Characteristics of Successful Schools for English Language Learners

• In Event: Research to Improve Education for English Language Learners Through University-District Collaboration

Abstract

The Denver Public Schools (DPS) and the University of Colorado Denver (UCD) formed a research collaborative in the fall of 2010, with the purpose of conducting rigorous research on high priority problems of practice identified by the district. English Language Acquisition (ELA) emerged as the first priority of the research collaborative, and in December 2010 through March 2011, UCD and DPS conducted the ELA Exemplary Schools Case Studies, which investigated DPS schools with a high density of learners of English as a second or additional language and high levels of students who qualified for a free or reduced price lunch that were experiencing the most success with English language learners (ELL students). The purpose of the study was to identify school-wide practices that have been successful in supporting the achievement of these students.
Eight schools (four elementary, two middle, and two high schools) with open enrollment, high density of English language learners and students from low-income families were identified on the basis of high growth on the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) and the Colorado English Language Assessment (CELA). Data were collected through 6-12 interviews with staff members at each school, photographic inventories, and archival data. Data analysis following constant comparison methods were employed to create case studies of each school, followed by a cross-case analysis.
The schools exhibited characteristics generally associated with effective schools and also brought a particular “language lens” to instruction and curriculum. What emerged as central to the success of these schools is the attention and thoughtful integration of practices that support English language learners throughout the entire school. The schools appear to view students and practice through a language lens, have developed a coherent approach to educating students, and display high expectations for students and staff, supported by a culture of engagement and instruction geared toward making the content accessible to students. The success of these schools appears to be linked to how well schools integrate ELA services and the “language lens” into the overall school culture and classroom instruction, rather than a particular program or series of programs.
UCD and DPS continue to work together to conduct further research to address the needs of English language learners in the district. Some identified next steps include examining classroom level practices in order to understand more deeply what practices are contributing to their success in educating ELL students; conducting a mixed methods longitudinal study to explore the learning and ELA service trajectories of students in the district; inviting teachers and coaches from the case study schools to collaborate with the DPS ELA Department in designing a framework for teachers and schools to develop their language; and inviting school leaders from these schools to participate in designing a framework for developing coherent school cultures that include both the language lens and the empowerment of trained and engaged teachers to co-design adaptations to district curricula that address the specific language and content strengths and needs of their schools’ students.

Authors

• Alan Davis, University of Colorado - Denver

• Honorine D. Nocon, University of Colorado - Denver

• Tracy Keenan, Denver Public Schools