1. AACTE Annual Conference
Social Justice & Equity
Coursework - Effective Teaching
Dispositions
Collaboration
Clinical Practice
Digital Age Teachers & Learners
Action Research as an Instructional Innovation to Show Teacher Candidate Impact on K-12 Student Learning
AACTE Annual Conference
March 3, 2017
Annette Daoud, Anne René Elsbree, Julie Rich & Pat Stall
School of Education, California State University San Marcos
Work supported by US Department of Education, Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) Grant

2. Professional Learning Community Social Justice & Equity Goals
Effectively teach English Learner (EL) students in all content classes in order to increase overall academic achievement
Increase the number of ELs in the district on the “college track”
Social Justice & Equity
Course-work
Dispositions
Collaboration
Clinical Practice
Digital

3. Clinical Practice
Secondary credential program in Southern California – two semester post-baccalaureate program
Offer single subject credentials: English Language Arts; Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education; World Languages – Spanish
Candidates are placed in schools with English learners (ELs) and LTELs in their “regular” content area classes

4. Clinical Practice Long Term English Learners
LTELs have been enrolled in U.S. schools for 6 years or more; they have grade 2.0 point averages or below; and they have not attained a proficiency level in reading and writing skills needed for academic success in content area classes (Olsen, 2010).
Candidates design lessons that include content objectives – based on state and Common Core State Standards and language objectives – based on CA English Language Development (ELD) standards

5. Self Study of Lessons
An analysis of lesson plans submitted by candidates (n = 35) during the academic year
Instructional design practices for English language development in content area lesson instruction:
Universal Design for Learning (Rose & Meyer, 2002; Rose & Gravel, 2010)
Understanding by Design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005)
Differentiated Instruction (Tomlinson, 2001)

6. Equitable Pedagogical Plan
5 Parts of Equitable Pedagogical Plan:
Identification of English learners’ proficiency levels, learning profiles and/or interests
Strategies aligned to the English learners’ proficiency levels, learning profiles and/or interests
Explanation of why the strategies are appropriate for the ELs’ proficiency level, learning profiles and/or interests
Assessment criteria for monitoring
Monitoring and adapting strategies

7. Action Research Project
Academic Year
26 Teacher Candidates Conducted Action Research Projects in Advanced Clinical Practice
Intent of the Action Research Project
Teacher candidates and program faculty to assess the impact of using effective strategies for K-12 student learning, namely English learners
Pre- and Post-test Action Research where students completed a writing assignment without effective strategies (pre-test) and then completed a second writing assignment (post-test) with multiple effective strategies

8. Action Research Project
Effective Strategies
Explicit Reading Supports: e.g., highlighting reading, chunked reading, different text for each reading level
Explicit Vocabulary Supports: e.g., graphic organizer, bulletin board, tea party
Explicit Group Supports: e.g., teacher chosen groups, assigned roles, tiered activities
Explicit Writing Supports: e.g., Venn diagram, T-chart, sentence starters
Rubric for the writing assignment aligned to content and language objectives (CCSS and ELD Standards)

9. Action Research Project
Percentage of teacher candidates responding “yes” on the pre- / post-survey (N=26)
Indicating how effective they felt strategies used in post-test were
Pre-Test
Post-Test
Did your English learner focus student meet the content objective?
31%
84%
Did your English learner focus student meet the English language development objective?
32%
92%
Did your focus student with an IEP meet the content objective?
80%

10. Action Research Project
The following teacher candidates showed a significant growth in the proportion of students meeting the content and ELD standards after implementing language supports. (N=11 – 4 candidates highlighted in this presentation)
56% more students met the content objective after the language support

11. Action Research Project Teacher Candidate #1 Social Studies
Reading supports provided:
Chunked Reading, Visuals to accompany/replace text
p-value
0.56
Approx 0
Vocabulary supports provided:
Props, Graphic Organizer
Group supports provided:
Teacher Chosen Group, Cooperative Learning Elements, Active Involvement Techniques, Activity Choice, Multisensory Group Activity, Gradual Release of Responsibility
p-value
0.56
Approx 0
Other supports provided:
Sentence starters, paragraph template.

