Effects of ESOL ServiceLearning Experience on Preservice Teachers

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Effects of ESOL Service-Learning Experience on
Preservice Teachers

• Dr. Guichun Zong
• Dr. Alice W. Terry
• Kennesaw State University

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What is Service-Learning?

• an innovative teaching methodology that
  integrates community service with academic study
  to enrich learning, teach civic responsibility,
  and strengthen communities. National
  Commission on Service-Learning, 2002

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Description of Study

• 58 middle-grade-preservice teachers participated
• Performed 6-15 hours of tutoring to ELLs in
  elementary schools
• Worked with Cobb County Schools
• Data Collected
• Pre/Post survey
• 2-4 page formal reflection

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ELLsEnglish Language Learners

• 8000 ESOL students from 131 countries
• 81 Major Languages
• Mostly Hispanic students, many lacking native
  language literacy skills

Cobb County School System
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Initial Research Questions

• What is the impact of the service-learning
  internship experience on middle grades TOSS
  preservice candidates concerning the knowledge
  about and attitudes toward ELL learners?
• How does the amount of time spent in the field
  experience impact the middle grades TOSS
  preservice candidates knowledge about ELL
  students, attitudes toward ELL students, and
  self-efficacy in teaching ELL students?

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Added Research Question

• What is the effect of the experience on the
  English Language Learners (ELLs) in the schools?

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Quantitative Data Overview

• Data Collection
• Survey Instrument
• 20 items
• Attitude, efficacy, and knowledge
• Pre-experience and post-experience survey
• Data Analysis
• Paired-sample T-tests

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Findings from Quantitative Analysis

• T-test results item by item (Handout)
• Directions of changes
• Expected
• Unexpected
• Significance of changes

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Knowledge-all gains in expected direction

• ELL students learn better if they are not allowed
  to use their native language at school 2.71
  2.78
• Ell students should be expected to be fluent in
  English after one year of ELL Instruction. 2.51
  2.61
• I dont know how to instruct-interact with an ELL
  student in my class. 3.62 2.99
• ESOL students should be put in special schools or
  classes until they have orally mastered the
  English language. 2.36 2.51
• ____________________
• Statistically significant at .05 level.

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Knowledge-gains that is statistically significant

• I dont know how to instruct-interact with an ELL
  student in my class.
• Mean SD Mean SD Difference p value
• 3.62 1.34 2.99 1.13 0.63 .00

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Efficacy-gain in expected direction

• I am confident as a teacher working with ELL
  students.
• Pretest Mean 3.40
• Posttest Mean 3.61

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Attitudes Changes in the Expected Directions

• Means
• Pre-test Post-test
• __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  ________________
• It is necessary that all teachers modify their
  lesson plans for ELL students. 5.09 5.13
• Adding ELL students to my class will increase my
  workload. 4.73 4.71
• ELLs should be proficient in speaking English
  before joining mainstream classrooms.
• 3.62 3.38
• ELL students bring needed diversity to
  schools. 5.04 5.27
• It is the responsibility of ELL students to adapt
  to American culture and school life. 3.29 3.1
• My first response to ELL students would be to
  give them separate work. 3.14 3.13

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Attitudes Changes confusing us

• Means
• Pre-test Post-test
• --------------------------------------------------
  --------------------------------------------------
  -----------------
• I am eager to teach English language
  learners. 4.24 4.11
• I would teach my subject to an exclusively ESOL
  class. 3.35 2.94
• I am likely to complete the ESOL endorsement.
  3.51 3.31
• ELLs should remain in separate ESOL track during
  their
• time at our school. 2.33 2.69
• If I have students in my classroom whose 1st
  language in not English,
• I will send him/her to the schools ESOL
  teacher. 3.14 3.52
• I dont think that our school system should allow
  ELL students to
• participate/attend unless they can
  speak/understand English. 2.05 2.2
  __________________________________________________
  _________
• Statistically significant at .05 level.

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Attitude Changes that are statistically
significant

• Pretest SD Posttest SD p-value
• ________________________________________
• 3.35 1.37 2.94 1.29 .04
• 2.33 .904 2.69 1.27 .04
• 3.14 1.14 3.52 1.21 .05

• I would teach my subject to an exclusively ESOL
  class.
• ELLs should remain in separate ESOL track during
  their time at our school.
• If I have students in my classroom whose 1st
  language in not English, I will send him/her to
  the schools ESOL teacher.

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Qualitative Results Emergent Themes

• Opened My Eyes
• Stares at Ceiling
• Through the Looking Glass

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Opened My Eyes

• Their eyes were opened
• As to how an elementary school operates
• To younger students
• To cultural aspects of schools
• To feeling what an ELL experiences
• To misconceptions concerning ELLs
• ELLs need to be validated
• To the need to help ELLs
• As to how frustrated teachers are in addressing
  the needs of ELLs

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Opened My Eyes

• Before some thought ELLs should be immersed in
  English
• After all conceded their minds had been changed
• School systems need more resources especially in
  regular classroom
• Best support system ELLs had was each other
• Misconception believing students dont want to
  learn
• All recognized what a huge barrier language is in
  learning even if students speak English fluently

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Stares at Ceiling

• The ELLs would stare off at the ceiling, able
  to fade
• The most used English phrase of the ELLs,
  according to one participant, was, I dont
  know.
• I could see the blank stares on their faces.

