An Assets-Oriented, Formative Oral Language Assessment for Multilingual Students

This chapter introduces an assets-oriented oral language formative assessment tool for use with multilingual students. The assessment tool, called the Oral Language Record (OLR), was developed to help teachers listen to, record, and analyze authentic student talk in a variety of settings. It provides valuable information about the vocabulary and language structures that students use, helps determine current instructional needs, provides a frame for capturing student talk, and documents growth over time. The OLR contains a continuum based on observable behaviors and an analysis tool that helps teachers determine next steps in instruction based on their observations. Used in conjunction with a student's writing sample and observation of the child's reading, the OLR provides a holistic view of a multilingual student's language and literacy acquisition, enabling the teacher to focus on the child's linguistic strengths to plan future instruction.

A remote laboratory course on experimental human physiology using wearable technology

To help educators deliver their physiology laboratory courses remotely, we developed an inexpensive, customizable hardware kit along with freely-available teaching resources. We based the course design on four principles that should allow students to conduct insightful experiments on different physiological systems. First, the experimental setup should not be constrained to laboratory environments. Second, students should be able to take this course without prior coding and electronics experience. Third, the hardware kit should be relatively inexpensive and all other resources should be freely-available. Fourth, all resources should be customizable for educators. The hardware kit consists of commercially-available electronic components, with a microcontroller as its hub (Arduino-friendly). All measurement systems can be assembled without soldering. The hardware kit is cost-effective (~cost of a textbook) and can be customized depending upon instructional needs. All software is freely-available and we share all necessary codes in open-access, online repositories for simple use and customizability. All lab manuals and additional video tutorials are also freely-available online and customizable. In our particular course, we have weekly asynchronous physiology lectures and one synchronous laboratory session, where students can get help with their equipment. In this paper, we will only focus on the novel and open-source laboratory part of the course. The laboratory includes four units (data acquisition, ECG, EMG, activity classification) and one final project. It is our intent that these resources will allow other educators to rapidly implement their own remote physiology laboratories, or to extend our work into other pedagogical applications of wearable technology.

Challenging Scripted Curricula With Adaptive Teaching

Although adaptive teaching is considered a cornerstone of effective instruction, there remains a lack of focus on teacher adaptability in policy, professional practice, and teacher education in the United States. High-profile educational reform efforts have pressured districts and states across the nation to rely on prescriptive curricula that fail to meet the linguistic, cultural, and instructional needs of the nation’s diverse student population. In this article, we describe the development of the Adaptive Teaching Inventory and present validity evidence from our administration in the United States. These findings provide insight into the potential for widespread implementation of adaptability and its focus to support teacher professionalism and decision-making. The discussion centers on moving adaptability to the forefront of policy and practice efforts to counter the prevailing emphasis on restrictive curricula that has stymied teachers in their efforts to support students for far too long. Implications for administrators, policymakers, and researchers are discussed.

Intelligent Face Tracking for Collaborative Synchronous e-Learning using Pattern Recognition Model

Intelligent Face Tracking for Collaborative Synchronous e-Learning using Pattern Recognition Model can provide high levels of interaction for distance learning initiatives. With the rapid evolution of technology, face recognition login and tracking, continuous product evaluation is necessary to ensure optimal methods and resources for connecting students, instructors, and educational content in rich, online learning communities. This article presents the analysis of online, synchronous learning solutions. Focusing on their abilities to meet technical and pedagogical needs in higher education. To make a solid comparison, the systems were examined in online classrooms with instructors, guest speakers, and students. Relative to usability, instructional needs, technical aspects and compatibility are outlined for systems.

Reviewing Evidence on the Relations Between Oral Reading Fluency and Reading Comprehension for Adolescents

In this article, I systematically review evidence on the relations between oral reading fluency (ORF) and reading comprehension (RC) for adolescents with limited reading proficiency (ALRP) in Grades 6 to12. I organized findings from 23 studies into five themes: (a) unclear role of ORF in the simple view of reading model for ALRP, (b) ALRP have distinct reader profiles, (c) ORF consists of more than automaticity, (d) the role of ORF varies, and (e) oral reading automaticity has tenuous predictive value for ALRP. Results suggest that knowledge of an adolescent’s ORF, as commonly defined and assessed, provides helpful information about an adolescent’s reader profile, but is not sufficient to evaluate instructional needs nor measure progress. I conclude the article with a discussion on implications for researchers, assessment developers, practitioners, and school administrators.

