A Case Study of the Effectiveness of Online Graduate Teacher Education in TESOL

A cadre of school teachers took part in three semesters of online coursework to earn TESOL certification. They participated in a hybrid university math course and a face-to-face summer institute on effective teaching of math to English learners. Participants took pre and post-tests aligned to Common Core elementary mathematics content and the Praxis Test for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. They were observed teaching a math lesson in the beginning of the project to evaluate effectiveness in TESOL instructional strategies. A follow up observation was conducted the following semester. Both observations were scored using the sheltered instruction observation protocol (SIOP Model). Assessment and observation results indicated statistically significant growth in content and pedagogical knowledge and application. A qualitative analysis suggests flexibility in the form of online and hybrid courses, financial support, and practical application of new concepts to current practice are key factors in successful professional development for practicing teachers.

Teachers’ Perceptions toward using Geography Textbooks: A Study in Secondary Schools in Nepal

This paper is an attempt to examine the teacher’s perception on use of geography textbooks at the secondary school level in the Kathmandu district of Bagmati Province, Nepal. Eight geography teachers who teach geography in community secondary schools were selected purposively. The semi-structured interview and class observation method were used to obtain on the teacher’s perceptions regarding the usages of secondary level geography textbooks. The classroom observation was used to see how teachers used geography textbooks in the classrooms by observation protocol. The interviews were recorded on audio recorder and transcribed it. The data obtained from interviews provided more profound answers and crossed check accuracy of the observational data. After collecting necessary data, analysis of the data acquired from semi-structured interviews and classroom observations were made through the interpretative method by combining different sources of data. The results reveal that geography teachers who had pro-textbook views believed that their teaching could be conducted effectively using the textbooks. By contrast, teachers who had anti-textbook views believe that geography textbook was inadequate and ineffective. Secondary level geography textbooks contain both potential and limitations. The teacher should supplement geography textbooks with other authentic teaching materials to give learners more learning.

Language Learning Strategies (LLS) Implementation of Students and Teachers at a Malaysian Pre-Tertiary Educational Institution

The study which took place at a Malaysian pre-tertiary educational institution aimed at investigating the implementation of language learning strategies (LLS) of its two major stakeholders, namely the students and the teachers. As the study employed mixed-method design, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected as to report the findings. The Strategy Inventory for Language Learning Strategies (SILL) and classroom observation protocol were the two important instruments for this study. A total of 300 students were involved in the study in which the number was determined using Krejcie and Morgan table. The students were divided into two groups consisting of 150 students who passed the institution’s English Proficiency Test, being referred to as ‘EPT-pass’ and 150 students who failed the test, hence known as ‘EPT-fail’ in the study. Four teachers voluntarily involved in the study after invitation to be part of the study was extended to all teachers at the educational institution. Analysis of data was done using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation scores) and thematic analysis. The findings showed that students employed indirect language learning strategies more than direct strategies with EPT-pass group recording (M=4.084, SD=0.625) and EPT-fail group with (M=2.722, SD=0.466). It was apparent that metacognitive strategies (M=4.361, SD=0.954) were EPT-pass group’s most employed strategies while EPT-fail students implemented affective strategies (M=3.077, SD=0.399) the most. Additionally, LLS were undoubtedly embedded into the lesson implementations of the four teachers whose lesson implementations were observed. The study implies that LLS play fundamental part in the teaching and learning of English and should be directly nurtured and embedded into English language classrooms to ensure more effective implementations.

Exploring relationships between playspaces, pedagogy, and preschoolers’ play-based science and engineering practices

This manuscript reports the results of a research study exploring the ways in which physical space and teacher pedagogy are related to preschoolers’ engagement with science and engineering practices while at play. Using the Science and Engineering Practices Observation Protocol (SciEPOP), researchers captured children’s engagement with the eight science and engineering practices identified in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). This study explores relationships between specific playspaces, materials, and pedagogical strategies, and children’s patterns of engagement with particular science and engineering practices during free play. There are notable differences in the spaces, materials, and pedagogies children encounter across the four participating preschools, and these differences suggest significant gaps in children’s opportunities to engage in and deepen their enactment of science and engineering practices. The authors present evidence in support of adaptive, personalized strategies for deepening children’s engagement with science through play, and raise questions about equity in early science learning environments that have implications both nationally and internationally for science education research, practice, and policy.

