Instructional Context Research Articles

Language–Subject Teacher Collaboration in English-Medium Higher Education: Current Practices and Future Possibilities

The collaborative competence of subject (discipline) teachers and language (English for academic or specific purposes) teachers in higher education is a central concern in English-medium instruction contexts, where they frequently interact. This brief scoping review provides a snapshot of the current state of English-medium instruction teacher collaboration and guides collaborative practice to better support language teachers, subject teachers and (ultimately) students. The review is restricted to empirical studies and focuses on the forms of teacher collaboration, barriers to collaboration, and strategies to overcome these challenges. Teacher collaborations occur at institutional, departmental and individual levels, and, at each level, some obstacles limit the effectiveness and sustainability of collaborations. Proposed solutions range from individual initiatives to systematic institutional support. Based on these findings, the paper concludes with practical recommendations to enhance future collaborations.

Teacher acceptability of instructional supports in science for multilingual learners

Addressing language barriers during instruction is critical for improving content area learning and achievement within classrooms with students from different native language backgrounds. Although several instructional supports have been highlighted in the literature as helping to reduce language barriers, it is questionable whether teachers are likely to infuse them within their instruction. We applied a social validity framework in the administration of a teacher survey ( N = 376) and interview ( N = 9) to better understand United States (U.S.) elementary teachers’ perspectives on four instructional supports for English learners (ELs). Survey results indicated teachers tended to find all supports acceptable within a science instructional context but found visual supports more acceptable than incorporation of the students’ native language. Interview results shed light on the different goals and priorities teachers may have for ELs that may help to explain the varying acceptability of the four instructional supports addressed. Implications for school psychologists seeking to help improve outcomes for ELs through school-based consultation are provided.

A systematic literature review on the application of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) in teaching within higher education: Instructional contexts, process, and strategies

A systematic literature review on the application of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) in teaching within higher education: Instructional contexts, process, and strategies

Embedding L2 Proficiency Pedagogy into ESOL Teacher Education

This article considers an exploratory study designed to understand the relevancy of a course unit on L2 proficiency to pre-service ESOL teachers’ understanding of the nature of the concept of proficiency and their awareness of strategies for developing multilingual learners’ proficiency in English in their own instructional contexts. The article begins with an exploration of the concept of proficiency and its relevancy for ESOL teacher education and summarizes previous studies concerning the development of L2 proficiency in English among language learners and language educators. The article then describes the logistics of the course unit on L2 proficiency and the data collection and analysis procedures for the study. Finally, the article reviews preliminary findings emerging from the study and proposes avenues for further research along with recommendations for ESOL teacher educators.

Integrating Alternative Assessment with Differentiated Instruction: Insights from a University-Level Setting

Alternative assessment aims to enhance the practicality and authenticity of educational evaluation by shifting from traditional testing to more dynamic and holistic approaches. However, the potency of this assessment still requires further elaboration on differentiated instruction context. To address this, a qualitative case study examined the impact of alternative assessment, specifically video projects, in such inclusive educational settings. The study involved 15 participants who had undergone an English intensive program at the university level. Data were collected through online open-ended questionnaires designed to capture cognitive, affective, and conative impacts. The findings reveal that alternative assessment in differentiated video projects aligned with students' interests and abilities significantly enhances students' understanding, motivation, and active learning behaviors. The study also identified challenges, including difficulties with independent project execution and intrinsic motivation barriers. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of this assessment method and develop strategies to address challenges, ensuring broader values in diverse educational settings.

Intentionally Equitable: Translating the Universal Design for Learning Principles to Academic Library Outreach

Equity in student learning experiences is a key concern in academic libraries, yet there is a striking lack of literature and frameworks addressing equitable academic library outreach. This gap exists despite the important intersection of library outreach with student learning, success, and wellness across multiple university units. This paper addresses this challenge by examining Universal Design for Learning (UDL)—a standard increasingly accepted in academic libraries for promoting equity in information literacy instruction and pedagogy—for its potential applicability in the domain of library outreach. Although originally intended for instructional contexts, the UDL principles are shown in this paper to be relevant to, and practicable in, library outreach initiatives. The paper reviews a selection of the literature on academic library outreach, accessibility, and equity, highlighting the need for more structured consideration of these critical areas. It also presents a detailed examination of UDL guidelines and checkpoints, providing outreach-related examples and short case studies from the author's own programming and outreach experiences that exemplify the effective application of UDL principles in library outreach. This exploration not only extends the potential use of UDL beyond traditional instructional settings but also serves as a foundation for academic librarians and researchers to further develop and refine practices promoting equity, accessibility, and inclusivity in library outreach efforts.

