The mainstream primary classroom as a language-learning environment for children with severe and persistent language impairment – implications of recent language intervention research

Many UK children with severe and persistent language impairment (SLI) attend local mainstream schools. Although this should provide an excellent language-learning environment, opportunities may be limited by difficulties in sustaining time-consuming, child-specific learning activities; restricted co-professional working, and the complex classroom environment.
Two language intervention studies in mainstream Scottish primary schools showed children with SLI receiving intervention from speech and language therapists (SLTs) or their assistants made more progress in expressive language than similar children receiving intervention from education staff. Potential reasons for this difference are sought in the amount of tailored language-learning activity undertaken; how actively school staff initiated contact with SLTs; and the language demands of the classroom. Tailored language learning appears to be a differentiating factor.
A language support model, reflecting views of teachers and SLTs about encouraging language development for children with SLI within the ecology of the mainstream primary classroom, is also outlined.     

Better serving the needs of limited English proficient (LEP) students in the mainstream classroom: examining the impact of an inquiry‐based hybrid professional development program

In this study, the authors examine the impact of an English as a second language (ESL) professional development offering designed to meet this challenge: the Modular Design for English Language Learners (MODELL) instruction program. The authors were part of a team of faculty that designed and developed this hybrid professional development program to support classroom teachers challenged with assessing and addressing the educational needs of limited English proficient (LEP) students. The authors theorize that observing and describing the trajectory and complexities of the professional development process might offer significant insights for teacher educators regarding ways to prepare teachers for working in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. What was discovered through this study was that the teachers learned a lot about themselves and what they were capable of doing in the classroom; they learned that their peers struggled with similar issues and that out of this camaraderie, a solid support network could be established; and they learned that the multicultural classroom environment could be an asset to teaching and learning.     

The Role of Teacher Efficacy in Strengthening Classroom Support for Preschool Children with Disabilities Who Exhibit Challenging Behaviors

Challenging student behaviors are a prominent factor in the development of teacher stress and burnout. When classroom-based teachers of preschool children with disabilities were surveyed to identify their training needs in one North Carolina county, the most frequent request was how to address behavior challenges of preschool children with disabilities. This study examined how instructional support to teachers of preschool children with disabilities and challenging behaviors affected three teachers’ classroom practices. The teachers received training and mentoring in classroom behavior management strategies and engaged in an online community of learners discussion group. Interviews and interactions from an online learning community were used to disclose whether the participants had implemented effective intervention strategies in their classrooms following the training. Teachers felt more competent in managing challenging behaviors after the online interaction with their colleagues. Teachers’ online interactions were a highly effective way to impact teacher efficacy. Therefore, special education preschool programs should consider providing more opportunities for the teachers to build their own learning communities to interact and support one another.     

The impact of professional learning on in-service teachers’ pedagogical delivery of literacy-infused science with middle school English learners: a randomised controlled trial study in the U.S

ABSTRACT

Research in the United States show that professional learning (PL) can improve classroom instruction. However, teachers, especially educators in the content areas, receive insufficient training specific to meeting the language and academic needs of English learners (ELs). The purpose of the current randomized controlled trial (RCT) study was to introduce a high-quality PL program for supporting middle school teachers in teaching science to ELs through classroom observations, so as to evaluate whether in-service science teachers’ instructional delivery can be shaped by intensive, structured, and ongoing PL. Results indicated that after receiving PL, treatment teachers allocated a significantly higher portion of their instructional time in teaching content language, developing students’ expressive language skills, small group and pair activities, implementing strategies evidenced to effective with ELs, and providing more opportunities for students to participate in hands-on activities that were content-related and grade-appropriate. Practical implications for PL were discussed for an international audience.     

