ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Foreign Language Reading Anxiety in the Saudi Tertiary EFL Context
Author: Bensalem, Elias
Date: 2020-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Anxiety,College Students,Gender Differences,Reading Comprehension,Student Satisfaction,Reading Skills,Phonics,Knowledge Level,Student Experience,Travel,Multilingualism,Language Proficiency

Foreign language (FL) reading is a persistent problem among many learners. This preliminary study investigates FL reading anxiety among students learning English as a foreign language (EFL) at the tertiary level, employing Saito et al.'s (1999) Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS) and a background information questionnaire. A total of 225 students enrolled in general English courses at two Saudi universities participated in the study. Results indicated that female participants exhibited higher levels of anxiety than their male counterparts. An exploratory factor analysis revealed three domains of student concern in Saudi university contexts: worry about comprehension, lack of satisfaction with one's reading ability, and unfamiliarity with certain phonics rules. Results also showed that background variables (i.e., experience abroad, knowledge of a third language) and self-perceived proficiency in English reading played a significant role in predicting FL levels of reading anxiety. Implications for foreign language teaching strategies are discussed.
Harry Potter and the Prisoners of Vocabulary Instruction: Acquiring Academic Language at Hogwarts
Author: McQuillan, Jeff
Date: 2020-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Childrens Literature,Teaching Methods,Novels,Vocabulary Development,Academic Language,Word Lists,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Computational Linguistics

Several researchers have claimed that low-achieving students, especially second language students, need explicit academic vocabulary instruction to &quot;catch up&quot; with their age peers (e.g., Nagy &amp; Townsend, 2012). Two possible paths to vocabulary growth -- free reading and explicit vocabulary instruction -- were compared in terms of their &quot;efficiency&quot; (Mason, 2007) in words acquired per minute by analyzing data from a large corpus (1.1 million words) of young-adult novels taken from the &quot;Harry Potter&quot; series (Rowling, 2016), and from seven large-scale academic vocabulary intervention studies. The &quot;Harry Potter&quot; novels contain 85% of all the words on the Academic Word List (AWL), which is thought to include the most important word families needed for success in school. Reading all seven &quot;Harry Potter&quot; novels is predicted to result in the acquisition of between one-fifth and one-half of these AWL words. This vocabulary gain is 1.6 to four times more efficient than what has been achieved so far through explicit instruction.
Collecting Data in One&apos;s Home Country: Negotiations, Supervisors and Ethics
Author: Guo, Lina
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Data Collection,Foreign Countries,Doctoral Students,Ethics,Cultural Context,Decision Making,Reflection,Technology Uses in Education,Research Methodology,Educational Research

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese students studying in doctoral and postgraduate programmes outside of China numbered over 600,000 (2017). A number of these students may return to China to gather data. This article explores tensions between compliance with the bounds of formal ethical approval and further research opportunities that may arise in the field of one's home country while studying a PhD enrolled in New Zealand. It also reports on negotiation in approaches between sociocultural contexts of doctoral study in New Zealand and data gathering in China by acknowledging the tensions using two decision-making experiences in one Chinese doctoral scholar's journey of collecting data 'at home'. One is the negotiation of the ethics of situations and the other is how combined reflective journaling and timely supervisor feedback supported researcher decision-making. Some recommendations to new researchers who are going to collect data from their home country are shared.
Going Back and Researching in the Pacific Community
Author: Havea, Elisapesi Hepi
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Pacific Islanders,Research Methodology,Indigenous Knowledge,Researchers,Experience,Foreign Countries,Educational Research,Data Collection

The move to focus on Pacific indigenous research methodologies and methods is a complex yet ongoing experience for researchers of Pacific heritage. The relational positionalities of Pacific researchers allow a move away from a dual or binary perspective of one's research responsibilities to a more fluid understanding of what it means to do research by, for, with Pacific communities. This paper highlights the diverse experiences of three Pacific researchers taking into consideration heritage connections, socio-cultural backgrounds and research contexts. We utilise talanoa as a method of engagement, reflexivity, and sharing of our experiences with Tongan, Samoan and Fijian communities. We argue that talanoa as a Pacific research method enables the diverse layers of experiences that take into particular consideration our connections to land, people and knowledges in the diaspora.
Card Game-Based Learning on Nutrition Value and Labeling
Author: Damjana, Lampe
Date: 2020-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Game Based Learning,Nutrition,Merchandise Information,Foreign Countries,Middle School Students,Grade 6,Visual Aids,Nutrition Instruction,Student Attitudes,Food

