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Research paper thumbnail of Peers' Requests and Responses in Third-Grade Reading Groups

This study investigates 35 third-grade students' requests, and responses in their reading groupS.... more This study investigates 35 third-grade students' requests, and responses in their reading groupS. Standarized,reading achievement tests, tests 4-4 language knowledge were administered. and six samples of peer interaction were video/taped in-;even homogeneous reading groups in the fall and spring o4 (Line academic year: The results showed that (a) the ability groups differed in reading achievement, and these differences remained stable throughout the ybar; (b) the groups differed in their requests and responses, and these differences also reamined stable; (c) aspects of requests predicted obtaining appropriate responses, which confirmed a model of the effective ,..

Research paper thumbnail of The social context of instruction: Processes and organization of instructional groups

Research paper thumbnail of Merging process-product and sociolinguistic paradigms: Research on small-group processes

Research paper thumbnail of Improving Literacy Achievement in Urban Schools: Critical Elements in Teacher Preparation

... Executive Editor, Books Corinne M. Mooney Developmental Editor Charlene M. Nichols Developmen... more ... Executive Editor, Books Corinne M. Mooney Developmental Editor Charlene M. Nichols Developmental Editor Tori Mello Bachman ... State University, San Diego, California, USA (Deceased) Linda B. Gambrell Distinguished Professor of Education Clemson University, Clemson ...

Research paper thumbnail of Overview of policy, research and socio-cultural issues affecting the preparation of teachers of reading in urban settings

Research paper thumbnail of The Social Context of Instruction: Group Organization and Group Processes

Contemporary Sociology, Mar 1, 1987

Research paper thumbnail of Educational policy through service learning: Preparation for citizenship and civic participation

Innovative Higher Education, Jun 1, 1997

Research paper thumbnail of Language Variation and Struggling Readers: Finding Patterns in Diversity

Page 121. 5 Language Variation and Struggling Readers: Finding Patterns in Diversity Elaine R. Si... more Page 121. 5 Language Variation and Struggling Readers: Finding Patterns in Diversity Elaine R. Silliman Ruth Huntley Bahr University of South Florida Louise C. Wilkinson Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Candida ...

Research paper thumbnail of Academic language proficiency and literacy instruction in urban settings

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing student's progress in language and literacy: A classroom approach

Research paper thumbnail of Writing the Science Register and Multiple Levels of Language

Research paper thumbnail of Looking at language intervention through a clinical ethnography

Research paper thumbnail of Equity or equality, What shall it be?

Research paper thumbnail of Progress in language and literacy learning: Ongoing assessment in the classroom

Research paper thumbnail of Alternative assessment, literacy education, and school reform

Research paper thumbnail of Discourse scaffolds for classroom intervention

Research paper thumbnail of The Language Demands in Mathematics: A Case of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Mathematics Examination

US-China Education Review A, 2019

This paper reports that the results of a mixed-methods study of the Kenya Certificate of Secondar... more This paper reports that the results of a mixed-methods study of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) mathematics examination, a high-stakes test taken by students upon the completion of secondary education. All the KCSE examinations are administered in English, which is the second language for almost all Kenyan students. The general research question is: Do examinations, such as the KCSE mathematics assessment, measure knowledge of the content area independent of advanced knowledge of English? The statistical analyses (correlation and regression) revealed that English scores predicted students' mathematics scores. Linguistic analysis of the English language requirements of the test revealed that the test items require a specialized knowledge of English. In this paper, we present our analysis and discuss the implications for future research and professional practice.

Research paper thumbnail of Spelling error analysis of written summaries in an academic register by students with specific learning disabilities: phonological, orthographic, and morphological influences

Reading and Writing, 2019

Students in grades 5-9 (N = 29) with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) (dysgraphia, dyslexia,... more Students in grades 5-9 (N = 29) with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) (dysgraphia, dyslexia, or oral and written language learning disability, OWL LD) were asked to take notes and handwrite or type summaries of social studies texts about world geography and cultures that they read or heard. This activity required activating knowledge of academic language for the disciplinary content. Fine-grained analyses of their spelling errors focused on the phonological, orthographic and morphological aspects of word spelling affected while writing in an academic register. Nonparametric statistical analyses revealed no significant differences attributable to SLD diagnosis or combinations of the mode of the source text (reading or listening) and transcription (handwriting with stylus or typing with keyboard). Students generated similar degrees of error complexity in their spelling errors when writing in this disciplinary academic register regardless of the nature of their SLD, mode of presentation of source texts, or mode of transcription. Three types of common misspelling patterns across SLDs, mode of presentation, and mode of transcription are described in this exploratory study. Instructional applications for teaching students with SLDs to spell words in English, a morphophonemic orthography, when composing in an academic register are discussed as well as proposed future research directions.

