Action Research: EDFD457
Student Name: Maddison Creasey – S00184246
Word Count: 2000-2400
Can lack of teacher knowledge and limited use of joint construction in Literacy instigate misunderstandings surrounding grammatical functions for stage 1 EALD students?
Introduction (192 words)
Context & Significance
Having the ability to write is a gift which many individuals take for granted easily. It challenges all individuals at different stages in life but seems to be a greater obstacle for students who are learning English as a second language (Francisco, 2014). Society has undergone a current shift in opinions surrounding the classroom teacher’s role, which was suggested through progressivist and whole language teaching approaches within the K-12 mainstream educations system. This systematically tried to reduce the teacher’s role in the classroom (Adams, 2009). This has therefore affected EALD learner’s potential, reducing their abilities to write without organised learning support (Caplan, 2017). These findings support my research theme highlighting the need for further initiatives to be implemented to support EALD students in the writing environment.
20% of all students (over 145,000) in NSW government schools are learning English as an additional language (Education, NSW). This figure shows that 1/5 of all NSW department schools’ students are needing further support, which was seen within my classroom and practical experiences. Throughout these experiences, I personally believe that myself and the teachers surrounding me do not obtain enough knowledge to support EALD student’s growth potentially reducing the opportunities for EALD students thus highlighting the importance of this study. Due to the complex nature of the Australian English grammatical functions, without the steps of joint construction being used in learning, identified by ___ as key processing sequences, EALD students are placed at a disadvantage. Furthermore, an inquiry must be held to define the relationship between effectiveness in teaching literacy and teachers' knowledge in literacy.
Theoretical Framework
EAL/D refers to students whose first language/dialect is other than Standard Australian English (NSW, 2005 pg. 4). Supplementary support is required to foster the growth and development of their English language proficiency to effectively contribute to social interactions throughout their daily worlds.
Vygotsky’s (1978) ‘Social Constructivism’ theoretical scaffold proposes language and cultural transparency are vital for cognitive growth. He emphasised the importance of learning language prior to commencing school, as a child’s communication is a pre-requisite to understanding literary concepts (Eggen, 2012 pg 15). How students perceive the world enables them to construct knowledge based on their unique experiences, social communications and authentic learning (Hempenstall, 2016 pg.4).
In addition, Vygotsky (1978) described education as a social occurrence when teachers focus on students’ zone of proximal development (ZPD). This is the range between the student’s current achievement level and their potential achievement level when assisted/scaffolded by an experienced adult. Due to literacy developing best when interacting through dialogue (Eggen, 2012 pg 15), it is suggested I discover teaching techniques which support the use of joint construction through scaffolding or guided approaches while employing stage 1’s EALD ZPD. Furthermore, investigating methods which support enhancing teacher knowledge to better benefit the opportunities for their students.
Action Research Question:
The following Action research study will investigate improving teacher knowledge and the processes of joint construction throughout literacy lessons within stage 1, in an attempt to reduce and consequently remove the misunderstandings surrounding grammatical functions for EALD students
Therefore, this study will investigate: Can lack of teacher knowledge and limited use of joint construction in Literacy instigate misunderstandings surrounding grammatical functions for stage 1 EALD students?
To ensure that an effective intervention is being put in place, the following elements must be addressed:
• The current teaching processes currently used within Maryfield Public school in literacy, stage 1
• The amount of learning support that the stage 1 EALD students currently receive
• Programs which can be implemented to support the knowledge growth of teachers and their use of joint construction within Literacy lessons.
Literature review
Understanding the prior knowledge of one’s students is the greatest learning tool a Teacher can have (Francisco, 2014). This is highly relevant in regard to writing, as taking into consideration one’s cultural upbringing can determine what abilities they hold in the eyes of the Australian Curriculum for writing. Nigel Caplan’s text “The Contributions of Joint Construction to Intermediate-Level EALD Students' Independent Writing: A Mixed-Methods Analysis” and Janet Francisco’s text “Empower EALD Writing Students: Keep It Simple” will all be reviewed and summarised to develop an argument which supports the need for teacher growth and development which can further support EALD students in association with including joint construction practices into stage 1 literacy lessons.