12. Action Research Project Teacher Candidate #1 Social Studies
Response from students when asked about their preferences:
A majority of the students cited the graphic organizer and paragraph template as useful. The student with the IEP missed most of the instructional part of the lesson, so did not cite a preference for supports. The English learner cited the hands-on group activity. The other student cited the hands-on group activity and the rubric.
What the teacher candidate learned:
That the various teaching supports made a significant difference, but many of the students need much more intensive help with their writing.

13. Action Research Project Teacher Candidate #2 Mathematics
Reading supports provided:
Highlighted Reading, Annotated Text
p-value
0.4
.002
Vocabulary supports provided:
4 Square Graphic Organizer
p-value
0.48
.0003
Group supports provided:
Teacher Chosen Group, Cooperative Learning Elements, Gradual Release of Responsibility
Other supports provided:
T-Chart, Sentence Starters

14. Action Research Project Teacher Candidate #2 Mathematics
Response from students when asked about their preferences:
The whole class liked talking with their group members and comparing the evidence they put on their Pros and Cons list. The student with an IEP especially liked the group conversations so they could make sure that they were on the right track. The EL student liked the sentence starters because it helped them understand where to start with their response. The other students I identified like the bolded and underlined text in the reading because it made it easier for them to understand.
What the teacher candidate learned:
I learned that my students need all types of supports in one activity. Sometimes what works for most students doesn't work for a few students and they need a slightly different version of what the rest of the class has or they might need extra instruction. I also learned that my students can justify their thinking when given the proper resources to do so.

15. Action Research Project Teacher Candidate #3 Science
Reading supports provided:
Visuals to accompany/replace text
p-value
0.94
Approx 0
Vocabulary supports provided:
4 Square Graphic Organizer
p-value
.57
.026
Group supports provided:
Teacher Chosen Group, Gradual Release of Responsibility

16. Action Research Project Teacher Candidate #3 Science
Response from students when asked about their preferences:
85% of students that performed the writing of the paragraph in the 3rd lesson stated that they thought the keywords provided were helpful in completing the paragraph. 75% of students responded that they thought the graphic organizer was helpful for defining scientific vocabulary keywords. The English learner, IEP student and a student who is easily distracted were with the majority - i.e. they thought the keywords provided for the paragraph writing was helpful and, with the exception of the EL student, responded that the graphic organizer was useful.
What the teacher candidate learned:
A writing exercise following a student-centric physical hands-on activity is more engaging to students than a writing assignment following a teacher-led demonstration.

17. Action Research Project Teacher Candidate #4 English
Reading supports provided:
Highlighted Reading, Chunked Reading, Visuals to accompany/replace text, Different Text for each reading level, Annotated Text
p-value
0.85
Approx 0
Vocabulary supports provided:
Other: ____________, Frayer Models
p-value
0.85
Approx 0
Group supports provided:
Teacher Chosen Group, Group Roles, Bloom's Taxonomy, Gradual Release of Responsibility
Other supports provided:
T-Chart, Sentence Starters, Template

18. Action Research Project Teacher Candidate #4 English
Response from students when asked about their preferences:
100% of my students said that it was much easier to write the paragraph the second time around. The strategies that the students stated were most helpful included: academic vocabulary review, paragraph writing template, and reading supports. My ELD class as a whole appreciated the writing template the most. The focus English Language Learner (Level 1) thought that the adapted text was the most helpful. I created my own adapted text that was much shorter, included visuals, and was annotated as well. My student with an IEP believed that the most helpful support was the academic vocabulary activities and review. My other student, a Level 3, appreciated the writing template the most.

19. Action Research Project Teacher Candidate #4 English
What the teacher candidate learned:
Through this action research process, I truly understood the direct impact that carefully planned and intentional supports have on student success. There is so much that we can do as teachers simply by identifying the diverse/unique needs in the classroom and meeting those needs. I learned that providing supports for students in no way enables them, but just provides them with the differentiation that they need in order to make the content accessible to them. It was incredible to see the exponential growth between the two paragraphs.

20. Social Justice and Equity
THANK YOU!!
Annette Daoud
Anne René Elsbree
Julie Rich
Pat Stall
School of Education
California State University San Marcos
CSUSM Single Subject Program Website Resources:
Social Justice and Equity
Coursework
Dispositions
Collaboration
Clinical Practice
Digital