to their test performance. Test takers' employment of strategies was significantly and positively associated with their performance on the test. Test takers' motivation was found to be significantly associated with reading test performance. Test anxiety was negatively related to their use of reading strategies and test performance. The results of the study lent support to the threshold hypothesis of language proficiency. The implications for classroom teaching were provided.

초등학교 6학년 영어 교과서 말하기 활동 분석

The purpose of this study was to analyze speaking activities included in the five 6th grade English textbooks. The analysis was carried out in three major categories： the frequencies of accuracy-based and fluency-based speaking activities, the distributions of speaking topics, and the management of speaking tasks in terms of procedures, composition of participants, and integration of language skills. The results of the analysis revealed that accuracy-based speaking activities were more frequently used than fluency-based ones and that pronunciation related practice was not used enough in the textbooks. In terms of the speaking topics, individual, school, and social lives were the three most frequently used ones. Spending leisure time and environmental issues were also dealt with in all of the textbooks. Regarding the management of speaking tasks, most cases were processed in more than two steps out of pre-, while-, and post-task procedures and they were conducted mainly in pairs or groups. Also, writing was frequently integrated with speaking tasks. Based on the findings, implications for classroom teaching and textbook development were discussed.

An Exploratory Study of Thai University Students’ Understanding of World Englishes

<p>This exploratory study investigated the perceptions of Thai university students towards World Englishes (WEs). One hundred and ninety-eight students from three universities in Bangkok were administered a questionnaire inquiring about definitions of WEs, the Kachruvian concentric circles, the concepts of standard and ownership of English, Thai English and the role of native vs. non-native English speaking teachers. Findings revealed that the majority of the respondents were ambivalent about WEs, although they still prized British and American English as most desirable. However, Thai English was perceived as undesirable, although they did not mind whether Thais may speak English with the Thai accent. Implications for classroom teaching and future research are provided.</p>

Teaching Multiple Modes of Representation in Middle‐School Science Classrooms: Impact on Student Learning and Multimodal Use

This quasi‐experimental study investigated how explicit instruction about multiple modes of representation (MMR) impacted grades 7 (n = 61) and 8 (n = 141) students’ learning and multimodal use on end‐of‐unit assessments. Half of each teacher's (n = 3) students received an intervention consisting of explicit instruction on MMR in science discourse, in addition to regular science instruction enhanced by a focus on MMR; comparison groups of students received regular science instruction. Three ordinary least squares regression models used student demographic variables and whether or not students received the intervention to predict students’ (a) gain scores on end‐of‐unit tests, (b) voluntary use of embedded MMR on unit tests, and (c) retention of science knowledge as measured by a state end‐of‐level criterion‐referenced assessment. Analyses showed that explicit instruction on MMR did not make a significant impact on student gain scores, the amount of embeddedness on unit tests, or end‐of‐level scores. However, Models 2 and 3 showed Hispanics and females used MMR more on end‐of‐unit tests than Whites or males, respectively, whether or not they received the intervention. Hispanics and females scored lower than Whites or males, respectively, on end‐of‐level, multiple‐choice assessments. Implications for classroom teachers and educational researchers in relation to these underserved populations are discussed.

Teacher’s Feedback on Arabic Student Writing Process

Teacher feedback is an essential component of the instructional process and assessment. The aim of this study is to explore teacher feedback practices in the classroom context of Arabic language writing to determine the roles of teacher feedback from an assessment-for learning (AFL) perspective. Three questions guided the analysis of the data: (a) how teachers' practice feedback in the classroom, (b) the type of feedback used by teacher and (c) the students’ perception toward teacher feedback. Using single case study design, this qualitative study draws on multiple sources of data generated through classroom observations, field notes, interviews and documents. Results indicated that teacher feedback provided verbally, written and nonverbal. Feedback strategy can be categorized into types; judgemental, corrective, descriptive, prescriptive and motivational. In addition, the findings suggest that corrective feedback consider as a useful pedagogical device to improve second language pupils writing development. The paper concludes with implications for classroom teaching and learning as well as recommendations for the future. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n2p608

Introducing Algebraic Structures through Solving Equations: Vertical Content Knowledge for K-12 Mathematics Teachers

Algebraic structures are a necessary aspect of algebraic thinking for K-12 students and teachers. An approach for introducing the algebraic structure of groups and fields through the arithmetic properties required for solving simple equations is summarized; the collective (not individual) importance of these axioms as a foundation for algebraic thinking is discussed by way of an example of an abstract group. Results of this approach in a mathematics for teachers course are presented, with K-12 teachers (n=12) having increased their content knowledge both about arithmetic properties and abstract algebra, as well as having their teaching beliefs and intended practices influenced. Implications for classroom teaching about a vertical slice of the K-12 curriculum related to algebraic structure are examined.