The different uses of the pronoun ‘we’ by EFL teachers in classroom interaction

The pronoun ‘we’ is understood only to refer to the first-person plural. In fact, the pronoun ‘we’ can also refer to other references. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the different uses of the pronoun ‘we’ by EFL teachers in classroom interaction. This study employed a qualitative approach by using three instruments: observation, audio-recorder, and interview in collecting the data. The subjects of this research are two English teachers and the second-grade students at a vocational high school in Makassar. The data were analyzed by formulating Miles et al.’s method of analysis. The result of this study shows that, in classroom interaction, the pronoun ‘we’ can refer to six distinct references: (1) ‘we’ that refers to speaker and more than one addressee, (2) ‘we’ that refers to speaker and more than one-third party, (3) ‘we’ that refers to speaker and indefinite group, (4) ‘we’ that indicates ‘you’, (5) ‘we’ that indicates ‘I’, and (6) ‘we’ that indicates “they”. From the interviews, the researchers found that both teachers have different reasons for using the pronoun ‘we’ in classroom interaction. The first teacher intends to use the pronoun to help him create an enjoyable learning environment and establish better relationships with the students. In contrast, the other teacher uses the pronoun ‘we’ to show politeness to the students. Despite the differences, they both seem to have the same intention of creating a positive learning environment.

PENGARUH ICE BREAKING TERHADAP HASIL BELAJAR PESERTA DIDIK PADA PEMBELAJARAN TEMA 8 SUB TEMA 2 KELAS II SEKOLAH DASAR

This research is motivated by the low student learning outcomes in class II thematic learning. An effort to overcome these problems is to use Ice Breaking in thematic learning. This study aims to see the effect of applying Ice Breaking on thematic learning outcomes of second grade students of SD Negeri 21 Pulau Punjung. This study uses a True Experimental Design in the form of a posttest-only control design. The population in this study were all second grade students of SD Negeri 21 Pulau Punjung. The sample in this study was taken using systematic sampling. The data collection technique was carried out by giving a posttest in the form of a written test consisting of 17 multiple choice questions and 3 description questions. The results of the t-test analysis technique showed a significance level of 0.017 <0.05 so that H0 was rejected and Ha was accepted. This means that there is an effect of applying ice breaking to the thematic learning outcomes of second grade students of SD Negeri 21 Pulau Punjung, Dharmasraya Regency.

Enhancing teachers’ classroom communication skills – Measuring the effect of a continued professional development programme for mainstream school teachers

Continued professional development (CPD), tailored to teachers’ needs and expectations, is required for updated skills and knowledge. In this study, twenty-five teachers working with first and second grade students participated in an 11-week programme focusing on enhancing classroom communication. The participating teachers were randomly assigned to either a direct intervention track (intervention) or a delayed intervention track (waiting control). Teachers’ perceptions of activities and interactions in the classroom and self-efficacy were assessed on three occasions: T1, T2, and T3. The direct intervention track received intervention between T1 and T2, while the delayed intervention track received intervention between T2 and T3. A percentage change score for changes between T1 and T2 was calculated, to compare the direct and delayed intervention tracks and assess any intervention effect. Results revealed no significant difference between the groups, i.e., the intervention had no effect on teacher self-reports. The teachers gave an overall positive evaluation of the CPD. Thematic analyses revealed continued need for professional development and insights into the reciprocal influence of student and teacher behaviour. The quantitative and qualitative results paint somewhat different pictures showing the need of mixed methods when analysing these kinds of data.

Introducing Computational Thinking Unplugged in Early Childhood Education Within the Context of Physical and Natural Science Courses

In the contemporary digital era, introducing computational thinking concepts is considered an imperative need at all stages of schooling, since they are inextricably linked to skills applicable and beneficial in everyday life. This chapter presents a novel educational framework that aims to foster the growth of computational thinking at early childhood stages, within the context of physical and natural science courses, pursuing the unplugged philosophy and following the principles of game-based, project-based and collaborative learning. This chapter also presents a relevant pilot study, conducted with second grade students of a Greek primary school, with the objective of assessing the feasibility of the proposed educational framework, as well as examining its effectiveness. The results stemming from the pilot are promising and reveal that the proposed approach serves our goal to enhance computational thinking at the first stages of schooling through engaging and fun educational activities that appeal to young students.

The Equity of Remote Teaching During COVID-19

This chapter is written by a second-grade teacher who gives a personal account for remote teaching during quarantine and the 2020 - 2021 school year. The equity and diversity of various situations involved during the past year are discussed throughout the chapter: from the beginning of quarantine 2020 to the end of the school year in May 2021. Remote teaching, social and emotional factors, and the diversity of families are also addressed. The chapter is dedicated to Jordan Lea Darnell, a teacher who lost her battle to COVID-19 in the Spring of 2021.

Assessing Algorithmic Thinking Skills in Early Childhood Education

This chapter presents part of a wider project aimed at developing computational thinking assessment instruments for first and second grade primary school students. The applicability of the specific proposed tool, which concerns merely the algorithmic thinking (AT), was tested within the Environmental Study course (ESc). The main pillar of the work is the computational environment PhysGramming. The assessment of AT was based on mental tasks involving puzzles which require AT abilities. The AT test comprised of four puzzles with 4, 6, 9, and 12 pieces respectively, and the puzzle-solving performance was measured at the nominal level (success/failure). Latent class analysis (LCA), a robust multivariate method for categorical data, was implemented, which distinguished two clusters/latent classes corresponding to two distinct levels of AT. Moreover, LCA with covariates, such as gender, grade, achievement in ESc, and the use of plan revealed the association of the above variables with the AT skill-levels. Finally, the results and their implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Multimodal and Community-Based Literacies

In recent decades, high-stakes school reforms and draconian budget cuts have constrained the autonomy of public school teachers in developing multi literacy approaches with emergent bilingual learners (e.g., English-only laws, high stakes testing). This chapter describes the community and multimodal instructional practices of two urban elementary school teachers/ researchers, developed in the context of a professional development initiative. Using critical, sociocultural conceptions of literacy and qualitative methods of investigation, the paper investigates different aspects of the teachers' writing instruction (i.e., community involvement; genre-based instruction; digital literacy; and multimodality); it also explores how the writing processes of focal bilingual students incorporated these practices. Findings show that this approach positioned bilingual learners as agentive text makers. In addition, the second-grade students developed a heightened awareness of audience and context. Implications are discussed, including the pressing need for teacher collaboration, robust school-university partnerships, and innovative multimodal approaches to literacy.

PENGEMBANGAN E-MODUL BERBASIS DISCOVERY LEARNING PADA PEMBELAJARAN TEMATIK TEMA 6 SUBTEMA 1 HEWAN DI SEKITAR KU SD KELAS II

This study aims to produce an E-Module based on discovery learning in thematic learning of theme 6 sub-theme 1 for class II SD which is valid and practical and to determine the potential effects of development. This research is included in research and development, referring to the development of ADDIE. The research took place at SDN 199 Palembang. The research subjects were 24 second grade elementary school students. Data collection was carried out by means of a media and language expert validation questionnaire, material expert, mathematics teacher questionnaire, student response questionnaire, and student test result data. The data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results showed that the validation of the validators got an average validation score of 88.66% with a valid category. The results of student responses based on trials got an average score of 91.58% in the practical category. The results of the test questions distributed to 24 students contained 21 students who completed and 3 students did not complete, the average student score was 84.50% in the very good category or had a potential effect on student learning outcomes. Keywords: E-Module, ADDIE, Discovery Learning, Thematic Theme 6 Sub-theme 1