English Learners Constructing Scripts, Games, and Meaning

• In Event: A Continuum of Constructivism: From Childhood to Candidacy

Abstract

Objectives
Using a constructivist framework, the researchers explored how culturally relevant texts and game design instructional tasks can empower social-emotional learning (SEL) growth for English Learners (ELs), but also supports reading comprehension. The research question that guided this study was what types of reflection-based conversation does reader’s theater, culturally and linguistically responsive texts, and game design elicit with ELs?

Theoretical Framework
The theoretical framework for this study was a four-part framework that included SEL (CASEL, n.d.), literacy development, culturally responsive pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 1995), and social constructivism (Vygotsky, 1978; see Figure 1). The social constructivist piece of this study focused on students’ ability to build knowledge through personal experiences and interacting with peers, and teachers providing opportunities for students to construct their own understanding. By exploring students’ literacy development through the lens of this theoretical framework, we can better understand and identify instructional approaches that support the needs of these at-risk, ELs. Utilizing our theoretical framework allows this study to advance our understanding of how best to support elementary learners within this theoretical and practical intersection.

Methods
We used a bounded case study approach (Creswell, 2002) where the cases are separated out for research by school. The co-investigators each work at elementary schools within two different districts. Five third grade ELs from District 1 and six first-grade ELs from District 2 were included in this study. A small-scale literacy intervention was conducted with the participating at-risk students and ELs. We aimed to explore students’ confidence as readers and text-to-self connections during a Reader’s Theater intervention. After the intervention, students created a game to demonstrate comprehension of the provided texts, and the co-investigators periodically asked the students questions designed to understand their social-emotional learning and sense of reading efficacy. The co-investigators collected field notes, audio/video recording of small group interactions to facilitate transcription, and student work products for thematic analysis to articulate how student subjects’ reading comprehension and self-efficacy was affected by the intervention.

Data Sources & Materials
The researchers used convenience sampling to find focus groups for this study. The researchers are teachers in two different school districts and grade levels in a Southeastern state. Researcher 1 is an ESOL teacher who serves third grade EL in a co-teach delivery method and Researcher 2 is a first grade general education teacher. Both researchers chose culturally relevant and developmentally appropriate texts with their students in mind. The researchers used an adapted SEL check-in (Panorama Education, n.d.) pretest and posttest to measure how the students felt about themselves and their academic learning. Each researcher also conducted semi-structured student interviews to allow discourse on the texts and reflect on the different instructional tasks (i.e., game design and Reader’s Theater).

Results & Significance of the Work
Several common themes emerged from the student interviews. Students in both schools mentioned cultural responsiveness and text-to-self connections. Additional analysis and findings are forthcoming.

Authors

• Stephanie Moore, University of North Georgia

• Mei B. Tran, Mercer University