Coursewo

rk -
Effective
Teaching

Digital Age
Disposition
Teachers & Social s
Learners
Justice
&
Equity

Clinical Collaboratio
Practice n

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 Ren 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

 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 Course-

district on the college track

work

Dispositio
Digital Social ns
Justice
&
Equity

Clinical Collaborati
Practice on
 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
 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
 Self Study of
Lessons

An analysis of lesson plans submitted by

candidates (n = 35) during the 2013-14 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)
 Equitable
Pedagogical Plan

5 Parts of Equitable Pedagogical Plan:

1.Identification of English learners proficiency levels,
learning profiles and/or interests
2.Strategies aligned to the English learners proficiency
levels, learning profiles and/or interests
3.Explanation of why the strategies are appropriate for the
ELs proficiency level, learning profiles and/or interests
4.Assessment criteria for monitoring
5.Monitoring and adapting strategies
 Action Research
Project
2015-16 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
 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)
 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-testPre-
were Post-
Test Test

Did your English learner focus
31% 84%
student meet the content
objective?

Did your English learner focus
32% 92%
student meet the English
language development
objective?

Did your focus student with an
 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)
p D p A p B
p A proportion of students meeting standards after supports
p B proportion of students meeting standards before supports

56% more students met the content

objective after the language support
Action Research Project
Teacher Candidate #1 Social
Studies
Reading supports provided:
Chunked Reading, Visuals to
p D (content) p-value
accompany/replace text
0.56 Approx 0 Vocabulary supports provided:
Props, Graphic Organizer
Group supports provided:
p D (ELD) p-value
Teacher Chosen Group, Cooperative
Learning Elements, Active Involvement
Techniques, Activity Choice, Multisensory
0.56 Approx 0
Group Activity, Gradual Release of
Responsibility
Other supports provided:
Sentence starters, paragraph template.
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.
 Action Research
Project
Teacher Candidate #2
Mathematics
Reading supports provided:
p D (content) p-value
Highlighted Reading,
0.4 .002 Annotated Text
Vocabulary supports
provided:
p D (ELD) p-value 4 Square Graphic Organizer
Group supports provided:
0.48 0003
. Teacher Chosen Group,
Cooperative Learning
Elements, Gradual Release of
Responsibility
Other supports provided:
T-Chart, Sentence Starters
 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
What the teacher candidate learned:
them to understand.
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.
 Action Research
Project
Teacher Candidate #3
Science
p D (content) p-value Reading supports provided:
0.94 Approx 0
Visuals to accompany/replace
text
Vocabulary supports
provided:
p D (ELD) p-value 4 Square Graphic Organizer
.57 .026 Group supports provided:
Teacher Chosen Group,
Gradual Release of
Responsibility
 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
What thewasteacher
helpful and, with thelearned:
candidate exception of the EL
student,
A writingresponded that theagraphic
exercise following organizerphysical
student-centric was useful.
hands-on activity is more engaging to students than a
writing assignment following a teacher-led
demonstration.
 Action Research
Project
Teacher Candidate #4
English
Reading supports provided:
p D (content) p-value Highlighted Reading, Chunked
Reading, Visuals to
0.85 Approx 0
accompany/replace text, Different
Text for each reading level,
Vocabulary
Annotated Text supports
p D (ELD) p-value provided:
Other: ____________, Frayer Models
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
 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.
 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.
 THANK YOU!!
Annette Daoud adaoud@csusm.edu
Anne Ren Elsbree aelsbree@csusm.edu
Julie Rich jrich@csusm.edu
Pat Stall pstall@csusm.edu

School of Education
California State University San Marcos Cours
ework

Dispo
Digita
sition
l Social
s
CSUSM Single Subject Program Website Resources:
Justice
and
Equity

http://csusmsinglesubjectprogram.weebly.com / Clinical Collaborati

Practice on