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Stares at Ceiling

• The students are frustrated with learning and
  the teachers.
• He ELL would tune out and turn off.
• Enrico didnt want to learn and nobody
  noticed.

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Stares at Ceiling

• What happened when the participants began
  interacting with the ELLs is remarkable. Eyes
  left the ceiling and the ELLs warmed up, sharing
  enlightening conversations, lighting up when
  asked about their own culture.

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Lewis Carrolls Through the Looking Glass

• There are many mirror themes, including
  opposites, time running backwards, general
  confusion.
• Alice ponders what the world is like on the other
  side of a mirror.
• She discovers a book with looking-glass poetry,
  "Jabberwocky," which she can read only by holding
  it up to a mirror.

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Jabberwocky

• Twas brillig, and the slithy toves  Did gyre
  and gimble in the wabeAll mimsy were the
  borogoves,  And the mome raths outgrabe.

• According to Alice,
• Somehow it fills my head with ideasonly I dont
  exactly know what they are!

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Through the Looking GlassWhat the TOSSers Saw

• The experience differed widely from school to
  school.
• Some TOSSers worked with the students in the
  regular classroom some only in the ESOL
  classroom some worked one on one with the
  students others only were allowed to observe.
• Some worked with experienced tutors others
  worked with inexperienced tutors.
• Some worked in schools with mostly Hispanic
  ELLs others worked in schools with more diverse
  ELLs.

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Through the Looking GlassWhat the TOSSers Saw

• Tutors worked on vocabulary development--point/fla
  sh cards (method).
• In schools with strong ESOL tutors, tutors
  provided connection to ELLs culture and helps
  ELLs adjust to challenges.
• Generally the TOSSers did not see much if any
  modification for students in regular classroom.
  They werent critical of the regular classroom
  teachers for the most part they seemed to
  understand their frustration in dealing with the
  ELLs.
• No differentiation or culturally-responsive
  teaching strategies in classroom.
• Students were immersed in English in regular
  classroom

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Through the Looking GlassWhat the TOSSers Felt

• The TOSSers feelings ran the gamut, from
  positive and worthwhile to frustrating and
  discouraged.
• One student related that she was torn over the
  experience.
• TOSSers felt frustrated on many levels finding
  the time to do the experience getting set up in
  the schools
• Nervous about how ELLs will succeed in their own
  classrooms one day.

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Through the Looking GlassWhat the TOSSers Felt

• On the positive side, TOSSers found the
  experience worthwhile and beneficial.
• They enjoyed interacting with the ELL students.
• The experience promoted empathy and compassion in
  the TOSSers.
• For the most part, the students felt sad about
  leaving at the end of the experience they were
  sad for the ELLs and worried that they might not
  succeed.

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Through the Looking GlassImpact of Experience
on TOSSer

• The experience had mainly a positive impact on
  the TOSSers
• For a few there were negative influences.
• Concern about not having an impact on the ELLs.
• Feeling unclear about the best way to teach ELLs
  
• Feeling unequipped to help the students.

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Through the Looking Glass Impact of Experience
on TOSSer

• Expressions of having a positive impact were more
  prevalent.
• Will spend extra time helping ELLs
• More familiar with how to break down information
  for ELLs.
• Will modify things for ELLs
• Some planned to learn Spanish and become ESOL
  certified.

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Through the Looking Glass Impact of Experience
on TOSSer

• Got over little kid phobia working with
  elementary students.
• Will incorporate culturally responsive things
• Positive about service-learning as a pedagogy.
  
• Feel overwhelmed but encouraged and hopeful that
  I can reach any student!

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Question List a few things you know
about ELL students

• Pre Survey
• Student 04 Response
• They pick up oral language faster than written
  language
• Many live in homes where only one language is
  spoken
• Many are stereotyped (all Asians are smart, etc.)

• Post Survey
• Student 04 Response
• ELL students are often frustrated in class
• ELL students are sometimes made fun of by their
  peers
• They have the hardest time writing in English
• They can often hear and speak English before they
  can write and read it
• They often have to translate questions/
  directions in their head in their native tongue.

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Question List any strategies you know
that can help ELLs in a classroom

• Pre Survey
• Student 35 Response
• Using more diagrams or pictures that show step by
  step procedures

• Post Survey
• Student 35 Response
• Explaining assignments to them one-on-one, rather
  than embarrassing them in front of the class
• Provide pictures and demonstrations to explain
  items more clearly

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Question What factors do you think
make an ELL ready to join mainstream classrooms?

• Pre Survey
• Student 10 Response
• Some have ability to communicate the spoken and
  written language
• Desire and motivation to learn English

• Post Survey
• Student 10 Response
• Passing certain ESOL checkpoints
• Improvement in English LA skills, i.e.. Spelling,
  speaking, writing, grammar
• Enthusiasm and desire to learn and improve
• Approval by ESOL supervisor teachers.

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Quantitative Results
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