In a consumer society, educating children for a healthy lifestyle is challenging for the teacher. Daily, children are exposed to large amounts of information (including misinformation) and the field of healthy eating is no exception. The teacher must, therefore, develop good teaching strategies that include informative/innovative teaching tools. The aim of the study was to determine whether the learning results of pupils after the introduction of a didactic game with nutrition cards were better than the learning results of pupils who acquired knowledge through a traditional (teacher-lead) presentation. This pedagogical experiment was conducted with 56 Slovenian Grade 6 pupils aged 11-12 (28 students in the experimental group [EG] and 28 in the control group [CG]). The results showed that the EG students (students learning with nutritional cards) achieved a better result in the knowledge test compared to CG students. Most pupils taught with nutrition cards expressed a positive opinion about this type of learning. They also stated that they would pay more attention to nutrition labeling in future purchases. The results suggest that using nutritional cards in teaching can have a positive effect on the learning process and the learning outcome.
Supporting the Engagement and Participation of Multicultural, Multilingual Immigrant Families in Public Education in the United States: Some Practical Strategies
Author: Housel, David A.
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Bilingualism,Multilingualism,Parent Participation,Parent School Relationship,COVID-19,Pandemics,Barriers,Trust (Psychology),Immigrants,School Community Relationship,Faculty Development,School Personnel,Intergenerational Programs,Cultural Activities,Public Education,Educational Strategies,English Language Learners,Outreach Programs,Family Literacy,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Adult Literacy,Video Technology,Drama,Service Learning

Over the past century in the U.S., stronger parental involvement in children's education has been encouraged and, more recently, codified into state teaching standards. Despite this, fully engaging parents as equal and respected partners has remained elusive. The quest seems particularly perplexing when attempting to enhance participation of immigrant parents who are emergent bi/multilingual learners (EBLs). To foster their enhanced engagement, strong collaborative partnerships among families, schools, and communities are essential. One way of doing so is by first reflecting on any existing institutionalized barriers or internalized biases that could be thwarting fuller participation, then creating school- and community-based activities where school personnel, immigrant families, and other families in the community can come together, work collaboratively, and share resources, capital, and cultural wealth. In addition to sharing resources in mutually beneficial ways, the goal of these collaborations is to promote trust, understanding, and empathy by getting to know one another on a personal level. This essay is grounded in Epstein's theory of overlapping spheres of influence (1995) and the Community Cultural Wealth Model (Yosso, 2006) and proposes a variety of collaborative endeavors--from professional development events for school personnel to intergenerational bilingual classes to community fairs in the schools--to build relationships and engage immigrant parents with the public schools. Modifying the proposed activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact is also addressed.
The Role of Teacher Preparation Programs in Fostering Preservice Teachers&apos; Ability to Effectively Engage with Families
Author: Sutton, Kimberly Kode
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Education Programs,Preservice Teachers,Undergraduate Students,Early Childhood Education,Special Education,Literacy Education,Field Experience Programs,Program Effectiveness,Skill Development,Partnerships in Education,School Community Relationship,Family School Relationship,Colleges,Parent Teacher Cooperation

Reflecting decades of research documenting the essential role families play in the education of children, the standards published both by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children (DEC) include a focus on the importance of the relationship with the family. Teacher preparation programs that integrate specific course instruction alongside field experiences requiring interaction with families are fairly limited, and as a result, new teachers may feel unprepared and unsure of their ability to foster relationships with parents. This report from the field outlines a college--family partnership (CFP) included as required content in a teacher certification program and intended to assist preservice teachers in the development of those skills necessary to build and sustain beneficial family relationships.
What Do We Know about How to Effectively Prepare Teachers to Engage with Families?
Author: Mancenido, Zid
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary Secondary Education,Family School Relationship,Parent Teacher Cooperation,Preservice Teacher Education,Teacher Education Programs,Intervention,Teacher Competencies,Student Attitudes,Self Efficacy,Beliefs,Skill Development,Practicums,Learning Activities