Self-evaluation and observation: A proposal to promote CLIL teacher training at Infant Education

The Bilingual Program of the Community of Madrid (BPCM), Spain, started offering Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), in English, at Primary Education in 2004, at Secondary in 2010, and at Infant Education (3–6-year-old students) in 2017. This approach requires multiskilled practitioners, highly trained in the CLIL methodological principles, to ensure the planning and delivery of effective lessons. However, CLIL teacher training is deficient and needs to be boosted through alternative proposals. This work analyses the potential of a checklist for self-evaluation and observation of CLIL teachers at Infant Education. It is an exploratory research that presents a case study in two Infant Education classrooms in which CLIL is taught by the same teacher. The data collection includes linguistic data collecting techniques such as the checklist for the observer and for the teacher, an observation protocol, transcripts of the interviews, among others. Results from the qualitative analysis of the Infant teacher self-evaluation and the observer showed that a never-ending-teacher-development-awareness to promote teachers to manage their experience adequately was stimulated, and it was likely to open the door to innovation in educational trends (CLIL) in order to offer a solid respond for their professional needs. It also proved to identify the actual CLIL training needs of the Infant teacher and unveiled her thoughts and practice in her bilingual classes. Therefore, it can be concluded that the self-evaluation checklist can be a useful instrument likely to shed some light on the complex phenomenon of in-service CLIL teacher training.

Teaching CEFR-aligned Writing to Young Learners: Practices and Voices of Teachers

The introduction of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)-aligned English syllabus into the Malaysian education system is a welcome initiative taken by the government as a part of “memartabatkan Bahasa Melayu, memperkukuhkan Bahasa Inggeris” to empower Malaysian citizens to compete in this era of globalization (Ministry of Education, 2015). The new initiative has also brought forth shifts in teaching approach and technique, and assessment method. Teachers must incorporate in their teaching, among others, formative assessment and differentiation techniques. It prompted a study to be carried out to obtain insights into the practice of teachers teaching CEFR-aligned syllabus. Five primary school teachers teaching five different writing classes to nine-year-olds participated in the study. Classroom observation protocol and guided reflective interview were used to obtain data for the study. The findings revealed that the classes were mainly teacher-centered, and teachers hardly used differentiation techniques. Several formative assessment elements were exhibited but not comprehensively. Teachers’ lack of training in CEFR and ineffective training system may be the cause of this observation.

COPUS, PORTAAL, or DART? Classroom Observation Tool Comparison From the Instructor User’s Perspective

Classroom observation tools are used to evaluate teaching and learning activities, and to provide constructive feedback to instructors. To help instructors with selecting a suitable tool based on their needs and available resources, in this study, a group of observers assessed lectures of an introductory biology course using three, broadly cited classroom assessment tools in the STEM field: the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (COPUS); the Practical Observation Rubric to Assess Active Learning (PORTAAL); and the Decibel Analysis for Research in Teaching (DART). From a user’s perspective, we evaluated 1) the type and extent of information each tool provides, and 2) the time investment and difficulty of working with each tool. The assessment result of each tool was compared, with a list of expected outcomes generated by surveying a group of college instructors and with the result of a self-teaching assessment tool, Teaching Practices Inventory (TPI). Our findings conclude that each tool provided valuable assessment with a broad range of outcomes and time investment: PORTAAL offered the most detailed information on the quality of teaching practices and students’ engagement, but it demanded the greatest time investment. DART provided a basic estimation of active learning proportion with the least effort. The level of assessment outcome and the time investment when using COPUS was found to be less than PORTAAL, and more than DART. The TPI self-assessment outcome was found to be slightly optimistic regarding the proportion of active learning practices used in the studied course. This comparative study can help instructors in selecting a tool that suits their needs and available resources for a better assessment of their classroom teaching and learning.

A Qualitative Investigation of the Interactions of Students with Graduate and Undergraduate TAs in General Chemistry Laboratories

A new teaching assistant model was adopted and qualitatively assessed for the general chemistry laboratory, in which both an undergraduate and a graduate teaching assistant provided instruction to students during the lab. Verbal interactions between graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants were recorded, transcribed, and coded using the modified Laboratory Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (LOPUS). The codes were applied to capture how discussions, questioning, and explanations were conducted. In addition, the content discussed was coded to identify specific areas that pose challenges for students. Sizable differences were not observed between the number of interactions of the initiation, explanation, and questioning codes between graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants. Of the interactions, 77% focused on questions and discussions regarding the experimental setup. Discussions on the implications with regards to the effective use of undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants in chemistry laboratories are included.