Research paper thumbnail of Writing across the academic languages: introduction

Reading and Writing, 2019

Writing-to-learn is essential for achieving a broad array of educational, vocational, and persona... more Writing-to-learn is essential for achieving a broad array of educational, vocational, and personal purposes because it is a major tool for acquiring new knowledge and levels of self-reflection (Silva & Limongi, 2019). Moreover, writing-to-learn is a communication skill whose ongoing refinement extends throughout adolescence, if not the life span (Berman, 2007, 2008). Worldwide, many students do not attain competence in writing-to-learn during their schooling. This finding is attributed to the overall quality of and experiences with writing instruction across the grades (Dockrell, Marshall, & Wyse, 2016; Graham, 2019; Nelson & Watkins, 2019), and the likelihood that writing-to-learn requires the multifaceted cognitive ability to "take sole responsibility for the construction of thematically coherent monologic text" (Christie & Derewianka, 2008, p. 20). In the United States, the last national assessment of student writing abilities at grades 8 and 12 (U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2011) indicated that only 24% of students demonstrated proficiency in their ability to construct expository texts that required persuasion and explanation. Approximately 20.5% performed below a basic level of competence. 1 The failure to attain writing proficiency by the end of secondary schooling has critical ramifications not only for student success in a new global order but also for the ways in which we conceptualize and implement writing practices. Despite its central role in the implementation of national standards in education, such as the U.S. Common Core State Standards (www.cores tanda rds.org), writing-to-learn has received minimal attention in the academic language literature. In contrast, prior academic language studies primarily focused on either reading comprehension or vocabulary. In addition, beyond vocabulary, the academic language production of students with significant language learning difficulties, including oral language, reading, and writing, has not been systematically investigated (Silliman & Wilkinson, 2015). To remedy these situations, a special section of this issue is dedicated to articles on writing in the academic

Research paper thumbnail of Finding Diego: A Bilingual Student Integrates School, Language, and Identity

Journal of Latinos and Education, 2016

This article presents a mixed-methods case study of Diego, a bilingual teen who completed public ... more This article presents a mixed-methods case study of Diego, a bilingual teen who completed public school in Florida. During adolescence, Diego negotiated multiple identities: successful student, Mexican American, bilingual, and typical U.S. teenager. Diego provided interviews and bilingual (English/ Spanish) writing (narrative/expository) in 2008 (at age 12, Grade 6) and in 2012 (at age 16, Grade 10). A qualitative analysis of his interviews and a quantitative linguistic analysis of his writing reveal central elements of Diego's language development as related to academic English and identity. Educational implications for working with bilingual adolescents are discussed. KEY WORDS adolescent; biliteracy; English language learners; Latino/a children and families; migration/ transnationalism; secondary Um, my first week I didn't know what to do or say 'cause I didn't understand English. I didn't have no friends at all. It was like, hard for me; it was like seeing kids and I didn't know what to do. They were all doing work and I was just sitting there without doing anything... . I felt left out too... . After I hit that grade, eighth grade, my life was changing again. In a good way though. My grades were going up, more friends. In ninth grade, it was, after that I decided that school was definitely my thing. I started doing good in school and I am doing good in school. (Diego, 1 age 16, 2012) This interview excerpt suggests the evolution of Diego, a bilingual adolescent of Mexican heritage who completed public high school in Florida. Through a mixed-methods case study, this article provides an understanding of the multiple and dynamic layers of language and identity encompassed by Diego over the course of his adolescence. A qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with Diego in Grade 6 (2008) and Grade 10 (2012) is integrated with a linguistic assessment of his bilingual narrative and expository writing at both points. Together these analyses offer a portrait of Diego's academic English language development and multiple identities as a bilingual, multicultural, and ultimately successful student. Introducing Diego, a bilingual learner Diego, a recent graduate from a public high school in an urban area of Florida, represents the diversity of the English learner (EL) population in the United States. When we first met Diego in an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classroom he was 12 years old and in Grade 6. He considered himself a "niño mexicano" (Mexican kid) and strongly identified with his family's heritage, language, and traditions. Diego often wore rosary beads around his neck and a wristband of the Mexican flag. Diego was born in Florida; however, his family relocated to Hidalgo, Mexico, when he was 5 years old. Thus, he attended kindergarten through Grade 4 in public schools in

