Optimizing Educational Outcomes for English Language Learners

Abstract:

The overall goal of this project is to examine the impacts of two different programs on the performance of Spanish-speaking English language learners in grades K to 3 by developing, implementing and evaluating two research-based models of instruction, a structured English immersion program and a transitional bilingual education program.

The components of the proposed intervention include: developmentally appropriate and research-based curriculum and materials; strategies that integrate language acquisition and academic achievement; strategies that promote English proficiency through peer interaction; a three-tier system of instruction to ensure children do not fail; ongoing state-of-the-art professional development for teachers; high standards for language acquisition and academic achievement; extensive parental involvement; and assessment methods aligned to instructional objectives that inform instructional planning and delivery.

The study will include approximately 1,600 Kindergarten to Grade 3 public school students and 320 public school teachers in Houston and Brownsville, Texas. Five schools using structured English immersion and five schools using transitional bilingual education programs in Houston and Brownsville (a total of 20 schools) will be selected to participate in the study. For the randomized controlled trial, teachers and students within schools will be randomly assigned (teachers will be randomly assigned to conditions while students will be randomly assigned to teachers) to either the research-based model or the existing version of the program already in place to determine which is more effective for the acquisition of English skills and high levels of content knowledge. The research-based models will be implemented in Kindergarten to Grade 3 sequentially and the cohort of Kindergarten children will be followed as they progress to Grade 3.

In addition to the random assignment that compares enhanced and existing programs within each approach, additional analyses will be conducted to compare the impacts of the two enhanced approaches. Multiple years of demographic and historical achievement data will be used to match schools for this comparison.

Collaborating Institutions:

Center for Applied Linguistics, Washington, DC, Diane August, Deborah Short

University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, Sharon Vaughn, Sylvia Linan-

Thompson