Sample records for academic english proficiency

  1. English Language Proficiency and Teacher Judgments of the Academic and Interpersonal Competence of English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freberg, Miranda E.

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to investigate how English language proficiency is related to teacher judgments of students' academic and interpersonal competence. It was hypothesized that English Language Learner (ELL) students would generally be perceived as having weaker academic and interpersonal skills than their non-ELL counterparts regardless…

  2. The English proficiency and academic language skills of Australian bilingual children during the primary school years.

    PubMed

    Dennaoui, Kamelia; Nicholls, Ruth Jane; O'Connor, Meredith; Tarasuik, Joanne; Kvalsvig, Amanda; Goldfeld, Sharon

    2016-04-01

    Evidence suggests that early proficiency in the language of school instruction is an important predictor of academic success for bilingual children. This study investigated whether English-proficiency at 4-5 years of age predicts academic language and literacy skills among Australian bilingual children at 10-11 years of age, as part of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children ( LSAC, 2012 ). The LSAC comprises a nationally representative clustered cross-sequential sample of Australian children. Data were analysed from a sub-sample of 129 bilingual children from the LSAC Kindergarten cohort (n = 4983), for whom teachers completed the Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) checklist (a population measure of early childhood development) and the Academic Rating Scale (ARS) language and literacy subscale. Linear regression analyses revealed that bilingual children who commenced school with stronger English proficiency had higher academic language and literacy scores at the end of primary school (β = 0.45). English proficiency remained a significant predictor, even when accounting for gender and socio-economic disadvantage (β = 0.38). The findings indicate that bilingual children who begin school without English proficiency are at risk of difficulties with academic language and literacy, even after 6 years of schooling. Risk factors need to be identified so early support can be targeted towards the most vulnerable children.

  3. Impact of English Proficiency on Academic Performance of International Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martirosyan, Nara M.; Hwang, Eunjin; Wanjohi, Reubenson

    2015-01-01

    Using an ex-post facto, non-experimental approach, this research examined the impact of English language proficiency and multilingualism on the academic performance of international students enrolled in a four-year university located in north central Louisiana in the United States. Data were collected through a self-reported questionnaire from 59…

  4. English language proficiency and academic performance: A study of a medical preparatory year program in Saudi Arabia

    PubMed Central

    Kaliyadan, Feroze; Thalamkandathil, Nazer; Parupalli, Srinivas Rao; Amin, Tarek Tawfik; Balaha, Magdy Hassan; Al Bu Ali, Waleed Hamad

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: All medical schools in Saudi Arabia have English as the primary official medium of instruction. Most of the high school education, however, is delivered in Arabic and hence the transition to an English based learning environment tends to be difficult for some students. Our study aims to correlate English language proficiency with academic performance among medical students in their preparatory year. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. Test scores of 103 preparatory year students (54 female and 49 male) were analyzed after the students completed an English language course and medical introductory course in their preparatory year. The total score obtained in the English course assessment was compared to each component of the medical content assessment. Results: A significantly positive correlation (Spearman's Rho, at 0.01 levels) was seen between the scores of the English exam and the written exam (P <0.001) and the oral exam (P = −0.003) parts respectively of the medical examination. Significant correlation with the English exam score was not obtained for the other components of the medical assessment, namely; student assignments, presentations and portfolios. Conclusion: English language proficiency is an important factor in determining academic proficiency of medical students in our college at the preparatory year level. PMID:26629471

  5. English language proficiency and academic performance: A study of a medical preparatory year program in Saudi Arabia.

    PubMed

    Kaliyadan, Feroze; Thalamkandathil, Nazer; Parupalli, Srinivas Rao; Amin, Tarek Tawfik; Balaha, Magdy Hassan; Al Bu Ali, Waleed Hamad

    2015-01-01

    All medical schools in Saudi Arabia have English as the primary official medium of instruction. Most of the high school education, however, is delivered in Arabic and hence the transition to an English based learning environment tends to be difficult for some students. Our study aims to correlate English language proficiency with academic performance among medical students in their preparatory year. A cross-sectional study design was used. Test scores of 103 preparatory year students (54 female and 49 male) were analyzed after the students completed an English language course and medical introductory course in their preparatory year. The total score obtained in the English course assessment was compared to each component of the medical content assessment. A significantly positive correlation (Spearman's Rho, at 0.01 levels) was seen between the scores of the English exam and the written exam (P <0.001) and the oral exam (P = -0.003) parts respectively of the medical examination. Significant correlation with the English exam score was not obtained for the other components of the medical assessment, namely; student assignments, presentations and portfolios. English language proficiency is an important factor in determining academic proficiency of medical students in our college at the preparatory year level.

  6. The Relationship between English Language Proficiency, Academic Achievement and Self-Esteem of Non-Native-English-Speaking Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dev, Smitha; Qiqieh, Sura

    2016-01-01

    The present study aims to find out the relationship between English Language proficiency, self-esteem, and academic achievement of the students in Abu Dhabi University (ADU). The variables were analyzed using "t" test, chi-squire and Pearson's product moment correlation. In addition, Self-rating scale, Self-esteem inventory and Language…

  7. English Language Proficiency and Early School Attainment Among Children Learning English as an Additional Language.

    PubMed

    Whiteside, Katie E; Gooch, Debbie; Norbury, Courtenay F

    2017-05-01

    Children learning English as an additional language (EAL) often experience lower academic attainment than monolingual peers. In this study, teachers provided ratings of English language proficiency and social, emotional, and behavioral functioning for 782 children with EAL and 6,485 monolingual children in reception year (ages 4-5). Academic attainment was assessed in reception and Year 2 (ages 6-7). Relative to monolingual peers with comparable English language proficiency, children with EAL displayed fewer social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties in reception, were equally likely to meet curriculum targets in reception, and were more likely to meet targets in Year 2. Academic attainment and social, emotional, and behavioral functioning in children with EAL are associated with English language proficiency at school entry. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Research in Child Development.

  8. Borrowing Legitimacy as English Learner (EL) Leaders: Indiana's 14-Year History with English Language Proficiency Standards

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morita-Mullaney, Trish

    2017-01-01

    English language proficiency or English language development (ELP/D) standards guide how content-specific instruction and assessment is practiced by teachers and how English learners (ELs) at varying levels of English proficiency can perform grade-level-specific academic standards in K-12 US schools. With the transition from the state-developed…

  9. Fractionating English Language Proficiency: Policy and Practice in Australian Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, Paul J.; Harrington, Michael

    2016-01-01

    Policy-makers and practitioners in Australian higher education increasingly view English language proficiency (ELP) as a tripartite construct consisting of English proficiency for academic study, interpersonal communication, and more recently, the workplace. This paper examines this assumption and identifies the significant implications it has for…

  10. Evidence That International Undergraduates Can Succeed Academically Despite Struggling with English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fass-Holmes, Barry; Vaughn, Allison A.

    2015-01-01

    Many American universities require international applicants whose native language is not English to submit English proficiency exam scores presumably because of proficiency's potential to predict future academic success. The present study provides evidence, however, that such applicants can succeed academically despite struggling with English.…

  11. Mother-adolescent language proficiency and adolescent academic and emotional adjustment among Chinese American families.

    PubMed

    Liu, Lisa L; Benner, Aprile D; Lau, Anna S; Kim, Su Yeong

    2009-04-01

    This study examined the role of adolescents' and mothers' self-reports of English and heritage language proficiency in youth's academic and emotional adjustment among 444 Chinese American families. Adolescents who were proficient in English tended to exhibit higher reading achievement scores, math achievement scores, and overall GPA. Mothers who were English proficient tended to have children with higher academic achievement and fewer depressive symptoms. Results also indicated that adolescents' heritage language maintenance was associated with positive adjustment, particularly amongst foreign-born youth and for youth whose parents were highly proficient in the heritage language. Mother-adolescent match in heritage language proficiency was related to higher math achievement scores and overall GPA. Additionally, higher heritage language proficiency was associated with fewer depressive symptoms for foreign-born but not U.S.-born youth. Overall, the findings suggest that proficiency in both the English and heritage language may confer advantages to Chinese American youth.

  12. Mother-Adolescent Language Proficiency and Adolescent Academic and Emotional Adjustment Among Chinese American Families

    PubMed Central

    Benner, Aprile D.; Lau, Anna S.; Kim, Su Yeong

    2009-01-01

    This study examined the role of adolescents’ and mothers’ self-reports of English and heritage language proficiency in youth’s academic and emotional adjustment among 444 Chinese American families. Adolescents who were proficient in English tended to exhibit higher reading achievement scores, math achievement scores, and overall GPA. Mothers who were English proficient tended to have children with higher academic achievement and fewer depressive symptoms. Results also indicated that adolescents’ heritage language maintenance was associated with positive adjustment, particularly amongst foreign-born youth and for youth whose parents were highly proficient in the heritage language. Mother-adolescent match in heritage language proficiency was related to higher math achievement scores and overall GPA. Additionally, higher heritage language proficiency was associated with fewer depressive symptoms for foreign-born but not U.S.-born youth. Overall, the findings suggest that proficiency in both the English and heritage language may confer advantages to Chinese American youth. PMID:19636729

  13. English Language Proficiency and Content Assessment Performance: A Comparison of English Learners and Native English Speakers Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miley, Suzi Keller; Farmer, Aarek

    2017-01-01

    As a result of the accountability requirements established in Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Educational Act (ESEA) legislation, English Learners (ELs) are expected to make progress in both content area academic achievement and English Language Proficiency (ELP). In Tennessee ELs progress is measured by administering WIDA-Access to…

  14. Exploring the Relationship among International Students' English Self-Efficacy, Using English to Learn Self-Efficacy, and Academic Self-Efficacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Chih-hsuan; Harrison, Jamie; Cardullo, Victoria; Lin, Xi

    2018-01-01

    One of the major challenges for international students to pursue academic goals in the United States is English language proficiency, which often negatively affects academic success. Even students with confidence in their English language proficiency encounter challenges using English in class. Previous research indicates self-efficacy positively…

  15. "English Is the Vehicle to Communicate!" International Graduate Students' Perceptions of the Connection between Language Proficiency and Academic Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rawjee, Roopa

    2010-01-01

    This case study was conducted at a large four year institution of higher education located in southern California. The purpose was to answer the question, "What are international graduate students' perceptions of the connection between English language proficiency and academic success?" The participants were six international graduate…

  16. English Language Proficiency and Early School Attainment among Children Learning English as an Additional Language

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whiteside, Katie E.; Gooch, Debbie; Norbury, Courtenay F.

    2017-01-01

    Children learning English as an additional language (EAL) often experience lower academic attainment than monolingual peers. In this study, teachers provided ratings of English language proficiency and social, emotional, and behavioral functioning for 782 children with EAL and 6,485 monolingual children in reception year (ages 4-5). Academic…

  17. Teaching English through English: Proficiency, Pedagogy and Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richards, Jack C.

    2017-01-01

    Most of the world's English language teachers speak English as a second or third language rather than as their first language. For many, their level of proficiency in English may not reach benchmarks established by their employers, raising the issue that is the focus of this article, namely, what kind of proficiency in English is necessary to be…

  18. Theoretical Considerations in the Measurement of the English-Language Proficiency of Limited-English-Proficient Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abbott, Muriel M.

    Limited-English-proficient (LEP) students who are not sufficiently proficient in English to participate effectively in an English-speaking instructional environment must be identified for placement in an appropriate educational program. Their progress through an instructional program that is designed to improve their acquisition of English…

  19. Investigating Correspondence between Language Proficiency Standards and Academic Content Standards: A Generalizability Theory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Chih-Kai; Zhang, Jinming

    2014-01-01

    Research on the relationship between English language proficiency standards and academic content standards serves to provide information about the extent to which English language learners (ELLs) are expected to encounter academic language use that facilitates their content learning, such as in mathematics and science. Standards-to-standards…

  20. The Use of Academic Words in the Analytical Writing of Secondary English Learners and Native English Speakers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cons, Andrea M.

    2013-01-01

    This study explores the following research question: How do secondary English learners (ELs) and Re-designated fluent English proficient students (RFEPs) use academic words in analytical writing in comparison to native English speakers (NESs)? It highlights previously overlooked differences in academic word use in the writing of students who are…

  1. Developing Academic English Language Proficiency Prototypes for 5th Grade Reading: Psychometric and Linguistic Profiles of Tasks. CSE Technical Report 727

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bailey, Alison L.; Huang, Becky H.; Shin, Hye Won; Farnsworth, Tim; Butler, Frances A.

    2007-01-01

    Within an evidentiary framework for operationally defining academic English language proficiency (AELP), linguistic analyses of standards, classroom discourse, and textbooks have led to specifications for assessment of AELP. The test development process described here is novel due to the emphasis on using linguistic profiles to inform the …

  2. Test Review: Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malone, Margaret E.

    2010-01-01

    This article presents a review of the Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) Assessment, a high stakes standardized test of the English language. It is a topic-based test that integrates listening, reading, writing and speaking. The test is designed to describe the level of English language proficiency of test takers planning to study at…

  3. Beyond English Proficiency: Rethinking Immigrant Integration

    PubMed Central

    Akresh, Ilana Redstone; Massey, Douglas S.; Frank, Reanne

    2014-01-01

    We develop and test a conceptual model of English language acquisition and the strength of the latter in predicting social and cultural assimilation. We present evidence that the path to English proficiency begins with exposure to English in the home country and on prior U.S. trips. English proficiency, then, has direct links to the intermediate migration outcomes of occupational status in the U.S., the amount of time in the U.S. since the most recent trip, and the co-ethnic residential context in the U.S. In turn, pre-migration characteristics and the intermediate characteristics work in tandem with English proficiency to determine social assimilation in the U.S., while cultural assimilation is primarily determined by pre-migration habits. A shift in focus to English use is desirable in studies of immigrant integration. PMID:24576636

  4. Instructional Services for Limited English Proficient Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Malley, J. Michael

    1982-01-01

    The 1978 Children's English and Services Study (United States) contains five findings for limited English proficient children aged 5-14, e.g., one-third are served by bilingual education/English (second language); Federal and state support for special types of instruction are received predominantly by limited English proficient children within the…

  5. Connecting English Language Learning and Academic Performance: A Prediction Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kong, Jadie; Powers, Sonya; Starr, Laura; Williams, Natasha

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of English language proficiency and academic reading assessment scores to predict the future academic success of English learner (EL) students. Data from two cohorts of middle-school ELs were used to evaluate three prediction models. One cohort of students was used to develop the prediction…

  6. Guidelines for Serving Students with Limited English Proficiency. Administrative Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biagini, Joyce; And Others

    A revision of a manual first produced in 1980, this guide is designed to help local school districts in Minnesota meet the educational needs of their limited-English-proficient (LEP) students in academically and administratively expedient ways. The chapters in the manual, which correspond to topics pertinent to designing and maintaining an LEP…

  7. Improving the provision of language services at an academic medical center: ensuring high-quality health communication for limited-English-proficient patients.

    PubMed

    Standiford, Connie J; Nolan, Elizabeth; Harris, Michelle; Bernstein, Steven J

    2009-12-01

    To evaluate and improve the provision of language services at an academic medicine center caring for a diverse population including many limited-English-proficient (LEP) patients. The authors performed a prospective observational study between November 2006 and December 2008 evaluating the provision of language services at the University of Michigan Health System. The primary performance measures were (1) screening patients for their preferred language for health care, (2) assessing the proportion of LEP patients receiving language services from a qualified language services provider, and (3) assessing whether there were any disparities in diabetes care for LEP patients compared with English-speaking patients. The proportion of patients screened for preferred language increased from 59% to 96% with targeted inventions, such as training staff to capture preferred language for health care and correcting prior inaccurate primary language data entry. The proportion of LEP outpatients with a qualified language services provider increased from 19% to 83% through the use of staff and contract interpreters, over-the-phone interpreting and bilingual providers. There were no systematic differences in diabetes quality performance measures between LEP and English-proficient patients. Academic medical centers should measure their provision of language services and compare quality and safety data (e.g., performance measures and adverse events) between LEP and English-speaking patients to identify disparities in care. Leadership support and ongoing training are needed to ensure language-specific services are embedded into clinical care to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations.

  8. Time to English Reading Proficiency. Research Brief. RB 1201

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shneyderman, Aleksandr; Froman, Terry

    2012-01-01

    The time it takes for an English Language Learner (ELL) to reach reading proficiency in English depends on the grade level of entry into the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program and on the student's initial English proficiency level. The summary table below presents the average years to English proficiency across different grade…

  9. The influence of English proficiency on access to care.

    PubMed

    Shi, Leiyu; Lebrun, Lydie A; Tsai, Jenna

    2009-12-01

    The number of individuals with limited English proficiency in the USA is large and rapidly growing. Consequently, addressing language barriers in access to medical care is becoming increasingly important. Previous studies have reported that individuals with limited English proficiency have more difficulty gaining access to care, compared to English-proficient individuals. We assessed the impact of English language proficiency on access to medical care, accounting for health and socioeconomic status, using nationally representative data. Cross-sectional data from the 2006 National Health Interview Survey (n=29,868). The main outcome measures of interest were self-reported delayed medical care, forgone needed care, and visits to a health care professional. In unadjusted analyses, individuals with limited English proficiency were more likely to forgo needed medical care and less likely to have a health care visit, compared to individuals who were proficient in English. There was no significant association between language proficiency and reports of delayed care. After accounting for individuals' health and socioeconomic status, only the relationship between limited English proficiency and health care visits remained statistically significant. Most associations between language proficiency and access to care did not differ across various racial/ethnic groups. Results indicate that the choice of access measure may influence conclusions about language barriers in health care. Given the growing proportion of US residents with limited English proficiency, health care settings need to better address potential language barriers.

  10. Learning Strategies and Motivation among Procrastinators of Various English Proficiency Levels

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goda, Yoshiko; Yamada, Masanori; Matsuda, Takeshi; Kato, Hiroshi; Saito, Yutaka; Miyagawa, Hiroyuki

    2014-01-01

    Our research project focuses on learning strategies and motivation among academic procrastinators in computer assisted language learning (CALL) settings. In this study, we aim to compare them according to students' levels of English proficiency. One hundred and fourteen university students participated in this research project. Sixty-four students…

  11. Developing Academic English Language Proficiency Prototypes for 5th Grade Reading: Psychometric and Linguistic Profiles of Tasks. An Extended Executive Summary. CSE Report 720

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bailey, Alison L.; Huang, Becky H.; Shin, Hye Won; Farnsworth, Tim; Butler, Frances A.

    2007-01-01

    Within an evidentiary framework for operationally defining academic English language proficiency (AELP), linguistic analyses of standards, classroom discourse, and textbooks have led to specifications for assessment of AELP. The test development process described here is novel due to the emphasis on using linguistic profiles to inform the …

  12. Predictors and Outcomes of Early vs. Later English Language Proficiency Among English Language Learners

    PubMed Central

    Halle, Tamara; Hair, Elizabeth; Wandner, Laura; McNamara, Michelle; Chien, Nina

    2011-01-01

    The development of English language learners (ELLs) was explored from kindergarten through eighth grade within a nationally representative sample of first-time kindergartners (N = 19,890). Growth curve analyses indicated that, compared to native English speakers, ELLs were rated by teachers more favorably on approaches to learning, self control, and externalizing behaviors in kindergarten and generally continued to grow in a positive direction on these social/behavioral outcomes at a steeper rate compared to their native English-speaking peers, holding other factors constant. Differences in reading and math achievement between ELLs and native English speakers varied based on the grade at which English proficiency is attained. Specifically, ELLs who were proficient in English by kindergarten entry kept pace with native English speakers in both reading and math initially and over time; ELLs who were proficient by first grade had modest gaps in reading and math achievement compared to native English speakers that closed narrowly or persisted over time; and ELLs who were not proficient by first grade had the largest initial gaps in reading and math achievement compared to native speakers but the gap narrowed over time in reading and grew over time in math. Among those whose home language is not English, acquiring English proficiency by kindergarten entry was associated with better cognitive and behavioral outcomes through eighth grade compared to taking longer to achieve proficiency. Multinomial regression analyses indicated that child, family, and school characteristics predict achieving English proficiency by kindergarten entry compared to achieving proficiency later. Results are discussed in terms of policies and practices that can support ELL children’s growth and development. PMID:22389551

  13. Academic Achievement of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students in an ASL/English Bilingual Program

    PubMed Central

    Wilbur, Ronnie B.

    2016-01-01

    There has been a scarcity of studies exploring the influence of students’ American Sign Language (ASL) proficiency on their academic achievement in ASL/English bilingual programs. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of ASL proficiency on reading comprehension skills and academic achievement of 85 deaf or hard-of-hearing signing students. Two subgroups, differing in ASL proficiency, were compared on the Northwest Evaluation Association Measures of Academic Progress and the reading comprehension subtest of the Stanford Achievement Test, 10th edition. Findings suggested that students highly proficient in ASL outperformed their less proficient peers in nationally standardized measures of reading comprehension, English language use, and mathematics. Moreover, a regression model consisting of 5 predictors including variables regarding education, hearing devices, and secondary disabilities as well as ASL proficiency and home language showed that ASL proficiency was the single variable significantly predicting results on all outcome measures. This study calls for a paradigm shift in thinking about deaf education by focusing on characteristics shared among successful deaf signing readers, specifically ASL fluency. PMID:26864688

  14. The Texas Successful Schools Study: Quality Education for Limited English Proficient Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Texas Education Agency, Austin.

    A study by the Texas Education Agency examined the variables contributing to the academic success of economically disadvantaged and language minority students. Data were collected from seven high-achieving elementary schools with high poverty rates and high percentages of limited English proficient (LEP) students via teacher questionnaires;…

  15. Common Educational Proficiency Assessment (CEPA) in English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coombe, Christine; Davidson, Peter

    2014-01-01

    The Common Educational Proficiency Assessment (CEPA) is a large-scale, high-stakes, English language proficiency/placement test administered in the United Arab Emirates to Emirati nationals in their final year of secondary education or Grade 12. The purpose of the CEPA is to place students into English classes at the appropriate government…

  16. Developing English Writing Proficiency in Limited English Proficient College Students through Cooperative Learning Strategies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gooden-Jones, Epsey M.; Carrasquillo, Angela L.

    A study followed ten limited-English-proficient (LEP) community college students who were taught English largely using a cooperative learning approach. For four months, the students worked together using brainstorming techniques and collaborative reading and writing tasks. Task emphasis was on development of thinking skills through collaboration…

  17. Academic Achievement of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students in an ASL/English Bilingual Program.

    PubMed

    Hrastinski, Iva; Wilbur, Ronnie B

    2016-04-01

    There has been a scarcity of studies exploring the influence of students' American Sign Language (ASL) proficiency on their academic achievement in ASL/English bilingual programs. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of ASL proficiency on reading comprehension skills and academic achievement of 85 deaf or hard-of-hearing signing students. Two subgroups, differing in ASL proficiency, were compared on the Northwest Evaluation Association Measures of Academic Progress and the reading comprehension subtest of the Stanford Achievement Test, 10th edition. Findings suggested that students highly proficient in ASL outperformed their less proficient peers in nationally standardized measures of reading comprehension, English language use, and mathematics. Moreover, a regression model consisting of 5 predictors including variables regarding education, hearing devices, and secondary disabilities as well as ASL proficiency and home language showed that ASL proficiency was the single variable significantly predicting results on all outcome measures. This study calls for a paradigm shift in thinking about deaf education by focusing on characteristics shared among successful deaf signing readers, specifically ASL fluency. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. Does English proficiency impact on health outcomes for inpatients undergoing stroke rehabilitation?

    PubMed

    Davies, Sarah E; Dodd, Karen J; Tu, April; Zucchi, Emiliano; Zen, Stefania; Hill, Keith D

    2016-07-01

    To determine whether English proficiency and/or the frequency of interpreter use impacts on health outcomes for inpatient stroke rehabilitation. Retrospective case-control study. People admitted for inpatient stroke rehabilitation. A high English proficiency group comprised people with native or near native English proficiency (n = 80), and a low English proficiency group comprised people who preferred a language other than English (n = 80). Length of stay (LOS), discharge destination and Functional Independence Measure (FIM). The low English proficiency group showed a greater improvement in FIM from admission to discharge (p = 0.04). No significant differences were found between groups in LOS, discharge destination and number of encounters with allied health professionals. Increased interpreter usage improved FIM efficiency but did not significantly alter other outcomes. English proficiency does not appear to impact on health outcomes in inpatient rehabilitation with a primarily in-house professional interpreter service. However, there is a need for a larger powered study to confirm these findings. Implications for rehabilitation People with low English proficiency undergoing inpatient stroke rehabilitation in a setting with a primarily in-house professional interpreter service, achieved similar outcomes to those with high English proficiency irrespective of frequency of interpreter usage. A non-significant increase of 4 days length of stay was observed in the low English proficiency group compared to the high English proficiency group. For patients with low English proficiency, greater change in Functional Independence Measure efficiency scores was observed for those with higher levels of interpreter use relative to those with low interpreter use. Clinicians should optimise use of interpreters with patients with low English proficiency when possible.

  19. Improving the Academic Performance of Non-Native English-Speaking Students: The Contribution of Pre-Sessional English Language Programmes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thorpe, Andy; Snell, Martin; Davey-Evans, Sue; Talman, Richard

    2017-01-01

    There is an established, if weak, inverse relationship between levels of English language proficiency and academic performance in higher education. In response, higher education institutions (HEIs) insist upon minimum entry requirements concerning language for international applicants. Many HEIs now also offer pre-sessional English courses to…

  20. Academic Achievement of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students in an ASL/English Bilingual Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hrastinski, Iva; Wilbur, Ronnie B.

    2016-01-01

    There has been a scarcity of studies exploring the influence of students' American Sign Language (ASL) proficiency on their academic achievement in ASL/English bilingual programs. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of ASL proficiency on reading comprehension skills and academic achievement of 85 deaf or hard-of-hearing signing…

  1. English Proficiency and Peer Interethnic Relations as Predictors of Math Achievement among Latino and Asian Immigrant Students

    PubMed Central

    Barrett, Alice N.; Barile, John P.; Malm, Esther K.; Weaver, Scott R.

    2013-01-01

    Studies show math achievement to be the best predictor of entering post-secondary education. However, less is known about the predictors of math achievement, particularly among immigrant youth. This study examined English proficiency and peer interethnic relations as predictors of mathematics achievement among Latino and Asian high school students, postulating an interaction between the predictors and mediation by academic motivation. A multilevel moderated-mediation model was used to analyze data from a national sample of 2,113 non-native English speaking Latino and Asian students attending high school in the U.S. We found that higher academic motivation mediated the relationship between English proficiency during their sophomore year and gains in senior math achievement scores for both Asian and Latino students. For Latino students however, this indirect path was only significant for students whose perceptions of positive peer interethnic relations at school were average or above average. PMID:22959129

  2. A Profile of Limited English Proficient Adult Immigrants

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Batalova, Jeanne; Fix, Michael

    2010-01-01

    This article examines the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) to develop a profile of immigrant adults with varying levels of oral English proficiency. The NAAL data on adult limited English proficient (LEP) immigrants are used here to examine their education levels, workforce involvement, incomes, use of public benefits,…

  3. Science as a second language: Analysis of Emergent Bilinguals performance and the impact of English language proficiency and first language characteristics on the Colorado measures of academic success for science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bruno, Joanna K.

    In an age when communication is highly important and states across the nation, including Colorado, have adopted Common Core State Standards, the need for academic language is even more important than ever. The language of science has been compared to a second language in that it uses specific discourse patterns, semantic rules, and a very specific vocabulary. There is a need for educators to better understand how language impacts academic achievement, specifically concerning Emergent Bilinguals (EBs). Research has identified the need to study the role language plays in content assessments and the impact they have on EBs performance (Abedi, 2008b; Abedi, Hofestter & Lord, 2004; Abedi & Lord, 2001). Since language is the means through which content knowledge is assessed, it is important to analyze this aspect of learning. A review of literature identified the need to create more reliable and valid content assessments for EBs (Abedi, 2008b) and to further study the impact of English proficiency on EBs performance on standardized assessments (Solorzano, 2008; Wolf, & Leon, 2009). This study contributes to the literature by analyzing EBs performance on a state-level science content assessment, taking into consideration English language proficiency, receptive versus productive elements of language, and students' home language. This study further contributes by discussing the relationship between language proficiency, and the different strands of science (physical, life, and earth) on the state science assessment. Finally, this study demonstrates that home language, English language proficiency, and receptive and productive elements of language are predictive of EBs' achievement on the CMAS for science, overall and by strand. It is the blending of the social (listening and speaking) with the academic (reading and writing) that is also important and possibly more important.

  4. Examining the Relationship between Math Scores and English Language Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henry, Denfield L.; Nistor, Nicolae; Baltes, Beate

    2016-01-01

    Multiple studies propose that English proficiency dictates English language learners' (ELLs) performances on mathematics assessments. The current study investigates the predictive power of English proficiency on mathematics scores, while controlling for gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and grade level among ELLs at a south Florida elementary…

  5. Age, Marital Status and Time in U.S. as Correlates to English Language Proficiency of Male Arab University Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Addou, Ibrahim Hassan; Hodinko, Bernard A.

    A study examined the difficulties that 400 male Arab students, attending five universities in the District of Columbia, experienced with academic English while seeking college degrees. A survey investigated problems with nine aspects of English language proficiency: (1) expressing ideas correctly, (2) understanding lectures, (3) taking class…

  6. Limited English proficiency workers. Health and safety education.

    PubMed

    Hong, O S

    2001-01-01

    1. As the population of adults with limited English proficiency plays an increasingly important role in the United States workplaces, there has been a growing recognition that literacy and limited English skills affect health and safety training programs. 2. Several important principles can be used as the underlying framework to guide teaching workers with limited English proficiency: clear and vivid way of teaching; contextual curriculum based on work; using various teaching methods; and staff development. 3. Two feasible strategies were proposed to improve current situation in teaching health and safety to workers with limited English proficiency in one company: integrating safety and health education with ongoing in-house ESL instruction and developing a multilingual video program. 4. Successful development and implementation of proposed programs requires upper management support, workers' awareness and active participation, collaborative teamwork, a well structured action plan, testing of pilot program, and evaluation.

  7. Adherence to antipsychotics among Latinos and Asians with schizophrenia and limited English proficiency

    PubMed Central

    Gilmer, Todd P.; Ojeda, Victoria D.; Barrio, Concepcion; Fuentes, Dahlia; Garcia, Piedad; Lanouette, Nicole M.; Lee, Kelly C.

    2011-01-01

    OBJECTIVES We examined the relationship between preferred English, Spanish, or an Asian language for mental health services and adherence to treatment with antipsychotic medication and Medi-Cal beneficiaries with schizophrenia in San Diego, California. METHODS Data included 31,560 person-years from 1999–2004. Pharmacy records were analyzed to assess adherence to antipsychotic medication, based on the medication possession ratio (MPR). Clients were defined as nonadherent (MPR<0.5), partially adherent (0.5<=MPR<0.8), adherent (0.8<=MPR<=1.1), or as an excess filler (MPR>1.1). Regression models were used to examine adherence, hospitalization, and costs by race/ethnicity and language status. RESULTS Limited English proficient Latinos were more likely to be adherent to antipsychotic medications than English proficient Latinos (40.8% vs. 35.9%, P<0.001). Limited English proficient Latinos were less likely to be excess fillers than English proficient Latinos (15.1% vs. 20.4%, P<0.001). Limited English proficient Asians were less likely to be adherent than English proficient Asians (40.1% vs. 45.1%, P=0.034). Compared to English proficient Asians, limited English proficient Asians were more likely to be nonadherent (28.7% vs. 22.0%, P<0.001) and less likely to be excess fillers (12.5% vs. 17.4%, P=0.004). Controlling for adherence and comorbidities, limited English proficient clients had lower rates of hospitalization and health care costs than English proficient and white clients. CONCLUSIONS Adherence to antipsychotic medications varies among and within ethnic groups by English proficiency. Policies supporting the training of bilingual and multicultural ethnic minority providers, and interventions that capitalize on existing social support networks, may improve adherence to treatment among linguistically diverse populations. PMID:19176410

  8. English language proficiency and smoking prevalence among California's Asian Americans.

    PubMed

    Tang, Hao; Shimizu, Robin; Chen, Moon S

    2005-12-15

    The authors documented California's tobacco control initiatives for Asian Americans and the current tobacco use status among Asian subgroups and provide a discussion of the challenges ahead. The California Tobacco Control Program has employed a comprehensive approach to decrease tobacco use in Asian Americans, including ethnic-specific media campaigns, culturally competent interventions, and technical assistance and training networks. Surveillance of tobacco use among Asian Americans and the interpretation of the results have always been a challenge. Data from the 2001 The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) were analyzed to provide smoking prevalence estimates for all Asian Americans and Asian-American subgroups, including Korean, Filipino, Japanese, South Asian, Chinese, and Vietnamese. Current smoking prevalence was analyzed by gender and by English proficiency level. Cigarette smoking prevalence among Asian males in general was almost three times of that among Asian females. Korean and Vietnamese males had higher cigarette smoking prevalence rates than males in other subgroups. Although Asian females in general had low smoking prevalence rates, significant differences were found among Asian subgroups, from 1.1% (Vietnamese) to 12.7% (Japanese). Asian men who had high English proficiency were less likely to be smokers than men with lower English proficiency. Asian women with high English proficiency were more likely to be smokers than women with lower English proficiency. Smoking prevalence rates among Asian Americans in California differed significantly on the basis of ethnicity, gender, and English proficiency. English proficiency seemed to have the effect of reducing smoking prevalence rates among Asian males but had just the opposite effect among Asian females. Cancer 2005. (c) 2005 American Cancer Society.

  9. English Proficiency and Participation in Online Discussion for Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leung, Steve

    2013-01-01

    Does English proficiency affect participation in online discussion? This study polled 14 students from a postgraduate online course that require online discussion. The students are divided into groups according to their home language spoken and self-assessed English proficiency, and measure against their participation level in the required…

  10. Relationship between English Language Learners' Proficiency in Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking and Proficiency on Maryland School Assessments in Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, C. Michael

    2013-01-01

    Mathematics proficiency of English language learners (ELLs) on the Maryland School Assessments (MSA) for mathematics continues to lag behind the proficiency level of students who are proficient English speakers. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a statistically significant relationship between English language learner's…

  11. Academic English Reading for International College Students: The Role of Metacognitive Reading Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iwai, Yuko; Filce, Hollie; Ramp, Ellen

    2011-01-01

    In this study, the authors examined the impact of metacognitive reading strategies on international college students' academic success by correcting the Survey of Reading Strategies (SORS) instrument with (a) grade point averages (GPAs) and (b) the English language proficiency levels, categorized by beginning (students at the English Language…

  12. Variables Affecting Proficiency in English as a Second Language

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Santana, Josefina C.; García-Santillán, Arturo; Escalera-Chávez, Milka Elena

    2017-01-01

    This study explores different variables leading to proficiency in English as a second language. Level of English on a placement exam taken upon entering a private university in Mexico was correlated to several variables. Additionally, participants (N = 218) were asked their perception of their own proficiency. A linear regression and a one-factor…

  13. Evaluating the spoken English proficiency of graduates of foreign medical schools.

    PubMed

    Boulet, J R; van Zanten, M; McKinley, D W; Gary, N E

    2001-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to gather additional evidence for the validity and reliability of spoken English proficiency ratings provided by trained standardized patients (SPs) in high-stakes clinical skills examination. Over 2500 candidates who took the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates' (ECFMG) Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) were studied. The CSA consists of 10 or 11 timed clinical encounters. Standardized patients evaluate spoken English proficiency and interpersonal skills in every encounter. Generalizability theory was used to estimate the consistency of spoken English ratings. Validity coefficients were calculated by correlating summary English ratings with CSA scores and other external criterion measures. Mean spoken English ratings were also compared by various candidate background variables. The reliability of the spoken English ratings, based on 10 independent evaluations, was high. The magnitudes of the associated variance components indicated that the evaluation of a candidate's spoken English proficiency is unlikely to be affected by the choice of cases or SPs used in a given assessment. Proficiency in spoken English was related to native language (English versus other) and scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The pattern of the relationships, both within assessment components and with external criterion measures, suggests that valid measures of spoken English proficiency are obtained. This result, combined with the high reproducibility of the ratings over encounters and SPs, supports the use of trained SPs to measure spoken English skills in a simulated medical environment.

  14. Assessment of Academic Literacy Skills: Preparing Minority and LEP (Limited English Proficient) Students for Postsecondary Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuehn, Phyllis

    Addressing the problem of the language-related barriers to successful postsecondary education for underprepared college students, an assessment of academic language proficiency and a curriculum to help students improve their academic language skills were developed. The nature of the language tasks required in the undergraduate curriculum was…

  15. Investigating Transfer of Academic Proficiency among Trilingual Immigrant Students: A Holistic Tri-Directional Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haim, Orly

    2015-01-01

    The study addresses the degree of transfer of literacy dimensions of academic proficiency (AP), that is, reading comprehension and writing, across three languages--Russian (L1), Hebrew (L2), and English (L3)--and investigates whether a common conceptual source underlies the linguistic and cognitive operations of the trilingual learner (Grosjean,…

  16. The Relationship between Demotivation and EFL Learners' English Language Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hu, Rou-Jui Sophia

    2011-01-01

    To what extent does demotivation affect EFL learners' English language proficiency attainment? The present study addresses this question by investigating the relationship between technological institute EFL students' past demotivating factors and their English language proficiency. Although the role of demotivation in foreign language achievement…

  17. An Exploration of English Language Learners Reading Proficiency Assessment, the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System, as Perceived by Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moreno-Hewitt, Andrea

    2015-01-01

    This qualitative phenomenological research study used narrative inquiry to explore teachers' perceptions of their students' reading proficiency as demonstrated on the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System's reading test. Ten teachers participated in the study, and responses pertaining to their perceptions of reading instruction and…

  18. Do Decision Rules Matter? A Descriptive Study of English Language Proficiency Assessment Classifications for English-Language Learners and Native English Speakers in Fifth Grade

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carroll, Patricia E.; Bailey, Alison L.

