Exploring strategy effectiveness for English Language Learners through Scholarly Engagement
Date
Authors
Major Professor
Advisor
Committee Member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Authors
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Is Version Of
Versions
Series
The Symposium provides undergraduates from all academic disciplines with an opportunity to share their research with the university community and other guests through conference-style oral presentations. The Symposium represents part of a larger effort of Iowa State University to enhance, support, and celebrate undergraduate research activity.
Though coordinated by the University Honors Program, all undergraduate students are eligible and encouraged to participate in the Symposium. Undergraduates conducting research but not yet ready to present their work are encouraged to attend the Symposium to learn about the presentation process and students not currently involved in research are encouraged to attend the Symposium to learn about the broad range of undergraduate research activities that are taking place at ISU.
The first Symposium was held in April 2007. The 39 students who presented research and their mentors collectively represented all of ISU's Colleges: Agriculture and Life Sciences, Business, Design, Engineering, Human Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, and the Graduate College. The event has grown to regularly include more than 100 students presenting on topics that span the broad range of disciplines studied at ISU.
Department
Abstract
This exploratory project is undertaken in relation to President Leath’s ISU 4U Promise, a new universityschool partnership intended to promote college access for youth historically excluded from higher education. It uses the idea of scholarly engagement, which emphasizes moving theory to practice in collaboration with the communities who have potential to benefit. This project was conducted in classrooms of the Iowa State University 4U Promise partnering elementary schools, King and Moulton. Drawing on research about engagement and academic success among English Language Learners (ELLs) and working with teachers, several identified strategies were tested. Over a semester, 5 hours a week was spent engaging ELLs in small groups and individual work. Field notes were documented detailing the activities and observations of the strategies’ effectiveness in promoting engagement in literacy acquisition. Results from the study are summarized as follows: engagement and academic success of ELLs is impacted by 1) family mobility; 2) positive relationships with individual students; and 3) the relevance to the learner of classroom activities. This experience facilitated an increased comprehension of the application of theory to practice, inform the work of ISU education researchers in these schools, and ultimately a better teacher of ELLs.