Research paper thumbnail of Peers' Requests and Responses in Third-Grade Reading Groups

This study investigates 35 third-grade students' requests, and responses in their reading groupS.... more This study investigates 35 third-grade students' requests, and responses in their reading groupS. Standarized,reading achievement tests, tests 4-4 language knowledge were administered. and six samples of peer interaction were video/taped in-;even homogeneous reading groups in the fall and spring o4 (Line academic year: The results showed that (a) the ability groups differed in reading achievement, and these differences remained stable throughout the ybar; (b) the groups differed in their requests and responses, and these differences also reamined stable; (c) aspects of requests predicted obtaining appropriate responses, which confirmed a model of the effective ,..

Research paper thumbnail of The social context of instruction: Processes and organization of instructional groups

Research paper thumbnail of Merging process-product and sociolinguistic paradigms: Research on small-group processes

Research paper thumbnail of Improving Literacy Achievement in Urban Schools: Critical Elements in Teacher Preparation

... Executive Editor, Books Corinne M. Mooney Developmental Editor Charlene M. Nichols Developmen... more ... Executive Editor, Books Corinne M. Mooney Developmental Editor Charlene M. Nichols Developmental Editor Tori Mello Bachman ... State University, San Diego, California, USA (Deceased) Linda B. Gambrell Distinguished Professor of Education Clemson University, Clemson ...

Research paper thumbnail of Overview of policy, research and socio-cultural issues affecting the preparation of teachers of reading in urban settings

Research paper thumbnail of The Social Context of Instruction: Group Organization and Group Processes

Contemporary Sociology, Mar 1, 1987

Research paper thumbnail of Educational policy through service learning: Preparation for citizenship and civic participation

Innovative Higher Education, Jun 1, 1997

Research paper thumbnail of Language Variation and Struggling Readers: Finding Patterns in Diversity

Page 121. 5 Language Variation and Struggling Readers: Finding Patterns in Diversity Elaine R. Si... more Page 121. 5 Language Variation and Struggling Readers: Finding Patterns in Diversity Elaine R. Silliman Ruth Huntley Bahr University of South Florida Louise C. Wilkinson Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Candida ...

Research paper thumbnail of Academic language proficiency and literacy instruction in urban settings

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing student's progress in language and literacy: A classroom approach

Research paper thumbnail of Writing the Science Register and Multiple Levels of Language

Research paper thumbnail of Looking at language intervention through a clinical ethnography

Research paper thumbnail of Equity or equality, What shall it be?

Research paper thumbnail of Progress in language and literacy learning: Ongoing assessment in the classroom

Research paper thumbnail of Alternative assessment, literacy education, and school reform

Research paper thumbnail of Discourse scaffolds for classroom intervention

Research paper thumbnail of The Language Demands in Mathematics: A Case of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Mathematics Examination

US-China Education Review A, 2019

This paper reports that the results of a mixed-methods study of the Kenya Certificate of Secondar... more This paper reports that the results of a mixed-methods study of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) mathematics examination, a high-stakes test taken by students upon the completion of secondary education. All the KCSE examinations are administered in English, which is the second language for almost all Kenyan students. The general research question is: Do examinations, such as the KCSE mathematics assessment, measure knowledge of the content area independent of advanced knowledge of English? The statistical analyses (correlation and regression) revealed that English scores predicted students' mathematics scores. Linguistic analysis of the English language requirements of the test revealed that the test items require a specialized knowledge of English. In this paper, we present our analysis and discuss the implications for future research and professional practice.

Research paper thumbnail of Spelling error analysis of written summaries in an academic register by students with specific learning disabilities: phonological, orthographic, and morphological influences

Reading and Writing, 2019

Students in grades 5-9 (N = 29) with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) (dysgraphia, dyslexia,... more Students in grades 5-9 (N = 29) with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) (dysgraphia, dyslexia, or oral and written language learning disability, OWL LD) were asked to take notes and handwrite or type summaries of social studies texts about world geography and cultures that they read or heard. This activity required activating knowledge of academic language for the disciplinary content. Fine-grained analyses of their spelling errors focused on the phonological, orthographic and morphological aspects of word spelling affected while writing in an academic register. Nonparametric statistical analyses revealed no significant differences attributable to SLD diagnosis or combinations of the mode of the source text (reading or listening) and transcription (handwriting with stylus or typing with keyboard). Students generated similar degrees of error complexity in their spelling errors when writing in this disciplinary academic register regardless of the nature of their SLD, mode of presentation of source texts, or mode of transcription. Three types of common misspelling patterns across SLDs, mode of presentation, and mode of transcription are described in this exploratory study. Instructional applications for teaching students with SLDs to spell words in English, a morphophonemic orthography, when composing in an academic register are discussed as well as proposed future research directions.