    2016-01-01

    English language proficiency assessments (ELPA) are used in the United States to measure annually the English language progress and proficiency of English-language learners (ELLs), a subgroup of language minority students who receive language acquisition support mandated and largely funded by Title III (NCLB, 2001). ELPA proficient and…

  19. Disparities in Hypertension Associated with Limited English Proficiency.

    PubMed

    Kim, Eun Ji; Kim, Taekyu; Paasche-Orlow, Michael K; Rose, Adam J; Hanchate, Amresh D

    2017-06-01

    Limited English proficiency (LEP) is associated with poor health status and worse outcomes. To examine disparities in hypertension between National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) respondents with LEP versus adequate English proficiency. Retrospective analysis of multi-year survey data. Adults 18 years of age and older who participated in the NHANES survey during the period 2003-2012. We defined participants with LEP as anyone who completed the NHANES survey in a language other than English or with the support of an interpreter. Using logistic regression, we estimated the odds ratio for undiagnosed or uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure (SBP) > 140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) > 90 mmHg) among LEP participants relative to those with adequate English proficiency. We adjusted for sociodemographic, acculturation-related, and hypertension-related variables. Fourteen percent (n = 3,269) of the participants had limited English proficiency: 12.4% (n = 2906) used a Spanish questionnaire and 1.6% (n = 363) used an interpreter to complete the survey in another language. Those with LEP had higher odds of elevated blood pressure on physical examination (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.47 [1.07-2.03]). This finding persisted among participants using an interpreter (AOR = 1.88 [1.15-3.06]) but not among those using the Spanish questionnaire (AOR = 1.32 [0.98-1.80]). In a subgroup analysis, we found that the majority of uncontrolled hypertension was concentrated among individuals with a known diagnosis of hypertension (AOR = 1.80 [1.16-2.81]) rather than those with undiagnosed hypertension (AOR = 1.14 [0.74-1.75]). Interpreter use was associated with increased odds of uncontrolled hypertension, especially among patients who were not being medically managed for hypertension (AOR = 6.56 [1.30-33.12]). In a nationally representative sample, participants with LEP were more likely to have poorly

  20. Embedded academic writing support for nursing students with English as a second language.

    PubMed

    Salamonson, Yenna; Koch, Jane; Weaver, Roslyn; Everett, Bronwyn; Jackson, Debra

    2010-02-01

    This paper reports a study which evaluated a brief, embedded academic support workshop as a strategy for improving academic writing skills in first-year nursing students with low-to-medium English language proficiency. Nursing students who speak English as a second language have lower academic success compared with their native English-speaking counterparts. The development of academic writing skills is known to be most effective when embedded into discipline-specific curricula. Using a randomized controlled design, in 2008 106 students pre-enrolled in an introductory bioscience subject were randomized to receive either the intervention, a 4-day embedded academic learning support workshop facilitated by two bioscience (content) nursing academics and a writing and editing professional, or to act as the control group. The primary focus of the workshop was to support students to work through a mock assignment by providing progressive feedback and written suggestions on how to improve their answers. Of the 59 students randomized to the intervention, only 28 attended the workshop. Bioscience assignment results were analysed for those who attended (attendees), those randomized to the intervention but who did not attend (non-attendees), and the control group. Using anova, the results indicated that attendees achieved statistically significantly higher mean scores (70.8, sd: 6.1) compared to both control group (58.4, sd: 3.4, P = 0.002) and non-attendees (48.5, sd: 5.5, P = 0.001). A brief, intensive, embedded academic support workshop was effective in improving the academic writing ability of nursing students with low-to-medium English language proficiency, although reaching all students who are likely to benefit from this intervention remains a challenge.

  1. The Use and Misuse of Academic Words in Writing: Analyzing the Writing of Secondary English Learners and Redesignated Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cons, Andrea Marie

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated the specific ways secondary English learners (ELs) and redesignated fluent English-proficient learners (RFEPs) use academic vocabulary that assesses interpretive reading and analytical writing ability. The research examines how ELs and RFEPs, formerly ELs, differ in use and misuse of academic words. The study extends…

  2. Accommodations for Students with Disabilities on State English Language Proficiency Assessments: A Review of 2011 State Policies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christensen, Laurene L.; Albus, Debra A.; Liu, Kristin K.; Thurlow, Martha L.; Kincaid, Aleksis

    2013-01-01

    English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities are required to participate in all state and district assessments similar to their peers without disabilities. This includes assessments used for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title I accountability purposes for demonstrating proficiency in academic content, assessments used…

  3. A study of the effects of English language proficiency and scientific reasoning skills on the acquisition of science content knowledge of Hispanic English language learners and native English language-speaking students participating in grade 10 science classes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Torres, Hector Neftali, Sr.

    2000-11-01

    lends support to Cummins' theoretical framework, which indicates that learning science content subject matter requires cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP). The study also indicates that CALP maybe the combination of high order English language proficiency and high levels of reasoning skills. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

  4. Superordinate Precision: An Examination of Academic Writing Among Bilingual Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students.

    PubMed

    Scott, Jessica A; Hoffmeister, Robert J

    2018-04-01

    Academic English is an essential literacy skill area for success in post-secondary education and in many work environments. Despite its importance, academic English is understudied with deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students. Nascent research in this area suggests that academic English, alongside American Sign Language (ASL) fluency, may play an important role in the reading proficiency of DHH students in middle and high school. The current study expands this research to investigate academic English by examining student proficiency with a sub-skill of academic writing called superordinate precision, the taxonomical categorization of a term. Currently there is no research that examines DHH students' proficiency with superordinate precision. Middle and high school DHH students enrolled in bilingual schools for the deaf were assessed on their ASL proficiency, academic English proficiency, reading comprehension, and use of superordinate precision in definitions writing. Findings indicate that student use of superordinate precision in definitions writing was correlated with ASL proficiency, reading comprehension, and academic English proficiency. It is possible that degree of mastery of superordinate precision may indicate a higher overall level of proficiency with academic English. This may have important implications for assessment of and instruction in academic English literacy.

  5. [Japanese learners' processing time for reading English relative clauses analyzed in relation to their English listening proficiency].

    PubMed

    Oyama, Yoshinori

    2011-06-01

    The present study examined Japanese university students' processing time for English subject and object relative clauses in relation to their English listening proficiency. In Analysis 1, the relation between English listening proficiency and reading span test scores was analyzed. The results showed that the high and low listening comprehension groups' reading span test scores do not differ. Analysis 2 investigated English listening proficiency and processing time for sentences with subject and object relative clauses. The results showed that reading the relative clause ending and the main verb section of a sentence with an object relative clause (such as "attacked" and "admitted" in the sentence "The reporter that the senator attacked admitted the error") takes less time for learners with high English listening scores than for learners with low English listening scores. In Analysis 3, English listening proficiency and comprehension accuracy for sentences with subject and object relative clauses were examined. The results showed no significant difference in comprehension accuracy between the high and low listening-comprehension groups. These results indicate that processing time for English relative clauses is related to the cognitive processes involved in listening comprehension, which requires immediate processing of syntactically complex audio information.

  6. Differences in Reading and Math Achievement among Students Who Are Hispanic, Limited English Proficient, or White: A Multi-Year Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rojas-LeBouef, Ana M.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in academic achievement among students who were Hispanic, Limited English Proficient (LEP), or White, using archival data from the Texas Education Agency's (TEA) Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS). Data examined were fifth grade reading and math passing rates from the 1993…

  7. A Resource Book for Building English Proficiency.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guillen, Leonor; And Others

    This resource book is a collection of articles, annotated references, and resource lists to supplement the accompanying handbook and trainer's guide for educators planning or working with English language programs for limited English proficient (LEP) students. The first part presents resources of interest to administrators adapting programs for a…

  8. Comprehension on family-centered rounds for limited English proficient families.

    PubMed

    Lion, K Casey; Mangione-Smith, Rita; Martyn, Molly; Hencz, Patty; Fernandez, Juan; Tamura, Glen

    2013-01-01

    To describe communication with limited English proficient (LEP) families during family-centered rounds (FCR); to examine differences in family understanding of diagnosis and plan by English proficiency and provider and interpreter rounding behaviors. Forty-one English proficient (EP) and 40 LEP parents of pediatric inpatients participated in a prospective cohort study from January to October 2011. Eligible LEP families self-reported a preference for medical communication in Spanish, Somali, or Vietnamese. Rounds were observed; families were interviewed afterward. Parent- and provider-reported diagnosis and plan were compared and classified as correct, incorrect, or incomplete by 3 blinded investigators. Logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders. Fifty percent of LEP rounding encounters involved interpreters filtering information conveyed to families; 43% involved initial medical discussions without families present (vs 12% for EP, P = .002). Providers more frequently provided a plain language summary for LEP families (88% vs 56%, P = .001). LEP and EP families had similar ability to correctly name the child's diagnosis (70% vs 83%, P = .17) and all plan elements (38% vs 39%, P = .88). Results were unchanged after adjusting for parental characteristics and hospital day. Among LEP families, naming the correct diagnosis was positively associated with experience with a hospitalized child (odds ratio 5.11, 95% confidence interval 1.04-24.9) and may be negatively associated with interpreter filtering (odds ratio 0.22, 95% confidence interval 0.05-1.13). Having initial medical discussions without the family and information filtering are common for LEP patients; filtering may be associated with poorer diagnosis comprehension. Experience with a hospitalized child is associated with increased comprehension among LEP parents. Copyright © 2013 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Title III: Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students. 107th Congress, 1st Session.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education, Washington, DC.

    This report describes the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Title III: Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students. Part A describes the English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act. Its four subparts include the following: (1) grants and subgrants for English language acquisition…

  10. Ecobehavioral Variables within a Classroom with Limited English Proficient Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chavez, Gene T.; Arreaga-Mayer, Carmen

    A study analyzed the effects of classwide peer tutoring on science vocabulary spelling achievement for three language groups in one school's sixth grade. The groups consisted of: (1) Spanish-dominant and limited-English-proficient (LEP) students (n=8); (2) students proficient at grade level in both Spanish and English (n=14); and (3) monolingual…

  11. Relationships Between English Language Proficiency, Health Literacy, and Health Outcomes in Somali Refugees.

    PubMed

    Murphy, Jessica E; Smock, Laura; Hunter-Adams, Jo; Xuan, Ziming; Cochran, Jennifer; Paasche-Orlow, Michael K; Geltman, Paul L

    2018-06-15

    Little is known about the impacts of health literacy and English proficiency on the health status of Somali refugees. Data came from interviews in 2009-2011 of 411 adult Somali refugees recently resettled in Massachusetts. English proficiency, health literacy, and physical and mental health were measured using the Basic English Skills Test Plus, the Short Test of Health Literacy in Adults, and the Physical and Mental Component Summaries of the Short Form-12. Associations were analyzed using multiple linear regression. In adjusted analyses, higher English proficiency was associated with worse mental health in males. English proficiency was not associated with physical health. Health literacy was associated with neither physical nor mental health. Language proficiency may adversely affect the mental health of male Somali refugees, contrary to findings in other immigrant groups. Research on underlying mechanisms and opportunities to understand this relationship are needed.

  12. 76 FR 66318 - Announcement of Funding Awards; Limited English Proficiency Initiative Program (LEPI), Fiscal...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-10-26

    ... Awards; Limited English Proficiency Initiative Program (LEPI), Fiscal Year 2010/2011 AGENCY: Office of... (NOFA) for the Limited English Proficiency Initiative (LEPI) Program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010/2011... activities for persons who, as a result of national origin, are limited in the English proficiency (LEP...

  13. Learning Strategies in Alleviating English Writing Anxiety for English Language Learners (ELLs) with Limited English Proficiency (LEP)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wu, Chia-Pei; Lin, Huey-Ju

    2016-01-01

    This study utilized the Oxford Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) and an English writing anxiety scale to examine the relationship between learning strategies and English writing anxiety in 102 university-level English language learners (ELLs) with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in a university in Taiwan. Kruskal Wallis Test…

  14. English-for-Teaching: Rethinking Teacher Proficiency in the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freeman, Donald; Katz, Anne; Garcia Gomez, Pablo; Burns, Anne

    2015-01-01

    The expansion of English teaching in state education systems places increasing demands on English language teachers and how they are trained. A major thrust of these efforts has focused on improving teachers' English language proficiency. This expectation is manifested in policy and pedagogical directives that teachers "teach English in…

  15. Issues in Vertical Scaling of a K-12 English Language Proficiency Test

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kenyon, Dorry M.; MacGregor, David; Li, Dongyang; Cook, H. Gary

    2011-01-01

    One of the mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act is that states show adequate yearly progress in their English language learners' (ELLs) acquisition of English language proficiency. States are required to assess ELLs' English language proficiency annually in four language domains (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) to measure their…

  16. Language Learning Strategies and English Proficiency: Interpretations from Information-Processing Theory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rao, Zhenhui

    2016-01-01

    The research reported here investigated the relationship between students' use of language learning strategies and their English proficiency, and then interpreted the data from two models in information-processing theory. Results showed that the students' English proficiency significantly affected their use of learning strategies, with high-level…

  17. Adherence to antipsychotics among Latinos and Asians with schizophrenia and limited English proficiency.

    PubMed

    Gilmer, Todd P; Ojeda, Victoria D; Barrio, Concepcion; Fuentes, Dahlia; Garcia, Piedad; Lanouette, Nicole M; Lee, Kelly C

    2009-02-01

    The authors examined data for 7,784 Latino, Asian, and non-Latino white Medi-Cal beneficiaries with schizophrenia to determine the relationship between patients' preferred language for mental health services--English, Spanish, or an Asian language--and their adherence to treatment with antipsychotic medications. Data reflected 31,560 person-years from 1999 to 2004. Pharmacy records were analyzed to assess medication adherence by use of the medication possession ratio (MPR). Clients were defined as nonadherent (MPR<.5), partially adherent (MPR=.5-<.8), or adherent (MPR=.8-1.1) or as an excess filler of prescriptions (MPR<1.1). Regression models were used to examine adherence, hospitalization, and costs by race-ethnicity and language status. Latinos with limited English proficiency were more likely than English-proficient Latinos to be medication adherent (41% versus 36%; p<.001) and less likely to be excess fillers (15% versus 20%; p<.001). Asians with limited English proficiency were less likely than English-proficient Asians to be adherent (40% versus 45%; p=.034), more likely to be nonadherent (29% versus 22%; p<.001), and less likely to be excess fillers (13% versus 17%; p=.004). When analyses controlled for adherence and comorbidities, clients with limited English proficiency had lower rates of hospitalization and lower health care costs than English-proficient and white clients. Adherence to antipsychotic medications varied by English proficiency among and within ethnic groups. Policies supporting the training of bilingual and multicultural providers from ethnic minority groups and interventions that capitalize on patients' existing social support networks may improve adherence to treatment in linguistically diverse populations.

  18. The Measurement of Change in English Language Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nallaya, Sasikala

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated the measurement of change in English language proficiency levels of pre-service and in-service teachers enrolled in a public university in Malaysia. Path analysis was used to measure change on three occasions by examining the effects of student characteristics, learning needs and multimodal technology on proficiency levels.…

  19. Washington English Language Proficiency Assessment (WELPA). Form C 2015. Interpretation Guide

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, 2015

    2015-01-01

    The "Washington English Language Proficiency Assessment" (WELPA) is a No Child Left Behind (NCLB)-compliant instrument that is used in Grades K-12 as a formal and standardized method of measuring language proficiency. The test results provide important information for classifying English Language Learners (ELLs) and subsequently for…

  20. 76 FR 81958 - Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB; Limited English Proficiency...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-12-29

    ... Proposed Information Collection to OMB; Limited English Proficiency Initiative (LEPI) Program AGENCY... that support the assistance of persons with limited English proficiency in utilizing the services...: Limited English Proficiency Initiative (LEPI) Program. OMB Approval Number: 2529-0051. Form Numbers...

  1. Association between pediatric asthma care quality and morbidity and English language proficiency in Ohio.

    PubMed

    Montgomery, Martha P; Allen, Elizabeth D; Thomas, Olivia; Robinson, Byron F; Clark, Donnie; Connelly, Ann; Mott, Joshua A; Conrey, Elizabeth

    2018-05-08

    Limited English proficiency can be a barrier to asthma care and is associated with poor outcomes. This study examines whether pediatric patients in Ohio with limited English proficiency experience lower asthma care quality or higher morbidity. We used electronic health records for asthma patients aged 2-17 years from a regional, urban, children's hospital in Ohio during 2011-2015. Community-level demographics were included from U.S. Census data. By using chi-square and t-tests, patients with limited English proficiency and bilingual English-speaking patients were compared with English-only patients. Five asthma outcomes-two quality and three morbidity measures-were modeled using generalized estimating equations. The study included 15 352 (84%) English-only patients, 1744 (10%) patients with limited English proficiency, and 1147 (6%) bilingual patients. Pulmonary function testing (quality measure) and multiple exacerbation visits (morbidity measure) did not differ by language group. Compared with English-only patients, bilingual patients had higher odds of ever having an exacerbation visit (morbidity measure) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-1.6) but lower odds of admission to intensive care (morbidity measure) (aOR, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.2-0.7), while patients with limited English proficiency did not differ on either factor. Recommended follow-up after exacerbation (quality measure) was higher for limited English proficiency (aOR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.4-2.3) and bilingual (aOR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.3-2.1), compared with English-only patients. In this urban, pediatric population with reliable interpreter services, limited English proficiency was not associated with worse asthma care quality or morbidity.

  2. Development and Validation of the Spanish-English Language Proficiency Scale (SELPS)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smyk, Ekaterina; Restrepo, M. Adelaida; Gorin, Joanna S.; Gray, Shelley

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: This study examined the development and validation of a criterion-referenced Spanish-English Language Proficiency Scale (SELPS) that was designed to assess the oral language skills of sequential bilingual children ages 4-8. This article reports results for the English proficiency portion of the scale. Method: The SELPS assesses syntactic…

  3. Initial Spanish Proficiency and English Language Development among Spanish-Speaking English Learner Students in New Mexico. REL 2018-286

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arellano, Brenda; Liu, Feng; Stoker, Ginger; Slama, Rachel

    2018-01-01

    To what extent do Spanish-speaking English learner students develop English proficiency and grade-level readiness in English language arts and math from early elementary school to upper elementary school? Is there a relationship between proficiency in a student's primary home language, Spanish, and the amount of time needed to attain fluency in…

  4. American Sign Language and Academic English: Factors Influencing the Reading of Bilingual Secondary School Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students.

    PubMed

    Scott, Jessica A; Hoffmeister, Robert J

    2017-01-01

    For many years, researchers have sought to understand the reading development of deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students. Guided by prior research on DHH and hearing students, in this study we investigate the hypothesis that for secondary school DHH students enrolled in American Sign Language (ASL)/English bilingual schools for the deaf, academic English proficiency would be a significant predictor of reading comprehension alongside ASL proficiency. Using linear regression, we found statistically significant interaction effects between academic English knowledge and word reading fluency in predicting the reading comprehension scores of the participants. However, ASL remained the strongest and most consistent predictor of reading comprehension within the sample. Findings support a model in which socio-demographic factors, ASL proficiency, and word reading fluency are primary predictors of reading comprehension for secondary DHH students. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@.com.

  5. Cultutal Factors Affecting English Proficiency in Rural Areas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ler, Ee Chop

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the rural "cultural" problems and to determine their effect on the learning of English. Twenty students from different ethnic backgrounds and English language proficiency in six rural schools in Terengganu, Malaysia were interviewed. In addition the teachers also from different rural schools…

  6. Limited english proficiency accessibility program : demonstration program.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-03-01

    In 2006, the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) secured grant funding from the Federal Transit Administration : (FTA) that enabled the agency to launch a creative and ambitious Limited English Proficiency (LEP) demonst...

  7. Influence of English proficiency on patient-provider communication and shared decision-making.

    PubMed

    Paredes, Anghela Z; Idrees, Jay J; Beal, Eliza W; Chen, Qinyu; Cerier, Emily; Okunrintemi, Victor; Olsen, Griffin; Sun, Steven; Cloyd, Jordan M; Pawlik, Timothy M

    2018-06-01

    The number of patients in the United States (US) who speak a language other than English is increasing. We evaluated the impact of English proficiency on self-reported patient-provider communication and shared decision-making. The 2013-2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey database was utilized to identify respondents who spoke a language other than English. Patient-provider communication (PPC) and shared decision-making (SDM) scores from 4-12 were categorized as "poor" (4-7), "average" (8-11), and "optimal." The relationship between PPC, SDM, and English proficiency was analyzed. Among 13,880 respondents, most were white (n = 10,281, 75%), age 18-39 (n = 6,677, 48%), male (n = 7,275, 52%), middle income (n = 4,125, 30%), and born outside of the US (n = 9,125, 65%). English proficiency was rated as "very well" (n = 7,221, 52%), "well" (n = 2,378, 17%), "not well" (n = 2,820, 20%), or "not at all" (n = 1,463, 10%). On multivariable analysis, patients who rated their English as "well" (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.37-2.18) or "not well" (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.10-2.14) were more likely to report "poor" PPC (both P < .01). Similarly, SDM was more commonly self-reported as "poor" among patients who reported English proficiency as "not well" (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.04-1.65, P = .02). Decreased English proficiency was associated with worse self-reported patient-provider communication and shared decision-making. Attention to patients' language needs is critical to patient satisfaction and improved perception of care. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Recommending a minimum English proficiency standard for entry-level nursing.

    PubMed

    O'Neill, Thomas R; Tannenbaum, Richard J; Tiffen, Jennifer

    2005-01-01

    When nurses who are educated internationally immigrate to the United States, they are expected to have English language proficiency in order to function as a competent nurse. The purpose of this research was to provide sufficient information to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) to make a defensible recommended passing standard for English proficiency. This standard was based upon the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A large panel of nurses and nurse regulators (N = 25) was convened to determine how much English proficiency is required to be minimally competent as an entry-level nurse. Two standard setting procedures, the Simulated Minimally Competent Candidate (SMCC) procedure and the Examinee Paper Selection Method, were combined to produce recommendations for each panelist. In conjunction with collateral information, these recommendations were reviewed by the NCSBN Examination Committee, which decided upon an NCSBN recommended standard, a TOEFL score of 220. Because the adoption of this standard rests entirely with the individual state, NCSBN has little more to do with implementing the standard, other than answering questions and providing documentation about the standard.

  9. Required Academic Proficiency (RAP) Program: Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ronacher, Karl; And Others

    The Required Academic Proficiency (RAP) program was established by the Houston (Texas) Independent School District to reduce and remediate the academic failure of students. The purpose of the RAP program was twofold: (1) to provide supplemental instruction to students identified as being at risk of failing academic subjects; and (2) to provide…

  10. Recommending a minimum English proficiency standard for entry-level nursing.

    PubMed

    O'Neill, Thomas R; Marks, Casey; Wendt, Anne

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to provide sufficient information to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) to make a defensible recommended passing standard for English proficiency. This standard was based upon the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A large panel of nurses and nurse regulators (N = 25) was convened to determine how much English proficiency is required to be minimally competent as an entry-level nurse. Two standard setting procedures were combined to produce recommendations for each panelist. In conjunction with collateral information, these recommendations were reviewed by the NCSBN Examination Committee, which decided upon an NCSBN recommended standard, a TOEFL score of 220.

  11. Task-Based Language Teaching and English for Academic Purposes: An Investigation into Instructor Perceptions and Practice in the Canadian Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Douglas, Scott Roy; Kim, Marcia

    2014-01-01

    English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programs designed to meet postsecondary English language proficiency requirements are a common pathway to higher education for students from non-English-speaking backgrounds. Grounded in a Canadian context, this study seeks to examine the prevalence of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) in EAP, common examples…

  12. Non-Discriminatory Assessment: Formal and Informal Assessment of Limited English Proficient Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mares, Sharon

    PEOPLE (Pruebas de Expresion Oral y Percepcion de la Lengua Espanol) was developed as a test to help distinguish between a language difference and a language deficit in non English proficient (NEP) and limited English proficient (LEP) elementary Hispanic students. PEOPLE was developed, pilot tested in 14 school districts in Los Angeles County with…

  13. Reading Habits of University ESL Students at Different Levels of English Proficiency and Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mokhtari, Kouider; Sheorey, Ravi

    1994-01-01

    Examines the degree to which the levels of English proficiency (high vs. low) and education (graduate vs. undergraduate) of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students were associated with differences in their reading behaviors. Finds that the subjects' level of education and English proficiency were associated with their reading behavior…

  14. The Association Between Limited English Proficiency and Unplanned Emergency Department Revisit Within 72 Hours.

    PubMed

    Ngai, Ka Ming; Grudzen, Corita R; Lee, Roy; Tong, Vicky Y; Richardson, Lynne D; Fernandez, Alicia

    2016-08-01

    Language barriers are known to negatively affect many health outcomes among limited English proficiency patient populations, but little is known about the quality of care such patients receive in the emergency department (ED). This study seeks to determine whether limited English proficiency patients experience different quality of care than English-speaking patients in the ED, using unplanned revisit within 72 hours as a surrogate quality indicator. We conducted a retrospective cohort study in an urban adult ED in 2012, with a total of 41,772 patients and 56,821 ED visits. We compared 2,943 limited English proficiency patients with 38,829 English-speaking patients presenting to the ED after excluding patients with psychiatric complaints, altered mental status, and nonverbal states, and those with more than 4 ED visits in 12 months. Two main outcomes-the risk of inpatient admission from the ED and risk of unplanned ED revisit within 72 hours-were measured with odds ratios from generalized estimating equation multivariate models. Limited English proficiency patients were more likely than English speakers to be admitted (32.0% versus 27.2%; odds ratio [OR]=1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11 to 1.30). This association became nonsignificant after adjustments (OR=1.04; 95% CI 0.95 to 1.15). Included in the analysis of ED revisit within 72 hours were 32,857 patients with 45,546 ED visits; 4.2% of all patients (n=1,380) had at least 1 unplanned revisit. Limited English proficiency patients were more likely than English speakers to have an unplanned revisit (5.0% versus 4.1%; OR=1.19; 95% CI 1.02 to 1.45). This association persisted (OR=1.24; 95% CI 1.02 to 1.53) after adjustment for potential confounders, including insurance status. We found no difference in hospital admission rates between limited English proficiency patients and English-speaking patients. Yet limited English proficiency patients were 24% more likely to have an unplanned ED revisit within 72 hours

  15. The Use of Audio Prompting to Assist Mothers with Limited English Proficiency in Tutoring Their Pre-Kindergarten Children on English Vocabulary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cooke, Nancy L.; Mackiewicz, Sara Moore; Wood, Charles L.; Helf, Shawnna

    2009-01-01

    Parents with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) may find it difficult to become involved in their children's education due to their lack of English proficiency. The present study examined the effects of using audio prompting to assist mothers with LEP in teaching their preschool children English vocabulary. Mothers were trained to tutor their…

  16. Rater Judgment and English Language Speaking Proficiency. Research Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chalhoub-Deville, Micheline; Wigglesworth, Gillian

    2005-01-01

    The paper investigates whether there is a shared perception of speaking proficiency among raters from different English speaking countries. More specifically, this study examines whether there is a significant difference among English language learning (ELL) teachers, residing in Australia, Canada, the UK, and the USA when rating speech samples of…

  17. A National Survey to Evaluate Graduate Medical Education in Disparities and Limited English Proficiency: A Report From the AAIM Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

    PubMed

    Cardinal, Lucien J; Maldonado, Maria; Fried, Ethan D

    2016-01-01

    This article presents the results of a national survey addressing issues related to patients with limited English proficiency. We disseminated a national confidential survey to 391 program directors of Internal Medicine residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Seventy percent of program directors indicated that their residents cared for a patient population that was composed of more than 10% limited-English-proficiency patients. Nineteen percent of residency programs provided no education on caring for patients with limited English proficiency. Thirty percent of program directors felt that their faculty could not adequately evaluate residents on their ability to practice culturally competent care, and 68% cited lack of faculty expertise as a significant barrier to implementing a curriculum in cultural competency. Yet only 24% indicated that they had faculty development relevant to cultural competency and health care disparities. Internal Medicine residents care for many patients with limited English proficiency. While it seems clear that an effective training curriculum is necessary, such a curriculum was not found to be uniformly present. Additionally, the lack of faculty expertise and faculty development in cultural competency and health care disparities is a significant barrier to the correction of this problem. Copyright © 2016 Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. English Proficiency and Acculturation among Chinese Immigrant Youth in Canada: A Reciprocal Relationship

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jia, Fanli; Gottardo, Alexandra; Chen, Xi; Koh, Pohwee; Pasquarella, Adrian

    2016-01-01

    The main focus of this study was to refine our understanding of the link between English proficiency and mainstream acculturation in adolescent Chinese immigrants. The sample consisted of 112 adolescents in grades 7-12 living in urban areas in southern Ontario, Canada. English proficiency was assessed individually using standardised tests of…

  19. 34 CFR 300.27 - Limited English proficient.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 34 Education 2 2011-07-01 2010-07-01 true Limited English proficient. 300.27 Section 300.27 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ASSISTANCE TO STATES FOR THE EDUCATION OF...

  20. 34 CFR 300.27 - Limited English proficient.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Limited English proficient. 300.27 Section 300.27 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ASSISTANCE TO STATES FOR THE EDUCATION OF...

  1. Analysis of English language learner performance on the biology Massachusetts comprehensive assessment system: The impact of english proficiency, first language characteristics, and late-entry ELL status

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mitchell, Mary A.

    This study analyzed English language learner (ELL) performance on the June 2012 Biology MCAS, namely on item attributes of domain, cognitive skill, and linguistic complexity. It examined the impact of English proficiency, Latinate first language, first language orthography, and late-entry ELL status. The results indicated that English proficiency was a strong predictor of performance and that ELLs at higher levels of English proficiency overwhelmingly passed. The results further indicated that English proficiency introduced a construct-irrelevant variance on the Biology MCAS and raised validity issues for using this assessment at lower levels of English proficiency. This study also found that ELLs with a Latinate first language consistently had statistically significant lower performance. Late-entry ELL status did not predict Biology MCAS performance.

  2. Predictive Validity of Curriculum-Based Measures for English Learners at Varying English Proficiency Levels

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Jennifer Sun; Vanderwood, Michael L.; Lee, Catherine Y.

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the predictive validity of curriculum-based measures in reading for Spanish-speaking English learners (ELs) at various levels of English proficiency. Third-grade Spanish-speaking EL students were screened during the fall using DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency (DORF) and Daze. Predictive validity was examined in relation to spring…

  3. Competency Testing for Limited-English-Proficient Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gold, Norman C.

    The competency testing movement will yield few improvements in the schools and will create arbitrary barriers to progress for some students. Although it may stimulate educational improvement for limited-English-proficient (LEP) students, as for other students, by giving cohesion to the curriculum, guiding scarce resources for remediation,…

  4. Developing Academic and Content Area Literacy: The Thai EFL Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Charubusp, Sasima; Chinwonno, Apasara

    2014-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of Academic Literacy-Based Intervention (ALI) on 30 undergraduate Thai university students' English reading proficiency. Based on the English reading proficiency test, these students were sub-classified into 2 groups, 15 in the high English reading proficiency group and 15 in the low English reading proficiency…

  5. The Effects of English Language Proficiency on Adjustment to University Life

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andrade, Maureen Snow

    2009-01-01

    Higher education institutions in the United States recognize the economic and educational benefits of international students. Although non-native English speakers (NNES) submit evidence of English language proficiency for admission purposes, many struggle with the demands of English. This study draws on qualitative and quantitative data to provide…

  6. Examining the Relationship between Math Scores and English Language Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henry, Denfield L.

    2013-01-01

    English language learners (ELLs) at a south Florida elementary school have consistently struggled with the mathematics segment of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Examining the relationship between ELLs' mathematics scores and English proficiency might provide local educators with ideas for reversing a downward trend in ELLs' mathematics…

  7. English Proficiency and Attitude Formation in a Merged Corporation with a Swedish-English Profile

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mobarg, Mats

    2012-01-01

    This study investigates the relationship between proficiency in English and language-related attitudes among Swedish professionals at the English-speaking AstraZeneca R&D site in Molndal, Sweden. AstraZeneca is the result of a merger between a Swedish and a British pharmaceutical company, and the aim of the study is to see to what extent their…

  8. 25 CFR 39.134 - How does a school identify a Limited English Proficient student?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... INDIAN SCHOOL EQUALIZATION PROGRAM Indian School Equalization Formula Language Development Programs § 39.134 How does a school identify a Limited English Proficient student? A student is identified as... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How does a school identify a Limited English Proficient...

  9. Teaching Enrichment Strategies to Limited English Proficient Students in Elementary Grades.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fernandez, Geraldine

    A study investigated the effectiveness of enrichment activities in developing the language proficiency, comprehension, and critical thinking skills of limited-English-proficient (LEP) children. Subjects were 19 LEP students (out of an original group of 21) in kindergarten through grade 5, who participated in enrichment activities including…

  10. The effect of English language proficiency on length of stay and in-hospital mortality.

    PubMed

    John-Baptiste, Ava; Naglie, Gary; Tomlinson, George; Alibhai, Shabbir M H; Etchells, Edward; Cheung, Angela; Kapral, Moira; Gold, Wayne L; Abrams, Howard; Bacchus, Maria; Krahn, Murray

    2004-03-01

    In ambulatory care settings, patients with limited English proficiency receive lower quality of care. Limited information is available describing outcomes for inpatients. To investigate the effect of English proficiency on length of stay (LOS) and in-hospital mortality. Retrospective analysis of administrative data at 3 tertiary care teaching hospitals (University Health Network) in Toronto, Canada. Consecutive inpatient admissions from April 1993 to December 1999 were analyzed for LOS differences first by looking at 23 medical and surgical conditions (59,547 records) and then by a meta-analysis of 220 case mix groups (189,119 records). We performed a similar analysis for in-hospital mortality. LOS and odds of in-hospital death for limited English-proficient (LEP) patients relative to English-proficient (EP) patients. LEP patients stayed in hospital longer for 7 of 23 conditions (unstable coronary syndromes and chest pain, coronary artery bypass grafting, stroke, craniotomy procedures, diabetes mellitus, major intestinal and rectal procedures, and elective hip replacement), with LOS differences ranging from approximately 0.7 to 4.3 days. A meta-analysis using all admission data demonstrated that LEP patients stayed 6% (approximately 0.5 days) longer overall than EP patients (95% confidence interval, 0.04 to 0.07). LEP patients were not at increased risk of in-hospital death (relative odds, 1.0; 95% confidence interval, 0.9 to 1.1). Patients with limited English proficiency have longer hospital stays for some medical and surgical conditions. Limited English proficiency does not affect in-hospital mortality. The effect of communication barriers on outcomes of care in the inpatient setting requires further exploration, particularly for selected conditions in which length of stay is significantly prolonged.

  11. Educator User Guide for Adminstrators and Educational Personnel. A Supplement to the Texas Successful Schools Study: Quality Education for Limited English Proficient Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Texas Education Agency, Austin.

    The Texas Successful Schools Study profiled the contributions of programs, policies, and school personnel to the academic success of limited English proficient (LEP) students in seven successful elementary schools. This guide shares study information with school administrators to assist them in designing, implementing, and enhancing programs for…

  12. Accommodations for English Language Learners with Disabilities in Federally-Mandated Statewide English Language Proficiency Assessments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuti, Laura M.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this research study was to conduct exploratory research to examine federally-mandated annual English language proficiency (ELP) assessment of English language learners (ELLs) and their use of accommodations on the assessment. First the researcher provides a review of the literature regarding accommodations provided for ELLs,…

  13. Teaching Mathematical Problem Solving to Students with Limited English Proficiency.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaplan, Rochelle G.; Patino, Rodrigo A.

    Many mainstreamed students with limited English proficiency continue to face the difficulty of learning English as a second language (ESL) while studying mathematics and other content areas framed in the language of native speakers. The difficulty these students often encounter in mathematics classes and their poor performance on subsequent…

  14. An academic writing needs assessment of English-as-a-second-language clinical investigators.

    PubMed

    Wang, Min-Fen; Bakken, Lori L

    2004-01-01

    Academic writing for publication is competitive and demanding for researchers. For the novice English-as-a-second-language (ESL) researcher, the pressure to publish compounds the difficulties of mastering the English language. Very few studies have used ESL graduate and post-graduate students as academic writing research subjects. The purpose of this project was to assess the learning needs of ESL clinical investigators regarding academic writing for English scholarly publication. A qualitative evaluation approach was used to examine the gap between the current and desired proficiency level for the academic writing of ESL clinical investigators. We considered the perspectives of seven ESL clinical investigators plus three mentors and three writing instructors. Semi-structured questions were asked. Field notes were organized using a field-work recording system. They were analyzed using the constant comparative method. ESL clinical investigators do not accurately perceive their writing deficiencies. They have little knowledge of criteria for academic writing and they are influenced by their prior English learning experiences in their home culture, which engender passive attitudes toward seeking appropriate writing resources. Adequate time is especially needed to develop successful writing skills. Four basic steps are recommended to guide program planners in developing ESL writing activities for professional learning: (1) recognize discrepancies, (2) establish clear standards and performance criteria for scholarly writing, (3) develop individual plans, and (4) organize long-term writing assistance.

