Language Diversity, School Learning, and Closing Achievement Gaps

Language Diversity, School Learning, and Closing Achievement Gaps
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 116
Release: 2010-08-26
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0309153867

The Workshop on the Role of Language in School Learning: Implications for Closing the Achievement Gap was held to explore three questions: What is known about the conditions that affect language development? What are the effects of early language development on school achievement? What instructional approaches help students meet school demands for language and reading comprehension? Of particular interest was the degree to which group differences in school achievement might be attributed to language differences, and whether language-related instruction might help to close gaps in achievement by helping students cope with language-intensive subject matter especially after the 3rd grade. The workshop provided a forum for researchers and practitioners to review and discuss relevant research findings from varied perspectives. The disciplines and professions represented included: language development, child development, cognitive psychology, linguistics, reading, educationally disadvantaged student populations, literacy in content areas (math, science, social studies), and teacher education. The aim of the meeting was not to reach consensus or provide recommendations, but rather to offer expert insight into the issues that surround the study of language, academic learning, and achievement gaps, and to gather varied viewpoints on what available research findings might imply for future research and practice. This book summarizes and synthesizes two days of workshop presentations and discussion.

Leading Academic Achievement for English Language Learners

Leading Academic Achievement for English Language Learners
Author: Betty J. Alford
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 169
Release: 2011-03-28
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1452224021

How to give English language learners every opportunity for success This practical guide equips school leaders to help English language learners succeed. The authors show how school leaders and staff members can serve as student advocates and apply successful instructional practices that increase student learning. Written in straightforward language with quick reference charts and summaries, the text provides: Strategies for creating a culture of ELL advocacy and achievement Case studies from school leaders who have created positive change for ELLs Professional development tools that build teachers’ knowledge of second language acquisition Tips for strengthening home–school–community connections

English Learners Left Behind

English Learners Left Behind
Author: Kate Menken
Publisher: Multilingual Matters
Total Pages: 216
Release: 2008-01-01
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1853599972

This book explores how high-stakes tests mandated by No Child Left Behind have become de facto language policy in U.S. schools, detailing how testing has shaped curriculum and instruction, and the myriad ways that tests are now a defining force in the daily lives of English Language Learners and the educators who serve them.

Perspectives on Individual Characteristics and Foreign Language Education

Perspectives on Individual Characteristics and Foreign Language Education
Author: Wai Meng Chan
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter
Total Pages: 352
Release: 2012-10-01
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1614510938

Learner characteristics have been at the center of second language acquisition and foreign language education research in response to the puzzling questions: Why are there often large differences in second language (L2) learning achievement and why do many learners, though proficient first language speakers, not succeed in learning a L2? The papers in this book explore and challenge the three key factors in individual difference research: language aptitude, language learning strategies and motivation.

Pathways to Multilingualism

Pathways to Multilingualism
Author: Tara Williams Fortune
Publisher: Multilingual Matters
Total Pages: 307
Release: 2008
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1847690351

Aimed at facilitating cross-context dialogue & knowledge exchange, this volume brings together an international roster of scholars to offer theoretical perspectices, research reviews & empirical studies on teaching, learning & language development in immersion education.

Educating English Language Learners

Educating English Language Learners
Author: Fred Genesee
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 10
Release: 2006-01-16
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1139448986

The book provides a review of scientific research on the learning outcomes of students with limited or no proficiency in English in U.S. schools. Research on students in kindergarten to grade 12 is reviewed. The primary chapters of the book focus on these students' acquisition of oral language skills in English, their development of literacy (reading & writing) skills in English, instructional issues in teaching literacy, and achievement in academic domains (i.e., mathematics, science, and reading). The reviews and analyses of the research are relatively technical with a focus on research quality, design characteristics, and statistical analyses. The book provides a set of summary tables that give details about each study, including full references, characteristics of the students in the research, assessment tools and procedures, and results. A concluding chapter summarizes the major issues discussed and makes recommendations about particular areas that need further research.

Promoting Academic Achievement Among English Learners

Promoting Academic Achievement Among English Learners
Author: Claude Goldenberg
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 193
Release: 2010-04-14
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1452271526

"Given the number of English learners already in our schools and the rate at which this population is growing, effectively educating language-minority students is one of the greatest challenges schools face. In this lucid, concise, and reader-friendly review of research, the authors present the information needed to create the strongest possible instructional programs." —Michael F. Graves, Professor of Literacy Education, Emeritus University of Minnesota "The authors have done an exceptionally good job of capturing the major trends, differing perspectives, and many challenges in schooling English language learners while putting forth a vision for the immediate future that is solidly grounded in research and in current and evolving knowledge." —Liliana Minaya-Rowe, Associate Researcher Center for Data-Driven Reform Johns Hopkins University "A must-read for administrators, program developers, policy makers, and educators who make decisions about English language learners. Promoting Academic Achievement Among English Learners is a trustworthy source for determining what is known about providing the highest-quality educational services for language-minority students." —Patricia G. Mathes, Texas Instruments Chair of Reading Professor of Teaching and Learning Southern Methodist University Discover the research and facts on what works in educating English learners! A generation or two ago, the achievement of children who came to school knowing little or no English was not a prominent national issue. Today, with the increased focus on school accountability and educational equity, it is. This comprehensive resource explores the research on promoting academic success among language-minority students. The authors offer educators a firm basis for making decisions on policies and programs for English learners and provide research-based discussions on what we know about: Bilingual education and using a student′s home language in instruction Teaching English and academic content simultaneously School and district factors that affect achievement for English learners Sociocultural factors in success, including the influence of parents and families

Handbook of Adolescent Literacy Research

Handbook of Adolescent Literacy Research
Author: Leila Christenbury
Publisher: Guilford Press
Total Pages: 465
Release: 2011-06-10
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1606239945

The first comprehensive research handbook of its kind, this volume showcases innovative approaches to understanding adolescent literacy learning in a variety of settings. Distinguished contributors examine how well adolescents are served by current instructional practices and highlight ways to translate research findings more effectively into sound teaching and policymaking. The book explores social and cultural factors in adolescents' approach to communication and response to instruction, and sections address literacy both in and out of schools, including literacy expectations in the contemporary workplace. Detailed attention is given to issues of diversity and individual differences among learners. Winner--Literacy Research Association's Fry Book Award!

Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English

Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 529
Release: 2017-08-25
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0309455405

Educating dual language learners (DLLs) and English learners (ELs) effectively is a national challenge with consequences both for individuals and for American society. Despite their linguistic, cognitive, and social potential, many ELsâ€"who account for more than 9 percent of enrollment in grades K-12 in U.S. schoolsâ€"are struggling to meet the requirements for academic success, and their prospects for success in postsecondary education and in the workforce are jeopardized as a result. Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English: Promising Futures examines how evidence based on research relevant to the development of DLLs/ELs from birth to age 21 can inform education and health policies and related practices that can result in better educational outcomes. This report makes recommendations for policy, practice, and research and data collection focused on addressing the challenges in caring for and educating DLLs/ELs from birth to grade 12.