Teacher and Student Reciprocal Agency in Odds-Beating Schools

2020 ◽  
Vol 122 (12) ◽  
pp. 1-34
Author(s):  
Aaron Leo ◽  
Kristen C. Wilcox ◽  
Catherine Kramer ◽  
Hal A. Lawson ◽  
Mina Min
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Student Agency ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Graduation Outcomes ◽  
High Diversity

Background/Context In the field of education, the lens of agency has provided a valuable conceptual alternative to deterministic portrayals of schools as oppressive institutions where teachers and students have little power over the conditions in which they teach and learn. A number of studies have investigated teacher and student agency, but few have explored the relationships between the two, particularly in regard to how teacher and student agency relate in high-need and high-diversity contexts with exemplary student graduation outcomes. Purpose/Focus of the Study In an effort to address the paucity of research investigating the relationships of teacher and student agency, this analysis draws on seven qualitative case studies of secondary schools achieving a trend of above-predicted (i.e., odds-beating) graduation outcomes. We pursued the overarching research question: What are the relationships between teacher and student agency in odds-beating schools? Setting The study took place in a purposeful sample of odds-beating secondary schools identified through multiple regression analyses. The sample included schools in rural, suburban, and more urban communities and were distributed across various geographic regions in the state of New York. All schools shared a pattern of above-predicted graduation outcomes, taking into account student demographic factors (percentage of students economically disadvantaged, African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and English language learners). All schools met the criteria of being within the normal range for wealth ratio as well. Research Design This qualitative multiple case study focused on data generated from interviews and focus groups with 302 participants, including teachers, student support specialists, and school and district leaders, as well as field notes gathered during guided school tours, and documents. These data were analyzed using qualitative comparative analysis methods in multiple phases of deductive and inductive coding. Conclusions Study findings indicate that when teachers are offered opportunities to act as agents, they tend to offer opportunities to their students similarly. This research also suggests that affordances for teachers to assert agency can mitigate the constraining effects of state accountability system compliance-oriented practices. We conclude that teacher and student reciprocal agency merits further study and offers theoretical insights of particular import in high-needs and high-diversity school contexts.

The Pitfalls and Promises of Electronic Portfolio Assessment With Secondary English Language Learners

2018 ◽  
pp. 111-130
Author(s):  
Hyesun Cho
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Portfolio Assessment ◽  
Electronic Portfolio ◽  
Secondary English ◽  
Hybrid Identities ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Language Classrooms

This chapter discusses the pitfalls and promises of electronic portfolio assessment for English language learners in high school classrooms in the United States. In a three-year federally funded program designed to improve academic performance among culturally and linguistically diverse students at an urban high school in Honolulu, Hawaii, the author implemented electronic portfolio assessment (EPA) into academic English and heritage language classrooms. This chapter delineates how EPA was developed to enhance academic and linguistic abilities of adolescent ELLs while embracing their multifaceted and hybrid identities. It also presents both challenges and benefits that teachers and students experienced in the process of EPA. It concludes with suggestions for developing and implementing EPA for English language learners in similar contexts.

scholarly journals Virtual Teaching and Learning of English As A Second Language in Selected Secondary Schools Isu-Ikwuato, L. G. A. Abia State, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-95
Author(s):  
Bernard Meshach Aguma ◽  
◽  
Caroline Kinuu Kimathi ◽  
Martin Situma ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Educational System ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Virtual Teaching

