Assessment of Burmese Refugee Students’ Meaning-Making of Scientific Informational Texts

• In Event: Roundtable Session 23
  In Roundtable Session: Immigrant Experiences and Perspectives in U.S. Education

Abstract

This two and a half year study examines how 60 non-native English speaking Burmese refugee students in first through third grade made
meaning of scientific informational texts. The study is framed by sociocultural theory and transactional theory. Primary data was drawn from
232 student retellings of scientific informational texts. Secondary data included student interviews and classroom observations. First, findings suggest that assessment does not always account for the differing sociopolitical and historical perspectives of both students and assessor as they transact with scientific informational texts. Second, analysis of the discourse of both the texts and students' retellings suggest that non-native English speaking students’ early language approximations should be valued as they transact with the language patterns in scientific informational texts.

Author

• Keri-Anne Croce, Towson University