Contextual Factors Shaping the Professional Identity of Chinese Teachers in English as a Foreign Language Instructional Context: Exploring the Role of School Climate and Administrator Leadership Behavior

ABSTRACTDue to the immense impact of teachers’ professional identity on their teaching effectiveness, multitudes of studies have now examined this multifaceted construct and its determinants. However, due to excessive focus on the personal determinants of teacher identity, whether or not this construct can be affected by contextual factors has remained elusive. To narrow this lacuna and unravel the contextual determinants of teacher professional identity, the current study strived to divulge the role of two contextual factors, namely, school climate and administrator leadership behavior, in shaping the professional identity of Chinese English as foreign language teachers. To this end, with the aid of the convenient sampling technique, 375 English as foreign language teachers were invited to partake in the present research. The needed data were gleaned via three online self‐scoring questionnaires and were analyzed via SPSS (v. 26) and AMOS (v. 29). Results obtained from correlation tests indicated a strong, linear relationship between school climate and teacher professional identity, as well as a moderate, linear association between leadership behavior and teacher professional identity. Furthermore, the findings of regression analyses identified that school climate and administrator leadership behavior are two important determinants of professional identity among Chinese English as foreign language teachers. In fact, as the regression outcomes revealed, these two contextual variables serve a key role in constructing or reconstructing the professional identity of Chinese English as foreign language teachers. The findings of this inquiry can deepen our comprehension of the influence of contextual factors on the formation of teachers’ professional identity.

It’s not just kids that don’t speak English: leaning toward teacher preparation for multilingual learners

PurposeThe purpose of this current research study is to provide a comprehensive description of an ongoing effort to provide quality experiential professional development through field experiences for educators at the pre-service level, referred to hereafter as teacher candidates (TCs). This practitioner inquiry aimed to determine what the teacher candidates’ reflections revealed about their learning experiences completing the 10-h checklist.Design/methodology/approachAbout30 individual reports from four consecutive terms were collected. I employed qualitative coding, first using open codes, then grouping similar sentiments into axial codes and through an iterative process categorizing them into themes, grouping and re-generating terms as needed and keeping records in a codebook (Creswell, 2014). The research questions guiding the inquiry included, (1) What do teacher candidates’ reflections reveal about their experience completing the field experience for English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) endorsement? And (2) What conclusions do TCs demonstrate about their role as future teachers of multilingual learners (MLLs)?FindingsFindings are summarized under three main recurring themes: emotionality of field experience, perceived misunderstandings and emerging responsiveness to MLLs. Candidates conveyed strong emotional responses to the instructional context. Some were forward in acknowledging stereotypes and trepidation to participate in the experience. Others reflected on their understanding of the experience, their interpretations of teacher relationships and noted attitude shifts toward MLLs. Findings reported emergent responsiveness to MLLs imply that candidates in this beginning experience progressed at various rates, suggesting that assessing competence of skills at the onset may be beneficial for further understanding best approaches to teacher education.Originality/valueThere is certainly a gap in current knowledge when it comes to understanding the rates at which teacher candidates develop abilities, skills and orientations toward working with MLLs. These preliminary findings support established notions such as the importance of exposing students to authentic environments that foster appreciation for the complexities of the process of second language acquisition and acculturation. Findings reported around emergent responsiveness to MLLs imply that candidates in this beginning experience progressed at various rates, suggesting that assessing competence of skills at the onset may be beneficial for further understanding best approaches to teacher education.