  15. Dear Colleague Letter: English Learner Students and Limited English Proficient Parents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Justice, 2015

    2015-01-01

    Forty years ago, the Supreme Court of the United States determined that in order for public schools to comply with their legal obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), they must take affirmative steps to ensure that students with limited English proficiency (LEP) can meaningfully participate in their educational…

  16. Improving English Listening Proficiency: The Application of ARCS Learning-Motivational Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Jianfeng

    2015-01-01

    Language learning motivation is one of vital factors which strongly correlates to the success in second language acquisition. Listening proficiency, as one of the basic language abilities, is paid much attention in English instruction, but presently the college English listening teaching is a weak link in English language teaching in China, which…

  17. Development and validation of the Spanish-English Language Proficiency Scale (SELPS).

    PubMed

    Smyk, Ekaterina; Restrepo, M Adelaida; Gorin, Joanna S; Gray, Shelley

    2013-07-01

    This study examined the development and validation of a criterion-referenced Spanish-English Language Proficiency Scale (SELPS) that was designed to assess the oral language skills of sequential bilingual children ages 4-8. This article reports results for the English proficiency portion of the scale. The SELPS assesses syntactic complexity, grammatical accuracy, verbal fluency, and lexical diversity based on 2 story retell tasks. In Study 1, 40 children were given 2 story retell tasks to evaluate the reliability of parallel forms. In Study 2, 76 children participated in the validation of the scale against language sample measures and teacher ratings of language proficiency. Study 1 indicated no significant differences between the SELPS scores on the 2 stories. Study 2 indicated that the SELPS scores correlated significantly with their counterpart language sample measures. Correlations between the SELPS and teacher ratings were moderate. The 2 story retells elicited comparable SELPS scores, providing a valuable tool for test-retest conditions in the assessment of language proficiency. Correlations between the SELPS scores and external variables indicated that these measures assessed the same language skills. Results provided empirical evidence regarding the validity of inferences about language proficiency based on the SELPS score.

  18. Proficiency in English sentence stress production by Cantonese speakers who speak English as a second language (ESL).

    PubMed

    Ng, Manwa L; Chen, Yang

    2011-12-01

    The present study examined English sentence stress produced by native Cantonese speakers who were speaking English as a second language (ESL). Cantonese ESL speakers' proficiency in English stress production as perceived by English-speaking listeners was also studied. Acoustical parameters associated with sentence stress including fundamental frequency (F0), vowel duration, and intensity were measured from the English sentences produced by 40 Cantonese ESL speakers. Data were compared with those obtained from 40 native speakers of American English. The speech samples were also judged by eight native listeners who were native speakers of American English for placement, degree, and naturalness of stress. Results showed that Cantonese ESL speakers were able to use F0, vowel duration, and intensity to differentiate sentence stress patterns. Yet, both female and male Cantonese ESL speakers exhibited consistently higher F0 in stressed words than English speakers. Overall, Cantonese ESL speakers were found to be proficient in using duration and intensity to signal sentence stress, in a way comparable with English speakers. In addition, F0 and intensity were found to correlate closely with perceptual judgement and the degree of stress with the naturalness of stress.

  19. Integrating Science and English Proficiency for English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Okhee; Buxton, Cory A.

    2013-01-01

    Despite the expectation that all students should achieve high academic standards, content area instruction and English for speakers of other languages instruction for English language learners (ELLs) have traditionally been conceptualized as separate domains, resulting in educational inequities for ELLs. This is because effective instruction to…

  20. Basic Education for Limited English Proficient Students: The "BELEPS" Program, 1982-1985. Final Evaluation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McConnell, Beverly B.

    Begun in 1980 with 358 students, the Yakima (Washington) Public Schools' Basic Education for Limited English Proficient Students (BELEPS) Program served 1,250 grade K-12 students (94% Hispanic) in 1985. Its four programs were based on the degree of the students' English proficiency, and taught (1) reading only in Spanish, (2) reading in Spanish…

  1. Teachers' Views on the Implementation of the English Language Proficiency Programme in Namibia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ngololo, Elizabeth N.; Nekongo-Nielsen, Haaveshe

    2017-01-01

    The study explores teachers' views on the impact of the English Language Proficiency Programme in Namibian schools that was implemented over a period of five years, from 2011 to 2015. The program aimed at improving teachers' proficiency in English. The summative evaluation was conducted in 2016 in the following five (5) regions: Erongo, Hardap,…

  2. English use among older bilingual immigrants in linguistically concentrated neighborhoods: Social proficiency and internal speech as intracultural variation

    PubMed Central

    Schrauf, Robert W.

    2013-01-01

    This research focuses on patterns of English proficiency and use-of-English among older immigrants living in linguistically concentrated, ethnic neighborhoods. A sample (n=60) of older Puerto Ricans, who moved from the island to the mainland in their twenties, were divided into English proficiency groups (fluent, high intermediate, low intermediate) via the Adult Language Assessment Scales. Participants then provided self-ratings of their English proficiency (understanding, speaking, reading, and writing), their use of English in social domains (language spoken with own-family, in-laws, spouse, children, neighbors, and workmates), and their use of English in private psychological domains (language of talking to oneself, counting, writing notes to oneself, thinking, dreaming, praying, and expressing feelings). Finally, all participants completed the Puerto Rican Bicultural Scale. Results show a cohort of immigrant elders whose first language is protected by their ethnic neighborhoods but whose domestic and private lives are increasingly permeated by English. In particular, children emerge as powerful forces of language socialization in English for their parents. Further, there are important individual differences by level of proficiency, with a lowest proficiency group that is less acculturated, lower in socioeconomic status, and even more linguistically isolated than groups with higher proficiency. In essence, level of second language proficiency is a potent source of intracultural variation. Methodologically, the paper makes the important point that self-rated patterns of language use are consistent with scores on formal measures of proficiency. The paper also provides empirical verification of the logic of dividing language use into external, social speech and internal, psychological speech. PMID:19184621

  3. Does Language Proficiency Modulate Oculomotor Control? Evidence from Hindi-English Bilinguals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singh, Niharika; Mishra, Ramesh Kumar

    2012-01-01

    Though many previous studies have reported enhanced cognitive control in bilinguals, few have investigated if such control is modulated by language proficiency. Here, we examined the inhibitory control of high and low proficient Hindi-English bilinguals on an oculomotor Stroop task. Subjects were asked to make a saccade as fast as possible towards…

  4. Identity processing styles and language proficiency among Persian learners of English as a foreign language.

    PubMed

    Razmjoo, Seyyed Ayatollah; Neissi, Sina

    2010-12-01

    The relationship between identity processing styles and language proficiency in English as foreign language (EFL) was investigated among the Persian EFL learners. 266 Persian candidates taking part in a Ph.D. examination at Shiraz University took part. The Language Proficiency Test was used to measure language proficiency in English. The Identity Styles Inventory was used to measure normative, informational, and diffuse-avoidant identity processing styles. Relationships between normative and informational styles and language proficiency and its subscales (grammar, vocabulary, and reading) were positive and significant. Negative relationships between diffuse-avoidant style and language proficiency and its subscales (grammar, vocabulary, and reading) were observed. There were significant sex differences for diffuse-avoidant style and for vocabulary.

  5. Recurrent Word Combinations in EAP Test-Taker Writing: Differences between High- and Low-Proficiency Levels

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Appel, Randy; Wood, David

    2016-01-01

    The correct use of frequently occurring word combinations represents an important part of language proficiency in spoken and written discourse. This study investigates the use of English-language recurrent word combinations in low-level and high-level L2 English academic essays sourced from the Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) assessment.…

  6. Key Factors in Obstetric Delivery Decision-Making among Asian and Pacific Islander Women by English Proficiency.

    PubMed

    Davis, Chevelle Ma; Guo, Mary; Miyamura, Jill; Chang, Ann; Nelson-Hurwitz, Denise C; Sentell, Tetine

    2017-10-01

    Childbirth is the most common reason women are hospitalized in the United States. Understanding (1) how expectant mothers gather information to decide where to give birth, and (2) who helps make that decision, provides critical health communication and decision-making insights. Diverse Asian American and Pacific Islander (AA/PI) perspectives on such topics are understudied, particularly among those with limited English proficiency (LEP). LEP is defined as having a limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English. To address this research gap, we interviewed 400 women (18+ years) with a recent live birth on O'ahu, Hawai'i. Participants completed a 1-hour, in-person interview in English (n=291), Tagalog (n=42), Chinese (n=36), or Marshallese (n=31). Women were asked (1) what information was most important in deciding where to deliver and why; and (2) who participated in the decision-making and why. Responses were compared by LEP (n=71; 18%) vs English-proficient (n=329; 82%) in qualitative and quantitative analyses. Both LEP and English-proficient participants reported their obstetrician as the most important source of health information. Significantly more LEP participants valued advice from family or acquaintances as important sources of information compared to English-proficient participants. The top three health decision-makers for both those with LEP and English-proficient participants were themselves, their obstetrician, and their spouse, which did not differ significantly by language proficiency. These findings provide insights into health information sources and decision-making across diverse AA/PI populations, including those with LEP, and can help direct health interventions such as disseminating patient education and healthcare quality information.

  7. The 15-item version of the Boston Naming Test as an index of English proficiency.

    PubMed

    Erdodi, Laszlo A; Jongsma, Katherine A; Issa, Meriam

    2017-01-01

    The present study was designed to examine the potential of the Boston Naming Test - Short Form (BNT-15) to provide an objective estimate of English proficiency. A secondary goal was to examine the effect of limited English proficiency (LEP) on neuropsychological test performance. A brief battery of neuropsychological tests was administered to 79 bilingual participants (40.5% male, M Age  = 26.9, M Education  = 14.2). The majority (n = 56) were English dominant (EN), and the rest were Arabic dominant (AR). The BNT-15 was further reduced to 10 items that best discriminated between EN and AR (BNT-10). Participants were divided into low, intermediate, and high English proficiency subsamples based on BNT-10 scores (≤6, 7-8, and ≥9). Performance across groups was compared on neuropsychological tests with high and low verbal mediation. The BNT-15 and BNT-10 respectively correctly identified 89 and 90% of EN and AR participants. Level of English proficiency had a large effect (partial η 2  = .12-.34; Cohen's d = .67-1.59) on tests with high verbal mediation (animal fluency, sentence comprehension, word reading), but no effect on tests with low verbal mediation (auditory consonant trigrams, clock drawing, digit-symbol substitution). The BNT-15 and BNT-10 can function as indices of English proficiency and predict the deleterious effect of LEP on neuropsychological tests with high verbal mediation. Interpreting low scores on such measures as evidence of impairment in examinees with LEP would likely overestimate deficits.

  8. Time to Proficiency for Hispanic English Learner Students in Texas. REL 2018-280

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Slama, Rachel; Molefe, Ayrin; Gerdeman, Dean; Herrera, Angelica; Brodziak de los Reyes, Iliana; August, Diane; Cavazos, Linda

    2017-01-01

    English learner students are challenged by the difficult task of learning English concurrently with learning content in areas such as reading and math. English learner students who have not attained proficiency in English or learned core course content by the middle and upper grades may not have the requisite skills to enroll in courses required…

  9. English Proficiency and Competency Background of Social Science and Humanities Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pelayo, Jose Maria G., III; Kutschera, P. C.; Capili, Claire Ann P.

    2014-01-01

    The study focuses on the background of Social Science and Humanities students (specifically in the course General Psychology) on their English education and competence. This research aims to identify the common factors of these students in terms of their English Proficiency. The students will answer survey questions that will give us information…

  10. Linguistically Directed Attention to the Temporal Aspect of Action Events in Monolingual English Speakers and Chinese-English Bilingual Speakers with Varying English Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Jenn-Yeu; Su, Jui-Ju; Lee, Chao-Yang; O'Seaghdha, Padraig G.

    2012-01-01

    Chinese and English speakers seem to hold different conceptions of time which may be related to the different codings of time in the two languages. Employing a sentence-picture matching task, we have investigated this linguistic relativity in Chinese-English bilinguals varying in English proficiency and found that those with high proficiency…

  11. An Exploration of Academic Reading Proficiency at the University Level: A Cross-Sectional Study of 848 Undergraduates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gorzycki, Meg; Howard, Pamela; Allen, Diane; Desa, Geoffrey; Rosegard, Erik

    2016-01-01

    Academic reading proficiently is characterized by the ability to perform cognitive tasks associated with interpreting text. Researchers developed an externally validated Informal Academic Reading Proficiency Test to gauge undergraduates' academic reading proficiency. A cross-sectional study of 23 classes completed the reading test in 2014. This…

  12. Preparing Limited English Proficient Persons for the Workplace. ERIC Digest No. 215.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wonacott, Michael E.

    This digest describes cultural considerations and effective approaches for limited English proficient (LEP) individuals' workforce development, including the impact of recent training legislation. LEP persons often come from both a different language background and a very different cultural background; so English-language instruction must provide…

  13. A Study of Interactions among Ambiguity Tolerance, Classroom Work Styles, and English Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chiang, Hui-Hua

    2016-01-01

    This article presents a preliminary investigation of the inter-relationships between English learners' tolerance for ambiguity, their classroom work styles, and their level of English proficiency. The study population comprised 46 English as a foreign language (EFL) students attending a technical college in Taiwan. The findings indicated that a…

  14. The Relationship between Receptive and Expressive Subskills of Academic L2 Proficiency in Nonnative Speakers of English: A Multigroup Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pae, Hye K.; Greenberg, Daphne

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between receptive and expressive language skills characterized by the performance of nonnative speakers (NNSs) of English in the academic context. Test scores of 585 adult NNSs were selected from Form 2 of the Pearson Test of English Academic's field-test database. A correlated…

  15. Vietnamese Immigrant and Refugee Women's Mental Health: An Examination of Age of Arrival, Length of Stay, Income, and English Language Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Chris; Schale, Codi L.; Nilsson, Johanna E.

    2010-01-01

    Vietnamese immigrant and refugee women (N = 83) were surveyed regarding their mental health, English language proficiency, age of arrival, length of stay, and income. English language proficiency and age of arrival correlated with reduced symptomatology. Moreover, English language proficiency was the sole predictor of somatic distress. (Contains 1…

  16. Child, family, and school characteristics related to English proficiency development among low-income, dual language learners.

    PubMed

    Kim, Yoon Kyong; Curby, Timothy W; Winsler, Adam

    2014-12-01

    Little is known about 2nd language development among young, low-income, language-minority children. This article examined the longitudinal English development of low-income, dual language learners (DLLs) in Miami (n = 18,532) from kindergarten through 5th grade. Growth curve modeling indicated that social skills, good behavior, Spanish (L1) competence in preschool, having a mother born in the United States, and attending larger schools with fewer DLLs were associated with higher initial levels of English proficiency in kindergarten and/or steeper growth over time. Survival analyses indicated that it took about 2 years for half of the sample to become proficient in English according to the school district's criterion. Higher initial proficiency in kindergarten, not receiving free/reduced lunch, not being Hispanic or Black, strong cognitive, language, and socioemotional skills at age 4, and maternal education were associated with faster attainment of English proficiency. It is important for teachers, parents, researchers, and policy makers to understand that DLL students come from diverse backgrounds and that poverty and other factors influence the speed of English language development for DLLs. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

  17. Meaning Negotiated Through Independently-Written Summaries and Oral Academic Conversations: Enhancing Comprehension of Science Text by Ninth-Grade, English Learners

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burke, Edward Charles

    English Learners experience challenges related to comprehension of science text particularly at the high school level. The language of science differs significantly from that of conversation and expository text. Students benefit from collaborative interpretation of readings. Additionally, there appears to be a need to train adolescents in the oral language skills requisite for academic discourse. This study employed a sample of high school physical science students (N = 75) whose first language was Spanish and who were currently developing English language proficiency. It used quasi-experimental methodology with treatment and comparison groups, during the normal operations of the public school classroom. It tested the effect of training with a textbook summarization method and with an academic conversation strategy on the comprehension of state-adopted science textbook readings. Posttest scores of both groups were analyzed using an ANOVA. Posttest scores of treatment group members were analyzed in relation to prior science knowledge, reading level, gender, and level of English proficiency using a factorial ANOVA. Findings suggest that the treatment had a positive impact on the achievement of students who had a low level of English language proficiency. In light of the at-risk nature of this population, given low socioeconomic status and that a high percentage of families are migrant workers, this in encouraging. The basic premise of the treatment appears promising. Evidence collected pertaining to its effect relative to students' general ESOL level, science background knowledge, literacy skills, and gender neither confirmed nor denied the viability of the strategy. The further significance of this study is that it adds to the body of research on strategies to support English Learners.

  18. Advisory Working Alliance, Perceived English Proficiency, and Acculturative Stress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wei, Meifen; Tsai, Pei-Chun; Chao, Ruth Chu-Lien; Du, Yi; Lin, Shu-Ping

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the moderators of (a) general or cross-cultural advisory working alliances and (b) perceived English proficiency on the association between acculturative stress and psychological distress. A total of 143 East Asian international students completed an online survey. Results from a hierarchical regression…

  19. Linguistic Proficiency and Strategies on Reading Performance in English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Talebi, Seyed Hassan

    2015-01-01

    General English (L2) proficiency and reading strategies are believed to be highly effective in successful reading performance. However, available studies rarely investigated the combined effects of these two variables on successful reading. To fill this gap, 78 university students were divided into four groups of different degrees of these two…

  20. Reading Proficiency and Comparability of Mathematics and Science Scores for Students from English and Non-English Backgrounds: An International Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ercikan, Kadriye; Chen, Michelle Y.; Lyons-Thomas, Juliette; Goodrich, Shawna; Sandilands, Debra; Roth, Wolff-Michael; Simon, Marielle

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to examine the comparability of mathematics and science scores for students from English language backgrounds (ELB) and non-English language backgrounds (NELB). We examine the relationship between English reading proficiency and performance on mathematics and science assessments in Australia, Canada, the United…

  1. Defining English Language Proficiency for Malaysian Tertiary Education: Past, Present and Future Efforts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heng, Chan Swee

    2012-01-01

    Any attempt to define English language proficiency can never be divorced from the theories that describe the nature of language, language acquisition and human cognition. By virtue of such theories being socially constructed, the descriptions are necessarily value-laden. Thus, a definition of language proficiency can only, at best, be described as…

  2. Evaluation of Bilingual Secondary Education in the Netherlands: Students' Language Proficiency in English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Admiraal, Wilfried; Westhoff, Gerard; de Bot, Kees

    2006-01-01

    In this longitudinal study, we examined the effects of the use of English as the language of instruction in the first 4 years of secondary education in The Netherlands on the students' language proficiency in English and Dutch, and achievement in subject matters taught through English. Compared to a control group in regular secondary education,…

  3. Identifying Gaps in Academic Writing of ESL Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Giridharan, Beena

    2012-01-01

    There is growing evidence that the lack of competence of university ESL (English as a second language) students in academic writing affects their overall academic performance. Olivas and Li (2006) connected low second-language proficiency levels in English to poor academic performance of international students studying at both university and…

  4. English language proficiency and the accommodations for language non-concordance amongst patients utilizing chiropractic college teaching clinics.

    PubMed

    Saporito, Richard P

    2013-02-01

    The number of households in the United States that are not proficient in the English language is growing and presenting a challenge to the health care system. Over nineteen percent of the US population speak a language other than English in the home. This increase in language discordance generates a greater need to find and implement accommodations in the clinical setting to insure accurate and efficient diagnosis and treatment as well as provide for patient safety. The purpose of this study is to determine the percentage of patients accessing the chiropractic college teaching clinics who are not proficient in the English language and to what extent the colleges provide accommodations for that language disparity. The clinic directors and deans of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges were surveyed via an on-line survey engine. The survey queried the percentage of the patient population that is not English language proficient, the accommodations the college currently has in place, if the college has a language specific consent to treat document and if the college has a written policy concerning patients without English proficiency. Fifty percent of the contacted chiropractic colleges responded to the survey. In the respondent college clinics 16.5% of the patient population is not proficient in English, with over 75% speaking Spanish. All but one of the respondents provide some level of accommodation for the language non-concordance. Forty five percent of the responding colleges employ a language specific consent to treat form. The implementation of accommodations and the use of a language specific consent to treat form is more prevalent at colleges with a higher percentage of non-English speaking patients. The percentage of patients with limited English proficiency accessing services at the teaching clinics of the chiropractic colleges mirrors the numbers in the general population. There is a wide disparity in the accommodations that the individual colleges make

  5. State Child Care Policies for Limited English Proficient Families

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Firgens, Emily; Matthews, Hannah

    2012-01-01

    The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), the largest source of federal funding for child care assistance available to states, provides low-income families with help paying for child care. Studies have shown that low-income LEP (limited English proficient), as well as immigrant families, are less likely to receive child care assistance.…

  6. Making English Learner Reclassification to Fluent English Proficient Attainable or Elusive: When Meeting Criteria Is and Is "Not" Enough

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Estrada, Peggy; Wang, Haiwen

    2018-01-01

    Employing longitudinal, multisite comparative mixed-methods, we describe patterns of reclassifying and not reclassifying eligible English learner (EL) students to fluent English proficient, and we identify factors impeding and facilitating reclassification. Analyses of administrative data for 7 cohorts of students over 3 years in one district and…

  7. Attitudes and Attained English Language Proficiency of University Students in Thailand: A Sociolinguistic Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boykin, Arsene; Trungamphai, Arunthadee

    English proficiency of Thai university students studying English as a Foreign Language (EFL) was studied in relation to attitudinal scores on social, economic, travel, or prestige scales. Secondarily, the subjects' attitudes toward their native group and toward the target language group, and their motives for learning English were studied in…

  8. Reading Strategies Employed by University Business English Majors with Different Levels of Reading Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Jun; Intaraprasert, Channarong

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of reading strategies by the university Business English majors in relation to their levels of reading proficiency. The participants were 926 university Business English majors from 6 universities in southwest China. The Strategy Questionnaire for Business English Reading (SQBER) and the…

  9. Communication Strategies Used by Pre-Service English Teachers of Different Proficiency Levels

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Castro Garcés, Angela Yicely; López Olivera, Silvio Fabián

    2014-01-01

    This paper reports on the findings of a research study carried out in the Bachelor of Arts in English program of study at a Colombian university. It aims at identifying the communication strategies used by four pre-service English teachers with A2 and B2 levels of language proficiency and, also, at examining how these communication strategies…

  10. Limited English Proficient Students: Progress of 2008-09 High School Cohort. Data Trends. D&A Report No. 13.14

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baenen, Nancy

    2013-01-01

    Students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) entering U.S. schools in grade 9 face a tight timeline to simultaneously learn English and graduate from high school in four or five years. This study focuses on student outcomes and progress indicators for the cohort of ninth graders new to WCPSS in 2008-09 who had limited English proficiency. Based…

  11. Effects of M[superscript 3] Curriculum on Mathematics and English Proficiency Achievement of Mathematically Promising English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cho, Seokhee; Yang, Jenny; Mandracchia, Marcella

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Mentoring Mathematical Minds (M3) units on gains in mathematics achievement and English proficiency of mathematically promising English language learners (MPELLs) in the third grade. The M3 program, developed by Gavin et al., was implemented for 1 year with treatment MPELLs (n = 86) but not…

  12. Emergency communications within the limited English proficient Chinese community.

    PubMed

    Yip, Mei-Po; Calhoun, Rebecca E; Painter, Ian S; Meischke, Hendrika W; Tu, Shin-Ping

    2014-08-01

    Limited English speaking communities face communication challenges during emergencies. Our objective was to investigate Chinese limited English proficiency individuals' perceptions of and inclination to interact with emergency communication systems. A telephone survey was conducted in Mandarin or Cantonese with 250 ethnic Chinese individuals who spoke little or no English. Respondents who spoke no English were less likely to name 9-1-1 as their first source of help for a medical emergency than those who spoke some English (p < 0.01). Those reporting higher levels of confidence in handling the situation were more likely to name 9-1-1 as their first source of help, as were those who listed 9-1-1 as their most trusted source of help (p < 0.01). For this group, the results indicate that calling 9-1-1 may require a sense of self-efficacy. Not calling 9-1-1 in a medical emergency can have serious health consequences, thus interventions are needed to increase confidence in accessing 9-1-1.

  13. Reclassification of English Learner Students in California

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hill, Laura E.; Weston, Margaret; Hayes, Joseph M.

    2014-01-01

    Former English Learner students who have improved their facility with English to such a degree that they have been reclassified by their school districts as fluent in the English language are among the best performing students in the state. Because these Reclassified Fluent English Proficient (RFEP) students have much better academic outcomes than…

  14. Examining the Reliability and Validity of ADEPT and CELDT: Comparing Two Assessments of Oral Language Proficiency for English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chavez, Gina

    2013-01-01

    Few classroom measures of English language proficiency have been evaluated for reliability and validity. This research examined the concurrent and predictive validity of an oral language test, titled A Developmental English Language Proficiency Test (ADEPT), and the relationship to the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) in the…

  15. Assessing English Language Learners' Opportunity to Learn Mathematics: Issues and Limitations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abedi, Jamal; Herman, Joan

    2010-01-01

    Background/Context: English language learner (ELL) students are lagging behind because of the extra challenges they face relative to their peers in acquiring academic English language proficiency, and the added burden of learning content in a language in which they are not proficient. The mandated inclusion of ELL students in the nation's…

  16. Time to Reclassification: How Long Does It Take English Language Learners in Seven Washington Districts to Develop English Proficiency?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Motamedi, Jason Greenberg

    2016-01-01

    This study provides a basis for understanding how long it typically takes English language learners (ELLs) in seven Washington school districts to achieve reclassification as former ELLs. Researchers looked at ELLs' grade level and English proficiency at school entry, as well as their gender, home language, race/ethnicity, special education…

  17. Handbook on Planning for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Student Success.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colorado State Dept. of Education, Denver.

    The handbook is designed to help Colorado school systems address the linguistic and educational needs of limited-English-proficient (LEP) students and to provide administrators, school boards members, and educators with resources for understanding state and federal requirements. It is intended to help design and establish local policies and…

  18. The relationship between English language learning strategies and proficiency of pre-university students: A study case of UMS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kiram, Johannah Jamalul; Sulaiman, Jumat; Swanto, Suyansah; Din, Wardatul Akmam

    2014-07-01

    This paper seeks to investigate the relationship between language learning strategies and proficiency in English. Fifty-six pre-university students (22 males, 34 females) of University Malaysia Sabah participated in this study. Oxford's Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) self-report questionnaire was adopted to identify the students' language learning strategies, whereas their proficiencies were judged based on their Malaysian University English Test (MUET) Results. Pearson's correlation coefficient, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and the t-test were utilized to make statistical interpretation about the relationship. The knowledge obtained from this study will be helpful for future studies on how to improve the quality of learning and proficiency in English.

  19. The Academic Achievement of Limited English Proficient (LEP) Youth in New and Established Immigrant States: Lessons from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

    PubMed Central

    Spees, Lisa P.; Potochnick, Stephanie; Perreira, Krista M.

    2018-01-01

    The dramatic growth and dispersal of immigrant families has changed the face of public education at a time when states are experiencing increased school accountability pressures under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and its recent successor the Every Student Succeeds Act. Of particular concern is how these demographic shifts affect the academic well-being of Limited English Proficient (LEP) youth, the protected sub-group that most directly targets children from immigrant families. Using individual-level data from the National Association of Educational Progress, we examine how 8th grade test scores of LEP youth differ across new and established immigrant destination states. Results show that achievement for LEP youth is higher in new than in established immigrant states but that this advantage is not consistent across ethnic/racial groups. LEP youth in new immigrant states benefit from more favorable demographic characteristics and more family and school resources, but these differences only explain a small portion of the achievement gap. PMID:29527112

  20. Two-Way Immersion Students' Home Languages, Proficiency Levels, and Responses to Form-Focused Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tedick, Diane J.; Young, Amy I.

    2018-01-01

    Two-way immersion (TWI) programs in the U.S. integrate learners with different home languages and varied proficiencies in Spanish and English. Although both English home language (EHL) and Spanish home language (SHL) TWI students succeed academically in English, they often experience incomplete acquisition (Montrul 2011. "Morphological Errors…

  1. Conceptualizing Accessibility for English Language Proficiency Assessments. Research Report. ETS RR-16-07

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guzman-Orth, Danielle; Laitusis, Cara; Thurlow, Martha; Christensen, Laurene

    2016-01-01

    This paper is the second in a series from Educational Testing Service (ETS) that conceptualizes next-generation English language proficiency (ELP) assessment systems for K-12 English learners (ELs) in the United States.The first paper articulated a high-level conceptualization of next-generation ELP assessment systems (Hauck, Wolf, & Mislevy,…

  2. The Correlation between Learner Autonomy and English Proficiency of Indonesian EFL College Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Myartawan, I. Putu Ngurah Wage; Latief, Mohammad Adnan; Suharmanto

    2013-01-01

    The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between learner autonomy psychologically defined in the study as a composite of behavioral intentions to do autonomous learning and self-efficacy in relation to autonomous learning, and English proficiency. The sample comprised 120 first semester English-majored students of a state university…

  3. Strategic English Writing for Academic Purposes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Grace Hui Chin

    2017-01-01

    Writing is one of the four abilities in English Learning. Many students need to write their theses and dissertations in English in order to achieve their academic degrees. English writing is in fact an access of international and intercultural communication with native-speakers and non-native speakers, in academic fields. After reading abundant…

  4. Validating a Standards-Based Classroom Assessment of English Proficiency: A Multitrait-Multimethod Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Llosa, Lorena

    2007-01-01

    The use of standards-based classroom assessments to test English learners' language proficiency is increasingly prevalent in the United States and many other countries. In a large urban school district in California, for example, a classroom assessment is used to make high-stakes decisions about English learners' progress from one level to the…

  5. Cpmputer Writing Skills for Limited English Proficient Students Project (COMPUGRAFIA.LEP), 1987-88. Evaluation Section Report. OREA Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berney, Tomi D.; Keyes, Jose

    The Computer Writing Skills for Limited English Proficient Students Project (COMPUGRAFIA.LEP) was partially implemented in 1987-88, during the first year of a 3-year cycle. It is a staff development program serving 35 bilingual special education classes with 414 limited-English-proficient Hispanic students in 10 elementary schools in the Bronx.…

  6. English Language Proficiency and Employability Framework for Australian Higher Education Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arkoudis, Sophie; Baik, Chi; Bexley, Emmaline; Doughney, Lachlan

    2014-01-01

    This report presents the "English Language Proficiency" (ELP) and Employability Framework", which has been designed to inform and support higher education institutions' (HEIs) policies and practices on ELP and graduate employability. The "Framework" was developed through a review of the national and international…

  7. Healthcare Access and Utilization among Korean Americans: The Mediating Role of English Use and Proficiency

    PubMed Central

    Maxwell, Annette E.; Glenn, Beth A.; Herrmann, Alison K.; Chang, L Cindy; Crespi, Catherine M.; Bastani, Roshan

    2017-01-01

    The literature suggests that Korean Americans underutilize health services. Cultural factors and language barriers appear to influence this pattern of low utilization but studies on the relationships among length of stay in the US, English use and proficiency, and utilization of health services among Korean Americans have yielded inconsistent results. This study examines whether English language use and proficiency plays a mediating role in the relationships between length of stay in the US and health insurance coverage, access to and use of care. Structural equation modeling was used for mediation analysis with multiple dependent variables among Korean Americans (N = 555) using baseline data from a large trial designed to increase Hepatitis B testing. The results show 36% of the total effect of proportion of lifetime in the US on having health insurance was significantly mediated by English use and proficiency (indirect effect = 0.166, SE = 0.07, p<.05; direct effect = 0.296, SE = 0.13, p<.05). Proportion of lifetime in the US was not associated with usual source of care and health service utilization. Instead, health care utilization was primarily driven by having health insurance and a usual source of care, further underscoring the importance of these factors. A focus on increasing English use and proficiency and insurance coverage among older, female, less educated Korean Americans has the potential to mitigate health disparities associated with reduced access to health services in this population. PMID:29057278

  8. Convenient Access to Professional Interpreters in the Hospital Decreases Readmission Rates and Estimated Hospital Expenditures for Patients With Limited English Proficiency.

    PubMed

    Karliner, Leah S; Pérez-Stable, Eliseo J; Gregorich, Steven E

    2017-03-01

    Twenty-five million people in the United States have limited English proficiency (LEP); this growing and aging population experiences worse outcomes when hospitalized. Federal requirements that hospitals provide language access services are very challenging to implement in the fast-paced, 24-hour hospital environment. To determine if increasing access to professional interpreters improves hospital outcomes for older patients with LEP. Natural experiment on a medicine floor of an academic hospital. Patients age 50 years or above discharged between January 15, 2007 and January 15, 2010. Dual-handset interpreter telephone at every bedside July 15, 2008 to Mar 14, 2009. Thirty-day readmission, length of stay, estimated hospital expenditures. Of 8077 discharges, 1963 were for LEP, and 6114 for English proficient patients. There was a significant decrease in observed 30-day readmission rates for the LEP group during the 8-month intervention period compared with 18 months preintervention (17.8% vs. 13.4%); at the same time English proficient readmission rates increased (16.7% vs. 19.7%); results remained significant in adjusted analyses. This improved readmission outcome for the LEP group was not maintained during the subsequent postintervention period when the telephones became less accessible. There was no significant intervention impact on length of stay in either unadjusted or adjusted analyses. After accounting for interpreter services costs, the estimated 119 readmissions averted during the intervention period were associated with estimated monthly hospital expenditure savings of $161,404. Comprehensive language access represents an important, high value service that all medical centers should provide to achieve equitable, quality healthcare for vulnerable LEP populations.

  9. Implementing ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements in the Versant Aviation English Test

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Moere, Alistair; Suzuki, Masanori; Downey, Ryan; Cheng, Jian

    2009-01-01

    This paper discusses the development of an assessment to satisfy the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Language Proficiency Requirements. The Versant Aviation English Test utilizes speech recognition technology and a computerized testing platform, such that test administration and scoring are fully automated. Developed in…

  10. Influence of Second Language Proficiency and Syntactic Structure Similarities on the Sensitivity and Processing of English Passive Sentence in Late Chinese-English Bilinguists: An ERP Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chang, Xin; Wang, Pei

    2016-01-01

    To investigate the influence of L2 proficiency and syntactic similarity on English passive sentence processing, the present ERP study asked 40 late Chinese-English bilinguals (27 females and 13 males, mean age = 23.88) with high or intermediate L2 proficiency to read the sentences carefully and to indicate for each sentence whether or not it was…

  11. Driver Education. Supplemental Lessons and Activities for Use with Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students Enrolled in ESL or Special Education Classes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fairfax County Schools, VA.

    A curriculum for use with limited English proficient students in English-as-a-second-language or special education classes who are enrolled in the driver education course is described. The 14 lessons require a basic proficiency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing English. The lessons cover such topics as vocabulary and idioms related…

  12. Public Education: Meeting the Needs of Students with Limited English Proficiency. Report to Congressional Requesters.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaul, Marnie S.

    This report examines: how long children with limited English proficiency need to become proficient, what approaches are used to teach them, and what requirements the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) expects school districts to meet. Researchers reviewed available studies; talked to experts; reviewed Department of Education survey data; contacted 12…

  13. Graduating as a "Native Speaker": International Students and English Language Proficiency in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benzie, Helen Joy

    2010-01-01

    The current concern about low levels of English proficiency among international students who graduate from degree courses--that students' English language skills are not being developed during their higher education experience--reflects negatively on the quality of Australian higher education and its graduates. More careful selection of students…

  14. Taking Limited English Proficient Adults into Account in the Federal Adult Education Funding Formula

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Capps, Randy; Fix, Michael; McHugh, Margie; Lin, Serena Yi-Ying

    2009-01-01

    This new report by Migration Policy Institute's (MPI's) National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy examines the funding formula used to distribute Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Title II federal funds for adult education, literacy, and English as a Second Language instruction. Though all adults with limited English proficiency (LEP) are…

  15. Preparedness for Cardiac Emergencies among Cambodians with Limited English Proficiency

    PubMed Central

    Meischke, Hendrika; Taylor, Victoria; Calhoun, Rebecca; Liu, Qi; Sos, Channdara; Tu, Shin-Ping; Yip, Mei-Po; Eisenberg, Devora

    2011-01-01

    In the United Sates, populations with limited English proficiency (LEP) report barriers to seeking emergency care and experience significant health disparities, including being less likely to survive cardiac arrest than whites. Rapid utilization of 9-1-1 to access emergency services and early bystander CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is crucial for successful resuscitation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. Little is understood about Asian LEP communities’ preparedness for emergencies. In this exploratory survey, we sought to assess intentions to call 9-1-1 in an emergency and knowledge of CPR in the Cambodian LEP community. We conducted an in-person interview with 667 Cambodian adults to assess their intentions to call 9-1-1 and their awareness of and training in bystander CPR. While the majority of participants stated that they would call 9-1-1 in an emergency, almost one-third of the sample would call a friend or family member. Awareness of CPR was very high but training in CPR was lower, especially for women. A higher level of English proficiency and greater proportion of time in the US was a strong predictor of CPR training and intention to call 9-1-1 in an emergency. This suggests that greater efforts need to be made to reach the most linguistically-isolated communities (those with little or no English) with emergency information in Khmer. PMID:21748487

  16. Reclassification of English Learner Students in California. Technical Appendices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hill, Laura E.; Weston, Margaret; Hayes, Joseph M.