Just as important as understanding the background knowledge of the learner is, explaining the purpose and background information behind a text’s genre can also help to create an understanding for the individual. This should be completed through a method of modelling. After modelling a text, following the ACARA progressions of teaching reading and writing, the next phase includes joint construction. This segment of learning is believed to be effective because the nature of the scaffolding is likely to promote a collaborative dynamic which facilitates progress in both writing and language acquisition (Caplan, 2017). This structure of teaching should be fostered throughout every stage of the Literacy education system (Francisco, 2014).
Researchers have also argued that EALD learners need structured, explicit, teacher – led instruction as early as possible and for as long as possible (Caplan, 2017). In order to ensure that teachers are embracing these practices Franscisco (2014) believes that there is a need for ongoing teacher development which can support the needs of EALD students in order to provide them with more opportunities and experiences)
Proposed Intervention (488)
Throughout Australia’s education system, Students who are learning English as a second language are provided with support to develop their English language and literacy skills so that they are able to fully participate in schooling and achieve equitable educational outcomes (education). However, in order to help these students thrive, examining the specific effects of joint construction within the classroom will confirm whether these methods will reduce misunderstandings surrounding the five grammatical functions used in Australian English. Secondly, the lack of Teacher knowledge surrounding supporting EALD students is to be investigated. Therefore, within stage 2 of this study, methods will be utilised to improve the knowledge of teachers to support EALD students.
Implementation Schedule – proposing actions
Part 1
In order to do so, a study will be undertaken on four stage 1 classes at Maryfield Public School. Two of these classes contain 24 students, 5 who are EALD, in each. Throughout this Action Research, Class A will complete a literacy learning block which runs over one term utilising the ____ cycle. This learning program does not incorporate the inclusion of joint construction. Class B will complete the same literacy learning block over one term utilising the ___ cycles. This learning program does incorporate the inclusion of joint construction.
Part 2
Secondly, lack of teacher knowledge will also be examined within the remaining stage 2 classes. Class C’s teacher will complete at Professional Learning course named ___ ran by ___ to support EALD students. The teacher of Class B will not and will continue using their current knowledge to teach literacy. Over the course of one term, all students will complete 2 assessments to confirm the results of the assessment. This assessment will be completed by all stage 1 students within Classes C and D to assess any improvements made by the students, focusing highly on the results of the EALD.
https://education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library/associated-documents/eald_advice.pdf
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/000000829.htm#ch2
https://leadingwithlearning.wested.org/system/resources/W1siZiIsIjIwMTcvMDkvMzAvNTJxaDRtZjNmdl9MZWFkaW5nX3dpdGhfTGVhcm5pbmdfV2hpdGVfUGFwZXJfU2NhZmZvbGRpbmdfV3JpdGluZ19UaHJvdWdoX3RoZV9UZWFjaGluZ19hbmRfTGVhcm5pbmdfQ3ljbGUucGRmIl1d/Leading_with_Learning_White_Paper_Scaffolding_Writing_Through_the_Teaching_and_Learning_Cycle.pdf?sha=fb1de1f6903eaabb
https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-a-grammatical-function-1690821
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0013191910430206
Detailed Intervention
I plan to apply the intervention in Term 1 as part of the student’s daily morning literacy block.
Part 1
EALD Students in Class A will be completing the ___ cycle over the next term within their literacy block timetable. To determine the benefits of utilising joint construction, the EALD students will complete a pre-assessment with their results being tabulated. Class B’s EALD students will be completing the same assessment to determine if the inclusion of joint construction will positively impact the EALD students’ knowledge. At the completion of the unit, all EALD students from both classes will complete a summative assessment to confirm the successes of joint construction.
Part 2
Firstly, a pre-assessment will be conducted to determine student’s prior knowledge. This assessment will determine what level the student is at upon the writing continuum developed by ACARA. These results are to be documented in a table as shown below (figure 1.1). The second assessment to be completed again by all stage 1 students in classes C and D will determine any improvements within the students’ knowledge that have altered their results from the previous examination, thus showing the benefit or disadvantages of Professional Learning to improve teacher’s knowledge when teaching EALD stage 1 students Literacy. Students will once again have their writing abilities tested and will be placed into a ___ on the Literacy continuum. Results are to be documented as shown in Figure 1.2 and are to be compared to their original scores. The results of the examination will show if students understandings of grammatical functions have improved due to a change in teaching methods.