A New Model оf Intercultural Education Based оn Cultural Diversity In Secondary School: Intercultural Learning: Navigating The Multicultural Maze In Literature Instruction

In an increasingly globalized world understanding and appreciating cultural diversity through literature has become paramount in educational settings. This paper explores the intricacies of intercultural learning within the context of literature instruction, positioning it as a crucial component in fostering global awareness and empathy among students. By examining various approaches to integrating multicultural literature into the Curriculum this study highlights the challenges and opportunities educators face in navigating the multicultural maze. It argues for a deliberate, thoughtful incorporation of diverse texts that reflect a multitude of cultural experiences, thereby promoting an inclusive, empathetic, and comprehensive educational experience. Through qualitative analysis and review of current pedagogical practices, this paper aims to provide insights and strategies for educators seeking to enhance intercultural competence and cross-cultural understanding through the medium of literature.

Theorizing Digital Dialogic Comprehension Pedagogy With Rural Primary Teachers: A Relational Praxis of Knowledge, Space, and Time

This grounded theory study explored how primary-grade teachers perceive and enact dialogic English Language Arts (ELA) comprehension pedagogy in the novel context of pandemic-induced digital learning. The study involved nine diverse rural primary teachers teaching digitally during the coronavirus disease pandemic. The researchers followed a constructivist, postmodern orientation to co-construct substantive theory with the knowledge of participating teachers. The researchers conducted two rounds of virtual interviews and collected digital artifacts of ELA comprehension instruction. Qualitative data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis to address teacher perceptions and enactments of digital dialogic comprehension instruction. The emergent substantive theory represents connected, iterative processes of teachers perceiving and enacting dialogic, digital instruction. First, teachers espoused a dialogic stance toward ELA instruction based on their beliefs in various comprehension paradigms, diverse funds of knowledge, and multiplicity of voices in discourse. Relatedly, teachers responded to particularities of virtual contexts, digital discourses, and pandemic times to enact dialogic ELA comprehension instruction through a reconstruction of literacy pedagogies. Implications for research and practice are discussed, including the need for ongoing negotiation of dialogic pedagogy in diverse instructional contexts, to cultivate teachers’ dialogic literacy practices in locally and culturally responsive ways.

Similar Foci, Different Lenses: Literacy Education Beliefs and Practices of Chinese and U.S. Teachers

The differences in literacy education practices between China and the United States are often attributed to their different educational, sociocultural, and historical contexts. However, this sweeping view offers little to help literacy educators in both countries understand the beliefs behind literacy instructional practices and how different or similar these beliefs are. This study examines key characteristics of how Chinese (n=40) and U.S. (n=44) literacy teachers (Pre-K-8th grade) articulate their beliefs about literacy education, delineating their differences and similarities. An inductive content analysis of teachers’ self-reported written narratives about their beliefs and practices in literacy education, along with double coding, reveal that the teachers’ espoused disciplinary beliefs focus on similar themes for the most part. However, their lenses were markedly different, tinted by both the substance and style of their literacy instruction contexts, as well as their cultural epistemological foundations. Inconsistencies between teachers’ beliefs and practices manifested differently in the two groups, but they reflected similar sources. Understanding these varying and nuanced beliefs in cross-cultural contexts can inform teacher education and education reform and counter the insularity of educational research.

Does technology-based non-interactive teaching enhance students’ learning in the classroom?

The use of evidence-based practices can be regarded as the gold standard in technology-based learning and instruction. A steadily adopted educational practice is technology-mediated non-interactive teaching, in which students generate explanations of the previously learned contents to a fictitious audience by means of technologies (e.g., video, messenger). Although recent laboratory studies documented benefits of non-interactive teaching, field-oriented evidence is scarce. Research is needed to examine how laboratory evidence applies to authentic learning environments with school students and to determine whether these effects are generalizable to different authentic contexts. We applied a ManyClasses study to a) examine the generalizability of technology-based non-interactive teaching and b) explore context-related (domain, school type), demographical-related (age, gender, language), and implementation-related (grading, medium, timing) boundary conditions. In collaboration with teachers, we realized k = 20 different teaching units (each consisting of two lessons) in authentic settings across various school types and domains. Using a within-participants design, school students (N = 191) either taught the previously learned contents by means of technology to a fictitious peer or retrieved the contents in mind after the lesson. Results showed no main effect of non-interactive teaching; but domain and school type moderated the learning activity. The findings indicate that non-interactive teaching is not effective per se, but rather depends on the instructional contexts in which it is implemented. The investigation of the teaching effect with new approaches allows, for the first time, more generalizable conclusions to be drawn about non-interactive teaching with technology for students in authentic settings.