    2014-01-01

    Former English Learner students who have improved their facility with English to such a degree that they have been reclassified by their school districts as fluent in the English language are among the best performing students in the state. Because these Reclassified Fluent English Proficient (RFEP) students have much better academic outcomes than…

  17. A School's Activity System of Supporting Upper-Elementary Newcomers' English Language Proficiency Growth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cowdrick, Kara E.

    2018-01-01

    Using the sociocultural theoretical framework of activity theory, this intrinsic case study sought to investigate how administrators, mainstream teachers, and English to speakers of other languages (ESOL) teachers in one school support newcomers' English language proficiency growth. Newcomers are English learners (ELs) who moved to the United…

  18. An Analysis of Errors Committed by Saudi Non-English Major Students in the English Paragraph Writing: A Study of Comparisons

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nuruzzaman, Mohammed; Islam, A. B. M. Shafiqul; Shuchi, Israt Jahan

    2018-01-01

    The present study investigates the writing errors of ninety Saudi non-English major undergraduate students of different proficiency levels from three faculties, who studied English as a foundation course at the English Language Center in the College of Languages &Translation at King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia in the academic year 2016-17.…

  19. Improving Science and Vocabulary Learning of English Language Learners. CREATE Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    August, Diane; Artzi, Lauren; Mazrum, Julie

    2010-01-01

    This brief reviews previous research related to the development of science knowledge and academic language in English language learners as well as the role of English language proficiency, learning in a second language, and first language knowledge in science learning. It also describes two successful CREATE interventions that build academic and…

  20. Next-Generation Summative English Language Proficiency Assessments for English Learners: Priorities for Policy and Research. Research Report. ETS RR-16-08

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wolf, Mikyung Kim; Guzman-Orth, Danielle; Hauck, Maurice Cogan

    2016-01-01

    This paper is the third in a series concerning English language proficiency (ELP) assessments for K-12 English learners (ELs). The series, produced from Educational Testing Service (ETS), is intended to provide theory- and evidence-based principles and recommendations for improving next-generation ELP assessment systems, policies, and practices…

  1. Testing an Online English Course: Lessons Learned from an Analysis of Postcourse Proficiency Change Scores

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jee, Rebecca Y.

    2015-01-01

    Voxy, an English-language-learning company, has developed a custom, in-house proficiency exam, the Voxy Proficiency Assessment (VPA), which is given to all learners at the beginning and end of their courses. Using Multinomial Logistic Regression (MLR), the impact of covariates, such as total learning activities completed and total number of…

  2. Woodworking Safety. A Guide for Teachers of Limited English Proficient Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Umatilla Education Service District, OR.

    This packet of materials was developed (1) to address the liability concerns of woodworking instructors by providing safety instruction materials and tests for limited English proficient (LEP) or Spanish-speaking students, and (2) to provide some ideas, strategies, and resources for working effectively with LEP students in the vocational…

  3. Building Academic Confidence in English Language Learners in Elementary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vazquez, Alejandra

    2014-01-01

    Non-English speaking students lack the confidence and preparation to be verbally actively engaged in the classroom. Students may frequently display hesitation in learning to speak English, and may also lack a teacher's guidance in becoming proficient English speakers. The purpose of this research is to examine how teachers build academic…

  4. State Funding Mechanisms for English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Millard, Maria

    2015-01-01

    Research is clear that English language learners (ELLs) perform better academically and achieve greater language proficiency when they have high-quality English language instruction.1 Like all supplemental services, these necessary supports require additional funding above the average per-student amount. The federal government provides grant…

  5. Contextualizing Instruction for English Language Learners with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Rhonda D.

    2016-01-01

    English language learners (ELLs) with learning disabilities (LD) can find navigating the content areas quite difficult due to challenges involving limitations in English language proficiency, gaps in English academic vocabulary, difficulties with working memory and long-term memory, and limited background knowledge on content area topics. However,…

  6. Workplace Literacy: Developing and Implementing an ESL Curriculum for Limited English Proficient Poultry Workers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Merlin, Shirley B.

    The report describes the development and implementation of an English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) program for limited-English-proficient employees of the poultry industry. The program, undertaken at James Madison University (Virginia), was funded initially in 1991 by the federal government and has continued with funding from two poultry companies.…

  7. Teaching and Learning Science with Understanding to Limited English Proficient Students: Excellence through Reform.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sutman, Francis X.; Guzman, Ana

    This paper, which considers effective science teaching and learning for limited English proficient (LEP) students in U.S. schools, is based on the assumption that science and English language can be effectively learned together without excessive emphasis on students' native language, although teachers and aides who have knowledge of LEP students'…

  8. National Evaluation of Title III Implementation Supplemental Report: Exploring Approaches to Setting English Language Proficiency Performance Criteria and Monitoring English Learner Progress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cook, Gary; Linquanti, Robert; Chinen, Marjorie; Jung, Hyekyung

    2012-01-01

    The "Elementary and Secondary Education Act" ("ESEA"), as amended by the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001" inaugurated important changes in assessment and accountability for English Learner (EL) students. Specifically, Title III of the law required states to develop or adopt English-language proficiency (ELP)…

  9. Developing the Assessment Literacy of University Proficiency Test Users

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Loughlin, Kieran

    2013-01-01

    The rapidly increasing use of English language proficiency test scores by universities around the world to select international students has resulted in a range of admissions, marketing, academic and teaching support staff interacting with the tests in different ways. To date, there has been little research investigating the assessment literacy…

  10. The relationship between spoken English proficiency and participation in higher education, employment and income from two Australian censuses.

    PubMed

    Blake, Helen L; Mcleod, Sharynne; Verdon, Sarah; Fuller, Gail

    2018-04-01

    Proficiency in the language of the country of residence has implications for an individual's level of education, employability, income and social integration. This paper explores the relationship between the spoken English proficiency of residents of Australia on census day and their educational level, employment and income to provide insight into multilingual speakers' ability to participate in Australia as an English-dominant society. Data presented are derived from two Australian censuses i.e. 2006 and 2011 of over 19 million people. The proportion of Australians who reported speaking a language other than English at home was 21.5% in the 2006 census and 23.2% in the 2011 census. Multilingual speakers who also spoke English very well were more likely to have post-graduate qualifications, full-time employment and high income than monolingual English-speaking Australians. However, multilingual speakers who reported speaking English not well were much less likely to have post-graduate qualifications or full-time employment than monolingual English-speaking Australians. These findings provide insight into the socioeconomic and educational profiles of multilingual speakers, which will inform the understanding of people such as speech-language pathologists who provide them with support. The results indicate spoken English proficiency may impact participation in Australian society. These findings challenge the "monolingual mindset" by demonstrating that outcomes for multilingual speakers in education, employment and income are higher than for monolingual speakers.

  11. Limited English Proficiency and Socioemotional Well-Being among Asian and Hispanic Children from Immigrant Families

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kang, Hannah S.; Haddad, Eileen; Chen, Chuansheng; Greenberger, Ellen

    2014-01-01

    Research Findings: Previous research has suggested that children from immigrant families face multiple stressors associated with acculturation. One component of acculturation that has not been widely explored in relation to children's socioemotional development is limited English proficiency (LEP). Given that English is the main language used in…

  12. Modeling the language learning strategies and English language proficiency of pre-university students in UMS: A case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kiram, J. J.; Sulaiman, J.; Swanto, S.; Din, W. A.

    2015-10-01

    This study aims to construct a mathematical model of the relationship between a student's Language Learning Strategy usage and English Language proficiency. Fifty-six pre-university students of University Malaysia Sabah participated in this study. A self-report questionnaire called the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning was administered to them to measure their language learning strategy preferences before they sat for the Malaysian University English Test (MUET), the results of which were utilised to measure their English language proficiency. We attempted the model assessment specific to Multiple Linear Regression Analysis subject to variable selection using Stepwise regression. We conducted various assessments to the model obtained, including the Global F-test, Root Mean Square Error and R-squared. The model obtained suggests that not all language learning strategies should be included in the model in an attempt to predict Language Proficiency.

  13. A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Reasons Underlying Arab Student-Teachers' Inadequate English Language Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Issa, Ali S. M.; Al-Bulushi, Ali Hussain; Al-Zadjali, Rima Mansoor

    2017-01-01

    Despite the emphasis laid on demonstrating English language proficiency by Non-Native English Speaking Teachers (NNESTs), research has shown that for various reasons English language teachers graduating from a state-owned university in an Arab country for the past 25 years or so have been found lacking communication skills due to reasons pertinent…

  14. "Review of English Language Proficiency Tests," J. Alderson, K. Krahnke & C. Stanfield, Eds. Book Review.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mills, Nancy; Ovando, Carlos, Ed.

    1988-01-01

    Reviews a volume of descriptive and evaluative information on 47 commercially available English language proficiency tests used in North America, Great Britain, and Australia. The book includes discussions of uses and misuses of tests, and overviews of English as second language testing in North America and Great Britain. (SV)

  15. Fostering and Eliciting Emergent Literacy Skills in Potentially English Proficient Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beers, Elizabeth A.

    This report describes an early intervention program to elicit emergent literacy skills in Potentially English Proficient kindergarten students. The school is located in a suburb of a large city near a naval base. The problem, lack of literacy readiness skills, was documented with a battery of tests given prior to entrance in kindergarten and the…

  16. Immersing the Library in English Language Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riley, Bobby

    2008-01-01

    The author relates how his school has a very active English Language Learner (ELL) program. ELL students typically have varying levels of social and academic language, but almost always have some English proficiency. Recently, his school established a Newcomer Program that drastically changed the school system. They acquired students lacking any…

  17. Student Engagement in Long-Term Collaborative EFL Storytelling Activities: An Analysis of Learners with English Proficiency Differences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Yun-Yin; Liu, Chen-Chung; Wang, Yu; Tsai, Chin-Chung; Lin, Hung-Ming

    2017-01-01

    English proficiency difference among students is a challenging pedagogical issue in EFL classrooms worldwide. Collaborative digital storytelling has been adopted in language learning settings to increase motivation and engagement, especially for young learners. However, it remains unknown whether students of different proficiency levels can…

  18. Sentence Processing in High Proficient Kannada--English Bilinguals: A Reaction Time Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ravi, Sunil Kumar; Chengappa, Shyamala K.

    2015-01-01

    The present study aimed at exploring the semantic and syntactic processing differences between native and second languages in 20 early high proficient Kannada--English bilingual adults through accuracy and reaction time (RT) measurements. Subjects participated in a semantic judgement task (using 50 semantically correct and 50 semantically…

  19. Principes de la conception de tests destines a l'evaluation prealable d'etudiants etrangers venant etudier en Grande-Bretagne (Criteria for the Development of English Proficiency Tests for Foreign Students Enrolling in British Universities).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seaton, Ian

    1981-01-01

    Describes the criteria behind the development of the English Language Testing Service system, a new language proficiency evaluation instrument developed by the British Council. This system is based on an analysis of foreign students' communication needs in the context of their professional training and academic life. Societe Nouvelle Didier…

  20. Tone Attrition in Mandarin Speakers of Varying English Proficiency

    PubMed Central

    Creel, Sarah C.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine whether the degree of dominance of Mandarin–English bilinguals' languages affects phonetic processing of tone content in their native language, Mandarin. Method We tested 72 Mandarin–English bilingual college students with a range of language-dominance profiles in the 2 languages and ages of acquisition of English. Participants viewed 2 photographs at a time while hearing a familiar Mandarin word referring to 1 photograph. The names of the 2 photographs diverged in tone, vowels, or both. Word recognition was evaluated using clicking accuracy, reaction times, and an online recognition measure (gaze) and was compared in the 3 conditions. Results Relative proficiency in English was correlated with reduced word recognition success in tone-disambiguated trials, but not in vowel-disambiguated trials, across all 3 dependent measures. This selective attrition for tone content emerged even though all bilinguals had learned Mandarin from birth. Lengthy experience with English thus weakened tone use. Conclusions This finding has implications for the question of the extent to which bilinguals' 2 phonetic systems interact. It suggests that bilinguals may not process pitch information language-specifically and that processing strategies from the dominant language may affect phonetic processing in the nondominant language—even when the latter was learned natively. PMID:28124064

  1. Instructional Practices That Promote Reading Proficiency for English Language Learners in Grades 3 and 5

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smiley-Blanton, Regina

    2010-01-01

    The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires that all public school students, including English language learners, achieve proficiency in reading, math, and science by 2014 as measured on state assessments. English language learners enrolled in public schools for the first time receive a 1-year deferment from these state assessments in subjects…

  2. Knowing English is Not Enough! Cultivating Academic Literacies among High School Newcomers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Franquiz, Maria E.; Salinas, Cinthia

    2013-01-01

    Secondary school teachers face remarkable challenges when they are asked to incorporate language objectives because the traditional approach to the education of English Language Learners (ELL) separates English language development from content instruction. The underlying assumption is that English language proficiency is a prerequisite for…

  3. The Unified Language Testing Plan: Speaking Proficiency Test. Spanish and English Pilot Validation Studies. Report Number 1.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thornton, Julie A.

    This report describes one segment of the Federal Language Testing Board's Unified Language Testing Plan (ULTP), the validation of speaking proficiency tests in Spanish and English. The ULTP is a project to increase standardization of foreign language proficiency measurement and promote sharing of resources among testing programs in the federal…

  4. Using Complementary Learning Clusters in Studying Literature to Enhance Students' Medical Humanities Literacy, Critical Thinking, and English Proficiency.

    PubMed

    Liao, Hung-Chang; Wang, Ya-Huei

    2016-04-01

    This study examined whether students studying literature in complementary learning clusters would show more improvement in medical humanities literacy, critical thinking skills, and English proficiency compared to those in conventional learning clusters. Ninety-three students participated in the study (M age = 18.2 years, SD = 0.4; 36 men, 57 women). A quasi-experimental design was used over 16 weeks, with the control group (n = 47) working in conventional learning clusters and the experimental group (n = 46) working in complementary learning clusters. Complementary learning clusters were those in which individuals had complementary strengths enabling them to learn from and offer assistance to other cluster members, hypothetically facilitating the learning process. Measures included the Medical Humanities Literacy Scale, Critical Thinking Disposition Assessment, English proficiency tests, and Analytic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric. The results showed that complementary learning clusters have the potential to improve students' medical humanities literacy, critical thinking skills, and English proficiency. © The Author(s) 2016.

  5. The Complex Relationship between Bilingual Home Language Input and Kindergarten Children's Spanish and English Oral Proficiencies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cha, Kijoo; Goldenberg, Claude

    2015-01-01

    This study examined how emergent bilingual children's English and Spanish proficiencies moderated the relationships between Spanish and English input at home (bilingual home language input [BHLI]) and children's oral language skills in each language. The sample comprised over 1,400 Spanish-dominant kindergartners in California and Texas. BHLI was…

  6. Teaching Science to Students with Limited English Proficiency through Nested Spiral Approach.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chyu, Chi-oy W.

    The Nested Spiral Approach (NSA) is a teaching technique designed for students of limited English proficiency that integrates four aspects of motivated learning: contents, language, culture, and real life experiences. The approach consists of: (1) effective use of student strengths; (2) three teaching cycles for each lesson; and (3) five steps in…

  7. Developing Oral Language Skills in Middle School English Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fisher, Douglas; Frey, Nancy

    2018-01-01

    Oral language development can help English learners develop academic proficiency with the English language. In this investigation, at one middle school, teachers focused on improving oral language skills. Using a formative experiment process, the teachers developed an intervention to accomplish their pedagogical goal and then tracked data to see…

  8. Empirical Studies on Correlations between Lexical Knowledge and English Proficiency of Chinese EFL Learners in Mainland China over the Past Two Decades

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhou, Yao; Dai, Zhongxin

    2016-01-01

    Knowledge of English vocabulary contributes to the learner's proficiency of English as a foreign language, but how the learner's lexical knowledge behaves in the contribution. Researchers in mainland China have conducted studies of various kinds in order to find out how the learner's lexical knowledge correlates with his proficiency. This article…

  9. Registered Nurse and Nursing Assistant Perceptions of Limited English-Proficient Patient-Clinician Communication.

    PubMed

    Shuman, Clayton; Montie, Mary; Galinato, Jose; Patak, Lance; Titler, Marita

    2017-12-01

    In this article, the authors discuss implications for nurse administrators from a recent qualitative study regarding nursing personnel perceptions of limited English proficient (LEP) patient-clinician communication. Few studies have examined nursing personnel's use and perceptions of communication resources when caring for LEP patients.

  10. National Evaluation of Title III Implementation Supplemental Report: Exploring Approaches to Setting English Language Proficiency Performance Criteria and Monitoring English Learner Progress. Draft

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cook, Gary; Linquanti, Robert; Chinen, Marjorie; Jung, Hyekyung

    2012-01-01

    The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 inaugurated important changes in assessment and accountability for English Learner (EL) students. Specifically, Title III of the law required states to develop or adopt English-language proficiency (ELP) standards aligned with language demands of…

  11. Design and Psychometric Considerations for Assessments of Speaking Proficiency: The English Language Development Assessment (ELDA) as Illustration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ferrara, Steve

    2008-01-01

    The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires all states to assess the English proficiency of English language learners each school year. Under Title I and Title III of No Child Left Behind, states are required to measure the annual growth of students' English language development in reading, listening, writing, and speaking and in comprehension…

  12. Phonological awareness and oral language proficiency in learning to read English among Chinese kindergarten children in Hong Kong.

    PubMed

    Yeung, Susanna S; Chan, Carol K K

    2013-12-01

    Learning to read is very challenging for Hong Kong children who learn English as a second language (ESL), as they must acquire two very different writing systems, beginning at the age of three. Few studies have examined the role of phonological awareness at the subsyllabic levels, oral language proficiency, and L1 tone awareness in L2 English reading among Hong Kong ESL kindergarteners. This study aims to investigate L1 and L2 phonological awareness and oral language proficiency as predictors of English reading among children with Chinese as L1. One hundred and sixty-one typically developing children with a mean age of 5.16 (SD=.35) selected from seven preschools in Hong Kong. Participants were assessed for English reading, English and Chinese phonological awareness at different levels, English oral language skills, and letter naming ability. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that both oral language proficiency and phonological awareness measures significantly predicted L2 word reading, when statistically controlled for age and general intelligence. Among various phonological awareness units, L2 phonemic awareness was the best predictor of L2 word reading. Cross-language transfer was shown with L1 phonological awareness at the tone level, uniquely predicting L2 word reading. The present findings show the important role of phonological awareness at the subsyllabic levels (rime and phoneme) and oral language proficiency in the course of L2 reading development in Chinese ESL learners. The significant contribution of L1 tone awareness to L2 reading suggests that phonological sensitivity is a general competence that ESL children need to acquire in early years. The findings have significant implications for understanding L2 reading development and curriculum development. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

  13. English proficiency, knowledge, and receipt of HPV vaccine in Vietnamese-American women.

    PubMed

    Yi, Jenny K; Anderson, Karen O; Le, Yen-Chi; Escobar-Chaves, Soledad L; Reyes-Gibby, Cielito C

    2013-10-01

    Cervical cancer is one of the most important disease burdens experienced by Vietnamese-American women. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the etiological agent in almost all cases of cervical cancer. We surveyed Vietnamese-American women to determine receipt of HPV vaccine and assessed if limited English proficiency and knowledge related to HPV vaccine were associated with HPV vaccine uptake. Of the 113 Vietnamese-American women who participated in the study, 58 % (n = 68) was born in Vietnam. The mean years of residency in the United States was 12.75 years. Only 16 (14 %) reported receiving HPV vaccine and 11 (9 %) reported receiving all three shots. Thirteen women responded that they are not at all likely to receive HPV vaccine. Of the whole sample, 47 % (n = 53) reported proficiency in spoken and written English. English proficiency was significantly associated with receipt of HPV vaccine (OR = 4.4; confidence interval (95 % CI) = 1.2; 16.50; p = 0.03). Of the knowledge items, 70 % (n = 79) responded correctly that HPV increases the risk for cervical cancer. However, as many as 60 % responded incorrectly, that HPV infection can be cured with medication. The item, "People infected with HPV can be cured with medication," was the most important variable associated with receipt of HPV vaccine. Specifically, those with correct response were 3.8 times more likely to report receiving the HPV vaccine (OR = 3.8; 95 % CI = 1.1; 13.5; p = 0.04). Important public health needs are the development and evaluation of educational programs on HPV and cervical cancer that are designed for Vietnamese-American women.

  14. Poor knowledge of methotrexate associated with older age and limited English-language proficiency in a diverse rheumatoid arthritis cohort

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Introduction Our objective was to determine rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients’ understanding of methotrexate and assess whether knowledge varies by age, education, English language proficiency, or other disease-related factors. Methods Adults with RA (n = 135) who were enrollees of an observational cohort completed a structured telephone interview in their preferred language between August 2007 and July 2009. All subjects who reported taking methotrexate were asked 11 questions about the medication in addition to demographics, education level, and language proficiency. Primary outcome was a total score below the 50th percentile (considered inadequate methotrexate knowledge). Bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were performed. Covariates included demographics, language proficiency, education, and disease characteristics. Results Of 135 subjects, 83% were female, with a mean age of 55 ± 14 years. The majority spoke English (64%), followed by 22% Spanish and 14% Cantonese or Mandarin. Limited English language proficiency (LEP) was reported in 42%. Mean methotrexate knowledge score was 5.4 ± 2.6 (range, 0 to 10); 73 (54%) had a score lower than 5 (of 10). Age older than 55, less than high school education, LEP, better function, and biologic use were independently associated with poor knowledge. Conclusions In a diverse RA cohort, overall methotrexate knowledge was poor. Older age and limited proficiency in English were significant correlates of poor knowledge. Identification of language barriers and improved clinician-patient communication around methotrexate dosing and side effects may lead to improved safety and enhanced benefits of this commonly used RA medication. PMID:24432366

  15. Assessment of Young English Language Learners in Arizona: Questioning the Validity of the State Measure of English Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garcia, Eugene E.; Lawton, Kerry; Diniz de Figueiredo, Eduardo H.

    2010-01-01

    This study analyzes the Arizona policy of utilizing a single assessment of English proficiency to determine if students should be exited from the ELL program, which is ostensibly designed to make it possible for them to succeed in the mainstream classroom without any further language support. The study examines the predictive validity of this…

  16. 76 FR 14954 - National Professional Development Program; Office of English Language Acquisition, Language...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-03-18

    ... Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students; Overview... to provide instruction that accelerates ELs' acquisition of language, literacy, and content knowledge.... Rosalinda Barrera, Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director for English Language Acquisition, Language...

  17. Teachers' Sense of Self-Efficacy, English Proficiency, and Instructional Strategies: A Study of Nonnative EFL Teachers in Iran

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eslami, Zohreh R.; Fatahi, Azizullah

    2008-01-01

    This study examined the efficacy beliefs of nonnative English speaking (NNES) Iranian EFL teachers. EFL teachers' perceptions of their teaching efficacy in terms of personal capabilities to teach English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and their perceived English language proficiency level were examined. A modified version of the Teacher Sense of…

  18. The Achievement Progress of English Learner Students in Utah. REL 2016-155

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haas, Eric; Huang, Min; Tran, Loan; Yu, Airong

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the cumulative progress of English learner students in Utah in English language proficiency (ELP) and in academic content knowledge in both English language arts (ELA) and mathematics. This study identified students in grades kindergarten, 3, and 6 who were designated as English learner students in 2006/07…

  19. The Moderating Role of English Proficiency in the Association Between Immigrant Chinese Mothers' Authoritative Parenting and Children's Outcomes.

    PubMed

    Yu, Wei; Cheah, Charissa S L; Sun, Shuyan

    2015-01-01

    The authors' objective was to investigate the association between Chinese immigrant mothers' authoritative parenting and their children's socioemotional and behavioral difficulties. Participants were 136 first-generation Chinese immigrant mothers with 3-5-year-old children residing in the United States. Authoritative parenting was associated with lower socioemotional and behavioral difficulties in children as reported by preschool teachers. Further moderation analyses revealed that immigrant mothers' English proficiency moderated the association between authoritative parenting and children's difficulties. Specifically, authoritative parenting was significantly associated with fewer total difficulties only for children with mothers who reported higher English proficiency.

  20. The Correlates of Academic Performance for English Language Learner Students in a New England District. REL 2014-020

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parker, Caroline E.; O'Dwyer, Laura M.; Irwin, Clare W.

    2014-01-01

    This study examined student and program characteristics that are related to English proficiency and content area achievement for English language learner (ELL) students in one urban district in Connecticut. The study found that ELL students in special education had English proficiency scores significantly lower than the mean for all ELL students…

  1. Individual Learning Programs for Limited-English-Proficient Students: A Handbook for School Personnel.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parker, Dennis R.

    A handbook designed to provide legal, pedagogical, and practical assistance to those responsible for providing a comprehensive educational program for limited-English-proficient (LEP) students in California's public schools is intended for schools with both large and small concentrations of LEP pupils. The first section outlines legal requirements…

  2. Manual for Identification of Limited-English Proficiency Students with Special Needs. Report #11785.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ambert, Alba N.; And Others

    This manual, intended to assist teachers in identifying students with limited-English proficiency who may have special needs, concentrates on four areas: language, observation, testing, and learning problems. The main part of the manual has eight sections dealing with the following topics: (1) observation techniques and methods; (2) modifications…

  3. Building Vocabulary of English Learners with Reading Disabilities through Computer-Assisted Morphology Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lo, Ya-yu; Anderson, Adrienne L.; Bunch-Crump, Kimberly

    2017-01-01

    Many educators in public schools in the United States experience challenges in meeting the unique needs of the growing population of English learners who must simultaneously attain academic skills while acquiring English language proficiency. Such unique needs intensify for English learners with reading disabilities. Morphological awareness is key…

  4. Effects of Academic and Non-Academic Instructional Approaches on Preschool English Language Learners' Classroom Engagement and English Language Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Markova, Ivana

    2017-01-01

    This research compared the relative impact of different preschool activities on the development of bilingual students' English-language skills. The study investigated whether bilingual preschool children would engage more, and use more of their second language (English), during free-play (non-academic) versus teacher-structured (academic)…

  5. Liquid Medication Dosing Errors by Hispanic Parents: Role of Health Literacy and English Proficiency

    PubMed Central

    Harris, Leslie M.; Dreyer, Benard; Mendelsohn, Alan; Bailey, Stacy C.; Sanders, Lee M.; Wolf, Michael S.; Parker, Ruth M.; Patel, Deesha A.; Kim, Kwang Youn A.; Jimenez, Jessica J.; Jacobson, Kara; Smith, Michelle; Yin, H. Shonna

    2016-01-01

    Objective Hispanic parents in the US are disproportionately affected by low health literacy and limited English proficiency (LEP). We examined associations between health literacy, LEP, and liquid medication dosing errors in Hispanic parents. Methods Cross-sectional analysis of data from a multisite randomized controlled experiment to identify best practices for the labeling/dosing of pediatric liquid medications (SAFE Rx for Kids study); 3 urban pediatric clinics. Analyses were limited to Hispanic parents of children <8 years, with health literacy and LEP data (n=1126). Parents were randomized to 5 groups that varied by pairing of units of measurement on the label/dosing tool. Each parent measured 9 doses [3 amounts (2.5,5,7.5 mL) using 3 tools (2 syringes (0.2,0.5 mL increment), 1 cup)] in random order. Dependent variable: Dosing error=>20% dose deviation. Predictor variables: health literacy (Newest Vital Sign) [limited=0–3; adequate=4–6], LEP (speaks English less than “very well”). Results 83.1% made dosing errors (mean(SD) errors/parent=2.2(1.9)). Parents with limited health literacy and LEP had the greatest odds of making a dosing error compared to parents with adequate health literacy who were English proficient (% trials with errors/parent=28.8 vs. 12.9%; AOR=2.2[1.7–2.8]). Parents with limited health literacy who were English proficient were also more likely to make errors (% trials with errors/parent=18.8%; AOR=1.4[1.1–1.9]). Conclusion Dosing errors are common among Hispanic parents; those with both LEP and limited health literacy are at particular risk. Further study is needed to examine how the redesign of medication labels and dosing tools could reduce literacy and language-associated disparities in dosing errors. PMID:28477800

  6. Identification of limited English proficient patients in clinical care.

    PubMed

    Karliner, Leah S; Napoles-Springer, Anna M; Schillinger, Dean; Bibbins-Domingo, Kirsten; Pérez-Stable, Eliseo J

    2008-10-01

    Standardized means to identify patients likely to benefit from language assistance are needed. To evaluate the accuracy of the U.S. Census English proficiency question (Census-LEP) in predicting patients' ability to communicate effectively in English. We investigated the sensitivity and specificity of the Census-LEP alone or in combination with a question on preferred language for medical care for predicting patient-reported ability to discuss symptoms and understand physician recommendations in English. Three hundred and two patients > 18 who spoke Spanish and/or English recruited from a cardiology clinic and an inpatient general medical-surgical ward in 2004-2005. One hundred ninety-eight (66%) participants reported speaking English less than "very well" and 166 (55%) less than "well"; 157 (52%) preferred receiving their medical care in Spanish. Overall, 135 (45%) were able to discuss symptoms and 143 (48%) to understand physician recommendations in English. The Census-LEP with a high-threshold (less than "very well") had the highest sensitivity for predicting effective communication (100% Discuss; 98.7% Understand), but the lowest specificity (72.6% Discuss; 67.1% Understand). The composite measure of Census-LEP and preferred language for medical care provided a significant increase in specificity (91.9% Discuss; 83.9% Understand), with only a marginal decrease in sensitivity (99.4% Discuss; 96.7% Understand). Using the Census-LEP item with a high-threshold of less than "very well" as a screening question, followed by a language preference for medical care question, is recommended for inclusive and accurate identification of patients likely to benefit from language assistance.

  7. Use of veterinary services by Latino dog and cat owners with various degrees of English-language proficiency.

    PubMed

    Landau, Ruth E; Beck, Alan; Glickman, Larry T; Litster, Annette; Widmar, Nicole J Olynk; Moore, George E

    2016-03-15

    To characterize patterns of dog and cat ownership and veterinary service use among Latino dog and cat owners with various degrees of English-language proficiency. DESIGN :Cross-sectional telephone survey. Data from 393 Latino pet owners. Telephone surveys were conducted with Latino dog and cat owners from a random sample of US households to determine the number of dogs and cats owned, factors associated with veterinary service use, and satisfaction with veterinary care. 393 of 1,026 (38.3%) respondents were pet owners. Two hundred fifty-nine of 330 (78.5%) dog owners and 70 of 115 (60.9%) cat owners reported taking their pet to the veterinarian in the past 12 months, most commonly for vaccination or examination or because of illness. Respondents were most satisfied with veterinary care provided, least satisfied with cost, and moderately satisfied with quality of communication. English-language proficiency was not significantly associated with whether owners sought veterinary care. A large proportion of respondents who wanted to receive pet health information in Spanish described themselves as speaking English well or very well. Although having limited proficiency in English was not associated with Latino pet owners seeking veterinary care, opportunities exist for veterinary personnel to improve communications with these clients. Personnel can assess their clients' language needs by asking each about the language in which they would prefer to receive their pet's health information.

  8. 25 CFR 39.134 - How does a school identify a Limited English Proficient student?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... student? 39.134 Section 39.134 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR EDUCATION THE INDIAN SCHOOL EQUALIZATION PROGRAM Indian School Equalization Formula Language Development Programs § 39... limited English proficient (LEP) by using a nationally recognized scientifically research-based test. ...

  9. The Proximate Phonological Unit of Chinese-English Bilinguals: Proficiency Matters

    PubMed Central

    Verdonschot, Rinus Gerardus; Nakayama, Mariko; Zhang, Qingfang; Tamaoka, Katsuo; Schiller, Niels Olaf

    2013-01-01

    An essential step to create phonology according to the language production model by Levelt, Roelofs and Meyer is to assemble phonemes into a metrical frame. However, recently, it has been proposed that different languages may rely on different grain sizes of phonological units to construct phonology. For instance, it has been proposed that, instead of phonemes, Mandarin Chinese uses syllables and Japanese uses moras to fill the metrical frame. In this study, we used a masked priming-naming task to investigate how bilinguals assemble their phonology for each language when the two languages differ in grain size. Highly proficient Mandarin Chinese-English bilinguals showed a significant masked onset priming effect in English (L2), and a significant masked syllabic priming effect in Mandarin Chinese (L1). These results suggest that their proximate unit is phonemic in L2 (English), and that bilinguals may use different phonological units depending on the language that is being processed. Additionally, under some conditions, a significant sub-syllabic priming effect was observed even in Mandarin Chinese, which indicates that L2 phonology exerts influences on L1 target processing as a consequence of having a good command of English. PMID:23646107

  10. Writing Progression of Students with Limited English Proficiency on Texas State Exams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heckman, Jill S.

    2009-01-01

    One of the purposes of this study was to examine whether or not the present and past standardized tests in the state of Texas had any positive impact on the writing abilities of the limited English proficient (LEP) Mexican-American students. Another objective of the study was to determine if one test was more effective than another. In this case,…

  11. Relationship between "Form" and "Content" in Science Writing among English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Okhee; Penfield, Randall D.; Buxton, Cory A.

    2011-01-01

    Background/Context: While different instructional approaches have been proposed to integrate academic content and English proficiency for English language learning (ELL) students, studies examining the magnitude of the relationship are non-existent. This study examined the relationship between the "form" (i.e., conventions, organization, and…

  12. The Achievement Progress of English Learner Students in Nevada. REL 2016-154

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haas, Eric; Huang, Min; Tran, Loan; Yu, Airong

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the cumulative progress of English learner students in Nevada in English language proficiency (ELP) and in academic content knowledge in both reading and mathematics. This study identified students in grades kindergarten, 3, and 6 who were designated as English learner students in 2006/07 and examined their…

  13. The Effects of Language Environment and Oral Language Ability on Phonological Production Proficiency in Bilingual Spanish-English Speaking Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scarpino, Shelley E.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: This study was conducted to determine if phonological production proficiency in bilingual Spanish-English preschoolers could be predicted by their language environment, language ability, and phonological production proficiency in their other language. Method: Participants were 199 Latino children and their families. Children ranged in age…

  14. Geodes Like Sky Blue Popsicles: Developing Authorship Literacy in Limited English Proficient Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boehlke, Lisa; Rummel, Mary Kay

    1990-01-01

    An approach is described for developing the language of limited English proficient (LEP) students using process writing with content drawn from across the curriculum. This is proposed in the context of recent research in second language reading that has focused on developing metacognitive awareness and use of reading strategies, and that less…

  15. Parental Interactions with Latino Infants: Variation by Country of Origin and English Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cabrera, Natasha J.; Shannon, Jacqueline D.; West, Jerry; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne

    2006-01-01

    This study examined variation in mother-infant interactions, father engagement, and infant cognition as a function of country of origin, socioeconomic status, and English language proficiency in a national sample of Latino infants (age 9 months) born in the United States and living with both biological parents (N=1,099). Differences between…

  16. The Anxiety-Proficiency Relationship and the Stability of Anxiety: The Case of Chinese University Learners of English and Japanese

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jin, Yinxing; de Bot, Kees; Keijzer, Merel

    2015-01-01

    Adopting a longitudinal design, this study investigates the effects of foreign language anxiety on foreign language proficiency over time within English and Japanese learning contexts. It also explores the stability of anxiety in English and Japanese over time and the stability of anxiety across English and Japanese. Chinese university students (N…

  17. Home and Community Language Proficiency in Spanish-English Early Bilingual University Students.

    PubMed

    Schmidtke, Jens

    2017-10-17

    This study assessed home and community language proficiency in Spanish-English bilingual university students to investigate whether the vocabulary gap reported in studies of bilingual children persists into adulthood. Sixty-five early bilinguals (mean age = 21 years) were assessed in English and Spanish vocabulary and verbal reasoning ability using subtests of the Woodcock-Muñoz Language Survey-Revised (Schrank & Woodcock, 2009). Their English scores were compared to 74 monolinguals matched in age and level of education. Participants also completed a background questionnaire. Bilinguals scored below the monolingual control group on both subtests, and the difference was larger for vocabulary compared to verbal reasoning. However, bilinguals were close to the population mean for verbal reasoning. Spanish scores were on average lower than English scores, but participants differed widely in their degree of balance. Participants with an earlier age of acquisition of English and more current exposure to English tended to be more dominant in English. Vocabulary tests in the home or community language may underestimate bilingual university students' true verbal ability and should be interpreted with caution in high-stakes situations. Verbal reasoning ability may be more indicative of a bilingual's verbal ability.

  18. Teaching as Sheltering: A Metaphorical Analysis of Sheltered Instruction for English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fritzen, Anny

    2011-01-01

    The term "sheltered instruction" (SI) has become a widely used metaphor representing a common pedagogical intervention intended to help English language learners simultaneously gain English proficiency and academic content knowledge. While existing research places considerable emphasis on observable pedagogical techniques that characterize SI,…

  19. The Roles of Suprasegmental Features in Predicting English Oral Proficiency with an Automated System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kang, Okim; Johnson, David

    2018-01-01

    Suprasegmental features have received growing attention in the field of oral assessment. In this article we describe a set of computer algorithms that automatically scores the oral proficiency of non-native speakers using unconstrained English speech. The algorithms employ machine learning and 11 suprasegmental measures divided into four groups…

  20. Second language proficiency modulates conflict-monitoring in an oculomotor Stroop task: evidence from Hindi-English bilinguals

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Niharika; Mishra, Ramesh K.

