An International Focus of the Language Arts and Literacy

Posted on December 9, 2023 by TDWolsey

by Thomas DeVere Wolsey

Our chapter in the Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts, 5th Ed. is chap ONE! Thanks to co-authors Ibrahim M. Karkouti, Pelusa Orellana, Cristina Alfaro, John Perry and editors Douglas Fisher and Diane Lapp.

https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003334392-2/international-focus-language-arts-literacy-thomas-devere-wolsey-pelusa-orellana-garcia-john-perry-ibrahim-karkouti-cristina-alfaro (Check it out!)

Abstract: This first chapter in the Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts, 5th Edition takes an international perspective on the teaching of English, as English has become the dominant language in the world. The chapter’s five authors, Wolsey, Orellana, Perry, Karkouti, and Alfaro, forecast trends and challenges in teaching English in their native countries of Egypt, Chile, the UK, the Middle East, and Mexico/United States respectively. Readers will discover that, in a transnational context, perspectives and challenges of teaching English are not all that different. The chapter begins with an explanation of the methodology used to select the topics in this chapter, as well as how the authors were chosen.

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Classroom Observation – Updated

Posted on November 25, 2021 by TDWolsey

By Thomas DeVere Wolsey

Recently, colleagues and I in Egypt tested a curriculum designed to improve letter-sound correspondence knowledge among first-grade students in four Egyptian community schools in an after-school program.  The curriculum, called Iqra, intended that students would engage in whole-class, teacher-directed learning. We recorded the class sessions, but we needed to analyze interactions. We chose the time-honored Stallings (1977) instrument. However, to adjust for difference in the cultural context and modern data analysis tools, I created a modified Stallings Snapshot Observation System in Excel. Since there were two teachers in each classroom, the form was modified to accommodate that fact. Since the lessons varied in length, we also divided the video segments into 10 minute sequential chunks. This differs from the original but fit our needs.

I am sharing the Excel template because it may be helpful to others conducting classroom observations, but please share your thoughts and experiences in comments. In the meantime, as the research team completes analysis, I will provide additional observations here.

Stallings in Excel
stallings-excelDownload

teacher-autonomy-dublinDownload

Bibliography

Engeström, Y. (1987). Learning by expanding: An activity-theoretical approach to developmental research. Helsinki, Finland: Orienta-Konsultit.

Scales, R. Q., Wolsey, T. D., Lenski, S., Smetana, L., Yoder, K. K., Dobler, E…Young J. R. (2018). Are we preparing or training teachers? Developing professional judgment in and beyond teacher preparation programs. Journal of Teacher Education, first published date: April-10-2017 doi: 10.1177/0022487117702584

Scales, R. Q., Wolsey, T. D., Young, J., Smetana, L., Grisham, D. L., Lenski, S., Dobler, E. Yoder, K. K., & Chambers, S. A. (2017). Mediating factors in literacy instruction: How novice elementary teachers navigate new teaching contexts. Reading Psychology, 38(6), 604-651. doi: 10.1080/02702711.2.17.1323056

Stallings, J. (1977). Learning to Look: A Handbook on Classroom Observation and Teaching Models. Wadsworth Publishing Company.

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