Extending Research to Include Teachers' Perspectives: What Are Teachers' Perspectives on Implementing the Cultivating Linguistic Awareness for Voice and Equity in Schools Intervention?

• In Event: Interrogating Assumptions to Pursue Truth: Research That Reframes How We Talk About and Teach Readers

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ perspectives on implementation of a language-based small group intervention for multilingual learners called CLAVES (Cultivating Linguistic Awareness for Voice and Equity in Schools). Specific research questions were: (1) How did teachers perceive the effectiveness of the program at supporting students’ reading and writing? (2) What did teachers perceive as the strengths and challenges of the program? (3) How did teachers adapt the program and why did they make these adaptations? (4) What did teachers learn from implementing the intervention? (5) What will teachers continue to use from the intervention?

Perspectives: Theoretically grounded in cognitive and sociocultural perspectives, the CLAVES program adheres to 4 principles: (1) Focus on language and metalinguistic awareness, (2) Enact dialogic approaches to engage students, (3) Use multimodal texts and scaffolds to support comprehension and expression, and (4) Take a multilingual perspective (Authors, 2019; 2020). The present study is part of a larger project evaluating the efficacy of the program. Given that implementation of the program is ultimately dependent on teachers, understanding their perspectives on the program is a critical component of evaluating the real-world feasibility and effectiveness of the program (e.g., Gadke, et al. 2021; Koutsouris & Norwich, 2018).

Methods and Data Sources: In 2021-2022, 19 fourth and fifth grade teachers from 4 schools in the Bay Area implemented the CLAVES intervention. Teachers received professional development before beginning implementation and monthly during implementation. For this study, we used the following data sources: (1) teacher talk from professional development sessions, (2) teachers’ responses to surveys collected throughout the year, and (3) teacher talk from a focus group conducted at the end of the implementation year. We also referred to videotaped observations of teachers typical ELA instruction and well as videotaped observations of implementation of CLAVES.

Analyses: We used a mixed methods approach to analyze the data. We used descriptive analytics as well as process coding in analyses for this study (DeCuir-Gunby & Shutz, 2017; Saldaña, 2021).
Results: Teachers perceived the program was effective at supporting students’ reading and discussion skills (though less so their writing skills) in part because “Claves is more accessible and engaging for the students.” Teachers noted that they adapted the program to fit the limited amount of time they have for small group instruction and they added scaffolds to provide students with additional support as needed. Their main take away from the program was that “Integrating word work into our full Language Arts block rather than having it as a separate thing might be a better use of time.”

Significance: Although efficacy is often tied in educational research to effect sizes, it is important to understand teachers’ perspectives on intervention implementation in order to understand how an intervention will function in real world contexts. This study adds to the literature on analyzing the teacher perspective on strengths and challenges of implementing a specific language-based small group intervention for multilingual learners and demonstrates how teachers’ perspectives can and should be taken into account.

Authors

• Annie Camey Kuo, Stanford University
  Presenting Author

• Kristin Keane, Stanford University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jackelyn Rivera-Orellana, Stanford University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Aaron Talbot Kennedy Coleman, Boston College
  Non-Presenting Author

• Patrick Proctor, Boston College
  Non-Presenting Author

• Rebecca Silverman, Stanford University
  Non-Presenting Author