    2013-01-01

    Many studies have confirmed the presence of a bilingual advantage which is manifested as enhanced cognitive and attention control. However, very few studies have investigated the role of second language proficiency on the modulation of conflict-monitoring in bilinguals. We investigated this by comparing high and low proficient Hindi-English bilinguals on a modified saccadic arrow Stroop task under different monitoring conditions, and tested the predictions of the bilingual executive control advantage proposal. The task of the participants was to make an eye movement toward the color patch in the same color as the central arrow, ignoring the patch to which the arrow was pointing. High-proficient bilinguals had overall faster saccade latency on all types of trials as compared to the low proficient bilinguals. The overall saccadic latency for high proficiency bilinguals was similarly affected by the different types of monitoring conditions, whereas conflict resolution advantage was found only for high monitoring demanding condition. The results support a conflict-monitoring account in a novel oculomotor task and also suggest that language proficiency could modulate executive control in bilinguals. PMID:23781210

  1. Research Project on Occupational Knowledge and Sex-Role Stereotyping of Limited English-Proficiency Students. Final Report 1981-82.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bound Brook Board of Education, NJ.

    A research project focused on the development and use of sex-fair occupational knowledge materials with a sample of limited English-proficient students. First, researchers examined existing instructional materials from vocational education sources in order to identify materials that are written on a level appropriate for limited English-proficient…

  2. A Revised Spanish/English Oral Proficiency Test, 1974 Field Test Results. Research and Development Memorandum No. 134.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramirez, Arnulfo G.; Politzer, Robert L.

    A revised Spanish/English oral-proficiency test battery was administered to 40 Spanish-surnamed pupils equally divided by sex at grade levels 1, 3, 5, and 7. The test battery included parallel Spanish and English versions of: (1) a 12-item vocabulary pretest, (2) a 32-item vocabulary-by-domain test consisting of four sections--home, neighborhood,…

  3. Improving Educational Outcomes of English Language Learners in Schools and Programs in Boston Public Schools. Executive Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uriarte, Miren; Karp, Faye; Gagnon, Laurie; Tung, Rosann; Rustan, Sarah; Chen, Jie; Berardino, Michael; Stazesky, Pamela

    2011-01-01

    English language learners (ELLs), their teachers, and the schools and programs where they are enrolled face a triple challenge: (1) students must be taught and learn English at a level of proficiency high enough to allow them access to academic content; (2) students must be taught and learn academic content at a level comparable to that of English…

  4. Teaching Mathematics Problem Solving to Students with Limited English Proficiency through Nested Spiral Approach.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chyu, Chi-Oy W.

    The Nested Spiral Approach (NSA) is an integrated instructional approach used to promote the motivated learning of mathematics problem solving in limited-English-proficient (LEP) students. The NSA is described and a trial use is discussed. The approach extends, elaborates, and supplements existing education and instruction theories to help LEP…

  5. The Effects of Video SCMC on English Proficiency, Speaking Performance and Willingness to Communicate

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iino, Atsushi; Yabuta, Yukiko

    2015-01-01

    This paper introduces a case course with videoconferencing as a way of Synchronous Computer Mediated Communication (SCMC) for foreign language education in Japan. Research questions were to see the effects of videoconferencing on the learners' speaking ability and general English language proficiency, and also to see how the learners'…

  6. U.S. School Reform Policy, State Accountability Systems and the Limited English Proficient Student.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reyes, Pedro; Rorrer, Andrea

    2001-01-01

    Addresses the political and policy environment that has shaped the educational agenda for rising U.S. state accountability systems, highlighting these policies' effects on the limited-English-proficient learner. The hope for language-minority students lies in pressures on school officials to narrow the white/minority achievement gap. (Contains 64…

  7. An Exploration of the Relationship between Vietnamese Students' Knowledge of L1 Grammar and Their English Grammar Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tran, Tammie M.

    2010-01-01

    The problem. This research study explores an important issue in the field of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and second language acquisition (SLA). Its purpose is to examine the relationship between Vietnamese students' L1 grammar knowledge and their English grammar proficiency. Furthermore, it investigates the extent to…

  8. Investigating Problems of English Literature Teaching to EFL High School Students in Turkey with Focus on Language Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Isikli, Ceren; Tarakçioglu, Asli Ö.

    2017-01-01

    Introduction of English literature as a separate school subject into Turkish high school curriculum has revealed a huge number of problems during its practical applications: students' low levels of proficiency in English, teacher incompetence, low motivation, lack of confidence, limited resources, lack of materials etc. Given the great extent and…

  9. Acquisition of Learning by Facilitating Academics (Project ALFA). Final Evaluation Report, 1992-93. OREA Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bruno, Paula

    This report assesses the Acquisition of Learning by Facilitating Academics (Project ALFA), which is designed to assist the academic progress of Haitian students at Lafayette High School in Brooklyn, New York. Project ALFA served a total of 62 students of limited English proficiency who had attended an English-speaking school system for less than 5…

  10. Lexical Diversity and the Use of Academic and Lower Frequency Words in the Academic Writing of EFL Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akbari, Neda

    2017-01-01

    This study focuses on lexical diversity and the use of academic and lower frequency words in essays written by EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students enrolled in Years 1 and 2 at the undergraduate university level. The purpose of this study is to find out the extent to which EFL students become more proficient in their use of academic and…

  11. The Impact of an Instructional Intervention on the Science and Language Learning of Middle Grade English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    August, Diane; Branum-Martin, Lee; Cardenas-Hagan, Elsa; Francis, David

    2010-01-01

    The goal of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an intervention--Quality English and Science Teaching (QuEST)--designed to develop the science knowledge and academic language of middle grades English language learners studying science in their second language and their English-proficient classmates. Both English language learners and…

  12. Project VOICE (Vocational Occupations for Industrial Communications English): A Competency Based Education Curriculum for the Limited English Proficient in Building Maintenance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chaloupka, Diana; Papierniak, Kathleen, Ed.

    Developed for vocational educators of short-term or long-term programs, this manual presents a complete competency-based curriculum in building maintenance for the advanced limited English proficient student. Following instructions on use of the manual and recommended references, a student tracking system and record sheet are provided, which list…

  13. Program Evaluation of the English Language Proficiency Program for Foreign Students a Case Study: University of the East, Manila Campus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Salimi, Esmaeel Ali; Farsi, Mitra

    2016-01-01

    This study on evaluating an English program of studies for foreign students seeking admission to the UE Graduate School attempts to examine the prevailing conditions of foreign students in the UE Graduate School with respect to their competence and competitiveness in English proficiency. It looks into the existing English programs of studies in…

  14. Staff Development Workshops for High School Science Teachers of Limited English Proficient Students 1988-89.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berney, Tomi D.; Cantalupo, Denise

    The staff development workshops for high school science teachers of Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students program are described. The project provided services which involved: creating a resource library, collecting videotaped records of the staff development workshops for future training sessions, disseminating information and materials, and…

  15. Southeast Asian Refugee English Proficiency & Education in Texas: Findings from the Texas Refugee Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Eric H.; Barton, Lisa S.

    This document is the first in a series of reports about Texas's refugees and is an analysis of more than 1,000 Vietnamese and Laotian refugee interviews. What follows is an examination of the relationships English proficiency and education have with Southeast Asian refugees' income, mammogram screenings, smoking, citizenship, possession of a…

  16. The Validity and Reliability of Rhythm Measurements in Automatically Scoring the English Rhythm Proficiency of Chinese EFL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Jin; Lin, Jianghao; Li, Xinguang

    2015-01-01

    This article aims to find out the validity of rhythm measurements to capture the rhythmic features of Chinese English. Besides, the reliability of the valid rhythm measurements applied in automatically scoring the English rhythm proficiency of Chinese EFL learners is also explored. Thus, two experiments were carried out. First, thirty students of…

  17. Main Ingredients for Success in L2 Academic Writing: Outlining, Drafting and Proofreading.

    PubMed

    Munoz-Luna, Rosa

    2015-01-01

    Spanish undergraduates of English Studies are required to submit their essays in academic English, a genre which most of them are not acquainted with. This paper aims to explore the extralinguistic side of second language (L2) academic writing, more specifically, the combination of metalinguistic items (e.g. transition and frame markers, among others) with students' writing strategies when composing an academic text in L2 English. The research sample conveys a group of 200 Spanish undergraduates of English Studies; they are in their fourth year, so they are expected to be proficient in English academic writing but their written production quality varies considerably. Results are analysed following a mixed methodology by which metalinguistic items are statistically measured, and then contrasted with semi-structured interview results; SPSS and NVivo provide quantitative and qualitative outcomes, respectively. The analyses reveal that undergraduate students who produce complex sentences and more coherent texts employ a wider range of writing strategies both prior and while writing, being able to (un)consciously structure and design their texts more successfully. These high-scoring students make more proficient use of complex transition markers for coherence and frame markers for textual cohesion; their commonly used (pre-)writing strategies are drafting, outlining, and proofreading.

  18. Main Ingredients for Success in L2 Academic Writing: Outlining, Drafting and Proofreading

    PubMed Central

    Munoz-Luna, Rosa

    2015-01-01

    Spanish undergraduates of English Studies are required to submit their essays in academic English, a genre which most of them are not acquainted with. This paper aims to explore the extralinguistic side of second language (L2) academic writing, more specifically, the combination of metalinguistic items (e.g. transition and frame markers, among others) with students’ writing strategies when composing an academic text in L2 English. The research sample conveys a group of 200 Spanish undergraduates of English Studies; they are in their fourth year, so they are expected to be proficient in English academic writing but their written production quality varies considerably. Results are analysed following a mixed methodology by which metalinguistic items are statistically measured, and then contrasted with semi-structured interview results; SPSS and NVivo provide quantitative and qualitative outcomes, respectively. The analyses reveal that undergraduate students who produce complex sentences and more coherent texts employ a wider range of writing strategies both prior and while writing, being able to (un)consciously structure and design their texts more successfully. These high-scoring students make more proficient use of complex transition markers for coherence and frame markers for textual cohesion; their commonly used (pre-)writing strategies are drafting, outlining, and proofreading. PMID:26046836

  19. Multilingual Proficiency in Fiji Primary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shameem, Nikhat

    2002-01-01

    Determined language proficiency among multilingual Indo-Fijian primary school children who have the languages, Fiji-Hindi, Standard Hindi, Urdu, English, Fijian, and Fijian English in their speech repertoire. Identifies the variables that affect multilingual proficiency in this group and determines whether classroom practice reflects educational…

  20. The Challenge for Non-First-Language-English Academic Publishing in English Language Research Outlets

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Geiger, Vince; Straesser, Rudolf

    2015-01-01

    This paper is a reflective critique of practice within the field of mathematics education in relation to the challenges faced by non-first-language-English speaking academics when they attempt to publish in English language research outlets. Data for this study are drawn from communications between a German and an Australian academic as the…

  1. Bilingual Test as a Test Accommodation to Determine the Mathematics Achievement of Mainstream Students with Limited English Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shanmugam, S. Kanageswari Suppiah; Lan, Ong Saw

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: This study aims to investigate the validity of using bilingual test to measure the mathematics achievement of students who have limited English proficiency (LEP). The bilingual test and the English-only test consist of 20 computation and 20 word problem multiple-choice questions (from TIMSS 2003 and 2007 released items. The bilingual test…

  2. The Growth of English for Academic Communication in the Nordic Countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brock-Utne, Birgit

    2001-07-01

    This article discusses the danger of subtractive English in higher education in Norway. If the use of a mother tongue as the medium of communication at the highest academic levels ceases, is drastically reduced and replaced through the use of a foreign tongue, we may speak of subtractive learning. If the mother tongue is being replaced by a foreign tongue in academic writing, in research and university level teaching, the mother tongue will stagnate. The vocabulary needed has not been allowed to develop at the highest academic level. The author maintains that the Norwegian language is threatened as an academic language and here discusses the following five phenomena, all contributing to this threat: 1. The increasing use of English words in Norwegian academic, bureaucratic or technological language. 2. The sale of more academic literature in English and stagnation of academic literature in Norwegian. 3. The recruitment of teaching staff who do not speak Norwegian. 4. The growth in Master degree courses taught in English. 5. The financial rewards being given to academic staff publishing in an international language (read: English) instead of in the mother tongue.

  3. Integrating Students of Limited English Proficiency into Standards-Based Reform in the Abbott Districts. Abbott Implementation Resource Guide

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lucas, Tamara; Villegas, Ana Maria

    2004-01-01

    In 1999-2000, over one-third of all students in the 30 Abbott districts spoke a native language other than English, and more than one-tenth were considered limited English proficient (LEP). The proportions of LEP students varied considerably across the districts, but they comprised between 5% and 29% of total enrollments in 18 of the districts.…

  4. Effectiveness of Four Instructional Programs Designed to Serve English Language Learners: Variation by Ethnicity and Initial English Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valentino, Rachel A.; Reardon, Sean F.

    2015-01-01

    This paper investigates the differences in academic achievement trajectories from elementary through middle school among English Learner students in four different instructional programs: English Immersion, Transitional Bilingual, Developmental Bilingual, and Dual Immersion programs. Comparing students with the same parental preferences but who…

  5. A Statistical Method of Evaluating the Pronunciation Proficiency/Intelligibility of English Presentations by Japanese Speakers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kibishi, Hiroshi; Hirabayashi, Kuniaki; Nakagawa, Seiichi

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, we propose a statistical evaluation method of pronunciation proficiency and intelligibility for presentations made in English by native Japanese speakers. We statistically analyzed the actual utterances of speakers to find combinations of acoustic and linguistic features with high correlation between the scores estimated by the…

  6. English Proficiency and Admission and Graduation of Post-Secondary Students at a Puerto Rican University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alea, Jamie

    2009-01-01

    This dissertation has examined English proficiency as a mediating social factor within the occupational structure of Puerto Rico. It included an analysis of the educational records of 641 students majoring in industrial engineering, nursing, education and finance of the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez from 1998-2000. The investigation…

  7. Beyond (F)utilitarianism: English "as" Academic Purpose.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pennycook, Alastair

    1994-01-01

    A discussion of the teaching of English for academic purposes (EAP) focuses on criticism that the content of such courses is thin and that they are offered as a service to other disciplines. It is proposed that the emphasis of EAP instruction be shifted to the role English plays as a medium for conveying meaning to the ways in which English is…

  8. Creating a Next-Generation System of K-12 English Learner Language Proficiency Assessments. Research Report. ETS RR-16-06

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hauck, Maurice Cogan; Wolf, Mikyung Kim; Mislevy, Robert

    2016-01-01

    This paper is the first in a series from Educational Testing Service (ETS) concerning English language proficiency (ELP) assessments for K-12 English learners (ELs). The goal of this paper, and the series, is to present research-based ideas, principles, and recommendations for consideration by those who are conceptualizing, developing, and…

  9. Attitudes toward Seeking Professional Counseling Services among Chinese International Students: Acculturation, Ethnic Identity, and English Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Jiaqi; Marbley, Aretha Faye; Bradley, Loretta J.; Lan, William

    2016-01-01

    The authors examined the help-seeking attitudes of 109 Chinese international students studying in the United States. Results revealed that significant relationships exist among acculturation, ethnic identity, English proficiency, and attitudes toward seeking professional counseling services. Limitations and recommendations for future research are…

  10. Measure for Measure: How Proficiency-Based Accountability Systems Affect Inequality in Academic Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jennings, Jennifer; Sohn, Heeju

    2014-01-01

    How do proficiency-based accountability systems affect inequality in academic achievement? This article reconciles mixed findings in the literature by demonstrating that three factors jointly determine accountability's impact. First, by analyzing student-level data from a large urban school district, we find that when educators face accountability…

  11. Oral English Language Proficiency and Reading Mastery: The Role of Home Language and School Supports

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Palacios, Natalia; Kibler, Amanda

    2016-01-01

    The analysis of 21,409 participants of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten cohort focused on home and school factors sought to understand the level of reading mastery that children experienced throughout elementary school and Grade 8 by relating home language use, timing of oral English language proficiency, and the provision of…

  12. The Effects of 'Face' on Listening Comprehension: Evidence from Advanced Jordanian Speakers of English.

    PubMed

    Hamdan, Jihad M; Al-Hawamdeh, Rose Fowler

    2018-04-10

    This empirical study examines the extent to which 'face', i.e. (audio visual dialogues), affects the listening comprehension of advanced Jordanian EFL learners in a TOFEL-like test, as opposed to its absence (i.e. a purely audio test) which is the current norm in many English language proficiency tests, including but not limited to TOFEL iBT, TOEIC and academic IELTS. Through an online experiment, 60 Jordanian postgraduate linguistics and English literature students (advanced EFL learners) at the University of Jordan sit for two listening tests (simulating English proficiency tests); namely, one which is purely audio [i.e. without any face (including any visuals such as motion, as well as still pictures)], and one which is audiovisual/video. The results clearly show that the inclusion of visuals enhances subjects' performance in listening tests. It is concluded that since the aim of English proficiency tests such as TOEFL iBT is to qualify or disqualify subjects to work and study in western English-speaking countries, the exclusion of visuals is unfounded. In actuality, most natural interaction includes visibility of the interlocutors involved, and hence test takers who sit purely audio proficiency tests in English or any other language are placed at a disadvantage.

  13. Identifying and preventing medical errors in patients with limited English proficiency: key findings and tools for the field.

    PubMed

    Wasserman, Melanie; Renfrew, Megan R; Green, Alexander R; Lopez, Lenny; Tan-McGrory, Aswita; Brach, Cindy; Betancourt, Joseph R

    2014-01-01

    Since the 1999 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report To Err is Human, progress has been made in patient safety, but few efforts have focused on safety in patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). This article describes the development, content, and testing of two new evidence-based Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) tools for LEP patient safety. In the content development phase, a comprehensive mixed-methods approach was used to identify common causes of errors for LEP patients, high-risk scenarios, and evidence-based strategies to address them. Based on our findings, Improving Patient Safety Systems for Limited English Proficient Patients: A Guide for Hospitals contains recommendations to improve detection and prevention of medical errors across diverse populations, and TeamSTEPPS Enhancing Safety for Patients with Limited English Proficiency Module trains staff to improve safety through team communication and incorporating interpreters in the care process. The Hospital Guide was validated with leaders in quality and safety at diverse hospitals, and the TeamSTEPPS LEP module was field-tested in varied settings within three hospitals. Both tools were found to be implementable, acceptable to their audiences, and conducive to learning. Further research on the impact of the combined use of the guide and module would shed light on their value as a multifaceted intervention. © 2014 National Association for Healthcare Quality.

  14. Why do some countries publish more than others? An international comparison of research funding, English proficiency and publication output in highly ranked general medical journals.

    PubMed

    Man, Jonathan P; Weinkauf, Justin G; Tsang, Monica; Sin, Don D

    2004-01-01

    National factor(s) influencing publication output in the highest ranked medical journals are largely unknown. We sought to examine the relationship between national research funding and English proficiency on publication output. We identified all original research articles appearing in the five highest ranked general medical journals between 1997 and 2001. Using the country of the corresponding author as the source nation for each article, we determined a standardized publication rate across developed nations. We used multiple regression techniques to determine the influence of national expenditures on research and scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), a surrogate for English proficiency, on publication output. There was a significant relationship of national spending on research and TOEFL scores to publication output of developed countries (p = 0.04; p < 0.01, respectively). These two variables explained approximately 71.5% of the variation in publication rate across developed nations around the world (R = 0.85; p < 0.01). Normalized for population size, English-speaking nations and certain northern European countries such as Denmark, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and Sweden had the highest rate of publication in the five highest ranked general medical journals, while Asian countries had generally low rates of publication. Research spending and English proficiency were strongly associated with publication output in the highest ranked general medical journals. While these data cannot be considered definitive due to their observational nature, they do suggest that for English-language medical journals, research funding and English proficiency may be important determinants of publication.

  15. Attitudes of Jordanian University Students towards Using Online Chat Discourse with Native Speakers of English for Improving Their Language Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mahfouz, Safi M.; Ihmeideh, Fathi M.

    2009-01-01

    This study aims to investigate Jordanian university students' attitudes towards using video and text chat discourse with anonymous native speakers of English to improve their English proficiency. To achieve this aim, a questionnaire was designed. The study sample consisted of 320 university students enrolled in two Jordanian universities. Results…

  16. Relation between Assertiveness, Academic Self-Efficacy, and Psychosocial Adjustment among International Graduate Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Poyrazli, Senel; Arbona, Consuelo; Nora, Amaury; McPherson, Robert; Pisecco, Stewart

    2002-01-01

    Rathus Assertiveness Schedule, Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, The Inventory for Student Adjustment Strain, and UCLA Loneliness Scale were used to examine a total of 122 graduate international students. Findings indicate that English proficiency, assertiveness, and academic self-efficacy contributed uniquely to the variance in students' general…

  17. The Effects of English Language Proficiency and Curricular Pathways: Latina/os' Mathematics Achievement in Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mosqueda, Eduardo; Maldonado, Saul I.

    2013-01-01

    This study analyzes nationally-representative quantitative data from the first (2002) and second (2004) waves of the Educational Longitudinal Study to examine the relationship between Latina/o secondary school students' degree of English-language proficiency (ELP), mathematics course-taking measures, and 12th grade mathematics achievement.…

  18. Indiana Teachers' Perspectives on Testing Accommodations for Limited English Proficient Students Taking the Graduation Qualifying Exam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hetler, Angela Dawn

    2010-01-01

    This qualitative case study examines teachers' perspectives on testing accommodations for Limited English Proficient (LEP) students taking Indiana's Graduation Qualifying Exam (GQE). The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) states that the purpose of testing accommodations is to "level the playing field" between LEP students and their…

  19. How Is No Child Left Behind Affecting Proficient and Advanced Students on the California STAR Test in English Language Arts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Levine, Susan

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether students who enter high school in ninth grade and score proficient or advanced on their CST in English Language Arts remain proficient or advanced 2 years later in 11th grade. The effects of NCLB will be considered as a contributing factor to the difference in student scores. This study was…

  20. Academics across Borders: Narratives of Linguistic Capital, Language Competence and Communication Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gimenez, Julio; Morgan, W. John

    2017-01-01

    This article reports on a study that examined the personal employment paths of six international academics at a British university. To complement previous accounts of difficult migration, it focuses on the successful experiences of such academics, in particular how proficiency in English facilitated their move into employment in higher education…

  1. English Language Proficiency and Test Performance: An Evaluation of Bilingual Students with the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sotelo-Dynega, Marlene; Ortiz, Samuel O.; Flanagan, Dawn P.; Chaplin, William F.

    2013-01-01

    In this article, we report the findings of an exploratory empirical study that investigated the relationship between English Language Proficiency (ELP) on performance on the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities-Third Edition (WJ III) when administered in English to bilingual students of varying levels of ELP. Sixty-one second-grade…

  2. Assessing Students with Disabilities and Limited English Proficiency. Working Paper Series. Working Paper No. 95-13.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Houser, James

    In recent assessments, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has permitted schools to exclude some students with disabilities or limited English proficiency because it believed that its assessments would not accurately measure the ability and achievement levels of these students. The exclusion of a portion of students from…

  3. What Is the Criterion of Interest in Identifying Limited-English Speaking Students: Language Dominance or Proficiency?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Estes, Gary D.; Estes, Carole

    The issue of using language proficiency or language dominance to assess programs for high school students with limited English speaking backgrounds is addressed. The development and initial analyses of the Competency Based Oral Language Assessment (COLA) are discussed. Three components of oral language are rated separately: semantics; syntax and…

  4. The Impact of an Instructional Intervention on the Science and Language Learning of Middle Grade English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    August, Diane; Branum-Martin, Lee; Cardenas-Hagan, Elsa; Francis, David J.

    2009-01-01

    The goal of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an intervention--Quality English and Science Teaching (QuEST)--designed to develop the science knowledge and academic language of middle grades English language learners studying science in their second language and their English-proficient classmates. Ten sixth-grade science teachers in 5…

  5. No Child Left Behind: Implications for Special Education Students and Students with Limited English Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jewell, Mark E.

    2008-01-01

    This article examines the controversy that continues to surround the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Since its passage, NCLB has been criticized for a number of reasons. One of the criticisms is that it is unfair to include special education students and students with limited English proficiency in the accountability system and judge them by the…

  6. The Role of Attachment, Travel Experiences and English Proficiency in International Students' Acculturative Stress and Depressive Symptoms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smiljanic, Iskra

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between attachment, travel experiences, and English proficiency and international students' acculturative stress and depressive symptoms. A total of 91 graduate international students completed online surveys. Pearson correlations showed that both attachment anxiety and avoidance were positively correlated with…

  7. Bilingual Academic Computer and Technology Oriented Program: Project COM-TECH. Evaluation Section Report. OREA Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berney, Tomi D.; Plotkin, Donna

    Project COM-TECH offered bilingual individualized instruction, using an enrichment approach, to Spanish- and Haitian Creole-speaking students with varying levels of English and native language proficiency and academic preparation. The program provided supplementary instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL); Native Language Arts (NLA); and…

  8. An Examination of Rater Performance on a Local Oral English Proficiency Test: A Mixed-Methods Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yan, Xun

    2014-01-01

    This paper reports on a mixed-methods approach to evaluate rater performance on a local oral English proficiency test. Three types of reliability estimates were reported to examine rater performance from different perspectives. Quantitative results were also triangulated with qualitative rater comments to arrive at a more representative picture of…

  9. Translation Recognition in Highly Proficient Hindi-English Bilinguals: The Influence of Different Scripts but Connectable Phonologies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sunderman, Gretchen L.; Priya, Kanu

    2012-01-01

    This study investigates the phonological nature of the lexical links in the bilingual lexicon using different-script bilinguals. Highly proficient Hindi-English bilinguals performed a translation recognition task (i.e., decide whether two words presented sequentially are a correct translation pair). For the critical trials, the second word was a…

  10. Using Collaborative Strategic Reading with Refugee English Language Learners in an Academic Bridging Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Kent

    2016-01-01

    Refugee students arrive in Canada with varying amounts of previous formal education. School-aged refugees who lack a solid first language education may find learning to read in English and studying subject content especially challenging. If these students leave school, they depart with inadequate English reading proficiency for further academics…

  11. Multimodal Interaction on English Testing Academic Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Magal-Royo, T.; Gimenez-Lopez, J. L.; Garcia Laborda, Jesus

    2012-01-01

    Multimodal interaction methods applied to learning environments of the English language will be a line for future research from the use of adapted mobile phones or PDAs. Today's mobile devices allow access and data entry in a synchronized manner through different channels. At the academic level we made the first analysis of English language…

  12. A Professional Learning Community's Impact on Academic Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ransom, Minnie

    2016-01-01

    English language learners (ELL students) were not attaining and maintaining sufficient proficiency at public schools in Northern California, as measured by students' achievement scores on state and district assessments. The purpose of this quasi-experimental research was to determine whether there were differences in academic language arts…

  13. Secondary Engineering Design Graphics Educator Service Load of Students with Identified Categorical Disabilities and Limited English Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ernst, Jeremy V.; Li, Songze; Williams, Thomas O.

    2014-01-01

    The ever-changing student population of engineering design graphics students necessitates broader sets of instructor adeptness. Specifically, preparedness to educate and provide adequate educational access to content for students with identified categorical disabilities and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) is now an essential readiness skill for…

  14. Consumer Finance: Factors Affecting the Financial Literacy of Individuals with Limited English Proficiency. Report to Congressional Committees. GAO-10-518

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cackley, Alicia Puente

    2010-01-01

    According to Census data, more than 12 million adults in the United States report they do not speak English well or at all. Proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and understanding the English language appears to be linked to multiple dimensions of adult life in the United States, including financial literacy--the ability to make informed…

  15. Using English as a Medium of Instruction at University Level in Denmark: The Lecturer's Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Werther, Charlotte; Denver, Louise; Jensen, Christian; Mees, Inger M.

    2014-01-01

    More than 25% of the master's degrees in Denmark are taught using English as a medium of instruction (EMI), but not all university lecturers feel they have the appropriate academic English proficiency to meet the standard required. Based on interviews conducted at the Copenhagen Business School (CBS), this article sheds light on the challenges…

  16. Identifying Affirmative Beliefs about English Language Learning: Self-Perceptions of Thai Learners with Different Language Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Tuntiga; Rajprasit, Krich

    2015-01-01

    Theoretically, beliefs about English language learning have a psychological factor, such as predicting the rate of success or failure among learners in the classroom context. However, learners with different levels of language proficiency may perceive such beliefs in a different way, which may lead to the development of special needs, in terms of…

  17. Supporting the Language Development of Limited English Proficient Students through Arts Integration in the Primary Grades

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brouillette, Liane

    2012-01-01

    This article looks at how arts integration can boost the language development of limited English proficient students in kindergarten through second grade. I first review existing research on how young children learn and describe the special challenges faced by children who must learn in an unfamiliar language. I then identify arts-based mechanisms…

  18. Predicting Academic Performance of Master's Students in Engineering Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Calisir, Fethi; Basak, Ecem; Comertoglu, Sevinc

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting academic achievement of the master's students who are enrolling in the executive engineering management master's programs in Turkey. These factors include admission requirements (entrance examination, undergraduate grade point average, English proficiency) and demographic attributes…

  19. Computer Writing Skills for Limited English Proficiency Students: Project COMPUGRAFIA.LEP 1988-89. OREA Evaluation Section Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berney, Tomi D.; Keyes, Jose L.

    The Computer Writing Skills for Limited English Proficient Students (Project COMPUGRAFIA.LEP), bilingual special education classes totalling 375 Spanish-speaking students at 10 elementary schools in the Bronx, is evaluated. The project proposed to assist site teachers in developing appropriate lesson plans and effective teaching techniques and…

  20. English for Specific Purposes and Academic Literacies: Eclecticism in Academic Writing Pedagogy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGrath, Lisa; Kaufhold, Kathrin

    2016-01-01

    Academic Literacies and English for Specific Purposes perspectives on the teaching of academic writing tend to be positioned as dichotomous and ideologically incompatible. Nonetheless, recent studies have called for the integration of these two perspectives in the design of writing programmes in order to meet the needs of students in the…

  1. Academic English: A Conceptual Framework. Technical Report 2003-1

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scarcella , Robin

    2003-01-01

    Learning academic English is probably one of the surest, most reliable ways of attaining socioeconomic success in the United States today. Learners cannot function in school settings effectively without it. This variety of English entails the multiple, complex features of English required for success in public schooling and career advancement. It…

  2. New Measures of English Language Proficiency and Their Relationship to Performance on Large-Scale Content Assessments. REL 2009-No. 066. Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parker, Caroline E.; Louie, Josephine; O'Dwyer, Laura

    2009-01-01

    Using assessment results for 5th and 8th grade English language learner students in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, the report finds that the English language domains of reading and writing (as measured by a proficiency assessment) are significant predictors of performance on reading, writing, and mathematics assessments and that the…

  3. Occupational health and safety experiences among self-identified immigrant workers living or working in Somerville, MA by ethnicity, years in the US, and English proficiency.

    PubMed

    Panikkar, Bindu; Woodin, Mark A; Brugge, Doug; Desmarais, Anne Marie; Hyatt, Raymond; Goldman, Rose; Pirie, Alex; Goldstein-Gelb, Marcy; Galvão, Heloisa; Chianelli, Monica; Vasquez, Ismael; McWhinney, Melissa; Dalembert, Franklin; Gute, David M

    2012-12-06

    In this community based research initiative, we employed a survey instrument predominately developed and administered by Teen Educators to assess occupational health risks for Haitian, Salvadoran, and Brazilian immigrants (n = 405) in Somerville, MA, USA. We demonstrate that a combined analysis of ethnicity, years in the US, and English proficiency better characterized the occupational experience of immigrant workers than considering these variables individually. While years in the US (negatively) and English proficiency (positively) explained the occurrence of health risks, the country of origin identified the most vulnerable populations in the community. Brazilians, Salvadorans, and other Hispanic, all of whom who have been in the US varying length of time, with varying proficiency in English language had twice the odds of reporting injuries due to work compared to other immigrants. Although this observation was not significant it indicates that years in the US and English proficiency alone do not predict health risks among this population. We recommend the initiation of larger studies employing c community based participatory research methods to confirm these differences and to further explore work and health issues of immigrant populations. This study is one of the small number of research efforts to utilize a contemporaneous assessment of occupational health problems in three distinct immigrant populations at the community level within a specific Environmental Justice context and social milieu.

  4. Occupational Health and Safety Experiences among Self-Identified Immigrant Workers Living or Working in Somerville, MA by Ethnicity, Years in the US, and English Proficiency

    PubMed Central

    Panikkar, Bindu; Woodin, Mark A.; Brugge, Doug; Desmarais, Anne Marie; Hyatt, Raymond; Goldman, Rose; Pirie, Alex; Goldstein-Gelb, Marcy; Galvão, Heloisa; Chianelli, Monica; Vasquez, Ismael; McWhinney, Melissa; Dalembert, Franklin; Gute, David M.

    2012-01-01

    In this community based research initiative, we employed a survey instrument predominately developed and administered by Teen Educators to assess occupational health risks for Haitian, Salvadoran, and Brazilian immigrants (n = 405) in Somerville, MA, USA. We demonstrate that a combined analysis of ethnicity, years in the US, and English proficiency better characterized the occupational experience of immigrant workers than considering these variables individually. While years in the US (negatively) and English proficiency (positively) explained the occurrence of health risks, the country of origin identified the most vulnerable populations in the community. Brazilians, Salvadorans, and other Hispanic, all of whom who have been in the US varying length of time, with varying proficiency in English language had twice the odds of reporting injuries due to work compared to other immigrants. Although this observation was not significant it indicates that years in the US and English proficiency alone do not predict health risks among this population. We recommend the initiation of larger studies employing c community based participatory research methods to confirm these differences and to further explore work and health issues of immigrant populations. This study is one of the small number of research efforts to utilize a contemporaneous assessment of occupational health problems in three distinct immigrant populations at the community level within a specific Environmental Justice context and social milieu. PMID:23222180

  5. Quasi-Experimental Evidence of Academic Peer Effects at an Elite University in People's Republic of China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ha, Wei

    2016-01-01

    This paper examines the effects of roommates on students' academic outcomes exploiting the randomized roommate assignment system at a selective Chinese university. Unlike earlier studies that could not measure students' academic quality precisely, this paper makes two important improvements in measuring their English proficiency and overall…

  6. Is editing the roadblock to the internationalization of Chinese academic journals?

    PubMed

    Lu, Jian-ping

    2011-06-01

    "China's internationalization" is in part realized through the dissemination of Chinese publications, such as academic journals. Therefore, editorial proficiency in the English language is of vital importance to the quality of the journals. This article analyzes the results of the two projects sponsored by the General Administration of Press and Publication of the People's Republic of China in 2007 and 2010 respectively, namely the "Analytical Evaluation of Language and Editing Quality of Chinese Academic Journals in English Language Issued in 2006", and the "Evaluation of Publication Quality of the China-Grown English Periodicals Issued in 2009, Sanctioned from 2005 to 2009", and proposes solutions to the problems presented therein.

  7. On the Factor Structure of the Grammar Section of University of Tehran English Proficiency Test (UTEPT)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Salehi, Mohammad; Rezaee, Abbas Ali

    2009-01-01

    The study was conducted with 3,385 participants who took an English language proficiency test as a partial requirement for entering a PhD program in different fields of education. This test has three sections which are grammar, vocabulary and reading comprehension. To determine the construct validity of the test, a series of analyses were done.…

  8. The impact of simulation-based learning on students' English for Nursing Purposes (ENP) reading proficiency: a quasi-experimental study.

    PubMed

    Chang, Hsiao-Yun Annie; Chan, Luke; Siren, Betty

    2013-06-01

    This is a report of a study which evaluated simulation-based learning as a teaching strategy for improving participants' ENP reading proficiency in the senior college program of students whose first language is Chinese, not English. Simulation-based learning is known to be one of most effective teaching strategies in the healthcare professional curricula, which brings a clinical setting into the classroom. However, developing English reading skills for English written nursing journals through simulation-based learning in the nursing curricula, is largely unknown. We used a quasi-experimental approach with nonequivalent control group design to collect the causal connections between intervention and outcomes. 101 students were enrolled in this study (response rate 92.6%) of these 48 students volunteered for the intervention group, and 53 students for the control group. The findings indicated that the intervention group had significantly higher mean scores in ENP reading proficiency with unknown words in the article (p=.004), vocabulary (p<.001), and comprehension (p<.001) compared to the control group. Also, the intervention students showed more improvement in their English reading, both from quantitative and qualitative findings. Simulation-based learning may have some advantages in improving the English reading ability on English written nursing journals among nursing students. However, the benefits to the students of this study is still to be determined, and further exploration is needed with well designed research and a universal method of outcome measurement. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Convenient Access to Professional Interpreters in the Hospital Decreases Readmission Rates and Estimated Hospital Expenditures for Patients with Limited English Proficiency

    PubMed Central

    Karliner, Leah S.; Pérez-Stable, Eliseo J.; Gregorich, Steven E.

