Background/ContextThis article describes the application of the theoretical framework proposed by Grossman and her colleagues to a research effort focusing on text-based discussion as a context for comprehension instruction. According to Grossman and her colleagues, a useful way to consider the teaching of complex practices to candidates is to focus on (a) how the practice is represented, (b) how the practice is decomposed, and (c) how candidates are provided with opportunities to approximate the practice. The context for the present study was an Institute of Education Sciences Teacher Quality Grant in which the authors collaborated with 9 teacher educators, who were learning about text-based discussion as a context for comprehension instruction, to design, implement, and revise modules to support candidates in comprehension methods courses. The modules provided teacher educators with representations of text-based discussions in the form of video excerpts and lesson plans. The modules also provided structured activities to decompose the practice of text-based discussions, for example, by focusing on analyzing the texts to be discussed and crafting questions to engage students in understanding the important ideas in the text. Finally, the modules provided opportunities for candidates to approximate the practice of enacting text-based discussions by using a collaboratively developed teaching plan for a common text.Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of StudyThe focus of the study was to collect data on the module implementation in the form of assessments of candidate learning and evaluation of module content and use by teacher educators in order to develop resources that would benefit a wider audience of teacher educators and their students.Research DesignThe study is an example of design-based research focused on the iterative development and study of the modules in order to support teacher educators to prepare candidates to enact text-based discussions in the context of literacy methods courses. The study was conducted over the course of 3 years, with a 4th year to prepare the resources for dissemination.Conclusions/RecommendationsOur efforts to design and revise the modules were greatly influenced by the framework suggested by Grossman and her colleagues. The framework provided a way to represent and decompose the module content and to maintain our focus on the importance of providing opportunities for approximating the complex practice of text-based discussion.
This investigation examined how middle school teachers implemented Word Generation, a cross-content vocabulary intervention and how the program affected student learning of academic vocabulary words. Participants included four content area teachers and their sixth-grade students. Students received vocabulary instruction in their social studies, science, and math classes. Results of the posttests revealed that students showed positive differences in their learning as compared with a comparison school and maintained those differences on a delayed posttest. In addition, teachers’ sensemaking was influenced by factors related to knowledge and experiences, policy initiatives, and the social contexts in which they worked. This investigation reveals the complex nature of intervention implementation in schools.
This descriptive study explored how teachers implemented interactive practices during their vocabulary instruction after participating in a professional development initiative. The professional development was comprised of an initial workshop to provide an overview of vocabulary research and instruction, opportunities for teachers to receive targeted feedback on audiotaped classroom lessons, and an interim session where teachers discussed the process of implementation. Data were gathered through interviews and lesson transcripts. Teachers reported that they valued the feedback on classroom lessons and meetings with grade level colleagues. In addition, they reported positive changes in their instruction as a result of the professional development activities. Lesson transcripts showed that the instructional changes teachers reported corresponded to changes between pre- and post-intervention lesson transcripts.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.