One way to improve the quality of family engagement in K-12 U.S. public schools is by ensuring beginning teachers are well prepared to engage with their students' families. To ensure this, teacher educators and policymakers first need to know what works in preparing preservice teachers for effective family engagement. This systematic review quantitatively and qualitatively describes the existing evidence base. We collated and analyzed the quality of peer-reviewed empirical studies that evaluated interventions designed to improve preservice teachers' capacity to work with parents/guardians. We found a total of 25 studies (8 qualitative, 6 quantitative, 11 mixed methods). Although together these studies provide correlational evidence of improvements in preservice teachers' &quot;beliefs&quot; and &quot;self-efficacy,&quot; only one study was designed to provide rigorous causal evidence of improvement in preservice teachers' &quot;skills&quot; for engaging with families. These findings suggest that future research should employ more rigorous evaluative research designs and more practice-based outcome measures to strengthen the evidence base on preservice family engagement interventions.
Oral Reading Miscues and Reading Comprehension by Chinese L2 Learners
Author: Shen, Helen H.
Date: 2020-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Oral Reading,Reading Comprehension,Sustained Silent Reading,Undergraduate Students,Miscue Analysis,Correlation,Student Attitudes,Creative Activities,Learning Activities,Chinese,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Word Recognition,Instructional Materials,Syntax,Semantics,Orthographic Symbols

This study investigated types of oral reading miscues and their relationship with silent reading comprehension among college-level Chinese as a second language (L2) learners, as well as these students' perspectives toward classroom oral reading practice, at three U.S. universities. Altogether, 80 students were selected randomly to participate in the study. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of data showed that first- through fourth-year students committed four categories of miscues while orally reading instructional-level material: orthographic, syntactic, semantic, and word-knowledge-based. Three of the four categories negatively correlate with silent reading comprehension. A survey of students at beginner and advanced levels showed that students at both levels view oral reading practice as important and helpful for improving their reading comprehension. Lower-level students prefer methods focused more on facilitating accurate character and word recognition, while advanced learners prefer methods that stress text comprehension and have oral reading integrated with other creative learning activities.
Advocating for Play: The Benefits of Unstructured Play in Public Schools
Author: Parrott, Heather Macpherson
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Play,Recess Breaks,After School Programs,Program Effectiveness,Elementary School Students,Children,Public Schools,Social Development,Emotional Development,Cognitive Development,Positive Attitudes,Attention Span,Friendship,Cooperation,Conflict Resolution

This study offers a look inside one school community. The school implemented Let Grow Play Club and a recently expanded 40-minute recess period. Data are from observations of children's play periods, child interviews, and teacher interviews. We argue that play has significant cognitive, emotional, and social benefits for elementary school children. Periods of play at school help students to focus, build friendships, improve mood, work cooperatively, and work through conflict without adult intervention. The study has implications for the expansion of play, including recess and programs like Let Grow Play Club, for all schools as a social justice issue.
Are School Professionals in Australian Schools Well-Prepared to Collaborate with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families of Their Students on the Autism Spectrum?
Author: Syeda, Najeeba
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Autism,Pervasive Developmental Disorders,Family School Relationship,Ethnic Diversity,Student Diversity,Cultural Differences,Language Usage,Interaction,Students with Disabilities,Interpersonal Communication,Barriers,Social Bias,Social Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Leadership,Special Education Teachers,Counselor Attitudes,School Counselors,Attitudes,Parent School Relationship,Administrator Attitudes,Elementary Secondary Education,Attitudes toward Disabilities