The adoption of virtual teaching and learning of a second language in the Nigerian educational system has received little attention. COVID-19 lock-down, imposed by the governments of the nations, forced educational institutions globally and locally to adapt virtual teaching and learning of English language. This research paper investigated the challenges of virtual teaching and learning of a second language (English) in selected secondary schools, Isu Ikwuato L.A. Abia State, Nigeria. It used a mixed method convergent parallel research design. The purposive sampling technique was used to select secondary schools that adopted virtual teaching and learning. The targeted population was 2000 English students and teachers with a sample size of 333. The results revealed that the schools made use of synchronous, asynchronous and blended types of online teaching and learning, and the students had a positive attitude. Both students and teachers experienced challenges of poor network, lack of ICT training, unstable electricity, and financial constraint. This study recommends the following: Language Policy Makers in Nigerian Educational System to map out the strategies that will incorporate online second language teaching and learning skills in the curriculum. That Marist Educational Board in partnership with the Ministry of Education in Nigeria, provide virtual supplementary materials for English language education. Adequate virtual training to be provided for English teachers and students. That the challenges of internet fluctuation, power shortage, insufficient virtual materials, inadequate funds, technical issues, virtual skills be addressed by all the stakeholders in education.

scholarly journals The Role of Counselling in English Language Teaching

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 48-55
Author(s):  
M. John Britto
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Remarkable Change ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
English Language Teachers

Counselling plays a significant role in bringing out a remarkable change in an individual’s personal and professional life. It has entered a number of domains including education. As human problems are mushrooming day by day in this hi-tech world, there is a dire need for finding solutions to those problems. It is counselling that comes to one’s aid to solve one’s problems that are psychological and personal. In English language teaching and learning too, there are multiple problems encountered by teachers and students as well. This paper discusses how counselling is indispensable to English Language Teaching (ELT) for finding solutions to problems faced by English language learners. Exploring the relevance of counselling to ELT, it also seeks to highlight the benefits of integrating it with ELT. It brings out the need for introspection of English language teachers to provide counselling to students. It enumerates various counselling skills, and presents an account of problem-solving method in ELT and eight approaches to counselling.

College Capital and Constraint Agency: First-Generation Immigrant English Language Learners’ College Success

2020 ◽  
Vol 122 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-54
Author(s):  
Manka Varghese ◽  
Ronald Fuentes
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Postsecondary Education ◽  
English Language ◽  
First Generation ◽  
College Success ◽  
Immigrant Students ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Differential Forms ◽  
Generation Immigrant

Background/Context Language-minoritized and emergent-bilingual (EB) students have historically and frequently been underexamined in the context of research on minoritized students’ pathways in higher education. Understanding the school to college pipeline for emergent bilinguals (EBs) is becoming a critical area of study to help identify and address the barriers that they experience as they attempt to transition to and navigate postsecondary education. Despite there being a greater knowledge of the barriers experienced by EBs in getting to college, less is known about the resources they bring and their agency, the way they actually mobilize the resources that they possess in negotiating their success to get to and complete college. Purpose/Research Question This study examines why and how some EB students can successfully navigate their environments in order to apply for, get into and complete a selective four-year college. It is guided by two overarching questions: (1) What forms of capital do first generation immigrant EBs draw on to apply for and navigate selective four-year college? (2) How do first generation immigrant EBs navigate and complete selective four-year college? Research Design We examined the pathways of EBs through a conceptual framework which frames their college success as being a result of the relationship between what we refer to as their college capital which they have access to and that they draw on, and their constraint agency. Through interviews, this study analyzes 33 first generation undergraduate immigrant EBs’ transition to and completion of tertiary education, with further analysis being supplemented with in-depth case studies of five out of the 33 EBs. Additionally, we interviewed 14 university administrators and instructors involved in the admission and instruction of EB students on campus. Conclusions/Recommendations EB immigrant students drew on different forms of college capital, which included traditional and non-traditional. Students who drew more on traditional kinds of capital participated more in high participatory agentive ways while students who drew more on non-traditional forms of college capital participated more in low participatory agentive ways. Both forms of participating (low and high) lead to students navigating and completing four-year college. We suggest that more differential forms of help, resources and EB-student–focused partnerships between high school, community colleges, and four-year college which include working on their agentive selves are needed as well as challenging the racism and linguicism that holds White monolingual students as the norm to configure policies and services that will help EBs’ postsecondary pathways.