Figure 1.1 Figure 1.2
Student Name Writing Level
Student Name Writing Level Improvement
The conclusion of the results will determine the outcome of the intervention solving:
• Does Joint Construction assist stage 1 EALD students’ understandings of grammatical functions
• Does Professional Learning help to provide teachers with more knowledge to support stage 1 EALD students’ understandings of grammatical functions?
Ferrance’s (2000, pg. 9) action research cycle will be utilised, guided by five review phases including (Appendix F):
1. Identify of the Problem
2. Gather Data
3. Interpret Data
4. Act on Evidence
5. Evaluate results and reflect
Anticipated Outcomes
Through explicit teaching with incorporate new techniques learnt and explored through Professional Learning, and through incorporating joint construction into Literacy. At the end of the term block there is due to be a greater level of self-reliance from these EALD students which demonstrates the syllabus outcome of “EN1-9B uses basic grammatical features, punctuation conventions and vocabulary appropriate to the type of text when responding to and composing texts”.
Definition of key terms
• Joint Construction
• Professional Learning
• Grammar Functions
Research Procedures
Ethics Clearance (381)
The following Action Research is to be conducted on the social principles of fairness and equality for all. It has been generated to support the learning opportunities for stage 1 EALD students and will compare a number of sets of data.
Participants completing this Action Research Intervention are within the ages 6-7 and will therefore need parent permission to certify their involvement in the study. In order to ensure the ethics of all are cared for, a note will be sent home to parents identifying the date of the study, the length of the study, the purpose of the study and what positive impacts it will have upon the participants within stage 1 Maryfield Public School.
After the study has been conducted, parents and caregivers will also be able to view the results upon the school’s website. It is important to note that all data presented to the public eye will be kept anonymous to protect the identity of all participants (teachers and parents). Respect for the dignity and worth of persons shall take precedence over self-interest of researchers throughout the study, no risk of significant harm to an individual will be tolerated. To support this, upon the note sent home to parents, contact details the school counsellor will be provided. All participants will be entering the research study under their own free will and will be granted the opportunity to refrain from completing the assessment task at any point in time. Before students complete the study, it will be made clear to them the purpose of undertaking this assessment and the benefits its outcomes will have for them and their teachers. Students will also be made known of any dangers throughout the task and will also be advised of areas where they can find support if needed throughout and after the completion of the study. As no students within stage 1 have a disability, no alternative information packages need to be developed. For the students of EALD background, their information packages will contain a copy of the information in their native language as well as in English. All results compiled will be unbiased and the analysis of this data will be witnessed by many other participants, ensuring that it is kept fair and non-discriminatory.
ACT
Research Design/Approach
The research has been designed using the mixed method, including both qualitative and quantitative data. Needed resources
The ensuing data collection strategies will be employed throughout the study:
Figure 2
Data Collection Strategy Explanation
Quantitative Data The final score provided to the student developed by the use of a rubric.
Comparing correlations and regressions of the pre-test and final test
Comparing the mean, median and mode of the pre-test and final test
Graphing these results to display the comparison of data
Qualitative Data Observations and anecdotal notes recording the lesson held and documenting the student’s understandings.
Student Work Samples will be utilised to visualise and determine student’s growth over the term
Development of Questionnaire assessment questions which are open-ended to display individuals’ students’ understandings and abilities
Interviews will be used to determine students’ level of understandings orally. These conversations are to be documented and recorded when necessary.
Focus Group: Only students from Stage 1 will be participating within this action research study.
Research Site and Participants
The following action research study will be completed on the grounds of Maryfield Public School, within Term 4, 2018. All students completing the study are in Stage 1 and are spread across 4 classes. In total, there are 21 EALD students across the stage, who will have their results closely monitored to determine whether or not the study has been successful. The primary participants from differing EALD backgrounds participating within the study come from either a Chinese or Indian heritage. All partakers are at different levels with their writing abilities but have been chosen as they still attend EALD learning support classes where they require 1:1 learning. The secondary participants will be the four classroom teachers of stage 1 who will be implementing new teaching strategies and recording data, before analysing the results.
OBSERVE
Data Collection
Qualitative data gathering will use triangulation to guarantee more than one basis of data is used (validity). Please note the table (figure 2) above to see where it will be used specifically.