In Australia, the school population in metropolitan areas is increasingly multicultural. School staff must be prepared to teach students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds and to interact constructively with their families for desired student outcomes. Interactions with CALD families can be a daunting task for school professionals, especially when adequate support is scarce or nonexistent. The relationships between school staff and CALD parents may become even more complicated when the child is on the autism spectrum or has another disability. This exploratory study sets out to examine how school staff connect with CALD families of their students on the autism spectrum, what difficulties they face, what resources and services are currently accessible to them, and what additional assistance could help build stronger partnerships. Our results indicate that school professionals perceive their relationship with CALD families positively. However, school staff report several difficulties, such as a lack of satisfactory communication due to linguistic barriers, stigma related to disability, cultural incongruity of views on autism, and issues in accessing interpreters. School professionals believe adequate access to translated materials, additional tools to assist conversations, and targeted professional learning opportunities would strengthen their partnerships with CALD families. We conclude that the provision of targeted support would improve outcomes for all involved.
Patterns of Failure in Texas Urban Improvement Required Schools: An Equity Audit Expansion
Author: Branch, John A.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Urban Schools,Institutional Characteristics,Accountability,Student Mobility,Special Education,Discipline,Dropout Rate,High Schools,Educational Improvement

In the state of Texas, schools are graded on a system of accountability based on four performance indexes. Based on the scores for these indexes, schools are rated as Met Standard, Met Alternative Standard, Improvement Required, or Not Rated (Texas Education Agency, 2015a). Through the research findings, this study aimed to assist schools and school personnel in identifying common factors of campuses that are classified as Improvement Required (IR) in order to serve as a source of possible prediction so that campuses and districts can take preventative measures before meeting the state's requirements for IR status. Most importantly, this study raises additional questions of meeting the needs of special education and high mobility students enrolled in IR schools. The fact that membership in these crisp groups could be linked directly to IR status calls into question the validity of the entire IR process in Texas. It is hoped that this study will assist in the critical evaluation of the Texas school accountability system in order to provide a more equitable system for all students within the State. [This article was a paper presented at the 39th Southwest Educational Research Association Conference, February 11, 2016, New Orleans, LA. ]
School Administrators as Instructional Coaches: Teachers&apos; Trust and Perceptions of Administrators&apos; Capacity
Author: Oliveras-Ortiz, Yanira
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Evaluation,Principals,Instructional Leadership,Teacher Supervision,Coaching (Performance),Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Administrator Relationship,Trust (Psychology),Leadership Qualities

As the Texas Education Agency (TEA) rolls out the state-wide implementation of the new teacher evaluation system, thousands of Texas school administrators have completed the required training and have become certified appraisers under the new Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS). During the state training, participants are challenged to serve as change agents in leading the shift in thinking about teacher evaluations to embrace a teacher growth model with an instructional supervision platform. Studies have indeed found that school principals who are involved in instructional supervision have a positive impact on test scores, including a constant improvement in scores at schools with an increasingly high percentage of economically disadvantaged students (Glanz, Shulman &amp; Sullivan, 2007). T-TESS provides educators a tool that has the potential to significantly impact the quality of instruction in Texas classrooms, and ultimately student achievement. A quantitative study was conducted in order to answer the research questions: (1) To what degree do teachers believe their administrators have the skills to serve as instructional coaches? (2) What is the level of trust teachers have in their campus administrators as evaluators and instructional coaches?
Fostering Global Mindedness in Short-Term Community-Based Global Learning Programs: The Importance of Strategic Design, Collaboration, and Reflection
Author: Matheus, Carolyn C.
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Study Abroad,Service Learning,Cultural Awareness,Outcomes of Education,Community Programs,College Students,Computer Science Education,Spanish,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Measures (Individuals),Student Attitudes,Curriculum Design,Summer Programs,Junior High School Students,Orientation,Reflection,Cooperative Learning,Pretests Posttests,Social Responsibility,Cultural Pluralism,Self Efficacy,Program Descriptions,Foreign Countries

Trends toward short-term academic service-learning abroad necessitate programs designed to maximize effectiveness and measurement of outcomes. The current study sought to strategically foster and measure increases in global mindedness during an immersive community-based global learning program abroad. University students studying either Computer Science or Spanish collaborated to design curriculum and host a technology summer camp for junior-high students in the Dominican Republic. The semester before the two-week travel experience included extensive pre-departure preparation, collaboration, reflection, and communication among students, program directors, on-site program coordinators, and stakeholders in the host community. Results of pre- and post-tests using the Global Mindedness Scale indicate perceptions of five dimensions of global mindedness (i.e., responsibility, cultural pluralism, efficacy, global centrism, and interconnectedness) were significantly increased after participating in this program. Pre-departure activities, curricular design, and logistical elements of the program are discussed, along with recommendations for future research.