The Ako Conceptual Framework: toward a culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy

ABSTRACT

This article offers a new model, the Ako Conceptual Framework (ACF), as a theoretical proposition to add to the critical discourse and development of culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogies within the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. By drawing on the socio-cultural theory and the concept of Zone of Proximal Development, the ACF conceptualises the intersection of culture and pedagogy using a Tongan epistemology. The ACF positions the vā (a space that is relational which enables authentic relationships to be established, nurtured and maintained) and tauhi vaha`a/vā (a responsibility that teachers, schools, educational leaders and practitioners have to establish, nurture and maintain authentic relationships) as the fundamental concepts in the development of culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogies. It is theorised that by recognising Tongan strengths-based principles, values and educational concepts, the taumu`a `oe ako (the purpose for teaching and learning), founga ako (the concepts of teaching), and feinga ako (the concepts of learning) can be aligned. Thereby, recognising and acknowledging the various knowledge systems that the students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds arrive at school with. The concepts and implications of the ACF are discussed in this article.     

Creating supportive and subversive spaces as professional dyads enact culturally relevant teaching

Abstract

In 2013, several leaders of the Early Childhood Education Assembly (ECEA) of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) developed a multi-year project called Professional Dyads and Culturally Relevant Teaching (PDCRT). Funded by NCTE, early childhood teacher/teacher-educator dyads from various locations across the United States work together for two years to investigate, generate, implement and document culturally relevant pedagogies in their respective early childhood contexts. This article outlines some of the work of two PDCRT dyads conducted from 2013 to 2015. The project was developed in response to the long-time need for culturally relevant early childhood education and teacher education reform by focusing on overturning inequitable practices that ignore, misrepresent or marginalize children and families of Color, emerging bi/multilinguals and children from low-income communities. We argue that the PDCRT dyad model is an innovative avenue for addressing inequitable educational realities in the Eurocentric educational system that persists in the US and for moving equity work forward.     

元认知理论与外语阅读理解监控能力的培养

阅读理解监控能力的培养对于大学生英语阅读理解能力的提高和阅读理解教学的改革具有重要意义.在教学中培养学生阅读理解监控能力应从以下几方面努力:培养学生的目标意识;指导学生根据不同的任务变量选择并调整阅读策略;将阅读理解监控训练融入语言教学中去,从而提高英语阅读教学效果和学生的自主学习能力.     

Teachers' perceptions of policy influences on science instruction with culturally and linguistically diverse elementary students

This study asked elementary school teachers how educational policies affected their science instruction with a majority of English language learners. The study employed a questionnaire followed by focus group interviews with 43 third and fourth grade teachers from six elementary schools in a large urban school district with high populations of English language learners in the southeastern United States. Results indicate that teachers' opinions concerning all areas of policy evolved as the state enforced stronger measures of accountability during the 2‐year period of the study. Although relatively positive regarding standards, their opinions became increasingly negative regarding statewide assessment, and even more so toward accountability measured by reading, writing, and mathematics. The results suggest that it is important to understand how teachers perceive the influence of policies, particularly those relating to English language learners, as science accountability becomes more imminent across the states. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 725–746, 2007     

Multidimensional ability tests and culturally and linguistically diverse students: Evidence of measurement invariance

Ability tests are used by teachers to provide additional context for interpreting student achievement and as a tool for differentiating instruction to the cognitive strengths and weaknesses of students. Tests that provide the most useful information for these purposes measure school-related content domains including verbal and quantitative reasoning. However, there is concern that verbal content affects validity for culturally and linguistically diverse students. In this study, the structure of a multidimensional ability test of verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning skills was explored in three groups of students who varied in language and cultural background. Configural invariance and invariant factor loadings were supported, but the verbal battery showed weaker relationships to the other batteries and reduced variability for English learners. Results indicate that battery-level scores are appropriate for all students, but that accounting for educational opportunity may be required for interpreting scores.     

Culturally Responsive Teaching in a Global Era: Using the Genres of Multicultural Literature

This study focused on preservice teachers’ perceptions of culturally responsive teaching using multicultural literature. They learned about diversity issues, multicultural literature, and culturally responsive teaching, worked on a multicultural literature project, developed hands-on literacy lessons, and taught them to elementary school students. Results showed that preservice teachers increased their awareness of culturally responsive teaching, professional knowledge about multicultural literature and culturally responsive teaching, and skills to teach diverse students and practice culturally responsive teaching.     