    2016-01-01

    Background Twenty-five million people in the U.S. have limited English proficiency (LEP); this growing and aging population experiences worse outcomes when hospitalized. Federal requirements that hospitals provide language access services are very challenging to implement in the fast-paced, 24-hour hospital environment. Objective Determine if increasing access to professional interpreters improves hospital outcomes for older patients with LEP Design Natural experiment on a medicine floor of an academic hospital Participants Patients age ≥50 discharged between Jan 15, 2007–Jan 15, 2010. Exposure Dual-handset interpreter telephone at every bedside July 15, 2008–Mar 14, 2009 Outcome Measures 30-day readmission, length of stay (LOS), estimated hospital expenditures Results Of 8,077 discharges, 1,963 were for LEP, and 6,114 for English-proficient (EP) patients. There was a significant decrease in observed 30-day readmission rates for the LEP group during the 8-month intervention period compared to 18 months pre-intervention (17.8% vs. 13.4%); at the same time EP readmission rates increased (16.7% vs. 19.7%); results remained significant in adjusted analyses. This improved readmission outcome for the LEP group was not maintained during the subsequent post-intervention period when the telephones became less accessible. There was no significant intervention impact on LOS in either unadjusted or adjusted analyses. After accounting for interpreter services costs, the estimated 119 readmissions averted during the intervention period were associated with estimated monthly hospital expenditure savings of $161,404. Conclusions Comprehensive language access represents an important, high value service that all medical centers should provide in order to achieve equitable, quality healthcare for vulnerable LEP populations. PMID:27579909

  10. Special Competition Bilingual Enrichment Academic Russian Program. Final Evaluation Report, 1992-93. OREA Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seiman, Florence

    Special Competition Bilingual Enrichment Academic Russian Program is a federally-funded program that served 623 native Russian-speaking, limited-English-proficient (LEP) students in nine public and two private high schools in New York City in 1992-93, its first year of operation. Students received instruction in English as a second language (ESL),…

  11. English Proficiency, Threshold Language Policy and Mental Health Service Utilization among Asian-American Children.

    PubMed

    Aratani, Yumiko; Liu, Cindy H

    2015-10-01

    This paper explores the role of English proficiency, ethnicity, and California's threshold language policy in the rates of discontinuing mental health services among Asian-American children. We used data from the 2001-2006 Client and Services Information (CSI) System, which contains county-level information about service users in public mental health systems. Our data included 59,218 service users under the age of 18. We used logistic regression to determine the likelihood of discontinuing services, while controlling for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. English-speaking Asians were 11% more likely than English-speaking Whites to discontinue mental health services. Non-English-speaking Asians were 50% significantly more likely to stay in services. The results also revealed some inter-ethnic variations in the discontinuation patterns; however, the patterns of mental health service utilization appear to be driven by the availability of mental health services in Asian-ethnic languages in county of residence. Further research is needed to understand the intake and referral processes that Asian children go through within the mental health service system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. The Habitat Factor in ELF(A)--English as a Lingua Franca (In Academic Settings)--And English for Plurilingual Academic Purposes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schaller-Schwaner, Iris

    2015-01-01

    This article considers a case of local language socialization and accommodation in a multilingual community of practice: the use of English as an additional academic language for specific purposes at a bilingual Swiss university and its implications for teaching. The acronym ELF(A) is used throughout as short for English as a Lingua Franca (in…

  13. A Comparison of Reliability and Precision of Subscore Reporting Methods for a State English Language Proficiency Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Longabach, Tanya; Peyton, Vicki

    2018-01-01

    K-12 English language proficiency tests that assess multiple content domains (e.g., listening, speaking, reading, writing) often have subsections based on these content domains; scores assigned to these subsections are commonly known as subscores. Testing programs face increasing customer demands for the reporting of subscores in addition to the…

  14. The Bilingual Academic Services and Integrated Career Systems Program, BASICS 1988-1989. OREA Evaluation Section Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berney, Tomi D.; Barrera, Marbella

    In its second year, the Bilingual Academic Services and Integrated Career Systems (BASICS) Program served 104 limited-English-proficient students at Bayside High School in Queens (New York City). Project goals were to develop English literacy skills, produce an organizing framework of thinking and language skills across the curriculum, generate a…

  15. American Sign Language/English bilingual model: a longitudinal study of academic growth.

    PubMed

    Lange, Cheryl M; Lane-Outlaw, Susan; Lange, William E; Sherwood, Dyan L

    2013-10-01

    This study examines reading and mathematics academic growth of deaf and hard-of-hearing students instructed through an American Sign Language (ASL)/English bilingual model. The study participants were exposed to the model for a minimum of 4 years. The study participants' academic growth rates were measured using the Northwest Evaluation Association's Measure of Academic Progress assessment and compared with a national-normed group of grade-level peers that consisted primarily of hearing students. The study also compared academic growth for participants by various characteristics such as gender, parents' hearing status, and secondary disability status and examined the academic outcomes for students after a minimum of 4 years of instruction in an ASL/English bilingual model. The findings support the efficacy of the ASL/English bilingual model.

  16. Bilingual Education and Academic/Career Outreach for Newcomers: Project BEACON, 1988-89. Evaluation Section Report. OREA Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berney, Tomi D.; Gritzer, Glenn

    The Bilingual Education Academic/Career Outreach for Newcomers Program (Project BEACON) completed its fourth year. The goals of Project BEACON are to facilitate acquisition of English proficiency, develop native language literacy skills, and provide instruction in bilingual and English content area/vocational classes. The project served 753…

  17. How Do Algebra I Course Repetition Rates Vary among English Learner Students by Length of Time to Reclassification as English Proficient? REL 2017-222

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jaquet, Karina; Fong, Anthony B.

    2017-01-01

    Research has found high repetition rates for students in Algebra I, with one study finding a repetition rate of 44 percent for students in a large urban high school district. Less is known about how math performance and Algebra I course repetition rates vary among students with different levels of English proficiency. This report examines Algebra…

  18. Investigating the Impact of Professional Development on Teachers' Instructional Time and English Learners' Language Development: A Multilevel Cross-Classified Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tong, Fuhui; Luo, Wen; Irby, Beverly J.; Lara-Alecio, Rafael; Rivera, Hector

    2017-01-01

    We examined the direct impact of an ongoing, intensive, and structured professional development (PD) within an English-as-second-language (ESL) instructional intervention on (a) teachers' time allocation in cognitive--academic language proficiency (CALP) and (b) Spanish-speaking English language learners' (ELLs) CALP development from the second to…

  19. The Best of Both Worlds? Towards an English for Academic Purposes/Academic Literacies Writing Pedagogy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wingate, Ursula; Tribble, Christopher

    2012-01-01

    This article is a review of two dominant approaches to academic writing instruction in higher education, English for Academic Purposes (EAP), which is used internationally, and Academic Literacies, which has become an influential model in the UK. The review was driven by a concern that Academic Literacies has been mainly focused on the situations…

  20. Elementary Students' Acquisition of Academic Vocabulary Through Engineering Design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kugelmass, Rachel

    This study examines how STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) inquiry-based learning through a hands-on engineering design can be beneficial in helping students acquire academic vocabulary. This research took place in a second grade dual- language classroom in a public, suburban elementary school. English language learners, students who speak Spanish at home, and native English speakers were evaluated in this study. Each day, students were presented with a general academic vocabulary focus word during an engineering design challenge. Vocabulary pre-tests and post-tests as well as observation field notes were used to evaluate the student's growth in reading and defining the focus academic vocabulary words. A quiz and KSB (knowledge and skill builder) packet were used to evaluate students' knowledge of science and math content and engineering design. The results of this study indicate that engineering design is an effective means for teaching academic vocabulary to students with varying levels of English proficiency.

  1. Limited English Proficiency, Race/Ethnicity and Socio-Economic Status as Influences on Scores in Large-Scale Assessments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Terwilliger, James S.; Magnuson, Paul

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of three basic demographic variables on reading test scores for students in the middle elementary grades. Limited English proficiency (LEP), race/ethnicity and socio-economic status (SES) were studied to determine their influence individually and in combination on performance in large-scale…

  2. A Psychometric Measurement Model for Adult English Language Learners: Pearson Test of English Academic

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pae, Hye K.

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to apply Rasch modeling to an examination of the psychometric properties of the "Pearson Test of English Academic" (PTE Academic). Analyzed were 140 test-takers' scores derived from the PTE Academic database. The mean age of the participants was 26.45 (SD = 5.82), ranging from 17 to 46. Conformity of the participants'…

  3. Saudi English-Major Undergraduates' Academic Writing Problems: A Taif University Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Khairy, Mohamed Ali

    2013-01-01

    This study attempted to investigate Saudi English-major undergraduates studying at Taif University to identify a) the types of academic writing Saudi English-major undergraduates carry out at English departments, b) Saudi English-major undergraduates' writing problems, c) the reasons behind Saudi English-major undergraduates' writing problems and…

  4. Motivation for Staying in College: Differences Between LEP (Limited English Proficiency) and Non-LEP Hispanic Community College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fong, Carlton J.; Krause, Jaimie M.; Acee, Taylor W.; Weinstein, Claire Ellen

    2016-01-01

    The study investigated motivational differences and higher education outcomes between limited English proficiency (LEP) Hispanic students compared with non-LEP Hispanic students. With a sample of 668 Hispanic community college students, we measured various forms of achievement motivation informed by self-determination theory, grade point average…

  5. Academic Motivations of Pre-Service English Language Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ariogul, Sibel

    2009-01-01

    This study examines the academic motivation, in a Turkish context, of Turkish pre-service English teachers to contribute field research. Students (n=287) completed the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) and a demographic questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a one-way ANOVA, independent sample t-test, and Pearson product…

  6. New Measures of English Language Proficiency and Their Relationship to Performance on Large-Scale Content Assessments. Issues & Answers. REL 2009-No. 066

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parker, Caroline E.; Louie, Josephine; O'Dwyer, Laura

    2009-01-01

    Using assessment results for 5th and 8th grade English language learner students in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, the report finds that the English language domains of reading and writing (as measured by a proficiency assessment) are significant predictors of performance on reading, writing, and mathematics assessments and that the…

  7. Differential Outcomes of Two Bilingual Education Programs on English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lopez, Maria G.; Tashakkori, Abbas

    2006-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of two types of bilingual programs (two-way and transitional) on the academic performance and attitudes of fifth-grade students who entered kindergarten or first grade with different levels of English proficiency. A mixed methods design with both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analyses phases…

  8. Reading Strategy Awareness of Arabic-Speaking Medical Students Studying in English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malcolm, Diane

    2009-01-01

    Skilled readers are often characterized as more metacognitively aware than less skilled readers. This questionnaire study of 160 students at a medical university in Bahrain compared reported academic reading strategy use of readers at varying initial English proficiency level and year of study. While all students reported high use of strategies…

  9. Academic achievement and course taking among language minority youth in U.S. schools: Effects of ESL placement

    PubMed Central

    Callahan, Rebecca; Wilkinson, Lindsey; Muller, Chandra

    2014-01-01

    The 1974 Lau decision requires that U.S. public schools ensure a meaningful education for students learning English. English as a Second Language (ESL) placement is an institutional response to the linguistic needs of these students; however, its academic implications remain largely unexplored. Using nationally representative data from the Educational Longitudinal Study (ELS), the effects of ESL placement on college preparatory course enrollment and academic achievement of language minority students are estimated, first with fixed effects regression models and then with multi-level propensity score matching techniques. While numerous school and individual level factors beyond language proficiency predict ESL placement, a significant negative estimated effect of ESL placement on science enrollment and cumulative GPA is consistently found. Perhaps more important, however, no positive effects of ESL placement on the achievement of language minority youth are found when accounting for English proficiency and other potential covariates. PMID:25431506

  10. Academic achievement and course taking among language minority youth in U.S. schools: Effects of ESL placement.

    PubMed

    Callahan, Rebecca; Wilkinson, Lindsey; Muller, Chandra

    2010-03-01

    The 1974 Lau decision requires that U.S. public schools ensure a meaningful education for students learning English. English as a Second Language (ESL) placement is an institutional response to the linguistic needs of these students; however, its academic implications remain largely unexplored. Using nationally representative data from the Educational Longitudinal Study (ELS), the effects of ESL placement on college preparatory course enrollment and academic achievement of language minority students are estimated, first with fixed effects regression models and then with multi-level propensity score matching techniques. While numerous school and individual level factors beyond language proficiency predict ESL placement, a significant negative estimated effect of ESL placement on science enrollment and cumulative GPA is consistently found. Perhaps more important, however, no positive effects of ESL placement on the achievement of language minority youth are found when accounting for English proficiency and other potential covariates.

  11. Limited English Proficient Individuals in the United States: Number, Share, Growth, and Linguistic Diversity. LEP Data Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pandya, Chhandasi; McHugh, Margie; Batalova, Jeanne

    2011-01-01

    The number of US residents who are deemed to be Limited English Proficient (LEP) has increased substantially in recent decades, consistent with the growth in the US foreign-born population. While many LEP individuals are still attracted to the historic immigrant-destination states of California, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Illinois,…

  12. Perceptions of Secondary Science Educators of Limited English Proficient (LEP) Learners in Their Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hollenbeck, James; Hristova-Hollenbeck, Darina Z.

    2008-01-01

    Most information on the teaching of ESL/LEP [English as a Second Language/Limited English Language] students is directed towards elementary students and academic areas other than science. Secondary science teachers need research and information on teaching ESL/LEP students. Secondary science educators in the Louisville Metropolitan area were…

  13. The Effect of Dual-Language and Transitional-Bilingual Education Instructional Models on Spanish Proficiency for English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murphy, Audrey Figueroa

    2014-01-01

    The effects of "transitional-bilingual" and "dual-language" educational models on proficiency in students' home language (Spanish) were examined in a study of English language learners in the first and second grades in a large urban elementary school. In each grade, students were taught with either a transitional-bilingual…

  14. The Influence of Classroom Drama on English Learners' Academic Language Use during English Language Arts Lessons

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Alida; Loughlin, Sandra M.

    2014-01-01

    Teacher and student academic discourse was examined in an urban arts-integrated school to better understand facilitation of students' English language learning. Participants' discourse was compared across English language arts (ELA) lessons with and without classroom drama in a third-grade classroom of English learning (EL) students (N = 18) with…

  15. Setting Language Proficiency Score Requirements for English-as-a-Second-Language Placement Decisions in Secondary Education. Research Report. ETS RR-16-17

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baron, Patricia A.; Papageorgiou, Spiros

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to collect recommendations for minimum score requirements (cut scores) on the "TOEFL Junior"® English language proficiency test in order to guide decisions on the placement of learners into English as a second language (ESL) support classes. The TOEFL Junior test, intended primarily for students ages 11 and…

  16. Is editing the roadblock to the internationalization of Chinese academic journals?*

    PubMed Central

    Lu, Jian-ping

    2011-01-01

    “China’s internationalization” is in part realized through the dissemination of Chinese publications, such as academic journals. Therefore, editorial proficiency in the English language is of vital importance to the quality of the journals. This article analyzes the results of the two projects sponsored by the General Administration of Press and Publication of the People’s Republic of China in 2007 and 2010 respectively, namely the “Analytical Evaluation of Language and Editing Quality of Chinese Academic Journals in English Language Issued in 2006”, and the “Evaluation of Publication Quality of the China-Grown English Periodicals Issued in 2009, Sanctioned from 2005 to 2009”, and proposes solutions to the problems presented therein. PMID:21634045

  17. The Frequency and Functions of "Just" in British Academic Spoken English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grant, Lynn E.

    2011-01-01

    This study investigates the frequency and functions of "just" in British academic spoken English. It adopts the meanings of "just" established by Lindemann and Mauranen, 2001, taken from the occurrences of "just" across five speech events in the Michigan Corpus of Academic Spoken English (MICASE) to see if they also apply to occurrences of "just"…

  18. Accent, Perpetual Foreigner Stereotype, and Perceived Discrimination as Indirect Links between English Proficiency and Depressive Symptoms in Chinese American Adolescents

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Su Yeong; Wang, Yijie; Deng, Shiying; Alvarez, Rocio; Li, Jing

    2010-01-01

    The current study uses Garcia Coll et al.'s (1996) developmental competence model of ethnic minority children and Kim's (1999) Racial Triangulation Theory as frameworks for investigating the mechanisms whereby early adolescent English proficiency relates to perceived discriminatory experiences and adolescent depressive symptoms. Data from 444 adolescents (239 girls and 205 boys, with a mean age of 13.0 for Wave 1 and 17.0 for Wave 2) and their parents living in major metropolitan areas of Northern California were collected. The structural equation modeling analyses indicate that self-reported low levels of English proficiency among Chinese American adolescents in middle school are related to these same students later reporting that they speak English with an accent in high school, which in turn relates significantly to their perceiving that they have been stereotyped as perpetual foreigners. For girls, a perpetual foreigner stereotype relates to perceptions of chronic daily discrimination, increasing the risk of depressive symptoms. For boys, the path is different: a perpetual foreigner stereotype is apparently related to discriminatory victimization experiences, which increase the risk of depressive symptoms. PMID:21244164

  19. Accent, perpetual foreigner stereotype, and perceived discrimination as indirect links between English proficiency and depressive symptoms in Chinese American adolescents.

    PubMed

    Kim, Su Yeong; Wang, Yijie; Deng, Shiying; Alvarez, Rocio; Li, Jing

    2011-01-01

    The current study uses García Coll et al.'s (1996) developmental competence model of ethnic minority children and Kim's (1999) racial triangulation theory as frameworks for investigating the mechanisms whereby early adolescent English proficiency relates to perceived discriminatory experiences and adolescent depressive symptoms. Data from 444 adolescents (239 girls and 205 boys, with a mean age of 13.0 years for Wave 1 and 17.0 years for Wave 2) and their parents living in major metropolitan areas of Northern California were collected. The structural equation modeling analyses indicate that self-reported low levels of English proficiency among Chinese American adolescents in middle school are related to these same students later reporting that they speak English with an accent in high school, which in turn relates significantly to their perceiving that they have been stereotyped as perpetual foreigners. For girls, a perpetual foreigner stereotype relates to perceptions of chronic daily discrimination, increasing the risk of depressive symptoms. For boys, the path is different: A perpetual foreigner stereotype is apparently related to discriminatory victimization experiences, which increase the risk of depressive symptoms.

  20. Acquisition of Learning by Facilitating Academics (Project ALFA). Final Evaluation Report, 1993-94. OER Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Augustin, Marc

    The Acquisition of Learning by Facilitating Academics (Project ALFA) was an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title VII-funded project in its second year in 1993-94. The project operated at a high school in Brooklyn, and served 75 Haitian-speaking students of limited English proficiency with fewer than 5 years in an English-speaking school.…

  1. Homeroom Teachers or Specialist Teachers?: Considerations for the Workforce for Teaching English as a Subject at Elementary Schools in Japan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Okumura, Shinji

    2017-01-01

    In Japan, English will be officially taught as an academic subject for elementary fifth and sixth graders from 2020. This is a strong initiative of language-in-education policy, aiming at efficient articulation between elementary and junior high schools and targeting the development of English proficiency from early ages simultaneously. However,…

  2. Anxiety in Chinese EFL Students at Different Proficiency Levels

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Meihua

    2006-01-01

    This paper reports a study on anxiety in Chinese undergraduate non-English majors at three different proficiency levels. By way of survey, observations, reflective journals and interviews, the study revealed that (1) a considerable number of students at each level felt anxious when speaking English in class, (2) the more proficient students tended…

  3. Awareness of anti-cancer vaccines among Asian American women with limited English proficiency

    PubMed Central

    Nguyen, Giang T.; Leader, Amy E.; Hung, Wan Ling

    2008-01-01

    Background Asian Americans suffer from liver and cervical cancer, both vaccine preventable, yet their awareness of such vaccines has not been described. Methods Cross-sectional survey (English and 5 Asian languages, 380 women, age 18+). Results Those with limited English proficiency (LEP) were less likely to have accurate knowledge of a cervical cancer vaccine (44 vs 76%, among the 34% reporting awareness of any cancer preventive vaccines); they were also more likely to believe vaccines existed for non-vaccine-preventable cancers. Moreover, despite high rates of hepatitis B-related liver cancer among Asians, awareness that a vaccine could prevent liver cancer was very low for both LEP and non-LEP women (under 30% among those aware of cancer vaccines). Conclusion This study highlights the need to educate and correct misconceptions about vaccine-preventable cancers among Asian American women, especially those who are LEP. PMID:19838885

  4. Toward a "Common Definition of English Learner": Guidance for States and State Assessment Consortia in Defining and Addressing Policy and Technical Issues and Options

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Linquanti, Robert; Cook, H. Gary

    2013-01-01

    States participating in the four federally-funded assessment consortia are required to establish a "common definition of English Learner." This includes the two Race to the Top academic assessment consortia and the two Enhanced Assessment Grant English language proficiency (ELP) assessment consortia. This paper provides guidance that…

  5. Proyecto para la participacion de los padres de los estudiantes con competencia limitada en ingles (LEP) (Limited English Proficient (LEP) Parent Involvement Project).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pecoraro, Diane; Phommasouvanh, Bounlieng

    The Limited English Proficient (LEP) Parent Involvement Project, a collaborative project between two state agencies, aims to help refugee and immigrant parents to be effective in their new American culture. Materials are provided that were developed for use in various adult education settings such as English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes,…

  6. Spanish-Speaking Limited English Proficiency Patients and Call Light Use.

    PubMed

    Montie, Mary; Galinato, Jose Gabriel; Patak, Lance; Titler, Marita

    2016-06-01

    Despite a continuous increase of the limited English proficiency (LEP) population in the United States, disparities in the quality of care received in health care systems persist. This qualitative study explores the perceptions of hospitalized LEP patients on their call light use, as well as their perceptions of a prototype of a new multilingual call light system, Eloquence™. Individual interviews were conducted with 10 Spanish-speaking patient participants. Using a constant comparative method, the following themes emerged: (1) reasons for call light use, (2) challenges with communication, (3) patients' adaptation to language barriers, (4) perceived staff responses to call light, and (5) responses to the Eloquence™ demonstration. Data from this study shed light on the patient care experience of LEP patients and can help guide clinicians and administrators in providing culturally and linguistically competent care. © The Author(s) 2016.

  7. Prehospital emergency care nurses' strategies while caring for patients with limited Swedish - English proficiency.

    PubMed

    Alm Pfrunder, A; Falk, A; Vicente, V; Lindström, V

    2018-04-20

    To explore the strategies of nurses working in the ambulance service while caring for patients with limited Swedish-English proficiency. Communication difficulties due to lack of mutual language is a challenge in health care systems around the world. Little is known about nurses' strategies while caring for patients with whom they do not share a mutual language in an unstructured, unplanned prehospital emergency environment, the ambulance service. A qualitative study design based on interviews was used and a purposeful sample and snowball technique was used to identify nurses with prehospital emergency experience of caring for patients with limited Swedish-English proficiency. Eleven nurses were interviewed, and the main strategy they used was adapting to the patients' need and the caring situation. The nurses used their own body, and tone of voice for creating a sense of trust and security. The nurses also used structured assessment in accordance with medical guidelines. Translation devices and relatives/bystanders were used as interpreters when possible. Another strategy was to transport the patient directly to the emergency department since they had not found a secure way of assessing and caring for the patients in the ambulance. The nurses used a palette of strategies while assessing and caring for patients when there was no mutual language between the caregiver and care seeker. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  8. The Effect of Sociolinguistic Factors and English Language Proficiency on the Development of French as a Third Language

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bérubé, Daniel; Marinova-Todd, Stefka H.

    2014-01-01

    The classroom demographics in French immersion (FI) programs across Canada are changing: There are a growing number of multilingual students who are learning English as a second language (L2) and French as a third language (L3). However, little is known about the development of French language proficiency and reading skills of multilingual…

  9. Language, Content and Skills in the Testing of English for Academic Purposes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gamaroff, R.

    1998-01-01

    A study investigated the consistency of criteria for academic English skills as applied by teachers of academic English and science lecturers in a South African historically black university. Both groups were asked to evaluate first-year students' essays on the greenhouse effect. Results indicated a wide variation in scores and judgments within…

  10. 34 CFR 472.33 - How must projects that serve adults with limited English proficiency provide for the needs of...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false How must projects that serve adults with limited English proficiency provide for the needs of those adults? 472.33 Section 472.33 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION...

  11. 34 CFR 472.33 - How must projects that serve adults with limited English proficiency provide for the needs of...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false How must projects that serve adults with limited English proficiency provide for the needs of those adults? 472.33 Section 472.33 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION...

  12. 34 CFR 472.33 - How must projects that serve adults with limited English proficiency provide for the needs of...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false How must projects that serve adults with limited English proficiency provide for the needs of those adults? 472.33 Section 472.33 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION...

  13. 34 CFR 472.33 - How must projects that serve adults with limited English proficiency provide for the needs of...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false How must projects that serve adults with limited English proficiency provide for the needs of those adults? 472.33 Section 472.33 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION...

  14. Translanguaging in English Academic Writing Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adamson, John; Coulson, David

    2015-01-01

    We investigate translanguaging (i.e. the co-use of first and second languages) in a Content and Language Integrated Learning course, as a pragmatic means to promote the skill of young university students in extended critical academic writing. We aimed to prepare new undergraduate students (n = 180) for courses where partial English-medium…

  15. Learning preference as a predictor of academic performance in first year accelerated graduate entry nursing students: a prospective follow-up study.

    PubMed

    Koch, Jane; Salamonson, Yenna; Rolley, John X; Davidson, Patricia M

    2011-08-01

    The growth of accelerated graduate entry nursing programs has challenged traditional approaches to teaching and learning. To date, limited research has been undertaken in the role of learning preferences, language proficiency and academic performance in accelerated programs. Sixty-two first year accelerated graduate entry nursing students, in a single cohort at a university in the western region of Sydney, Australia, were surveyed to assess their learning preference using the Visual, Aural, Read/write and Kinaesthetic (VARK) learning preference questionnaire, together with sociodemographic data, English language acculturation and perceived academic control. Six months following course commencement, the participant's grade point average (GPA) was studied as a measurement of academic performance. A 93% response rate was achieved. The majority of students (62%) reported preference for multiple approaches to learning with the kinaesthetic sensory mode a significant (p=0.009) predictor of academic performance. Students who spoke only English at home had higher mean scores across two of the four categories of VARK sensory modalities, visual and kinaesthetic compared to those who spoke non-English. Further research is warranted to investigate the reasons why the kinaesthetic sensory mode is a predictor of academic performance and to what extent the VARK mean scores of the four learning preference(s) change with improved English language proficiency. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Factors Predicting Academic Success in Second and Third Language among Russian-Speaking Immigrant Students Studying in Israeli Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haim, Orly

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors predicting academic proficiency (AP), the specialised domains required for performing academic tasks, among Russian speaking (L1) immigrants currently studying Hebrew as a second language (L2) and English as a third language (L3) in Israeli schools. Specifically, the study examined the…

  17. Using Criterion in an English for Academic Purposes Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cookson, Simon; Hunter, Simon; Jackson, Daniel; Sick, James

    2005-01-01

    English for Academic Purposes (EAP Writing) is a compulsory course for English literature and language students at Obirin University. The first semester focuses on expository writing, typical of the TOEFL[R] writing exam. The second semester focuses on writing about literature. To facilitate their writing all students are provided with a user…

  18. English as a Symbol of Internationalization in Higher Education: A Case Study of Vietnam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duong, Van Anh; Chua, Catherine S. K.

    2016-01-01

    Vietnam universities have experienced remarkable changes brought about by their internationalization policies. The switch to English as a medium of instruction (EMI) for some academic programs was one of these critical changes. Literature has reported numerous issues related to EMI, including inadequate language proficiency of teaching staff. This…

  19. Establishing Medical Students' Cultural and Linguistic Competence for the Care of Spanish-Speaking Limited English Proficient Patients.

    PubMed

    Vela, Monica; Fritz, Cassandra; Jacobs, Elizabeth A

    2016-09-01

    Limited English proficient (LEP) patients are at risk of disparities in health and health care quality. These disparities can be mitigated by providing care in a language they understand. Undergraduate medical education provides an opportunity to stress that language barriers negatively impact the quality and safety of health care for LEP patients and to teach students how to overcome them. Because the preponderance of LEP patients in the USA is Spanish speaking, the majority of US medical schools have established medical Spanish coursework for interested students. However, 70 % of medical schools note significant obstacles to delivering this curriculum. The most commonly cited obstacles include a lack of time to deliver it, heterogeneous student skill levels, and insufficient faculty support. We also note that educators need to make sure not to propagate disparities and medical errors for LEP patients. We provide recommendations for establishing medical students' linguistic and cultural competence for the care Spanish-speaking limited English proficiency patients, with the caution that this instruction must be coupled with education as to when to call on an interpreter if participants are not fluent in Spanish at the end of the course.

  20. A Study of English Language Learning Beliefs, Strategies, and English Academic Achievement of the ESP Students of STIENAS Samarinda

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hayati, Noor

    2015-01-01

    This research aimed to investigate; students' English academic achievement, beliefs about English language learning, English language learning strategies, and the relationship of them. Descriptive and correlational design, quantitative methods were applied in this research. The students' final English scores of the first year, BALLI, and SILL were…

  1. Popular Culture, English Out-of-Class Activities, and Learner Autonomy among Highly Proficient Secondary Students in Hong Kong

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chan, Hoi Wing

    2016-01-01

    This paper reports on how and why proficient learners of English in Hong Kong participated in popular culture, out-of-class activities, with an emphasis on their development of learner autonomy. Autonomy in language learning is defined as an individual's ability and responsibility to take charge of his or her own learning [1]. Out-of-class…

  2. Equity for Limited English Proficient Students Regarding Assessment and Effectiveness of Testing Accommodations: A Study of Third Graders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deysson, Sandra Lynn

    2013-01-01

    This study focused on the aspect of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) that require the inclusion of all limited English proficient (LEP) students in testing situations, simultaneously making an effort to close the achievement gap. NCLB indicates that each state is to assess students in a language…

  3. Limited english proficiency, primary language at home, and disparities in children's health care: how language barriers are measured matters.

    PubMed

    Flores, Glenn; Abreu, Milagros; Tomany-Korman, Sandra C

    2005-01-01

    Approximately 3.5 million U.S. schoolchildren are limited in English proficiency (LEP). Disparities in children's health and health care are associated with both LEP and speaking a language other than English at home, but prior research has not examined which of these two measures of language barriers is most useful in examining health care disparities. Our objectives were to compare primary language spoken at home vs. parental LEP and their associations with health status, access to care, and use of health services in children. We surveyed parents at urban community sites in Boston, asking 74 questions on children's health status, access to health care, and use of health services. Some 98% of the 1,100 participating children and families were of non-white race/ethnicity, 72% of parents were LEP, and 13 different primary languages were spoken at home. "Dose-response" relationships were observed between parental English proficiency and several child and parental sociodemographic features, including children's insurance coverage, parental educational attainment, citizenship and employment, and family income. Similar "dose-response" relationships were noted between the primary language spoken at home and many but not all of the same sociodemographic features. In multivariate analyses, LEP parents were associated with triple the odds of a child having fair/poor health status, double the odds of the child spending at least one day in bed for illness in the past year, and significantly greater odds of children not being brought in for needed medical care for six of nine access barriers to care. None of these findings were observed in analyses of the primary language spoken at home. Individual parental LEP categories were associated with different risks of adverse health status and outcomes. Parental LEP is superior to the primary language spoken at home as a measure of the impact of language barriers on children's health and health care. Individual parental LEP

  4. A Review of the Literature on Students with Limited English Proficiency and Assessment. State Assessment Series: Minnesota, Report 11.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Kristin; Thurlow, Martha; Erickson, Ronald; Spicuzza, Richard; Heinze, Kathryn

    In order to encourage school districts to include students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in educational assessments, this report discusses issues involved in assessing students with LEP. Topics include: (1) the role of testing in education and the different types of tests mandated by educational reform legislation; (2) characteristics of…

  5. The Relationship between Language Literacy and ELL Student Academic Performance in Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lawon, Molly A.

    2017-01-01

    This quantitative study used regression analysis to investigate the correlation of limited language proficiency and the performance of English Language Learner (ELL) students on two commonly used math assessments, namely the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) and the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP). Scores were analyzed for eighth…

  6. Effective Strategies for Developing Academic English: Professional Development and Teacher Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowers, Erica; Fitts, Shanan; Quirk, Mathew; Jung, Woo

    2010-01-01

    The development of academic English and advanced literacy is crucial for student success, especially for English language learners. In this study, researchers used a survey to investigate which instructional strategies 108 fourth- and fifth-grade teachers learned in professional development and found to be effective for providing English learners…

  7. Linguistic Competence Profiles in English as a Foreign Language in Mexican University Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vivaldo-Lima, Javier; Gonzalez-Robles, Rosa O.; Castillo-Morales, Alberto

    Linguistic competence in English (LCE) as a foreign language has been acknowledged as an important determinant of academic success in higher education. The purpose of this study is to determine the LCE profiles of Mexican freshman students as well as the main factors associated with differences in linguistic competence between proficient and poor…

  8. English Language Learners and Their Academic Progress: 2010-2011

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shneyderman, Aleksandr

    2012-01-01

    This is the 2010-11 annual report on the academic progress of English language learners in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The purpose of the report is to: (1) Describe the demographic characteristics of students classified as English Language Learners (ELL) in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS); (2) Provide data regarding ELL…

  9. The Academic English Language Needs of Industrial Design Students in UiTM Kedah, Malaysia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adzmi, Nor Aslah; Bidin, Samsiah; Ibrahim, Syazliyati; Jusoff, Kamaruzaman

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyse the academic English language lacks and needs of Industrial Design students in Universiti Teknologi MARA Kedah (UiTM). It highlights the lacks and needs for English for Academic Purposes in helping the students to succeed in the program through the usage of English language. The research tools used were in…

  10. English Language Proficiency Tests and Academic Achievement: A Study on the Malaysian University English Test as a Predictor of Technical Programme Undergraduates Academic Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rahmat, Nurhazlini; Min, Lau Sing; Sungif, Nur Atiqah Md.; Yusup, Farah Nabillah Mior

    2015-01-01

    In the Malaysian education system, English has always played an important role. In acknowledging its importance, Malaysian University English Test (MUET) has been introduced to enable continued emphasis on this role. MUET has been made compulsory for those who wish to pursue a first degree programme in local universities. This study aims to…

  11. Implementing a University-Wide Credit-Bearing English Language Enhancement Programme: Issues Emerging from Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fenton-Smith, Ben; Humphreys, Pamela; Walkinshaw, Ian; Michael, Rowan; Lobo, Ana

    2017-01-01

    Many nations now enrol large numbers of tertiary students with English as an additional language, raising concerns over academic literacy standards. As a result, calls for whole-institution approaches to enhance language proficiency have grown. This paper describes the issues faced by one university that attempted such an approach. We first…

  12. Accent, Perpetual Foreigner Stereotype, and Perceived Discrimination as Indirect Links between English Proficiency and Depressive Symptoms in Chinese American Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Su Yeong; Wang, Yijie; Deng, Shiying; Alvarez, Rocio; Li, Jing

    2011-01-01

    The current study uses Garcia Coll et al.'s (1996) developmental competence model of ethnic minority children and Kim's (1999) racial triangulation theory as frameworks for investigating the mechanisms whereby early adolescent English proficiency relates to perceived discriminatory experiences and adolescent depressive symptoms. Data from 444…

  13. A Comparative Study of the Oral Proficiency of Chinese Learners of English across Task Functions: A Discourse Marker Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wei, Ming

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated the use of discourse markers (DMs) by college learners of English in China. It compared the use of DMs for four discourse functions by students at different proficiency levels. An audio-video instrument called Video Oral Communication Instrument was conducted to elicit ratable speech samples. Fraser's (1999) taxonomy was…

  14. The Effects of English Vocabulary Mastery on Geometry Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rockhold, Jonas

    2013-01-01

    This study examines socioeconomic status (SES), English language proficiency (ELP), vocabulary proficiency (VP), and math proficiency (MP) of students to determine if SES, as determined by the Free and Reduced Lunch Program (FRL), as well as English language proficiency (ELP) and vocabulary proficiency (VP), as measured by CELLA scale scores and…

  15. Early Mathematics Achievement Trajectories: English-Language Learner and Native English-Speaker Estimates, Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey

    PubMed Central

    Roberts, Greg; Bryant, Diane

    2012-01-01

    This study used data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey, Kindergarten Class of 1998 –1999, to (a) estimate mathematics achievement trends through 5th grade in the population of students who are English-language proficient by the end of kindergarten, (b) compare trends across primary language groups within this English-language proficient group, (c) evaluate the effect of low socioeconomic status (SES) for English-language proficient students and within different primary language groups, and (d) estimate language-group trends in specific mathematics skill areas. The group of English-language proficient English-language learners (ELLs) was disaggregated into native Spanish speakers and native speakers of Asian languages, the 2 most prevalent groups of ELLs in the United States. Results of multilevel latent variable growth modeling suggest that primary language may be less salient than SES in explaining the mathematics achievement of English-language proficient ELLs. The study also found that mathematics-related school readiness is a key factor in explaining subsequent achievement differences and that the readiness gap is prevalent across the range of mathematics-related skills. PMID:21574702

  16. Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (Project CALLA), Community School District 2 Special Alternative Instruction Program. Final Evaluation Report, 1992-93. OREA Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lynch, Joanne

    Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (Project CALLA) was a federally funded program serving 960 limited-English-proficient students in 10 Manhattan (New York) elementary schools in 1992-93 its third year of operation. The project provided instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL), mathematics, science, and social studies in…

  17. Approaches to Automated Scoring of Speaking for K-12 English Language Proficiency Assessments. Policy Information Report and ETS Research Report Series No. RR-17-18

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Evanini, Keelan; Hauck, Maurice Cogan; Hakuta, Kenji

    2017-01-01

    This report is the fifth in a series concerning English language proficiency (ELP) assessments for English learners (ELs) in kindergarten through 12th grade in the United States. The series, produced by Educational Testing Service (ETS), is intended to provide theory and evidence-based principles and recommendations for improving next-generation…

  18. Limited English Proficiency Students in Wisconsin: Cultural Background and Educational Needs. Part I: Hispanic Students (Mexican and Puerto Rican).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knop, Constance K.