Unstructured observation will be used first; explicitly observation protocol (anecdotal notes) and reflective observation protocol (journal logs). The information gathered using these tools will determine the trustworthiness and credibility of my interpretations (Surgenor, 2010 pg. 45). The descriptive form (anecdotal notes) will be open-ended, detailing the verbal and non-verbal behaviours seen and heard without recognising feelings or responses to events Efron & Ravid, 2013 pg. 87-90).
Secondly, students’ abilities will be assessed through the pre and post assessments which will indicate any changes in their knowledge and understanding of grammar functions through the implementation of joint construction (Appendix 1). These changes will be explored qualitatively, comparing work samples from before the study began to confirm the student’s growth and understanding. This is to be completed by the secondary participants and will not display bias results.
Furthermore, the quantitative data will be collected using the students results from the diagnostic and summative assessment data. As both of these assessments include the same questions, the student’s growth can easily be tabulated to document and growth (Appendix 2). Their score will correlate with a mark on the rubric, which will reveal their growth on the writing continuum. By comparing the student’s correlations and regressions and graphing the results, a clearer image of the participants progressions can be viewed. It also allows for the secondary participants to analyse the central measures of tendency to discover
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE MEASURES? – QUOTE NEEDED
Validity and Reliability
The outcomes of both Stages of the study must be valid and reliable to develop future plans to support the EALD students. Validity refers to the accurate representation of the study, data collection tools, and analysis of data regarding the issue (Efron & Ravid, 2013 pg. 150-151).
Qualitatively, it is individual and concentrates on the understandings of the student. It will be measured through observations and the comparison of the diagnostic and summative assessment to link the child’s progress and evaluate the success of teaching strategies according to the curriculum.
For the quantitative methods, it relates to the suitability of data collection tools, study design and generalised findings (reference). By tabulating the scores of the students and comparing the measures of central tendency, it can be ensured that the teaching strategies implemented are benefitting the students in an exceptional way.
REFLECT
Data Analysis
The choice of Data analysis includes comparing participants pre-test and summative test results, in association with creating observations throughout the unit of teaching. Once finalised, all results will be compared to discover the success of the study.
Choice of Data Analysis Method
1. Types of data
a. Primary Data: Students results from the developed diagnostic and summative assessment.
i. The concluding outcomes which compare the results between classes A and B and classes C and D to determine if the action research study was successful.
b. Supplementary Data: Observation of student’s growth documented through anecdotal recordings
2. Purpose
• Determine common grammar strategies, themes, categories and patterns regarding writing (Efron & Ravid, 2013, p.167)
Data Analysis Methods
The analysis of qualitative data highlights meaning through identifying reoccurring themes, categories and patterns (Gould, 2008 pg. 5).
Below are the steps that will be undertaken:
1. Preparation for analysis
2. Analysis of the data
3. Synthesis and interpretation of the data
4. Presentation of data analysis and interpretation
(Efron & Ravid, 2013 pg. 167)
To begin, the data will be collected, and work samples will be photographed from all EALD students of all stage 1 classes. This process will be completed at the end of the study as a means of work sample comparison to track growth visually. Throughout the term’s unit of work, each class will also complete an assessment which will be used as a pre and post evaluation of the students learning successes. The student’s final examination results will be compared to their first pre-assessment to comparing correlations and regressions. These results are taken quantitatively and are to be recorded in a table and graph to create a visual display of the student’s growth. “With the data being gathered from numerical assessment results, it will identify trends, visually representation the data, highlight the relationships between variables and make comparisons to be made to determine the effectiveness of the intervention on the child’s reading” (Efron & Ravid, 2013 pg. 191)
Project Evaluation Plan
In order to determine the success of this action research study, an evaluation plan must be generated to further determine if any areas need altering or need further research. To do so, the following questions are to be asked and answered critically:
Meeting the S1 Literacy outcome:
• Are the students are utilising the correct grammatical functions when composing texts
• Are the students using the correct punctuation in the correct places appropriate for the text type?
Quality yet Authentic working
• Has joint construction been used effectively?
• Have the teachers improved level of knowledge influenced new teaching techniques and learning areas?
• Has the learning of students grown and proven to be successful due to the changes implemented?
Timeline – Appendix