Levels and Literacy: Scaffolding During Reading Intervention

• In Event: Title: A Critical Look at Pedagogical Scaffolding During Literacy Instruction With Emergent Bilinguals

Abstract

Objectives: Students labeled long-term English learners (LTELs) are often described as orally bilingual, yet struggling with academic literacy in two languages (e.g., Olsen, 2010). However, several researchers have called attention to how these types of descriptions overlook their skillful use language and literacy (e.g., Flores, Kleyn, & Menken, 2015; Kibler & Valdés, 2016). Many of these same scholars worry about how approaches to instruction that are premised on these popular deficit conceptualizations may facilitate further academic inequity. This paper focuses on the instructional experiences of a Latina LTEL in her ninth-grade reading intervention class. It examines how computer-generated reading levels, which were positioned in the classroom as a necessary scaffold, were used in her day-to-day experiences of instruction.

Theoretical Framework: This research employs a literacy-as-social-practice perspective on reading (Street, 1984). The central units of analysis I consider are “social practices in which literacy has a role” (Barton & Hamilton, 2000, p. 7). These literacy practices are not merely observable behaviors, they include beliefs, feelings, ideas, and relationships. This socially situated view of literacy practices highlights particular contexts of use.

Data Sources: This study draws on data that was collected between November 2015-June 2016 in the focal student’s ninth-grade reading intervention course. Data sources included 33 hours of audio-recorded classroom observations, which were supplemented by field notes; three interviews with the focal student; two interviews with the classroom teacher; and various school records (e.g., academic transcripts, test score results).

Methods: Interviews from both student and teacher were transcribed. In addition, audio-recordings of classroom instructional reading events (Author, 2015) were transcribed and integrated with field notes. These documents were uploaded into qualitative research software. Emergent process codes (Saldaña, 2013) were used to capture the instructional practices entailed in reading leveled texts. Emergent descriptive codes (Saldaña, 2013) were used to document teacher and student talk about reading levels. Finally, texts levels and titles were tracked across the observation period.

Results: Three types of reading occurred guided classroom instruction: teacher-lead reading, computer-based reading, and independent book reading. During the observations, the student’s official designated reading level remained at Level 2; there were four possible reading levels. As a result, the texts provided by the computer remained at Level 2. Her classroom teacher only selected Level 1 or Level 2 books for classroom instruction. The student did not find the books available in the classroom library engaging. So, she only read one independent reading book during the observation period. This book was a Level 2 book. Throughout the semester, the focal student was not exposed to any texts that were more than a Level 2.

Scholarly Significance: This paper adds to the limited research about the instructional experiences of LTELs who are targeted for intervention. In addition, it highlights that instructional tools, which are positioned as helpful scaffolds, can lead to further marginalization. This paper joins other scholars in calling for attention to the hows, whys, and whats of scaffolding.

Author

• Maneka Deanna Brooks, Texas State University