Identifying the challenges and opportunities to meet the needs of children with speech,language and communication difficulties

The views of experienced educational practitioners were examined with respect to the terminology used to describe children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), associated problems and the impact of speech and language difficulties in the classroom. Results showed that education staff continue to experience challenges with the range of terminology used to refer to the children's needs. Terms used to refer to difficulties with speech were least familiar to the respondents. Difficulties were noted in distinguishing between children with SLCN and children where English was an additional language. Respondents indicated a variety of additional difficulties experienced by the children. Literacy difficulties were reported to be more prevalent in children with language difficulties, while levels of bullying and anxiety were reported to be higher in children with speech problems. Respondents reported that tools for identifying speech and language difficulties and procedures for accessing effective resources are required.     

复合型外语人才第二课堂教学研究

在复合型外语人才的培养过程中,"教"和"学"的问题较为广泛地存在于高等教育公共英语、专业英语的教学体系中,复合型师资的培养、合理的第二课堂教学体系可能是解决该问题的关键。     

西北少数民族地区农村学校教师专业发展现状与培训需求调查研究——以甘肃省临夏回族自治州H县三个学区为例

研究以问卷调查法、访谈法以及课堂观察法为基本研究方法,对甘肃省临夏回族自治州H县3个学区8所学校教师专业发展现状与培训需求进行了相关的调查。调查发现,边远学校师资民族成分多元,学历水平不高,学校办学满意度一般,课堂教学中新课改理念尚未落实,教师专业能力亟待提高,课堂教学质量与效率有待提高,学生学习水平整体不理想。就培训而言,教师参加高层次培训少,培训内容与形式多元,培训效果一般。因此,西北少数民族地区农村学校要积极推进"优质学校"发展计划,加强聚焦课堂的校本教研的质量与效率,以教育信息化促建高效课堂,加大教师培训力度,加强学生学习方式的转变。     

Raising the language awareness of pre‐service English teachers in an EFL context

This study investigates the challenges that non‐native pre‐service English teachers (Haluk, Gaye, Selin, Öznur and Serkan) experience in their target language use when they do their practicum in actual language classrooms. This study found that the common difficulties the student teachers encounter related to certain grammatical structures, explaining unknown words to students, modifying language according to students’ level, and authenticity of the classroom language. During this study, the target language awareness training session was offered by the university supervisor in order to improve the student teachers’ target language use in the classroom. The training sessions included classroom observations, feedback sessions, semi‐structured interviews, retrospective protocols and discussion meetings with the student teachers. The findings indicated that the language awareness training had a positive impact on the target language use of the pre‐service English teachers. Furthermore, this study discusses the curriculum and the requirements of the language teacher education programme in an EFL setting and makes suggestions for the professional development of non‐native pre‐service language teachers.     

Supporting learners with special educational needs and disabilities in the foreign languages classroom

Due to misconceptions about the challenges of language learning, foreign languages classrooms have not always been accessible spaces for all learners. This article seeks to address the needs of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in the foreign languages classroom and challenge the notion that this group of students cannot or should not learn languages. Current research tends to focus on specific learning difficulties in language learning, but little research considers the language learning experiences of children with SEND more broadly. Accordingly, this article delineates the advantages of language learning for learners with SEND, drawing on emerging research that shows that second language acquisition is not only possible but positive for many learners with additional needs. It then considers some of the specific challenges that SEND learners may face in the foreign languages classroom before outlining key strategies to facilitate inclusion among this diverse group of learners.

Key points

• Learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) should not routinely be removed from the foreign languages classroom, but instead should be provided with opportunities to thrive within it. This article discusses the unique importance of foreign language learning for learners with SEND.
• Research evidence suggests that learning new languages is, on the whole, possible—and perhaps hugely beneficial—for children with developmental differences and learning difficulties, but will depend on the circumstances and profile of the individual child.
• The article explores some specific challenges that students with different additional needs might encounter in their foreign languages education, based on the four areas of need outlined in the SEND Code of Practice: communication and interaction; cognition and learning; social, emotional and mental health difficulties; and sensory or physical needs.
• To conclude, the article presents a range of key strategies that foreign languages teachers might implement in the classroom to support learners with different special educational needs and disabilities.