论外语课程的文化回应性教学

本文认为,当前外语课程教学在文化教育方面存在着片面强调语言知识教学,忽视中西方文化背景、文化价值观导入、缺乏文化理解力培养的局限性。语言与文化具有发生学的关系,语言是文化的载体,文化的任何内容都可通过语言来反映。外语教学中要注重文化背景、文化价值观念、文化差异的导入,以培养学生的跨文化交际能力和文化理解力。文化回应是基于语言学立场与文化立场整合的外语教学策略。     

Measurement invariance and validity of a brief questionnaire on reading motivation in elementary students

In order to initiate more research on the role of reading motivation during the initial stages of learning to comprehend texts, we developed the Reading Motivation Questionnaire for Elementary Students (RMQ‐E). The sample comprised 1497 elementary students in Grades 1–3. By means of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, three factors were determined: Curiosity, involvement and competition. The three‐factor structure of the RMQ‐E was found to be invariant across grade levels (scalar invariance) and across female and male students (strict invariance). As was anticipated, students in higher grades and male students were lower in curiosity and involvement than students in lower grades and female students. Whereas competitive reading motivation did not differ across grade levels, it was higher for boys than for girls. Moreover, the contributions of involvement and competition to reading amount and reading competence were in accordance with the hypotheses. The predictive validity of curiosity, however, was not confirmed.     

The role of culturally responsive teaching for supporting ethnic diversity in British University Business Schools

Research into cultural differences in higher education is a growing phenomenon, and there is a need to establish a theoretical framework that supports Business Schools in the personalisation of the pedagogical process. This article investigates the role of Business School academics in shaping the pedagogical process that is culturally responsive to the unprecedented diversity in higher education. This article attempts to uncover the pedagogical machinations that govern how academics teach, interact and engage with their culturally and ethnically diverse students. The article argues that University Business Schools should consider a culturally responsive approach when formulating pedagogy, which takes into account prior student experience as part of the student learning. The notion of culturally responsive teaching that shapes this research is influenced by US research on education and diversity. Such a perspective begins with an acceptance of the rights of not only teachers but also learners.     

Impact of a multiyear professional development intervention on science achievement of culturally and linguistically diverse elementary students

This study examined the impact of the 3‐year implementation of a professional development intervention on science achievement of culturally and linguistically diverse elementary students. Teachers were provided with instructional units and workshops that were designed to improve teaching practices and foster positive beliefs about science and literacy with diverse student groups. The study involved third, fourth, and fifth grade students at six elementary schools in a large urban school district during the 2001 through 2004 school years. Significance tests of mean scores between pre‐ and posttests indicated statistically significant increases each year on all measures of science at all three grade levels. Achievement gaps among demographic subgroups sometimes narrowed among fourth grade students and remained consistent among third and fifth grade students. Item‐by‐item comparisons with NAEP and TIMSS samples indicated overall positive performance by students at the end of each school year. The consistent patterns of positive outcomes indicate the effectiveness of our intervention in producing achievement gains at all three grade levels while also reducing achievement gaps among demographic subgroups at the fourth grade. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 45: 726–747, 2008     

An instructional intervention's impact on the science and literacy achievement of culturally and linguistically diverse elementary students

This research examined the impact of the first‐year implementation of an instructional intervention to promote achievement and equity in science and literacy for culturally and linguistically diverse elementary students. The research addressed three areas: (a) overall science and literacy achievement, (b) achievement gaps among demographic subgroups, and (c) comparison with national (NAEP) and international (TIMSS) samples of students. The research involved 1,523 third‐ and fourth‐grade students at six elementary schools in a large urban school district. Significance tests of mean scores between pre‐ and posttests indicate statistically significant increases on all measures of science and literacy at both grade levels. While achievement gaps widened with third graders on some of the measures, the gaps tended to narrow with fourth graders. The results based on item‐by‐item comparisons with NAEP TIMSS samples of students indicated overall positive performance of the students in the research at the end of the school year. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 42: 857–887, 2005     

基于词汇的英语专业阅读教学模式研究

英语专业阅读教学还存在对语篇衔接不紧密、断章取义等问题,本文基于词汇这一元素,分以词汇为主导的任务型阅读模式、以词汇为杠杆的顺序式阅读模式和以词汇为根基的背景知识串联引导模式三个方面,探讨了英语专业阅读教学的模式,为提高英语专业阅读教学效果提供理论基础。     