    A training manual was developed to acquaint teachers and administrators with the history and culture of Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans in Wisconsin so that they can better meet the educational needs of their limited English proficient students. This manual is one of three such manuals intended for use with allied audiovisual materials.…

  19. Proficiency and the Bilingual Lexicon.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woutersen, Mirjam; And Others

    A study investigated lexical decision-making among Dutch-English bilinguals in the auditory modality. Subjects, bilinguals at three proficiency levels (intermediate, high, and near-native) were presented with 40 cognate and 40 non-cognate word pairs, a similar number of English and Dutch distractors, and a similar number of nonsense words in each…

  20. A Mandarin/English Two-Way Immersion Program: Language Proficiency and Academic Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Padilla, Amado M.; Fan, Lorraine; Xu, Xiaoqiu; Silva, Duarte

    2013-01-01

    A Mandarin/English two-way immersion elementary program is described from its inception and implementation through the fifth grade, the culminating year of the program. All students in all grades were assessed on their oral/listening, reading, and writing performance in Mandarin using program-created assessment measures. Fifth-grade students also…

  1. Syntactic Boundaries and the Mechanics of Written Academic English: A Workshop for Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Behrens, Susan; Mercer, Cindy

    2011-01-01

    The academic demands of classroom English require students to think about language structure in ways that they are not used to. Everybody "knows" much English grammar intuitively but the academic rules themselves can be difficult to articulate. This goes for punctuation, too: errors often reflect students' lack of explicit knowledge of grammatical…

  2. Effect of Balanced Math Instruction on Math Performance of Grade 1 and Grade 2 English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cavanaugh, Gary Scott

    2017-01-01

    Research affirmed that instructional strategies that promote English Language Learners' (ELLs) Academic Language Proficiency (ALP) are essential in the primary grades for ELLs to succeed in school. This quantitative causal-comparative study relied on the premise of Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and addressed to what extent Balanced Math…

  3. The Relationship between English Language Learners' Language Proficiency and Standardized Test Scores

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thakkar, Darshan

    2013-01-01

    It is generally theorized that English Language Learner (ELL) students do not succeed on state standardized tests because ELL students lack the cognitive academic language skills necessary to function on the large scale content assessments. The purpose of this dissertation was to test that theory. Through the use of quantitative methodology, ELL…

  4. Improving communication between health-care professionals and patients with limited English proficiency in the general practice setting.

    PubMed

    Attard, Melanie; McArthur, Alexa; Riitano, Dagmara; Aromataris, Edoardo; Bollen, Chris; Pearson, Alan

    2015-01-01

    Quality service provision and patient safety and satisfaction in encounters with health-care professionals relies on effective communication between the practitioner and patient. This study aimed to identify effective practices for improving communication between clinical staff in general practice and patients with limited English proficiency, and to promote their implementation in general practice. Effective interventions and strategies were identified from a review of international research. Experiences with their use in practice were explored via focus group discussions with general practitioners and practice nurses. The results suggest that, wherever possible, communication in the patient's primary language is preferable; use of a qualified medical interpreter should be promoted, and practices should have a standardised and documented procedure for accessing interpreter services. General practice staff must increase their awareness about services that are available to facilitate communication with patients with limited English proficiency, and also develop attitudes, both individual and organisational, that will maximise the effectiveness of these strategies. These findings were used to develop brief, evidence-based practice guidelines that were disseminated to focus group participants for evaluation of utility and general feedback. This evidence-based guidance is now available to assist clinical and administrative general practice staff across regional and metropolitan South Australia.

  5. English language proficiency, health literacy, and trust in physician are associated with shared decision-making in rheumatoid arthritis

    PubMed Central

    Barton, Jennifer L.; Trupin, Laura; Tonner, Chris; Imboden, John; Katz, Patricia; Schillinger, Dean; Yelin, Edward H.

    2014-01-01

    Objective Treat to Target guidelines promote shared decision-making (SDM) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Also, due to high cost and potential toxicity of therapies, SDM is central to patient safety. Our objective was to examine patterns of perceived communication around decision-making in two cohorts of adults with RA. Methods Data were derived from patients enrolled in one of two longitudinal, observational cohorts (UCSF RA Cohort and RA Panel). Subjects completed a telephone interview in their preferred language that included a measure of patient-provider communication, including items about decision-making. Measures of trust in physician, education, and language proficiency were also asked. Logistic regression was performed to identify correlates of suboptimal SDM communication. Analyses were performed on each sample separately. Results Of 509 patients across two cohorts, 30% and 32% reported suboptimal SDM communication. Low trust in physician was independently associated with suboptimal SDM communication in both cohorts. Older age and limited English proficiency were independently associated with suboptimal SDM in the UCSF RA Cohort, as was limited health literacy in the RA Panel. Conclusions This study of over 500 adults with RA from two demographically distinct cohorts found that nearly one-third of subjects report suboptimal SDM communication with their clinicians, regardless of cohort. Lower trust in physician was independently associated with suboptimal SDM communication in both cohorts, as was limited English language proficiency and older age in the UCSF RA Cohort and limited health literacy in the Panel. These findings underscore the need to examine the impact of SDM on health outcomes in RA. PMID:24931952

  6. Benchmarking First-Year English: An Analysis of the Language Proficiencies Required for Entry into First-Year English Composition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ostler, Catherine; Sheldrake, Charlotte; Vogel, Vicki; West, Elizabeth

    2008-01-01

    Increasing numbers of ESL (English as a Second Language) students are entering college and university programs, and educators in these programs are concerned about student preparedness. ESL students enter the post-secondary system from a variety of places, resulting in a lack of uniformity in entry level academic skills. A significant associated…

  7. Do Prior Studies Matter?: Predicting Proficiencies Required to Excel Academically in Law School at Makerere University, Uganda

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nalukenge, Betty; Wamala, Robert; Ocaya, Bruno

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Introduction of law school admission examinations has increased the debate regarding the relevance of prior studies for the enrollees in the program. The key issues of contention are whether prior studies reliably predict academic achievement of enrollees, and demonstrate proficiencies required for admission in the program. The purpose of…

  8. Investigating the Measurement of Grammatical Knowledge and Civics Content Knowledge in the Context of an English-for Specific-Purposes Program Designed for Adult Learners with Low English Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dakin, Jee Wha

    2010-01-01

    In the context of adult learners with low English proficiency enrolled in an organization offering instruction in both language and civics content, the purpose of the study was to determine. (1) the nature of grammatical knowledge in the context in the learners' second language (L2) and the nature of civics content knowledge in the learners' first…

  9. Perspectives of Nurses on Patients With Limited English Proficiency and Their Call Light Use.

    PubMed

    Galinato, Jose; Montie, Mary; Shuman, Clayton; Patak, Lance; Titler, Marita

    2016-08-12

    Patients use call light systems to initiate communication with their health care team. Little is known how this process is affected when language barriers exist between an English-speaking nurse and a patient with limited English proficiency (LEP). The aims of this study are to describe (a) the perceptions of nurses regarding their communication with patients with LEP, (b) how call lights affect their communication with patients with LEP, and (c) the perceptions of nurses on the impact of advancement in call light technology on patients with LEP. Using focus groups, nurses were asked about their interactions with patients with LEP. The following themes emerged: barriers to communication, formal tools for communication, gestures and charades, reliance on family, creating a better call light system, and acceptability of Eloquence™. This results show that call lights affect the interaction of nurses with patients with LEP and complex issues arise in the subsequent communication that is initiated by the call light.

  10. Perspectives of Nurses on Patients With Limited English Proficiency and Their Call Light Use

    PubMed Central

    Galinato, Jose; Montie, Mary; Shuman, Clayton; Patak, Lance; Titler, Marita

    2016-01-01

    Patients use call light systems to initiate communication with their health care team. Little is known how this process is affected when language barriers exist between an English-speaking nurse and a patient with limited English proficiency (LEP). The aims of this study are to describe (a) the perceptions of nurses regarding their communication with patients with LEP, (b) how call lights affect their communication with patients with LEP, and (c) the perceptions of nurses on the impact of advancement in call light technology on patients with LEP. Using focus groups, nurses were asked about their interactions with patients with LEP. The following themes emerged: barriers to communication, formal tools for communication, gestures and charades, reliance on family, creating a better call light system, and acceptability of Eloquence™. This results show that call lights affect the interaction of nurses with patients with LEP and complex issues arise in the subsequent communication that is initiated by the call light. PMID:28393085

  11. Self-Efficacy and Academic Performance in English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meera, K. P.; Jumana, M. K.

    2015-01-01

    This study reviews the relevant self-efficacy related literature, a central point of social cognitive theory, in the area of language learning. Role of self-efficacy in academic performance of learners is also considered. In the global world, English language has become the fundamental means of international affairs and communication. As a…

  12. Using Sentence Frames to Develop Academic Vocabulary for English Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donnelly, Whitney Bray; Roe, Christopher J.

    2010-01-01

    Often, English-language development (ELD) is taught during a dedicated time of the school day. There is often a mismatch between the content of ELD and the lessons taught during core instruction provided during the remainder of the day. During core instruction, teachers use specially designed academic instruction in English strategies to ensure…

  13. Prospects: The Congressionally Mandated Study of Educational Growth and Opportunity. First Year Report on Language Minority and Limited English Proficient Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moss, Marc; Puma, Michael

    This report presents descriptive findings from the Language Minority/Limited English Proficiency Student Supplement of "Prospects," a six-year longitudinal evaluation concerning the impact of federal Chapter 1 programs. These programs provide supplemental instruction to low-achieving elementary and secondary school students in low-income schools.…

  14. Demographic Projections to the Year 2000 of Limited English Proficient Hispanic Accessions in the U.S. Army. Research Report 1349.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oxford-Carpenter, Rebecca; And Others

    This report presents background, methodology, findings, and implications regarding the generation of demographic projections to the year 2000 of limited English proficient Hispanic accessions in the U.S. Army. Projections are made for males and females, various Hispanic ethnic groups, and age bands within the accession age range of 17-35. Results…

  15. Using Non-Finites in English Academic Writing by Chinese EFL Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yang, Bingjun

    2014-01-01

    Frequent use of non-finites is an important feature of English academic writing (Chafe & Danielewicz, 1987), but teachers and students in the Chinese environment are not aware of it. To investigate the problems that can be found in academic writings by Chinese students is significant in two aspects: academic writing by Chinese EFL students…

  16. Measuring Attitudinal Change: A Sociolinguistic and Psycholinguistic Investigation into Perceptions of African American English and Academic English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Latterman, Caroline Kennelly

    2013-01-01

    This experiment measured teachers' attitudes towards African American English and Academic English. Participants were graduate students of Education at a college in New York City. They completed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire that assessed their explicit attitudes towards the two varieties, as well as a Psycholinguistic Experiment that was…

  17. The Inadequacy of Academic Environment Contributes to Inadequate Teaching and Learning Phenomena

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quasim, Shahla; Arif, Muhammad Shahbaz

    2014-01-01

    This study aims at the inadequacy of academic environment as an indicator contributing to the inadequate teaching and learning situation in Pakistan. The main focus is to look into the low proficiency of students in the subject of English at secondary school level. A comprehensive questionnaire was designed from the literature concerned and The…

  18. English Learner Students' Readiness for Academic Success: The Predictive Potential of English Language Proficiency Assessment Scores in Arizona and Nevada. REL 2017-172

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haas, Eric; Tran, Loan; Huang, Min

    2016-01-01

    When is the right moment to transition an English learner student from part-time participation in English language development classes into full-time participation in mainstream English-only classes? English learner students should be moved into full-time mainstream English-only classes when they are sufficiently fluent in English to be able to…

  19. The challenge of regional accents for aviation English language proficiency standards: a study of difficulties in understanding in air traffic control-pilot communications.

    PubMed

    Tiewtrakul, T; Fletcher, S R

    2010-02-01

    Although English has been the international aviation language since 1951, formal language proficiency testing for key aviation personnel has only recently been implemented by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It aims to ensure minimum acceptable levels of English pronunciation and comprehension universally, but does not attend to particular regional dialect difficulties. However, evidence suggests that voice transmissions between air traffic controllers and pilots are a particular problem in international airspace and that pilots may not understand messages due to the influence of different accents when using English. This study explores the potential impact of 'non-native English' in pilot-air traffic control transmissions using a 'conversation analysis' technique to examine approach phase recordings from Bangkok International Airport. Results support that communication errors, defined by incidents of pilots not understanding, occur significantly more often when speakers are both non-native English, messages are more complex and when numerical information is involved. These results and their possible implications are discussed with reference to the development of ICAO's new language proficiency standards. Statement of Relevance: This study builds on previous work and literature, providing further evidence to show that the risks caused by language and linguistics in aviation must be explored more deeply. Findings are particularly contemporary and relevant today, indicating that recently implemented international standards would benefit from further exploratory research and development.

  20. Chinese Learners of English See Chinese Words When Reading English Words.

    PubMed

    Ma, Fengyang; Ai, Haiyang

    2018-06-01

    The present study examines when second language (L2) learners read words in the L2, whether the orthography and/or phonology of the translation words in the first language (L1) is activated and whether the patterns would be modulated by the proficiency in the L2. In two experiments, two groups of Chinese learners of English immersed in the L1 environment, one less proficient and the other more proficient in English, performed a translation recognition task. In this task, participants judged whether pairs of words, with an L2 word preceding an L1 word, were translation words or not. The critical conditions compared the performance of learners to reject distractors that were related to the translation word (e.g., , pronounced as /bei 1/) of an L2 word (e.g., cup) in orthography (e.g., , bad in Chinese, pronounced as /huai 4/) or phonology (e.g., , sad in Chinese, pronounced as /bei 1/). Results of Experiment 1 showed less proficient learners were slower and less accurate to reject translation orthography distractors, as compared to unrelated controls, demonstrating a robust translation orthography interference effect. In contrast, their performance was not significantly different when rejecting translation phonology distractors, relative to unrelated controls, showing no translation phonology interference. The same patterns were observed in more proficient learners in Experiment 2. Together, these results suggest that when Chinese learners of English read English words, the orthographic information, but not the phonological information of the Chinese translation words is activated. In addition, this activation is not modulated by L2 proficiency.

  1. Effects of Curriculum and Teacher Professional Development on the Language Proficiency of Elementary English Language Learner Students in the Central Region. Final Report. NCEE 2012-4013

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arens, Sheila A.; Stoker, Ginger; Barker, Jane; Shebby, Susan; Wang, Xin; Cicchinelli, Lou F.; Williams, Jean M.

    2012-01-01

    This study responds to regional and national needs by examining the impact on students' English language proficiency of a particular set of ELL-specific classroom materials in combination with a specific teacher professional development program. The classroom materials used in this study, entitled On Our Way to English (OWE), were authored by…

  2. Factors influencing young urologists' productivity and academic career choice.

    PubMed

    Resorlu, Berkan; Silay, Mesrur Selcuk; Onem, Kadir; Bayrak, Omer; Sonbahar, Adil Emrah; Acar, Omer; Ergun, Osman; Celik, Orcun; Tefik, Tzevat; Firdolas, Fatih; Tandogdu, Zafer

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this study is to identify the variables that affect young urologists' productivity and academic career choice. We have conducted an internet-based national survey for urologists randomly sampled from the database of Turkish Urological Association and 110 physicians completed this survey. Participants were asked to answer three-page questionnaire including 37 questions, which takes around 5 min to complete. Questionnaire was consisting of four main sections: 'demography', 'education', 'working conditions' and 'quality of life'. Increased dedicated research time, being interested in an academic career, being Fellow of the European Board of Urology (FEBU), having English proficiency, and greater numbers of manuscript publication during residency were associated with increased productivity after residency (p = 0.001, p = 0.028, p = 0.046, p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). The remaining variables including age at marriage, age at having a child, monthly salary, length of residency, having a mentor or role model during residency showed no significant relationship with manuscript publications. Twenty-nine physicians (26.4%) stated that they had once been interested in their residency but were no longer interested in academic urology. Reasons for this loss of academic interest included lack of effective mentor or role model (27.2%), bureaucracy (17%), financial issues (13.6%), mandatory rule to work in public hospitals (18.2%) or military hospitals (9%) and language problems (21.6%). Our data indicate that increased time spent for research, being interested in an academic career, being an FEBU, having English proficiency, and greater publication during residency were associated with increased numbers of publications and academic career choice.

  3. Corpus of High School Academic Texts (COHAT): Data-Driven, Computer Assisted Discovery in Learning Academic English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bohát, Róbert; Rödlingová, Beata; Horáková, Nina

    2015-01-01

    Corpus of High School Academic Texts (COHAT), currently of 150,000+ words, aims to make academic language instruction a more data-driven and student-centered discovery learning as a special type of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), emphasizing students' critical thinking and metacognition. Since 2013, high school English as an additional…

  4. Perspective: The case for research justice: inclusion of patients with limited English proficiency in clinical research.

    PubMed

    Glickman, Seth W; Ndubuizu, Adanma; Weinfurt, Kevin P; Hamilton, Carol D; Glickman, Lawrence T; Schulman, Kevin A; Cairns, Charles B

    2011-03-01

    Persons with limited English proficiency (LEP) constitute a growing portion of the U.S. population, yet they are underrepresented in clinical research. This inherently limits the societal benefits of the research and its generalizability to ethnic populations living in the United States. To illustrate the complexity associated with including LEP participants in clinical research, the authors critically evaluated LEP consent requirements posted on the Web sites of 134 academic health centers in March 2008. They found wide variability with regard to consent policies and striking interinstitutional differences in posted IRB policies and attitudes toward consent of LEP patients in research. The authors argue this variation highlights competing concerns between autonomy and justice. Outcomes-based justice requires inclusion of LEP patients in the research, yet the consent process is often resource-intensive and complex. The authors suggest that more uniform and specific guidance from federal agencies for enrollment of LEP patients in clinical research be established and that this guidance explicitly recalibrate the current balance between autonomy and justice. Investigators and institutional review boards should also develop streamlined best practices to reduce unnecessary effort and expense associated with recruitment of LEP individuals. LEP individuals should have fair access to clinical research in order to fully realize individual and societal benefits of their participation and to ensure the generalizability of scientific discovery.

  5. Helping ELLs Meet Standards in English Language Arts and Science: An Intervention Focused on Academic Vocabulary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    August, Diane; Artzi, Lauren; Barr, Christopher

    2016-01-01

    The Common Core State Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards require students to understand and produce academic language that appears in informational text. Vocabulary is a critical domain of academic language, but English language learners (ELLs) come to the English Language Arts classroom with more limited English vocabulary than…

  6. Diagnosing University Students' Academic Writing in English: Is Cognitive Diagnostic Modelling the Way Forward?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xie, Qin

    2017-01-01

    The study utilised a fine-grained diagnostic checklist to assess first-year undergraduates in Hong Kong and evaluated its validity and usefulness for diagnosing academic writing in English. Ten English language instructors marked 472 academic essays with the checklist. They also agreed on a Q-matrix, which specified the relationships among the…

  7. Convergent and Divergent Computer-Mediated Communication Tasks in an English for Academic Purposes Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jackson, Daniel O.

    2011-01-01

    This article describes the implementation of technology-mediated tasks in an English for academic purposes (EAP) curriculum at a Japanese university. The course addressed the needs of English majors at the school by enabling more efficient completion of academic work, including essay writing. One way that technology supported this goal was through…

  8. English in the Workplace: McDonald's Executive English.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pagurek, Joyce; Fitzgerald, Brigid

    The McDonald's Executive English Course was developed by Carleton University's Centre for Applied Language Studies in response to a francophone supervisor's request. As a basis for course development, information was gathered on English language use on the job, the level of English proficiency needed, and the personalities, backgrounds, and goals…

  9. Alternative Learning Methodologies through Academics (Project ALMA). Final Evaluation Report, 1993-94. OER Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roman, Elliott M.

    The Alternative Learning Methodologies through Academics Project (Project ALMA) was an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title VII-funded project in its fourth year of operation in two high schools in Queens and the Bronx (New York). The program served 436 Spanish-speaking students, most of whom were of limited English proficiency.…

  10. Stress Judgment and Production in English Derivation, and Word Reading in Adult Mandarin-Speaking English Learners.

    PubMed

    Chung, Wei-Lun; Jarmulowicz, Linda

    2017-08-01

    For monolingual English-speaking children, judgment and production of stress in derived words, including words with phonologically neutral (e.g., -ness) and non-neutral suffixes (e.g., -ity), is important to both academic vocabulary growth and to word reading. For Mandarin-speaking adult English learners (AELs) the challenge of learning the English stress system might be complicated by cross-linguistic differences in prosodic function and features. As Mandarin-speakers become more proficient in English, patterns similar to those seen in monolingual children could emerge in which awareness and use of stress and suffix cues benefit word reading. A correlational design was used to examine the contributions of English stress in derivation with neutral and non-neutral suffixes to English word and nonword reading. Stress judgment in non-neutral derivation predicted word reading after controlling for working memory and English vocabulary; whereas stress production in neutral derivation contributed to word reading and pseudoword decoding, independent of working memory and English vocabulary. Although AELs could use stress and suffix cues for word reading, AELs were different from native English speakers in awareness of non-neutral suffix cues conditioning lexical stress placement. AELs may need to rely on lexical storage of primary stress in derivations with non-neutral suffixes.

  11. A Comparative Study on China-U.S.' APTHS (Academic Proficiency Test for High Schools): Past, Present and Future

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Xin; Yan, Wenfan

    2012-01-01

    This study followed the comparative research mode of description, interpretation, juxtaposition and comparison. Based on the literatures and data collected on the topic, the paper compared and analyzed the past, present and future of APTHS (academic proficiency test for high schools) in the two countries. Some contemplations on the common issues…

  12. Chinese International Students' Social Connectedness, Social and Academic Adaptation: The Mediating Role of Global Competence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meng, Qian; Zhu, Chang; Cao, Chun

    2018-01-01

    This study examined global competence of Chinese international students sojourning in a non-Anglophone European country as a mediator between foreign language proficiency (i.e., English and local language) and social and academic adaptation, and social connectedness in international community. A sample of 206 Chinese students in Belgium responded…

  13. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS): The Speaking Test.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ingram, D. E.

    1991-01-01

    The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) assesses proficiency in English both generally and for special purposes of non-native English speakers studying, training, or learning English in English-speaking countries. The Speaking subtest of the IELTS measures a candidate's general proficiency in speaking in everyday situations via a…

  14. The effect of in-service English education on medical professionals’ language proficiency

    PubMed Central

    Sajjadi, Samad; Ahmadi, Majid; Heidarpour, Maryam; Yakta, Ali Salahi; Khadembashi, Naghmeh; Rafatbakhsh, Mohammad

    2012-01-01

    Background: Despite its inevitable significance, the effect of in-service English education on medical professionals has rarely been studied longitudinally. The reason can be issues such as physicians’ heavy workload, commuting problems, inappropriate class times, and inexperienced teaching staff. Materials and Methods: A needs assessment worksheet was administered to faculty members of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran and the responses were analyzed. A project for the promotion of faculty members’ English proficiency was formulated. Then, following a placement test, 235 applicants from the university colleges and hospitals were classified into 28 homogeneous groups. After four terms of instruction, the participants’ scores on the pre- and post- assessments were analyzed. Results: There was significant improvement in participants’ total scores on different communicative skills (P<0.001). Regarding individual skills also, they achieved meaningful gains on listening (P<0.001), writing (P = 0.038), and grammar (P<0.001), but failed to progress significantly on reading comprehension (P = 0.523). Conclusion: The administration of in-service education for skill-oriented courses, over a long period, can be quite encouraging and should be further strengthened. Regular instructions on each individual skill on the one hand and on their combination on the other are essential for success in such education. PMID:23264797

  15. Proficiency Differences in Syntactic Processing of Monolingual Native Speakers Indexed by Event-related Potentials

    PubMed Central

    Pakulak, Eric; Neville, Helen J.

    2010-01-01

    While anecdotally there appear to be differences in the way native speakers use and comprehend their native language, most empirical investigations of language processing study university students and none have studied differences in language proficiency which may be independent of resource limitations such as working memory span. We examined differences in language proficiency in adult monolingual native speakers of English using an event-related potential (ERP) paradigm. ERPs were recorded to insertion phrase structure violations in naturally spoken English sentences. Participants recruited from a wide spectrum of society were given standardized measures of English language proficiency, and two complementary ERP analyses were performed. In between-groups analyses, participants were divided, based on standardized proficiency scores, into Lower Proficiency (LP) and Higher Proficiency (HP) groups. Compared to LP participants, HP participants showed an early anterior negativity that was more focal, both spatially and temporally, and a larger and more widely distributed positivity (P600) to violations. In correlational analyses, we utilized a wide spectrum of proficiency scores to examine the degree to which individual proficiency scores correlated with individual neural responses to syntactic violations in regions and time windows identified in the between-group analyses. This approach also employed partial correlation analyses to control for possible confounding variables. These analyses provided evidence for the effects of proficiency that converged with the between-groups analyses. These results suggest that adult monolingual native speakers of English who vary in language proficiency differ in the recruitment of syntactic processes that are hypothesized to be at least in part automatic as well as of those thought to be more controlled. These results also suggest that in order to fully characterize neural organization for language in native speakers it is

  16. Project LEAP: Learning English-for-Academic-Purposes. Training Manual Year Three.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Snow, Marguerite Ann, Ed.

    Project LEAP (Learning English-for-Academic-Purposes) is a three-year faculty development and supplemental instruction partnership to improve the academic literacy skills of native-born, immigrant, and international language minority students. This manual is the third set of faculty development materials produced by the project, presenting…

  17. Development of Intervention Materials for Individuals With Limited English Proficiency

    PubMed Central

    Tu, Shin-Ping; Yip, Mei-Po; Chun, Alan; Choe, John; Bastani, Roshan; Taylor, Vicky

    2013-01-01

    Background According to recent US census data, 52 million people reported speaking a language other than English at home, and almost 45% of this population reported limited English proficiency (LEP). Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks among the top 3 most common cancers for several Asian ethnic groups, yet screening remains underutilized by Asian Americans. Objectives This article describes the development of culturally and linguistically appropriate intervention materials for individuals with LEP. We discuss lessons learned from this research and implications for the translation of research into practice. Methods The Health Behavior Framework served as the conceptual model for this study, and qualitative findings guided the development of our intervention materials (a video and pamphlet). To recommend Western preventive behaviors, the research team bridged the gap between Western and Chinese values and beliefs by devoting particular attention to: (1) the target population's sociocul-tural values and health beliefs; and (2) unique linguistic features of the Chinese language. Results Key lessons learned from this study include the importance of: (1) a conceptual framework to guide intervention development; (2) incorporating sociocultural values and health beliefs into the intervention; (3) addressing and capitalizing on complex linguistics issues; (4) using qualitative methodology in cross-cultural research; and (5) contributions from a multicultural and multilingual research team. Other lessons relate to the translation of research findings into practice. We surmise that lessons learned from this study may be pertinent to the promotion of CRC screening among other patient groups with LEP and applicable to additional cancer screening tests. PMID:18725834

  18. The Correlates of Academic Performance for English Language Learner Students in a New England District. Stated Briefly. REL 2014-021

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parker, Caroline E.; O'Dwyer, Laura M.; Irwin, Clare W.

    2014-01-01

    This "Stated Briefly" report is a companion piece that summarizes the results of another report of the same name. The study examined student and program characteristics that are related to English proficiency and content area achievement for English language learner (ELL) students in one urban district in Connecticut. Study authors found…

  19. Poorer verbal working memory for a second language selectively impacts academic achievement in university medical students

    PubMed Central

    Canny, Benedict J.; Reser, David H.; Rajan, Ramesh

    2013-01-01

    Working memory (WM) is often poorer for a second language (L2). In low noise conditions, people listening to a language other than their first language (L1) may have similar auditory perception skills for that L2 as native listeners, but do worse in high noise conditions, and this has been attributed to the poorer WM for L2. Given that WM is critical for academic success in children and young adults, these speech in noise effects have implications for academic performance where the language of instruction is L2 for a student. We used a well-established Speech-in-Noise task as a verbal WM (vWM) test, and developed a model correlating vWM and measures of English proficiency and/or usage to scholastic outcomes in a multi-faceted assessment medical education program. Significant differences in Speech-Noise Ratio (SNR50 ) values were observed between medical undergraduates who had learned English before or after five years of age, with the latter group doing worse in the ability to extract whole connected speech in the presence of background multi-talker babble (Student-t tests, p < 0.001). Significant negative correlations were observed between the SNR50 and seven of the nine variables of English usage, learning styles, stress, and musical abilities in a questionnaire administered to the students previously. The remaining two variables, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Age of Acquisition of English (AoAoE) were significantly positively correlated with the SNR50 , showing that those with a poorer capacity to discriminate simple English sentences from noise had learnt English later in life and had higher levels of stress – all characteristics of the international students. Local students exhibited significantly lower SNR50 scores and were significantly younger when they first learnt English. No significant correlation was detected between the SNR50 and the students’ Visual/Verbal Learning Style (r = −0.023). Standard multiple regression was carried out to

  20. Poorer verbal working memory for a second language selectively impacts academic achievement in university medical students.

    PubMed

    Mann, Collette; Canny, Benedict J; Reser, David H; Rajan, Ramesh

    2013-01-01

    Working memory (WM) is often poorer for a second language (L2). In low noise conditions, people listening to a language other than their first language (L1) may have similar auditory perception skills for that L2 as native listeners, but do worse in high noise conditions, and this has been attributed to the poorer WM for L2. Given that WM is critical for academic success in children and young adults, these speech in noise effects have implications for academic performance where the language of instruction is L2 for a student. We used a well-established Speech-in-Noise task as a verbal WM (vWM) test, and developed a model correlating vWM and measures of English proficiency and/or usage to scholastic outcomes in a multi-faceted assessment medical education program. Significant differences in Speech-Noise Ratio (SNR50) values were observed between medical undergraduates who had learned English before or after five years of age, with the latter group doing worse in the ability to extract whole connected speech in the presence of background multi-talker babble (Student-t tests, p < 0.001). Significant negative correlations were observed between the SNR50 and seven of the nine variables of English usage, learning styles, stress, and musical abilities in a questionnaire administered to the students previously. The remaining two variables, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Age of Acquisition of English (AoAoE) were significantly positively correlated with the SNR50, showing that those with a poorer capacity to discriminate simple English sentences from noise had learnt English later in life and had higher levels of stress - all characteristics of the international students. Local students exhibited significantly lower SNR50 scores and were significantly younger when they first learnt English. No significant correlation was detected between the SNR50 and the students' Visual/Verbal Learning Style (r = -0.023). Standard multiple regression was carried out to assess

  1. Embedding international benchmarks of proficiency in English in undergraduate nursing programmes: challenges and strategies in equipping culturally and linguistically diverse students with English as an additional language for nursing in Australia.

    PubMed

    Glew, Paul J

    2013-01-01

    To meet the expected shortfalls in the number of registered nurses throughout the coming decade Australian universities have been recruiting an increasing number of students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds. Given that international and domestic students who use English as an additional language (EAL) complement the number of native English speaking nursing students, they represent a valuable nurse education investment. Although university programmes are in a position to meet the education and learning needs of native English speaking nursing students, they can experience considerable challenges in effectively equipping EAL students with the English and academic language skills for nursing studies and registration in Australia. However, success in a nursing programme and in preparing for nurse registration can require EAL students to achieve substantial literacy skills in English and academic language through their engagement with these tertiary learning contexts. This paper discusses the education implications for nursing programmes and EAL students of developing literacy skills through pre-registration nursing studies to meet the English language skills standard for nurse registration and presents intervention strategies for nursing programmes that aim to build EAL student capacity in using academic English.

  2. What Is Lexical Proficiency? Some Answers from Computational Models of Speech Data

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crossley, Scott A.; Salsbury, Tom; McNamara, Danielle S.; Jarvis, Scott

    2011-01-01

    Lexical proficiency, as a cognitive construct, is poorly understood. However, lexical proficiency is an important element of language proficiency and fluency, especially for second language (L2) learners. Lexical proficiency is also an important attribute of L2 academic achievement. Generally speaking, lexical proficiency comprises breadth of…

  3. Temporal Features of Word-Initial /s/+Stop Clusters in Bilingual Mandarin-English Children and Monolingual English Children and Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yang, Jing

    2018-01-01

    This study investigated the durational features of English word-initial /s/+stop clusters produced by bilingual Mandarin (L1)-English (L2) children and monolingual English children and adults. The participants included two groups of five- to six-year-old bilingual children: low proficiency in the L2 (Bi-low) and high proficiency in the L2…

  4. Personal and Academic Aspects That Contributed to the Development of the English Language Competence of Students from a Language Teacher Education Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herrera-Mosquera, Leonardo; Tovar-Perdomo, Alejandra

    2017-01-01

    Students from the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Program targeted in the present study are expected to achieve a C1 level of English proficiency according to the Common European Framework (CEF). However, only a five per cent of the students has evidenced this level on the institutional English exam (Ileusco Test, henceforth IT) for the past…

  5. The Correlates of Academic Performance for English Language Learner Students in a New England District. Stated Briefly. REL 2014-021

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parker, Caroline E.; O'Dwyer, Laura M.; Irwin, Clare W.

    2014-01-01

    This "Stated Briefly" report is a companion piece that summarizes the results of another report of the same name. The study examined student and program characteristics that are related to English proficiency and content area achievement for English language learner students in one urban district in New England. The study found that…

  6. Global Trends and Research Aims for English Academic Oral Presentations: Changes, Challenges, and Opportunities for Learning Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barrett, Neil E.; Liu, Gi-Zen

    2016-01-01

    English has become the de facto language for communication in academia in many parts of the world, but English language learners often lack the language resources to make effective oral academic presentations. However, English for academic purposes (EAP) research is beginning to provide valuable insights into this emerging field. This literature…

  7. The Role of Educational Technology in the Education of Limited English Proficient Students. New Focus No. 9. Occasional Papers in Bilingual Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cohen, Linda M.

    Significant advances in hardware and software have increased the possible applications for educating limited-English-proficient students. Two major studies have focused on technology and its relationship to the education of this population. There is a great diversity of hardware currently in use in schools, either stand-alone computers or computer…

  8. Use and Impact of English-Language Learner Assessment in Arizona

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lawton, Stephen B.

    2009-01-01

    The Arizona English-Language Learner Assessment (AZELLA) is the backbone of Arizona's new English-language learner (ELL) policy in that it is used to assess students' English-language proficiency in order to place them into groups for English-language instruction and to determine when they have become proficient in English. This paper evaluates a…

  9. Emergency Immigration Education Act Programs. Summer ESL Welcome Program for Students of Limited English Proficiency, Summer Bilingual Program, Projects Omega, Wise, and Bell. Summer 1994. OER Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roman, Elliott M.

    The Emergency Immigration Education Act supported three distinct programs in New York City in the summer of 1994: (1) the Summer English as a Second Language (ESL) Welcome Program for Students of Limited English Proficiency; (2) the Summer Bilingual Program; and (3) Projects Omega, Wise, and Bell. The projects served 3,443 students in all. The…

  10. Examining the Relationship between Course Length and Academic Performance in College-Level Psychology with an Investigation into Reading Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valenti, Elizabeth C.

    2013-01-01

    College dropout is a complex problem resulting in an array of negative repercussions for students, universities, and society. The study explored the impact of reading proficiency on academic success in a college-level introductory psychology course offered in both traditional and accelerated formats. A quantitative, quasi-experimental design was…

  11. [Why are some high achievers on the course final exam unsuccessful on the proficiency exam in English?].

    PubMed

    Matsunuma, Mitsuyasu

    2009-04-01

    This study examined why some high achievers on the course final exam were unsuccessful on the proficiency exam in English. We hypothesized that the learning motives and learning behaviors (learning strategy, learning time) had different effects on the outcomes of the exams. First, the relation between the variables was investigated using structural equation modeling. Second, the learning behaviors of students who got good marks on both exams were compared with students who did well only on the course final exam. The results were as follows. (a) Learning motives influenced test performance via learning behaviors. (b) Content-attached motives influenced all variables concerning learning behaviors. (c) Content-detached motives influenced all variables concerning learning behaviors that were related only to the course final exam. (d) The students who got good marks on both exams performed the learning behaviors that were useful on the proficiency exam more frequently than the students who did well only on the course final exam.

  12. Deflating the "Confucian Heritage Culture" Thesis in Intercultural and Academic English Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Dwyer, Shaun

    2017-01-01

    This paper develops an interdisciplinary critical perspective on the concept of "Confucian Heritage Cultures" (CHC), used in intercultural and English language teaching theory to explain the supposed culturally distinct learning habits, expectations and schemas many Asian students bring to academic classrooms in English-speaking…

  13. Clinicians' Obligations to Use Qualified Medical Interpreters When Caring for Patients with Limited English Proficiency.

    PubMed

    Basu, Gaurab; Costa, Vonessa Phillips; Jain, Priyank

    2017-03-01

    Access to language services is a required and foundational component of care for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). National standards for medical interpreting set by the US Department of Health and Human Services and by the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care establish the role of qualified medical interpreters in the provision of care in the United States. In the vignette, the attending physician infringes upon the patient's right to appropriate language services and renders unethical care. Clinicians are obliged to create systems and a culture that ensure quality care for patients with LEP. © 2017 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

  14. Development of an In-Service Course To Assist Subject-Matter Teachers in Addressing the Unique Needs of Students Having Limited English Proficiency.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Piscitelli, Christine D.