     

高职院校英语教师课堂话语研究

教师话语在组织课堂教学和语言习得过程中起着至关重要的作用,它对学习者的输出与交际能力培养有着重要影响.采用输入等相关视角对某职业学院英语课堂的输入、互动、输出进行研究,得出如下结论:教师可以通过监控和反思自己的教学语言,在有限的课堂教学时间内给学生创造更多的学习和参与课堂活动的机会;教师应注重教师话语质量,使可理解语言输入带动语言输出;教师要在多媒体技术的辅助下,加强知识输入,增强信息输出.     

儿童英语学习需求的快速增长与应对策略

日益增长的儿童英语教学对外语教学界提出了新的要求。孩子们提早年龄学习英语并不意味着语言能力就能自动提高,它需要整个外语教学界的共同努力:了解儿童学习英语的方法和特点,加强师资培训,做好与中学阶段的衔接。     

The management and training needs of reception teachers working with the Foundation Stage Curriculum

In England, since 2000, teachers of children aged three to five (the Foundation Stage) have been bound by the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage produced by central government. Initially, we were interested to learn of the responses of early years teachers to that document. We found that teachers welcomed the Curriculum Guidance, not least because it recognized that there exists a valuable and separate stage in children’s education. However, in relation to ensuring that quality learning experiences were provided, teachers identified two issues of concern to them—professional training of early childhood teachers, and the leadership and management of the Foundation Stage. Concerns also remained that not all stakeholders were yet aware of the needs of young children and of the staff training resources necessary to meet these needs. Upon our return to the respondents three years later, we found that, despite the incorporation of the Curriculum Guidance, some practitioners continued to feel that both colleagues and managers sometimes had limited understanding of the unique nature of the early childhood curriculum. Concerns about resources and an appropriate learning environment also continued to be evident.     

Understanding the Development of a Hybrid Practice of Inquiry-Based Science Instruction and Language Development: A Case Study of One Teacher’s Journey Through Reflections on Classroom Practice

This qualitative case study looks closely at an elementary teacher who participated in professional development experiences that helped her develop a hybrid practice of using inquiry-based science to teach both science content and English language development (ELD) to her students, many of whom are English language learners (ELLs). This case study examines the teacher’s reflections on her teaching and her students’ learning as she engaged her students in science learning and supported their developing language skills. It explicates the professional learning experiences that supported the development of this hybrid practice. Closely examining the pedagogical practice and reflections of a teacher who is developing an inquiry-based approach to both science learning and language development can provide insights into how teachers come to integrate their professional development experiences with their classroom expertise in order to create a hybrid inquiry-based science ELD practice. This qualitative case study contributes to the emerging scholarship on the development of teacher practice of inquiry-based science instruction as a vehicle for both science instruction and ELD for ELLs. This study demonstrates how an effective teaching practice that supports both the science and language learning of students can develop from ongoing professional learning experiences that are grounded in current perspectives about language development and that immerse teachers in an inquiry-based approach to learning and instruction. Additionally, this case study also underscores the important role that professional learning opportunities can play in supporting teachers in developing a deeper understanding of the affordances that inquiry-based science can provide for language development.     

Exploring the challenges in scaling up the delivery of action learning facilitator training within a global organisation

Action learning is often used as an element of leadership development programmes. The intention is to support classroom learning with an experiential thread which runs throughout the life of the programme. Action Learning Associates (ALA) has been working with an international organisation for three years to deliver the global ‘First Line Manager Programme’ (FLMP). The action learning facilitator training (ALFT) programme is designed to enable participants to run action learning sets in their operational companies across the world. Originally created in English – the official business language – the ALFT is now also delivered in French. The focus of the paper is to explore learning, challenges and opportunities created by scaling up the delivery of ALFT to a global target audience of approximately 700 people. To date ALA has trained over 165 internal action learning facilitators from different countries, languages, cultures and professional backgrounds. The value to the participants of being skilled to run their own action learning sets, within the context of the FLMP, is explored along with the opportunities for organisational development and learning.     