It's not just about skills: Adopting a motivation‐informed approach to instruction with adolescents

AbstractAn issue devoted to foundational skills and adolescents might center the cognitive skills and practices most needed to accelerate learning. While an understanding of these—whether multisyllabic decoding, fostering comprehension through discussion, or argumentative writing—is important, in this article, we advocate for the importance of attending to principles of motivation. After defining motivation within the context of adolescent literacy instruction, we summarize representative research on the topic. We then present four guiding principles for teachers, each accompanied by practical examples for classroom application.

Voices of Elementary Computer Science Teachers: Computer Science Integration Rationales and Practices

Objectives . Computer Science (CS) education has become increasingly prevalent in elementary schools because of multiple rationales, such as the importance of computational literacy and the growing demand for CS-related workforce preparation. As elementary CS standards continue to be adopted by many states, more examples and voices from the field may help educators understand what effective computational thinking (CT)/CS integration looks like in practice. Method . We employed a descriptive qualitative approach to study eight award-winning K-8 CS teachers and aimed to answer three research questions: (1) What were elementary CS teachers’ rationales for CT/CS integration? (2) How do elementary CS teachers integrate CT/CS into their classroom practices? (3) What are the needs of CS teachers for meaningful CT/CS integration in elementary schools? Data were collected through interviews, a questionnaire, and artifacts and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings . Our findings of elementary CS teachers’ rationales for CT/CS integration encompassed its essential nature as a literacy skill, its potential to promote equity in education, and its alignment with standards across various disciplines. To support CT/CS integration at the elementary level, CS teachers described important aspects with examples from their instructional practices: (a) Real-world applications; (b) hands-on activities; (c) strategies to scaffold and guide student learning; (d) collaboration with classroom teachers; and (e) support from professional development (PD). Conclusion . The study results shared CS teachers’ voices from practice and shed light on the urgent need for more support and PD opportunities for both homeroom teachers and CS teachers in elementary schools, as well as the crucial need for multiple levels of support within K-12 school systems. Continuous efforts in creating systematic and sustainable PD plans and supporting collaborative professional communities for teachers within the instructional context are a must to help prepare our elementary students with the essential CS knowledge and skills they need to thrive in this technology-rich society.

Advancing scientific literacy: Integrating nature of science and nature of scientific inquiry in teaching Griffith’s and Avery-MacLeod-McCarty experiments

The present study aims to design an instruction that engages nature of science (NOS) and nature of scientific inquiry (NOSI) learning objectives with the teaching and learning of important historical experiments taught around the world and presented in most biology textbooks such as those by Griffith and by Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty. The design process involves decisions about which NOS and NOSI aspects to teach and decisions about how to teach. With respect to the latter decisions, our preference is an explicit/reflective perspective used in an overarching inquiry-based science teaching and history of science instructional context. The proposed course is going to provide high school students meaningful and practical inquiry-based experiences through the use of simulated experiments and would help their teachers (a) illuminate several procedural aspects of the taught experiments (b) internalize the importance of teaching NOS and NOSI aspects (c) acquire an integrative understanding of the process of scientific inquiry and the product of that inquiry, namely scientific knowledge, and (d) portray science less as a body of knowledge and more as a creative process involving human and non-human actors. The potential benefits of our proposed instruction for learners’ scientific literacy are also discussed.