The Desire for Social Robots to Support English Language Learners: Exploring Robot Perceptions of Teachers, Parents, and Students

Currently there are 4.9 million English Language Learners (ELLs) in the United States, however, only 2% of educators are trained to support these vulnerable students. Educational robots show promise for language acquisition and may provide valuable support for ELLs, yet, little is known about social robots for this population. Inviting participants as cultural informants can ensure that the robot is appropriately designed, situated and adopted into that educational community. Therefore, we conducted an exploratory study using interactive group interviews with 95 ELLs (kindergarten through fifth grade) from 18 different home language backgrounds. We also interviewed 39 ELL parents and eight elementary school educators to understand their views of educational robots. Responses to robot images suggested a preference for a popular educational robot. Parents expressed a strong desire for educational robots to support their children at school. While children embraced the idea of a robot at school, some expressed concerns about the potential for robots to be disruptive. School educators saw the potential for educational robots to support teachers in meeting instructional needs but also raised salient concerns. Exploring social robots with ELLs as cultural informants was a valuable exploration to determine important factors in social robot design and implementation for a diverse educational setting.

Learning to Read in a Local Language in Uganda: Creating Learner Profiles to Track Progress and Guide Instruction Using Early Grade Reading Assessment Results

The Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) is used to evaluate studies and monitor projects that address reading skills in low- and middle-income countries. Results are often described solely in terms of a passage-reading subtask, thereby overlooking progress in related skills. Using archival data of cohort samples from Uganda at two time points in three languages (Ganda, Lango, and Runyankore-Rukiga), we explored a methodology that uses passage-reading results to create five learner profiles: Nonreader, Beginner, Instructional, Fluent, and Next-Level Ready. We compared learner profiles with results on other subtasks to identify the skills students would need to develop to progress from one profile to another. We then used regression models to determine whether students’ learner profiles were related to their results on the various subtasks. We found membership in four categories. We also found a shift in the distribution of learner profiles from Grade 1 to Grade 4, which is useful for establishing program effectiveness. The distribution of profiles within grades expanded as students progressed through the early elementary grades. We recommend that those who are discussing EGRA results describe students by profiles and by the numbers that shift from one profile to another over time. Doing so would help describe abilities and instructional needs and would show changes in a meaningful way.

Multitiered Early Literacy Identification in 3-Year-Old Children in Head Start Settings

Three-year-old children are seldom the focus in studies about supplemental early literacy instructional support. This study examines 3-year-old children’s potential need for additional early literacy support, extending and replicating a previous investigation that identified prekindergarten children (i.e., 4-year-olds) in Head Start classrooms for additional tiers of early literacy support. The sample included 143 children from Head Start centers in a southeastern, urban region of the United States who had received both fall and spring administrations of an early literacy screener (i.e., Get Ready to Read! —Revised). Standard scores were used to classify children into three tiers, and child tier movement from fall to spring was analyzed. Results support the feasibility of a tiered approach for examining 3-year-old children’s early literacy instructional needs. This might allow researchers and practitioners to provide intervention to children much sooner, thereby increasing the potential for positive long-term reading outcomes.

Simulation Scriptwriting and Storyboarding Design Considerations for Production

This chapter will describe the process for writing a script and storyboard as part of the design and development of a simulation experience to be added to an existing, computer-facilitated, emergency management learning curriculum or course primarily in a higher-education setting; however, the information in this chapter relates to FEMA Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) exercise types as well. This chapter will detail steps and considerations to be taken as part of the analysis and design of a simulation, which will ease the development process and avoid unintended complications by first focusing on identifying the instructional needs and objectives of the simulation, scriptwriting and storyboarding scenario decision points that will address the learning needs second, then afterward taking into consideration what level of media representation is appropriate to implement the scenario. Design decisions that affect difficulty to represent in certain media are analyzed.

A critical examination of EFL learners’ difficulties in speaking: towards an effective and applicable pedagogy

This article seeks to find out Chinese EFL learners’ difficulties in speaking. It is of significance because an understanding of their common problems serves as a window into learners' instructional needs and provides opportunities for teachers to plan tailored instruction subsequently. Three students enrolled in English listening and speaking course in a university in southern China participated in out-of-class extra practices for in-depth study. They were given seven monologic speaking tasks adapted from TOEFL. After the completion of each task, students were prompted to provide detailed reflections on the problems that they experienced when planning and producing speech and what kind of teacher interventions they considered necessary and helpful. The analysis of their written self-reflections provided evidence that learners mainly encountered three types of difficulties in speaking: 1) ideas (what to say); 2) language (how to say); and 3) delivery (how to say it well). The results also shed light on what kind of instructional support in terms of speaking development would be necessary. Accounts from students revealed that the following types of teacher assistance, a) prompting questions to help them gather ideas; b) key words that help them express their ideas; and c) cohesive devices that help them develop their ideas fully and effectively. The teachers’ assistance can help the students perform better in the tasks at hand and move them forward in their zone of proximal development. This article has generated useful insights into college English learners’ speaking abilities and learning needs. Its major contribution lies in how it informs a coherent and effective pedagogy in English speaking.