    An inservice teacher education course was designed to address the problems of content-area teachers in teaching limited-English-proficient (LEP) students. Goals were for content-area teachers: (1) to gain sensitivity to and understanding of the special needs of this population; (2) to become aware of the cultural and linguistic diversity and…

  15. George Washington High School. Bilingual Academic and Career Orientation Program, 1981-1982. O.E.E. Evaluation Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cotayo, Armando; And Others

    The Bilingual Academic and Career Orientation Program (BACOP) at George Washington High School in New York City is a basic bilingual secondary education program with a career orientation focus. In 1981-82, the program offered bilingual instructional and supportive services to 250 Hispanic students of limited English proficiency in grades nine…

  16. Do Proficiency and Study-Abroad Experience Affect Speech Act Production? Analysis of Appropriateness, Accuracy, and Fluency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taguchi, Naoko

    2011-01-01

    This cross-sectional study examined the effect of general proficiency and study-abroad experience in production of speech acts among learners of L2 English. Participants were 25 native speakers of English and 64 Japanese college students of English divided into three groups. Group 1 (n = 22) had lower proficiency and no study-abroad experience.…

  17. The Correlates of Academic Performance for English Learner Students in a New England District

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parker, Caroline; O'Dwyer, Laura; Irwin, Clare

    2016-01-01

    English learner students are one of the fastest growing subgroups in America's schools, and gaps between English learner students and their native English-speaking peers in academic outcomes remain large in most districts and states. This study examines data for all English learner students in grades K-12 in the study district who took the…

  18. How to incorporate academic writing pedagogy in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education.

    PubMed

    Kostenko, Viktoriia G; Solohor, Iryna M

    2018-01-01

    Introduction: Medical researchers, who are non-native English speakers, are facing now the growing need to publish their research results in international journals switching to an English-only policy, to apply for grants and scholarship, but at the same time this puts many authors whose native language is not English at a disadvantage compared to their English-speaking counterparts. The aim: This paper aims at analysing the existing parameters of academic writing proficiency of medical undergraduate and postgraduate students; elucidating current approaches to develop academic writing competency and to promote academic multi-literacy of junior researchers, and outlining the general recommendations to improve the quality and sophistication of their writing by incorporating the principles and achievements of academic writing pedagogy into the system of medical training. Materials and methods: This study is an empirical applied research of a qualitative type mainly based on data elicited from informants (n=120) of the Ukrainian Medical Stomatological Academy aged from 20 - 35. Results and conclusions: All participants were able to identify personal problem areas, and virtually all they note dissatisfaction with the use of English in their scholarly writing. They stated the obvious difficulties in sentence patterns and keeping tone of scientific narrative format. Writing in genres other than original research articles seems to be quite demanding and is often associated with the lack of self-confidence and language anxiety. Attention to developing academic writing skills should focus on the basic elements of academic writing, characteristics of written genres across the disciplines, providing a framework in which expert and practical knowledge is internally organized.

  19. The Effects of Paper-Based Portfolios and Weblog-Based Electronic Portfolios on Limited English Proficiency Students in Writing for Service Industry Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wanchid, Raveewan; Charoensuk, Valaikorn

    2015-01-01

    The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of the use of paper-based and weblog-based electronic portfolios on the writing achievement of limited English proficiency students, to survey the students' attitudes towards the use of the portfolio assessment, and to compare the viewpoints of the students in the control and experimental…

  20. Does the Value of Dynamic Assessment in Predicting End-of-First-Grade Mathematics Performance Differ as a Function of English Language Proficiency?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seethaler, Pamela M.; Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas; Compton, Donald L.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the added value of dynamic assessment (DA) for predicting individual differences in year-end first-grade calculation (CA) and word-problem (WP) performance as a function of limited English proficiency (LEP) status. Beginning first graders (129 LEP; 163 non-LEP) were assessed on brief and static mathematics…

  1. "To Whom It May Concern": A Study on the Use of Lexical Bundles in Email Writing Tasks in an English Proficiency Test

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Zhi; Volkov, Alex

    2017-01-01

    Lexical bundles are worthy of attention in both teaching and testing writing as they function as basic building blocks of discourse. This corpus-based study focuses on the rated writing responses to the email tasks in the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program® General test (CELPIP-General) and explores the extent to which lexical…

  2. Language proficiency and nursing registration.

    PubMed

    Müller, Amanda

    2016-02-01

    This discussion paper focuses on English proficiency standards for nursing registration in Australia, how Australia has dealt with the issue of language proficiency, and the factors which have led to the establishment of the current language standards. Also, this paper will provide a comparison of the two language tests that are currently accepted in Australia (OET and IELTS), including the appropriateness of these tests and the minimum standards used. The paper will also examine the use of educational background as an indicator of language proficiency. Finally, communication-based complaints in the post-registration environment will be explored, and some discussion will be provided about why pre-registration measures might have failed to prevent such problematic situations from occurring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Linking Tests of English for Academic Purposes to the CEFR: The Score User's Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Green, Anthony

    2018-01-01

    The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is widely used in setting language proficiency requirements, including for international students seeking access to university courses taught in English. When different language examinations have been related to the CEFR, the process is claimed to help score users, such as university…

  4. Understanding the Relationship between Language Proficiency, Language Impairment and Rehabilitation: Evidence from a Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kiran, Swathi; Iakupova, Regina

    2011-01-01

    The goal of this study was to address the relationship between language proficiency, language impairment and rehabilitation in bilingual Russian-English individuals with aphasia. As a first step, we examined two Russian-English patients' pre-stroke language proficiency using a detailed and comprehensive language use and history questionnaire and…

  5. Characteristics of Limited English Proficient Hispanic Students in Programs for the Learning Disabled: Implications for Policy, Practice and Research. Part I. Report Summary.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ortiz, Alba A., Ed.; Polyzoi, Eleoussa, Ed.

    An exploratory and descriptive study is reviewed which examined the identification and placement of 334 limited English proficient Hispanic students (grades 2-5) in learning disability programs. Ss' eligibility folders were examined to determine why they had been referred initially, how they were assessed, and to document the initial placement…

  6. Conceptual Representation Changes in Indonesian-English Bilinguals.

    PubMed

    Hartanto, Andree; Suárez, Lidia

    2016-10-01

    This study investigated conceptual representations changes in bilinguals. Participants were Indonesian-English bilinguals (dominant in Indonesian, with different levels of English proficiency) and a control group composed of English-dominant bilinguals. All completed a gender decision task, in which participants decided whether English words referred to a male or female person or animal. In order to explore conceptual representations, we divided the words into gender-specific and gender-ambiguous words. Gender-specific words were words in which conceptual representations contained gender as a defining feature, in both English and Indonesian (e.g., uncle). In contrast, gender-ambiguous words were words in which gender was a defining feature in English but not a necessary feature in Indonesian (e.g., nephew and niece are both subsumed under the same word, keponakan, in Indonesian). The experiment was conducted exclusively in English. Indonesian-English bilinguals responded faster to gender-specific words than gender-ambiguous words, but the difference was smaller for the most proficient bilinguals. As expected, English-dominant speakers' response latencies were similar across these two types of words. The results suggest that English concepts are dynamic and that proficiency leads to native-like conceptual representations.

  7. An Intensive Academic English Course for Generation 1.5 ELLs Bound for Postsecondary Studies: Curriculum Design, Development, and Implementation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crossman, Katie; Pinchbeck, Geoffrey

    2012-01-01

    Immigrants and the children of immigrants who have completed their schooling in Canadian school settings, commonly referred to as Generation 1.5, are increasingly identified in the research literature as academically at risk due to inadequately developed academic language proficiency and learning strategies. This article describes the design,…

  8. Does the Value of Dynamic Assessment in Predicting End-of-First-Grade Mathematics Performance Differ as a Function of English Language Proficiency?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seethaler, Pamela M.; Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas; Compton, Donald L.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the added value of dynamic assessment (DA) beyond more conventional static measures for predicting individual differences in year-end 1st-grade calculation (CA) and word-problem (WP) performance, as a function of limited English proficiency (LEP) status. At the start of 1st grade, students (129 LEP; 163…

  9. Study on Correlation of English Pronunciation Self-Concept to English Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tang, Xin; Zhang, Shengqi; Li, Yucong; Zhao, Miqiang

    2013-01-01

    English pronunciation self-concept is formed in the process of pronunciation learning, which refers to the learners' self-conception and assessment of one's English pronunciation proficiency and pronunciation (Gimson, A. C. 1980). This paper reports an investigation on 237 non-English major college students into the relationship between English…

  10. The Development and Validation of the "Academic Spoken English Strategies Survey (ASESS)" for Non-Native English Speaking Graduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schroeder, Rui M.

    2016-01-01

    This study reports on the three-year development and validation of a new assessment tool--the Academic Spoken English Strategies Survey (ASESS). The questionnaire is the first of its kind to assess the listening and speaking strategy use of non-native English speaking (NNES) graduate students. A combination of sources was used to develop the…

  11. The Development of Instructional Materials for Vocational Personnel Serving Students Who Are Speakers of Other Languages and Have Limited English Proficiency. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adamsky, Richard A.; And Others

    The first part of this document provides a brief account of a project to develop learning modules on the microcomputer and the microscope for use with limited English-proficient speakers of other languages who are enrolled in vocational education courses. The bulk of the document consists of appendixes presenting the modules themselves. The…

  12. On the Relationship between Multiple Intelligences and Language Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Razmjoo, Seyyed Ayatollah

    2008-01-01

    The intent of the present study was to examine the strength of the relationship between language proficiency in English and the 9 types of intelligences. As such, the objectives of this study were three-folded. The primary objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between multiple intelligences and language proficiency among the…

  13. HPV Literacy: The Role of English Proficiency in Korean American Immigrant Women.

    PubMed

    Lee, Hee Yun; Choi, Y Joon; Yoon, Young Ji; Oh, Jennifer

    2018-06-01

    Although Korean American women have one of the highest cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates among all Asian American and non-Hispanic White women, they are less likely to receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. This study aimed to examine Korean American women's HPV literacy and factors related to HPV literacy to identify targeted intervention strategies. A quota sampling strategy was used to recruit 243 Korean American women aged 19-85 years in the Atlanta, Georgia, metropolitan area. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted using Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use to examine factors associated with HPV literacy. HPV literacy of Korean American immigrant women was moderate, and knowledge about HPV detection items was particularly low. Age was the only predisposing factor that had a significantly negative association with HPV literacy, whereas education level and English proficiency had a significant positive relationship with HPV literacy. Health status as a need factor was significantly positively associated with HPV literacy.

  14. Performance of Automated Speech Scoring on Different Low- to Medium-Entropy Item Types for Low-Proficiency English Learners. Research Report. ETS RR-17-12

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loukina, Anastassia; Zechner, Klaus; Yoon, Su-Youn; Zhang, Mo; Tao, Jidong; Wang, Xinhao; Lee, Chong Min; Mulholland, Matthew

    2017-01-01

    This report presents an overview of the "SpeechRater"? automated scoring engine model building and evaluation process for several item types with a focus on a low-English-proficiency test-taker population. We discuss each stage of speech scoring, including automatic speech recognition, filtering models for nonscorable responses, and…

  15. Voices of Chinese Post-­80s Students in English Academic Writing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Que, Hua; Li, Xuemei

    2015-01-01

    This study looks into the changing voice of Chinese Post-80s' students in English academic writing. Data were collected qualitatively through interviews with four Chinese Post-80s overseas graduate students and through an examination of their English essays with a focus on discursive features. Findings indicate that Chinese Post-80s' voice is…

  16. Effects of language proficiency and language of the environment on aphasia therapy in a multilingual

    PubMed Central

    Goral, Mira; Rosas, Jason; Conner, Peggy S.; Maul, Kristen K.; Obler, Loraine K.

    2011-01-01

    We examined the relative proficiency of four languages (Spanish, German, French, English) of a multilingual speaker with aphasia, JM. JM’s self-rated proficiency was consistent with his naming accuracy for nouns and verbs (The Object and Action Naming Battery, Druks & Masterson, 2000) and with his performance on selected subtests of the Bilingual Aphasia Test (Paradis & Libben, 1987). Within and between-language changes were measured following two periods of language treatment, one in a highly-proficient language (Spanish) and one in a less-proficient language (English). The various outcome measures differed in their sensitivity to treatment-associated changes. Cross-language treatment effects were linked to the language of the environment at the time of testing and to relative language proficiency. PMID:23185107

  17. A Case Study of Swedish Scholars' Experiences with and Perceptions of the Use of English in Academic Publishing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olsson, Anna; Sheridan, Vera

    2012-01-01

    This empirical study surveyed academic staff at a Swedish university about their experiences and perceptions of the use of English in their academic fields. The objective was to examine how the influence of English in disciplinary domains might affect the viability of Swedish in the academic sphere and to investigate how it might disadvantage…

  18. The Role of Language and Literacy in College- and Career-Ready Standards: Rethinking Policy and Practice in Support of English Language Learners. Policy Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haynes, Mariana

    2012-01-01

    The Common Core State Standards spell out the sophisticated language competencies that students will need to perform in academic and technical subject areas. English language learners (ELLs) face a double challenge--they must learn grade-level content while simultaneously building their language proficiency. This policy brief discusses these…

  19. More than Use it or Lose it: The Number of Speakers Effect on Heritage Language Proficiency

    PubMed Central

    Gollan, Tamar H.; Starr, Jennie; Ferreira, Victor S.

    2014-01-01

    Acquiring a Heritage Language (HL), a minority language spoken primarily at home, is often a major step toward achieving bilingualism. Two studies examined factors that promote HL proficiency. Chinese-English and Spanish-English undergraduates and Hebrew-English children named pictures in both their languages, and they or their parents completed language history questionnaires. HL picture-naming ability correlated positively with the number of different HL speakers participants spoke to as children, independent of each language’s frequency of use, and without negatively affecting English picture naming ability. HL performance increased also when primary caregivers had lower English proficiency, with later English age-of-acquisition, and (in children) with increased age. These results suggest a prescription for increasing bilingual proficiency is regular interaction with multiple HL speakers. Responsible cognitive mechanisms could include greater variety of words used by different speakers, representational robustness from exposure to variations in form, or multiple retrieval cues, perhaps analogous to contextual diversity effects. PMID:24942146

  20. An Investigation of Integrative and Independent Listening Test Tasks in a Computerised Academic English Test

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wei, Wei; Zheng, Ying

    2017-01-01

    This research provided a comprehensive evaluation and validation of the listening section of a newly introduced computerised test, Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic). PTE Academic contains 11 item types assessing academic listening skills either alone or in combination with other skills. First, task analysis helped identify skills…

  1. Examining the Validity of the Arizona English Language Learners Assessment Cut Scores

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Florez, Ida Rose

    2012-01-01

    The Arizona English Language Learners Assessment (AZELLA) is used by the Arizona Department of Education to determine which children should receive English support services. AZELLA results are used to determine if children are either proficient in English or have English language skills in one of four non-proficient categories (pre-emergent,…

  2. Ensenanzas en un gimnasio: an investigation of modeling and verbal rehearsal on the motor performance of Hispanic limited English proficient children.

    PubMed

    Meaney, K S; Edwards, R

    1996-03-01

    This study investigated the effects of modeling and verbal rehearsal on the motor performance of English-speaking and limited English proficient (LEP) children. Children (N = 64) in 4th-grade classes were randomly assigned to conditions in a 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 (Gender x Primary Language x Model Type x Rehearsal) factorial design. Boys and girls whose primary language was English or Spanish were assigned to either a verbal model or no-model condition as well as to a verbal rehearsal or no-rehearsal condition of the motor skills required to be performed. Analysis of variance revealed a significant Model Type x Primary Language interaction as well as a significant Rehearsal x Primary Language interaction. Follow-up analyses revealed that English-speaking children provided with a verbal rehearsal strategy recalled significantly more skills than English-speaking children in the no-rehearsal condition; for LEP children, there were no differences due to rehearsal. Moreover, LEP children presented with a verbal model recalled significantly more skills than LEP children in the no-model condition; for English-speaking children, there were no differences attributed to model type. These results indicate that effective modeling conditions that are provided with verbal cues in English are related to children's primary language.

  3. Developing Autonomous Learning for Oral Proficiency Using Digital Storytelling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, SoHee

    2014-01-01

    Since online educational technology can support a ubiquitous language learning environment, there are many ways to develop English learners' autonomy through self-access learning. This study investigates whether English as a second language (ESL) learners can improve their oral proficiency through independent study by using online self-study…

  4. "¿Cómo Estas?" "I'm Good." Conversational Code-Switching Is Related to Profiles of Expressive and Receptive Proficiency in Spanish-English Bilingual Toddlers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ribot, Krystal M.; Hoff, Erika

    2014-01-01

    Relations between bilingual children's patterns of conversational code-switching (responding to one language with another), the balance of their dual language input, and their expressive and receptive proficiency in two languages were examined in 115 2½-year-old simultaneous Spanish-English bilinguals in the U.S. Children were more likely to…

  5. English Language and Literature Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, Singapore

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Benny P. H.

    2010-01-01

    The National Institute of Education in Singapore (which is part of the Nanyang Technological University) is the leading national pre-service and in-service teacher training tertiary institution. It offers diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The academic departments are called Academic Groups (AGs). The English Language and…

  6. Adlai E. Stevenson High School, Bilingual Academic and Technical Education for Youth Program. O.E.E. Evaluation Report, 1982-1983.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keyes, Jose Luis; Collins, Carla

    The Bilingual Academic and Technical Education for Youth (BATEY) Program completed its third and final year of funding at Adlai E. Stevenson High School, Bronx, New York. In 1982-83, the program offered bilingual instruction and support services to approximately 300 Hispanic students of limited English proficiency in grades 9-12. Although the…

  7. On the Viable Linkages between Extroversion/Introversion and Academic Iranian EFL Learners' Writing Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alavinia, Parviz; Hassanlou, Adel

    2014-01-01

    The current study was aimed at investigating the relationship between academic Iranian EFL learners' extroversion/introversion and their writing performance. The participants of the study were some 52 BA learners majoring in English language literature in Urmia and Tabriz state universities. The chosen sample comprised of both males and females…

  8. Reclassification Patterns among Latino English Learner Students in Bilingual, Dual Immersion, and English Immersion Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Umansky, Ilana M.; Reardon, Sean F.

    2014-01-01

    Schools are under increasing pressure to reclassify their English learner (EL) students to "fluent English proficient" status as quickly as possible. This article examines timing to reclassification among Latino ELs in four distinct linguistic instructional environments: English immersion, transitional bilingual, maintenance bilingual,…

  9. Long-Term Effects of Native Hawaiian Students' Early Academic Achievement under the No Child Left Behind Legislation: A Multilevel Cohort Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singh, J. Malkeet

    2011-01-01

    The focus of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Legislation is to close the achievement gaps due to disadvantages based on minority status, socio-economic status, special education (SPED) or Limited English Proficiency (LEP). Poverty and culture have been consistently reported to have an impact on academic achievement. However, there have been few…

  10. Socio-emotional skills, behavior problems, and Spanish competence predict the acquisition of English among English language learners in poverty.

    PubMed

    Winsler, Adam; Kim, Yoon Kyong; Richard, Erin R

    2014-09-01

    This article analyzes the role that individual differences in children's cognitive, Spanish competence, and socio-emotional and behavioral skills play in predicting the concurrent and longitudinal acquisition of English among a large sample of ethnically diverse, low-income, Hispanic preschool children. Participants assessed at age 4 for language, cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioral skills were followed through kindergarten. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that Spanish-speaking preschoolers with greater initiative, self-control, and attachment and fewer behavior problems at age 4 were more successful in obtaining English proficiency by the end of kindergarten compared to those initially weaker in these skills, even after controlling for cognitive/language skills and demographic variables. Also, greater facility in Spanish at age 4 predicted the attainment of English proficiency. Social and behavioral skills and proficiency in Spanish are valuable resources for low-income English language learners during their transition to school.

  11. Measuring Language Dominance and Bilingual Proficiency Development of Tarahumara Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paciotto, Carla

    This paper examines the language dominance and oral bilingual proficiency of Tarahumara-Spanish speaking students from Chihuahua, Mexico, within the framework of Cummins' model of bilingual proficiency development. Cummins' model distinguishes between basic interpersonal communicative skills (BICS) and cognitive academic language proficiency…

  12. Demographic and academic-related differences between standard-entry and graduate-entry nursing students: a prospective correlational survey.

    PubMed

    Everett, Bronwyn; Salamonson, Yenna; Trajkovski, Suza; Fernandez, Ritin

    2013-07-01

    Students who enroll in graduate-entry nursing programs are described as more highly motivated, scoring higher in most learning strategies, and achieving greater academic success than standard-entry nursing students. A prospective correlational design was used to compare the demographic and academic-related characteristics of standard-entry and graduate-entry nursing students in their first year of study. Between 2007 and 2011, students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing, Standard Entry and the Bachelor Nursing, Graduate Entry at a large Australian university were surveyed in the first year of their program. Data included English-language usage and time spent in paid work, as well as four dimensions of Pintrich's Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Survey data was linked to students' academic grades at the end of the semester. A total of 730 students completed the survey and consented to collection of their academic grades. Graduate-entry students were more likely to be older (28.6 vs. 24.3 years, P < 0.001), and there was a higher percentage of males (25.2% vs. 15.9%, P = 0.003). Although no difference was identified between groups for use of Extrinsic Goal Orientation as a learning strategy, the graduate-entry students were more likely to identify Peer Learning, Help Seeking and Critical Thinking as strategies for learning than the standard-entry students (P < 0.001). Further, while this group of students achieved a higher mean GPA (4.8 vs. 4.0, P < 0.001) compared to the standard-entry students, regression analyses revealed that in both groups, lower levels of English-language proficiency and increased time spent in paid work were predictors of poorer academic performance. Similar to US-based studies, demographic and academic-related differences were identified between standard-entry and graduate-entry nursing students. However, the study also highlights lower levels of English-language proficiency and increased time spent in paid work negatively

  13. English Teachers' Journal (Israel), No. 17.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ministry of Education and Culture, Jerusalem (Israel).

    This journal, published in Israel, contains articles of interest to teachers of English as a second language, particularly those in Hebrew-English situations. This issue contains the following articles: (1) "Evaluating the Teacher's 'Control of English'," by R. Gefen; (2) "Instructional Television and the English Proficiency Level…

  14. Translation norms for English and Spanish: The role of lexical variables, word class, and L2 proficiency in negotiating translation ambiguity

    PubMed Central

    Prior, Anat; MacWhinney, Brian; Kroll, Judith F.

    2014-01-01

    We present a set of translation norms for 670 English and 760 Spanish nouns, verbs and class ambiguous items that varied in their lexical properties in both languages, collected from 80 bilingual participants. Half of the words in each language received more than a single translation across participants. Cue word frequency and imageability were both negatively correlated with number of translations. Word class predicted number of translations: Nouns had fewer translations than did verbs, which had fewer translations than class-ambiguous items. The translation probability of specific responses was positively correlated with target word frequency and imageability, and with its form overlap with the cue word. Translation choice was modulated by L2 proficiency: Less proficient bilinguals tended to produce lower probability translations than more proficient bilinguals, but only in forward translation, from L1 to L2. These findings highlight the importance of translation ambiguity as a factor influencing bilingual representation and performance. The norms can also provide an important resource to assist researchers in the selection of experimental materials for studies of bilingual and monolingual language performance. These norms may be downloaded from www.psychonomic.org/archive. PMID:18183923

  15. A comparison of proficiency levels in 4-year-old monolingual and trilingual speakers of Afrikaans, isiXhosa and South African English across SES boundaries, using LITMUS-CLT.

    PubMed

    Perold Potgieter, Anneke; Southwood, Frenette

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated how trilinguals fare on the cross-linguistic lexical tasks (CLT)-Afrikaans, -isiXhosa and -South African English (SAE) (cf. Haman et al., 2015) compared to monolingual controls, and whether the CLT-Afrikaans renders comparable results across socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. The LITMUS-CLTs were administered to 41 low SES 4-year-olds (11 trilinguals; 10 monolingual speakers of Afrikaans, isiXhosa and SAE) and the LITMUS-CLT-Afrikaans to 11 mid-SES 4-year-old monolinguals. Results (a) indicate that trilinguals' proficiency in their exposure-dominant language did not differ significantly from monolinguals' proficiency, but their proficiency in their additional two languages was significantly lower than monolinguals' proficiency; (b) reflect the extent, but not current amount, of exposure trilinguals had had over time to each of their languages; and (c) show that low and mid-SES monolinguals differed significantly on noun-related, but not verb-related, CLT measures. Possible reasons for and the clinical implications of these results are discussed.

  16. Opportunities and Outcomes: The Role of Peers in Developing the Oral Academic English Proficiency of Adolescent English Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carhill-Poza, Avary

    2015-01-01

    Although researchers often acknowledge the importance of linguistically rich interactions in the academic language development of emergent bilingual students, few studies have explicitly examined the role of linguistic peer support and the underlying structure of social relationships in the second language learning experiences and outcomes of…

  17. Writing Proficiency Exams and the Internationalization of U.S. Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mott-Smith, Jennifer A.

    2012-01-01

    In the U.S., writing proficiency exams (WPEs) often employ a construct of writing proficiency that is based on U.S. English and essay-text literacy. As universities internationalize, they should reconsider whether such exams reflect the literacy requirements of a globalizing world. Since the ways in which universities respond to international…

  18. Improving English Language Learners' Academic Writing: A Multi-Strategy Approach to a Multi-Dimensional Challenge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marulanda Ángel, Nora Lucía; Martínez García, Juan Manuel

    2017-01-01

    The demands of the academic field and the constraints students have while learning how to write appropriately call for better approaches to teach academic writing. This research study examines the effect of a multifaceted academic writing module on pre-service teachers' composition skills in an English teacher preparation program at a medium sized…

  19. A Growth Curve Analysis of Literacy Performance among Second-Grade, Spanish-Speaking, English-Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gutiierrez, Gabriel; Vanderwood, Mike L.

    2013-01-01

    The literacy growth of 260 second-grade English learners (ELs) with varying degrees of English language proficiency (e.g., Beginning, Early Intermediate, Intermediate, Early Advanced and Advanced English language proficiency) was assessed with English literacy skill assessments. Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills measures were…

  20. Assessing Lexical Proficiency Using Analytic Ratings: A Case for Collocation Accuracy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crossley, Scott A.; Salsbury, Tom; Mcnamara, Danielle S.

    2015-01-01

    This study analyzes lexical proficiency in oral and written texts produced by second language (L2) learners of English. The purpose of the study is to examine relationships between analytic scores of depth of lexical knowledge, breadth of lexical knowledge, and access to core lexical items and holistic scores of lexical proficiency. A corpus of…

  1. Writing Expertise and Second-Language Proficiency.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cumming, Alister

    1989-01-01

    Assessment of the English writing proficiency of 23 native French speaking students on 3 composition tasks found variance in the qualities of written texts and problem-solving behaviors. Writing expertise was found to affect discourse organization and content, writing complexity, heuristic strategies, and control strategies, while second-language…

  2. The Study on "Academic Game"-Oriented English Course Model for Postgraduates in Agricultural Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xia, Xinrong

    2010-01-01

    Based on the analysis of the questionnaire survey on learning motivation and learning needs of postgraduates and their demands and suggestions on English teaching, the paper makes a beneficial exploration on English course model for postgraduates in agricultural universities. Under the guidance of academic game theory, the "language skills+…

  3. Teaching Intercultural English Learning/Teaching in World Englishes: Some Classroom Activities in South Korea

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Kang-Young

    2012-01-01

    This paper discusses what intercultural English learning/teaching (IELT) is in English as a world Englishes (WEes) and how IELT can contribute to the development of proficiency/competence among WEes and can be fitted into actual WEes classrooms. This is to claim that IELT be a pivotal contextual factor facilitating success in…

  4. Interpretation and Use of K-12 Language Proficiency Assessment Score Reports: Perspectives of Educators and Parents. WCER Working Paper No. 2016-8

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Ahyoung Alicia; Kondo, Akira; Blair, Alissa; Mancilla, Lorena; Chapman, Mark; Wilmes, Carsten

    2016-01-01

    A number of English language proficiency exams target grades K-12 English language learners (ELLs) because of the rising need to identify their needs and provide appropriate support in language learning. A good example is the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs (hereafter ACCESS), designed to measure the English language proficiency of students identified as…

  5. A Bourdieuian Analysis: Teachers' Beliefs about English Language Learners' Academic Challenges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shim, Jenna Min

    2014-01-01

    Using Pierre Bourdieu's concept of "habitus," this work analyzes five teachers' beliefs about English language learners' academic challenges. In reference to reproductive and inventive qualities of "habitus," this article argues that teachers' beliefs that are linked to their socio-cultural backgrounds can delimit or enhance…

  6. EFL Proficiency in Language Learning and Learner Autonomy Perceptions of Turkish Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ünal, Süleyman; Çeliköz, Nadir; Sari, Irfan

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the relationships of Turkish-English Language Teaching (ELT) learners' perceptions of learner autonomy with ELT learner's proficiency level in language learning. Particularly, the study aimed at investigating to what extent ELT learners' autonomy perceptions are affected by proficiency level of learners.…

  7. Critical Teacher Talk: Successful English for Academic Purposes Classroom Practices in a Global Campus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Namsook

    2016-01-01

    Drawn on the sociocultural paradigm, I examined teacher-student communication with emphasis on teacher's talk and its role on international students' learning English as a Second Language in an English for Academic Purposes classroom in a global campus in the U.S. Developmental data analyses of class observations, teacher and student interviews,…

  8. Predictive validity of the post-enrolment English language assessment tool for commencing undergraduate nursing students.

    PubMed

    Glew, Paul J; Hillege, Sharon P; Salamonson, Yenna; Dixon, Kathleen; Good, Anthony; Lombardo, Lien

    2015-12-01

    Nursing students with English as an additional language (EAL) may underperform academically. The post-enrolment English language assessment (PELA) is used in literacy support, but its predictive validity in identifying those at risk of underperformance remains unknown. To validate a PELA, as a predictor of academic performance. Prospective survey design. The study was conducted at a university located in culturally and linguistically diverse areas of western Sydney, Australia. Commencing undergraduate nursing students who were Australian-born (n=1323, 49.6%) and born outside of Australia (n=1346, 50.4%) were recruited for this study. The 2669 (67% of 3957) participants provided consent and completed a first year nursing unit that focussed on developing literacy skills. Between 2010 and 2013, commencing students completed the PELA and English language acculturation scale (ELAS), a previously validated instrument. The grading levels of the PELA tool were: Level 1 (proficient), Level 2 (borderline), and Level 3 (poor, and requiring additional support). Participants with a PELA Level 2 or 3 were more likely to be: a) non-Australian-born (χ(2): 520.6, df: 2, p<0.001); b) spoke a language other than English at home (χ(2): 490.2, df: 2, p<0.001); and c) an international student (χ(2): 225.6, df: 2, p<0.001). There was an inverse relationship between participants' ELAS scores and PELA levels (r=-0.52, p<0.001), and those graded as 'proficient' with a PELA Level 1 were more likely to obtain higher scores in their: i) unit essay assessment (χ(2): 40.2, df: 2, p<0.001); ii) final unit mark (χ(2): 218.6, df: 2, p<0.001), and attain a higher GPA (χ(2): 100.8, df: 2, p<0.001). The PELA is a useful screening tool in identifying commencing nursing students who are at risk of academic underachievement. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Scaffolding Language, Literacy, and Academic Content in English and Spanish: The Linguistic Highway from Mesoamerica to Southern California

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hayes, Katherine; Rueda, Robert; Chilton, Susan

    2009-01-01

    This article contains a description of the Dual Proficiency (DP) program in an urban elementary school located in the heart of a large south-western city, as well as the teachers who designed and now implement DP, and the immigrant community participating by choice in DP. We write from a context where, ironically, the number of English language…

  10. Proficiency and sentence constraint effects on second language word learning.

    PubMed

    Ma, Tengfei; Chen, Baoguo; Lu, Chunming; Dunlap, Susan

    2015-07-01

    This paper presents an experiment that investigated the effects of L2 proficiency and sentence constraint on semantic processing of unknown L2 words (pseudowords). All participants were Chinese native speakers who learned English as a second language. In the experiment, we used a whole sentence presentation paradigm with a delayed semantic relatedness judgment task. Both higher and lower-proficiency L2 learners could make use of the high-constraint sentence context to judge the meaning of novel pseudowords, and higher-proficiency L2 learners outperformed lower-proficiency L2 learners in all conditions. These results demonstrate that both L2 proficiency and sentence constraint affect subsequent word learning among second language learners. We extended L2 word learning into a sentence context, replicated the sentence constraint effects previously found among native speakers, and found proficiency effects in L2 word learning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. A Study of the Effects of Competitive Team-Based Learning and Structured Academic Controversy on the Language Proficiency of Iranian EFL College Seniors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hosseini, Seyed Mohammad Hassan

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents reports on an experimental study which intended to look into and compare the possible effects of this researcher's instructional innovation, Competitive Team-Based Learning (CTBL), with Structured Academic Controversy (SAC) -- the most popular method of Cooperative Learning (CL) -- on language proficiency of Iranian EFL college…

  12. Academic Professionalism in the Managerialist Era: A Study of English Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kolsaker, Ailsa

    2008-01-01

    This article examines the relationship between managerialism and academic professionalism in English universities. Managerialist ideology has introduced to higher education a range of discourses and practices originating in the corporate world. According to much of the existing literature this is leading to feelings of proletarianisation and…

  13. Game On! Young Learners' Incidental Language Learning of English Prior to Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    De Wilde, Vanessa; Eyckmans, June

    2017-01-01

    In this paper the incidental language acquisition of 11-year-old Flemish children (n = 30) who have not received any formal English instruction is investigated. The study looks into children's English proficiency and the learner characteristics that can be associated with it. In order to measure the children's English proficiency, a receptive…

  14. Can Higher-Proficiency L2 Learners Benefit from Working with Lower-Proficiency Partners in Peer Feedback?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yu, Shulin; Hu, Guangwei

    2017-01-01

    Informed by Vygotsky's conceptualization of the Zone of Proximal Development, this case study investigated the benefits of peer feedback on second language (L2) writing for students with high L2 proficiency and the factors that may influence their learning in peer feedback in the Chinese English-as-a-foreign-language context. Specifically, the…

  15. Proposed English Standards Promote Aviation Safety.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chatham, Robert L.; Thomas, Shelley

    2000-01-01

    Discusses the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Air Navigation's Commission approval of a task to develop minimum skill level requirements in English for air traffic control. The ICAO collaborated with the Defense Language Institute English Language Center to propose a minimum standard for English proficiency for international…

  16. The Career Perceptions of Academic Staff and Human Resource Discourses in English Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strike, Tony; Taylor, John

    2009-01-01

    This paper sets out findings from research that considered the interplay between English national policy developments in human resources management in higher education and the personal stories of academic staff as career participants. Academic careers are pursued in an institutional and national policy context but it was not clear that the formal…

  17. 77 FR 31606 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-05-29

    ... Acquisition, Language Enhancement and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students, Department.... Barrera, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement and... Secretary and Director for English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement and Academic Achievement for...

  18. English-language competency of self-declared English-speaking Hispanic patients using written tests of health literacy.

    PubMed Central

    Zun, Leslie S.; Sadoun, Tania; Downey, LaVonne

    2006-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Hispanic patients comprise the largest minority population in the United States. The federal government mandates that healthcare providers be able to communicate with those patients who have limited English ability. The primary purpose of this study was to assess the English-language proficiency of self-declared English-speaking Hispanic patients in the emergency department (ED). The secondary purpose was to determine concordance between patients' tested English proficiency and perceived proficiency by nurses and physicians. We hypothesized that many patients who state that they are able to speak English do not in fact possess sufficient ability to communicate in English. METHODS: A convenience study was conducted in an urban level-1 pediatrics and adult trauma center with 45,000 annual visits. Participants included adult patients and parents of pediatric patients, all of which spoke Spanish as their first language. Since there were no verbal tests of English-language ability used in medicine, two written tests were used as surrogates-the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) and the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (STOFHLA). Research assistants administered these tests to patients with Hispanic surnames to assess the English comprehension of patients who stated that they spoke English. Score of seventh grade or better on the REALM and > or = 23 on the STOFHLA was considered a level of English competency. Data was entered into SPSS and analyzed for correlations. This study was approved by the institutional review board as exempt. RESULTS: Three-hundred-fifty-four patients with Hispanic names were approached and asked if they spoke English, Spanish or both. One-hundred-five patients, all self-proclaimed English speakers, were enrolled in the study. Patients ranged from 18-89 years of age, with 37.1% (39/105) male and 62.9% (66/105) and female; 49% (50/102) patients had only completed grade school. Sixty-five of 98 (66

  19. Learning Science, Talking Science: The Impact of a Technology-Enhanced Curriculum on Students' Science Learning in Linguistically Diverse Mainstream Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryoo, Kihyun

    2009-01-01

    The significant increase of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the United States raises complex questions about how to provide these students with access to high quality education that can improve both their content knowledge of school subjects and their English proficiency, particularly their academic English proficiency. The development of…

  20. What Happens to Students' English after One Year of English­-Medium Course Study at University?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gan, Zhengdong; Stapleton, Paul; Yang, Chi Cheung Ruby

    2015-01-01

    A much under-researched issue in higher education is the extent to which English-medium university courses help students improve their English proficiency in an ESL context. Adopting a longitudinal, mixed methods design in which quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed, the current study tracked English language improvement,…