Research paper thumbnail of Writing across the academic languages: introduction

Reading and Writing, 2019

Writing-to-learn is essential for achieving a broad array of educational, vocational, and persona... more Writing-to-learn is essential for achieving a broad array of educational, vocational, and personal purposes because it is a major tool for acquiring new knowledge and levels of self-reflection (Silva & Limongi, 2019). Moreover, writing-to-learn is a communication skill whose ongoing refinement extends throughout adolescence, if not the life span (Berman, 2007, 2008). Worldwide, many students do not attain competence in writing-to-learn during their schooling. This finding is attributed to the overall quality of and experiences with writing instruction across the grades (Dockrell, Marshall, & Wyse, 2016; Graham, 2019; Nelson & Watkins, 2019), and the likelihood that writing-to-learn requires the multifaceted cognitive ability to "take sole responsibility for the construction of thematically coherent monologic text" (Christie & Derewianka, 2008, p. 20). In the United States, the last national assessment of student writing abilities at grades 8 and 12 (U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2011) indicated that only 24% of students demonstrated proficiency in their ability to construct expository texts that required persuasion and explanation. Approximately 20.5% performed below a basic level of competence. 1 The failure to attain writing proficiency by the end of secondary schooling has critical ramifications not only for student success in a new global order but also for the ways in which we conceptualize and implement writing practices. Despite its central role in the implementation of national standards in education, such as the U.S. Common Core State Standards (www.cores tanda rds.org), writing-to-learn has received minimal attention in the academic language literature. In contrast, prior academic language studies primarily focused on either reading comprehension or vocabulary. In addition, beyond vocabulary, the academic language production of students with significant language learning difficulties, including oral language, reading, and writing, has not been systematically investigated (Silliman & Wilkinson, 2015). To remedy these situations, a special section of this issue is dedicated to articles on writing in the academic

Research paper thumbnail of Finding Diego: A Bilingual Student Integrates School, Language, and Identity

Journal of Latinos and Education, 2016

This article presents a mixed-methods case study of Diego, a bilingual teen who completed public ... more This article presents a mixed-methods case study of Diego, a bilingual teen who completed public school in Florida. During adolescence, Diego negotiated multiple identities: successful student, Mexican American, bilingual, and typical U.S. teenager. Diego provided interviews and bilingual (English/ Spanish) writing (narrative/expository) in 2008 (at age 12, Grade 6) and in 2012 (at age 16, Grade 10). A qualitative analysis of his interviews and a quantitative linguistic analysis of his writing reveal central elements of Diego's language development as related to academic English and identity. Educational implications for working with bilingual adolescents are discussed. KEY WORDS adolescent; biliteracy; English language learners; Latino/a children and families; migration/ transnationalism; secondary Um, my first week I didn't know what to do or say 'cause I didn't understand English. I didn't have no friends at all. It was like, hard for me; it was like seeing kids and I didn't know what to do. They were all doing work and I was just sitting there without doing anything... . I felt left out too... . After I hit that grade, eighth grade, my life was changing again. In a good way though. My grades were going up, more friends. In ninth grade, it was, after that I decided that school was definitely my thing. I started doing good in school and I am doing good in school. (Diego, 1 age 16, 2012) This interview excerpt suggests the evolution of Diego, a bilingual adolescent of Mexican heritage who completed public high school in Florida. Through a mixed-methods case study, this article provides an understanding of the multiple and dynamic layers of language and identity encompassed by Diego over the course of his adolescence. A qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with Diego in Grade 6 (2008) and Grade 10 (2012) is integrated with a linguistic assessment of his bilingual narrative and expository writing at both points. Together these analyses offer a portrait of Diego's academic English language development and multiple identities as a bilingual, multicultural, and ultimately successful student. Introducing Diego, a bilingual learner Diego, a recent graduate from a public high school in an urban area of Florida, represents the diversity of the English learner (EL) population in the United States. When we first met Diego in an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classroom he was 12 years old and in Grade 6. He considered himself a "niño mexicano" (Mexican kid) and strongly identified with his family's heritage, language, and traditions. Diego often wore rosary beads around his neck and a wristband of the Mexican flag. Diego was born in Florida; however, his family relocated to Hidalgo, Mexico, when he was 5 years old. Thus, he attended kindergarten through Grade 4 in public schools in