Effective school leadership and New York City’s immigrant and migrant children: a study

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 622-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terri Nicol Watson
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Educational Leaders ◽  
Migrant Children ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
K 12

Purpose This paper provides insight into the effective education of immigrant and migrant children: many of whom are classified in New York City’s public schools as English language learners. It also highlights the ways in which New York City prepares school leaders and the policies that govern their actions. Design/methodology/approach Literature review. Findings The practices of New York City’s school leaders are governed by the Chancellor’s Regulations. These comprehensive mandates consist of four components and address issues related to students in grades K-12, school-based budgets, personnel matters, and parent and community engagement. In relation to students, including those classified as immigrant, migrant, and English language learners the Chancellor’s Regulation A-101 makes it clear: children may not be refused admission to a public school because of race, color, creed, national origin, gender, gender identity, pregnancy, immigration/citizenship status, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or ethnicity. Research limitations/implications Implications for future research: How can school leaders (and educational activists) continue to support and advocate for immigrant and migrant children under the presidency of Donald J. Trump. Practical implications Knowledge gleaned from this study may be of use to schools, districts, and educational leaders in the USA and abroad faced with similar demographic trends. Social implications This manuscript examined the ways in which The City University of New York prepares school leaders, the required State exams for school leaders, and the educational policies that govern the practices of New York City’s school leaders that are germane to English language learners. Originality/value This review of the literature may study may be of use to schools, districts, and educational leaders in the USA and abroad.

scholarly journals THE USE OF E-PORTFOLIO TO DEVELOP ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS' AUTONOMY AND INDEPENDENCE

2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 155
Author(s):  
Oksana I. Ivanova
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Technical Problems ◽  
Promising Tool ◽  
Teachers And Students

This paper discusses the findings of a research study concerning the use of e-portfolios to develop learners' autonomy and independence, from the perspectives of teachers and students participating in this study. The findings demonstrate many of the benefits of e-portfolio practice regarding learners’ increased sense of ownership, teacher and peer feedback, enriched learning experience at both individual and technological levels, enhanced opportunity for self-improvement and increased awareness of the learning process. Despite many positive aspects of e-portfolios use, the study reveals some challenges facing students, teachers and support staff, mainly connected with technical problems and Internet access, and the necessity for teachers and learners to change their roles to become more independent in the learning process. The author concludes that e-portfolio is a promising tool to stimulate and challenge students to become independent and self-regulated learners that should be implemented in English language learning at higher educational institutions.

scholarly journals The Impact of Scaffolding Techniques on Saudi English-Language Learners’ Speaking Abilities

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Khalid Mohammed Alwahibee
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Saudi Students ◽  
Language And Literature ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Level 3 ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

This study investigated the extent to which scaffolding techniques improve Saudi English-language students’ speaking abilities. The study’s main aims involved determining why most Saudi students do not want to participate in communication tasks and activities and identifying other ways to encourage teachers and students to be more active during speaking classes. A mixed-methods technique, a special rubric, and an attitude questionnaire to collect this study’s data were used. The participants included 50 students from Level 3 in the Department of English Language and Literature at the College of Languages and Translation at Al-Imam Mohammed Bin Saud Islamic University. The experiment lasted for 7 weeks. A teacher met with each group for 2 hours per week. The participants were divided into two groups and experimental and a control group of 25 students each. The experimental group used various scaffolding techniques in each session—which allowed the learners to use their existing knowledge, skills, and strategies in several contexts and for many purposes when speaking. The control group received standard speaking instruction, in which the teacher gave the students time to speak freely without intervention. An independent-sample t test for was used of the analysis. The posttest results showed that the experimental group’s speaking ability improved after the pretest. Moreover, the posttests’ overall results indicated that the experimental group outperformed the control group. This result emphasized the usefulness of using new techniques to teach speaking to nonnative speakers.

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