Expanding opportunities to learn to support inclusive education through drama‐enhanced literacy practices

This study examines how the Early Years Educators at Play (EYEPlay) professional development (PD) programme supported inclusive learning settings for all children, including English language learners and students with disabilities. The EYEPlay PD model is a year‐long programme that integrates drama strategies into literacy practices within real‐classroom contexts. Inclusive education refers to ensuring equal opportunities to access and participation in learning activities for all students. Cultural‐historical activity theory was used to understand and unpack the drama practices. Twelve semi‐structured focus group interviews were conducted with 19 preschool teachers. The data were analysed via constant‐comparative and interpretive methods. The study findings showed that EYEPlay PD practices enhanced inclusive learning settings for diverse groups of students by increasing access and expanding opportunities to learn, and supporting a positive learning environment.     

Clinical Experiences in Primary Teacher Education

A programme at Sydney University designed to assist trainee teachers to meet the needs of individual children with difficulties in learning is described. Meeting these needs is defined as: being able to assess the child's learning, select appropriate learning experiences, select resources, manage the behaviour of the child, model appropriate language, explain concepts clearly, set out a suitable programme, maintain records, and write a report on the child's progress. Repeated surveys of trainees and more recently of the children and their classroom teachers indicate that the programme is largely meeting its objectives. Whether students work in the Early Learning Unit, the Language Development Unit, or the Numeracy Unit, it appears that this programme is an effective way of operationalizing the theoretical knowledge acquired during initial teacher education. Further, the programme seems to have had positive effects on the classroom behaviours of the children involved. The programme requires significant staff time, but it is an efficient way of supplying individual attention to children and ensuring that learning takes place. Students rate the provision of close supervision as essential to the success of the programme. The repeated request for more time in a programme such as this suggests that the preparation of teachers would be enhanced if they were able to experience the programme in both mathematics and language development.     

USING CONSULTATION TO SUPPORT ENGLISH LEARNERS: THE EXPERIENCES OF BILINGUAL SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS

Through semi‐structured interviews, this study explored 11 bilingual school psychologists’ (BSPs) consultation experiences with teachers of English learners (EL) to determine referral concerns, recommendations made, challenges encountered, preparation experiences, and skills most needed. The most common referral issue concerned students’ academic performance and teachers’ attempts to parse out language acquisition difficulties from learning problems. Principal consultation challenges included the scarcity of trained professionals, teacher bias, and the stress of competing school priorities. BSPs relied most on their interpersonal skills and relationship building skills, as well as their knowledge of EL‐focused interventions and their problem identification skills. Recommendations to their monolingual school psychology colleagues included the need to actively seek out a) language and culture resources, b) relevant professional development opportunities, and c) consultations with fellow BSPs. Study limitations and implications are discussed.     

课程改革背景下的小学英语教师专业素养提升策略研究——以济南市为例

《义务教育英语课程标准（2011版）》对小学英语教师提出了新的要求和挑战,小学英语教师的专业化发展需要其专业素养的提高.对济南市小学英语教师的专业素养现状进行的调查与分析显示,济南市小学英语师资整体素质还难以满足新课程改革的现实需求,优秀师资仍然匮乏.进一步改革和调整济南市教师职前培养和职后专业发展策略,不断提升小学英语教师的英语语言素养、教学素养及教学科研能力素养,将有助于提高小学英语教学的有效性,促进小学生的全面发展.     

非英语专业学生英语学习需求调查及启示

以需求分析为理论依据,以非英语专业本科大二学生为对象,调查了他们的英语学习需求情况以及对当前大学英语教学的满意度情况,发现学生英语学习中存在的问题以及大学英语教学与学生期望之间的差距,提出教师应通过优化课堂教学、加强学生的语言输出实践和学习策略的培养、优化课程设置来满足学生的英语学习需求,增强他们的学习兴趣和动机,提高他们的语言交际能力和应用能力。