Boxed In and-and Busting Out

Working with a group of Alberta Grade 1 and 2 teachers we have observed and heard described several of the complexities they face in practicing well amidst multiple and competing dimensions of contemporary literacy instruction. The outcomes-driven machinery of their provincial context, their school district’s system for communicating classroom assessments, and the increasing dominance of synthetic phonics are factors the teachers note as constraining their knowledge, skills, and ways of being/doing, and that of their students. When these material expectations are positioned against other commitments to literacy education and diverse ways of being/becoming literate they both intend a certain future and serve as reminders of literacy education’s philosophical and practical “trouble without end” (Tsing, 2015, p. 2). Conceptualizing instructional contexts and practices as research assemblages, the study in which this paper is based investigates how early elementary teachers work at, with, and within the current conditionings of school-based literacy practices. Drawing on teacher interviews, photographs from within literacy teaching and learning situations (Snaza, 2019), and extended observations with a Grade 1 French Immersion teacher and class, the purpose of this paper is to explore liveable possibilities in reading, writing, and language instruction for the “right now” of literacy education (Kuby et al., 2019). Focusing on examples in which teachers seek “and…and…and…” pedagogies (Deleuze & Guattari, 1987, p. 25) our purpose is not to settle the troubled waters of literacy education but to trace contours of possibility as teachers encounter literacy education’s boxes and boundaries and exceed their confines. We follow teachers’ material and social participation in curricular attentions to affect and cultivations of newness as a practice of care for and curiosity about a shared world in early elementary literacy instruction.

Learning With Board Games: Interplay of Context and Students’ Prior Knowledge

Board games can support engagement, deep information processing and learning outcomes for university students. The instructional context, notably the way an activity is introduced to students, can influence students’ behavior and learning outcomes. Yet, despite its potential important influence on in-game behavior and learning, the impact of the instructional context used to introduce a game-based learning activity has not received much attention. In two studies, we examined how framing a game-based learning activity with a serious or a non-serious context can impact university students’ behavior and learning outcomes. In the first study, 44 graduate students played the same word association game that was either introduced as a game or as a study activity. Results showed that the serious context increased recall as compared to the gaming context. In the second study, involving 87 participants playing the same game, results showed that the gaming context and prior gaming experience also reduced students’ recall. Overall, grouped analysis showed that the gaming context led to poorer learning than the serious context for recognition and recall measures, even when considering prior knowledge, in-game behavior, and prior gaming experience. Theoretical and practical implications for educators are discussed.

Research Literacy Assessment Instruments in Social Sciences and Education: A Scoping Review

Educational research plays a crucial role in the advancement of knowledge in the teaching profession. In fact, raising the quality standards in education necessitates teachers’ engagement in different levels and dimensions of research. To this end, improving teachers' research literacy is an essential first step, which also entails assessing the current state of teachers' research literacy using reliable and valid instruments. The present study provides a comprehensive review of the available instruments for assessing teachers’ research literacy, along with a description of the characteristics of the reviewed instruments. It also presents a review of the results of using these instruments in measuring the research literacy of various populations. Based on the findings, teachers’ research literacy is below the expected average level, reflecting the need for a change in policies and planning to improve it. Moreover, the results of this scoping review indicated that the instruments developed for measuring research literacy reflected the expectations of just the instructional context in which they have been developed and may not reflect the full dimensions of research literacy. Furthermore, the developed instruments each came with its own strengths and weaknesses in assessing teachers' research skills. Therefore, it is suggested that research literacy instruments should be selected based on the research skills expected from teachers in their institutional contexts and with full awareness of their limitations. To enhance the strengths and minimize the weaknesses, it is suggested that different sections from the current research literacy assessment instruments should be combined selectively to assess teachers’ research abilities.

EFL students’ WTC across communicative situations in an instructional context: a quantitative study with focus on a public university in Ethiopia

EFL students’ WTC across communicative situations in an instructional context: a quantitative study with focus on a public university in Ethiopia

Teacher content-language awareness in Canadian immersion teacher education programs

Research demonstrates that content, language, and literacy integration is challenging for teachers working in content-based instructional contexts such as immersion and Content and Language Integrated Learning. Although teacher preparation programs for content-based instruction contexts exist, it is unclear whether and how they help pre-/in-service teachers acquire the knowledge and awareness they need to be effective. In recent years, scholars have lamented that research has ignored immersion teacher education and that teachers and teacher educators do not yet fully understand the knowledge base that immersion teachers require. This article reports on an exploratory study that included an examination of web-based program descriptions, course outlines, focus groups with course instructors (N = 11), and teacher candidates (N = 29) to compare immersion teacher education programs at Canadian universities with the goal of better understanding how they develop learners’ Teacher Content-Language Awareness (TCLA) and what challenges they face. Findings include the urgent need to establish general guidelines for content-based teacher education programs as well as the need to include criticality as a fundamental element to all TCLA domains.