阅读课教学与跨文化交际

外语阅读课中的跨化交际是为了跨越不同民族、不同国家的语言及其化的差异，更好地进行思想交流。学习、了解不同化背景及其异同，是避免语用失误、提高化素养的关键。在阅读课教学中，进行化异同的比较研究是加强阅读教学、提高语言运用能力的重要方面。     

The effect of a strategy training on reading comprehension in fourth-grade students

Previous studies have shown that instruction of reading strategies is an effective method for enhancing reading comprehension. However, many of the interventions in these studies focused on small groups of (poor) comprehenders and were provided by research assistants, making it time-consuming and relatively expensive. The authors implemented a strategy intervention to intact classrooms, consisting of reciprocal teaching and delivered by teachers. Participants were 510 typically developing fourth-grade students. A clustered randomized controlled trial was conducted with pretest, posttest, and follow-up measures to assess knowledge of reading strategies and reading comprehension. The results revealed that the intervention had an effect on knowledge of reading strategies at posttest and follow-up. However, the intervention did not affect reading comprehension performance. Together with the results of earlier studies, the present study raises the question whether strategy interventions are the most efficient to improve fourth-grade students' reading comprehension.     

关于口语自我效能感对学生英语口语成绩预测性的研究

以班杜拉提出的自我效能感理论为基础,笔者探讨口语交际自我效能感与学生英语口语成绩之间的相关性。通过实证研究笔者得出以下结论:非英语专业的学生英语自我效能感总体上来讲处于较差的水平;高、低口语自我效能感组的学生英语口语成绩存在着显著差异;英语口语自我效能感能够预测学生英语口语成绩。     

Comparative School Marks of September and January Junior High-School Entrants

ABSTRACT

The author used an explanatory mixed methods research design. The first phase involved the collection of quantitative data to examine the nature of preservice teachers’ (N = 192) culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy beliefs. Follow-up face-to-face interviews were carried out with a subsample selected from Phase 1 participants. These interviews were used to identify the types of culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy-forming experiences that preservice teachers encountered during their teacher education program and the perceived influence that these experiences had on the development of their self-efficacy beliefs. The face-to-face interviews uncovered disparities among preservice teachers regarding the aspects of culturally responsive teaching that were discussed, modeled, and practiced. The theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed.     

Comparison of reading comprehension levels of literate learners with different methods

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between two teaching methods used to teach reading and writing and reading comprehension skills and successes of fifth-grade students. The main difference between the two methods in our research; teaching of the first literacy in the sentence method, determined and sentences with various features, in the voice based sentence method, the sound of the letters in the alphabet is determined by the instruction of the determined group order. The mixed method research design is the process in which both quantitative and qualitative methods are used in collecting, analyzing and mixing the data in a study. The application of the study lasted for two years. The achievement test developed by the researcher was first applied to 1000 fifth-grade students who learned reading and writing by the sentence method, and, then, to 1000 fifth-grade students who learned reading and writing by the sound-based sentence method in the following year. The results showed that there was a significant difference between reading comprehension levels of the fifth-grade students who learned reading and writing by the sentence method versus by the sound-based sentence method. The difference was in favour of the students who learned reading and writing by the sentence method.     

What Counts and How: Mathematics Teaching in Culturally, Linguistically, and Socioeconomically Diverse Urban Settings

This article presents findings from an ongoing study of urban teachers' efforts to embrace mathematics reform with student populations that are culturally, linguistically, and socioeconomically diverse (CLSD). We investigate the teacher's role in providing accessible and valuable mathematical learning opportunities to diverse students. Through narrative vignettes of practice and analyses of the personal and intellectual resources teachers draw on in CLSD contexts, we examine the challenges and possibilities two third-grade teachers face as they attempt such reform. One teacher's strengths were in making cultural connections with her students; the other's strengths were in pursuing complex and meaningful mathematics with her students. Building on our analysis, we offer a framework for examining the work of attending to mathematical and cultural issues simultaneously. Our findings suggest that such work is complex; however, teachers are seldom supported in their efforts to integrate these two perspectives. Our aim is to examine the dimensions of culturally relevant mathematics teaching and explore where the fields of mathematics and bilingual-bicultural education need to speak to one another.