Despite being an emotionally charged profession, there is a paucity of research on the roles of emotions and emotional labor in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Khong & Saito, 2014; Kocabas¸-Gedik & Hart, 2021; Schutz & Lee, 2014; Zembylas & Schutz, 2009). Furthermore, these concepts and their link to identity formation in nonnative English-speaking teachers (NNEST) have rarely been investigated in local contexts (Song, 2018; Zhang & Zhu, 2008). In order to help fill this gap in literature, this exploratory qualitative study was conducted in Korea with three NNESTs of English employed in private after-school academies. Semi-structured interviews elicited narratives from the participants. The findings suggested that institutional, systematic, and cultural power structures influenced the emotions, emotional labor, and identities of the participants. The emotions felt by participants were heavily instrumented by their institutions when they felt the need to conform to their institution's image of a teacher, when they were forced to engage in duties they believed were distanced from education, and when their professionality was questioned. Emotional labor was found to be a necessary skill for participants as they had to suppress and conjure certain emotions both inside and outside the classroom. Their use of emotional labor was found to be critical to their job satisfaction as it assisted the participants in aligning themselves as professionals. Moreover, EFL teachers may merge or divide their professional and personal identities in reference to these power structures to protect, strengthen, or develop their identities. Further research is needed in local contexts, particularly those in private for-profit institutions in ultra-capitalist societies to examine the power structures involved and their influence on teacher emotions, emotional labor, and identity.

The purpose of this mixed study was to determine the impact of a growth mindset intervention on adult ESOL learners' growth mindset, self-efficacy, and learning behaviors at a technical college. This study adopted paired samples t test to analyze quantitative component part of the study, including pre and post Growth Mindset Surveys and Self-Efficacy Surveys. For the qualitative component of the study, participants' interview responses were recorded and analyzed to explore their perspectives on the quantitative part of the study. Quantitatively, the findings of the study showed that there was no significant difference between growth mindset intervention and adult ESOL students' growth mindset and self-efficacy scores. However, qualitatively, students conceptualized the growth mindset messages according to participants' interview responses. Students reflected they modified their learning behavior, and some had improved their attendance after the growth mindset intervention. Overall, a growth mindset intervention and the implications for growth mindset, efficacy, and learning behavior provided meaningful insight about how to address both academic and social needs.

The education system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is given a great deal of attention by the government as it is keen to provide an educational system that caters to teacher and student needs. Because English has the potential to provide access to resources that may facilitate advancement in science and technology, it is difficult to deny or underestimate the importance of the English language in Saudi Arabia. Despite the history of EFL teaching and resources allocated to the teaching of English in Arabia, the quality of Saudi students' English language skills has raised many concerns. Saudi students currently study English as a foreign language for 12 years and yet reach high school with limited English proficiency, unable to write a passage or carry a simple conversation in English. Shedding light on the perceptions of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in the context of English education in primary and secondary schools has become crucial. Three Saudi EFL teachers' perspectives of English language instruction in Saudi Arabian primary and secondary schools were examined using a case study methodology. Using Zoom semi-structured interviews, respondents provided a comprehensive image of English classrooms and curriculum in Saudi Arabian schools, as well as the challenges associated with the classes.

Researchers have known for several years that when a child is reading below proficiency by the end of third grade, it is likely the child will continue to struggle learning to read through the child’s academic career (Dickinson & Porche, 2011; Wasik & Hindman, 2011). Yet, the problem of children falling below third grade reading proficiency continues. If teaching a child to read is a moral purpose, and it is essential for a child to read proficiently by the end of third grade, then literacy instruction in kindergarten through third grade is pivotal. In this case study, the researcher sought to illustrate the beliefs and literacy teaching practices of teacher participants within one public school district that provided training in Balanced Literacy components and required teachers to implement Balanced Literacy. Specific research questions explored teacher perceptions of self-efficacy and preparedness to implement Balanced Literacy. A purposive convenience sample was used to identify Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2 teachers within the school district who taught literacy to their students in the 2016-2017, 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school years. Individual interviews and classroom observations were transcribed and coded by discrete idea relative the study’s conceptual and theoretical frameworks: Fountas and Pinnell’s (1996) Balanced Literacy framework and Bandura’s (1997) sources of self-efficacy theories. Findings indicated teacher self-efficacy varied across Balanced Literacy components. Teachers felt most prepared to teach Word Study. Teachers benefited from modeling by the Reading Specialist, felt encouraged by feedback, and desired support in differentiating instruction. Word Study instruction had high alignment to the Balanced Literacy Model provided by the school district, and Guided Reading and Writing Workshop had low alignment. These findings validate the support the school district provides for teachers and directs school leaders in developing professional development needs to support stronger reading teachers.

Students who struggle to read at an early age are likely to continue struggling for not only the rest of their schooling, but the rest of their lives. Schools need to begin adopting research-based reading programs and measuring their effectiveness formatively throughout the school year. Research suggests that effective reading programs need to include phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. During the 2018-2019 school year, Wilson Fundations was implemented in K-2 at Summit Academy, a high-poverty Pre-K-8th grade school in Flat Rock, MI. The purpose was to uncover the potential effects of using Wilson Fundations as a reading program, while focusing on fidelity of implementation and the change in student achievement while the Wilson Fundations program was in place. To do so, I examined the teachers’ fidelity of implementation, student performance on Wilson Fundations unit tests, and I also used statistical analyses to compare the growth of student achievement on NWEA MAP from Fall 2018 and Winter 2019 to Fall 2017 to Winter 2018. Previous research assessed the impact of Wilson Fundations on special populations, such as special education and students needing tiered reading intervention, but failed to measure the effectiveness of Wilson Fundations on student achievement across entire grade levels as a Tier 1 reading program. The results in this study suggest that student achievement in reading across all grade levels in K-2 experienced a significant positive change while the Wilson Fundations program was being implemented (p < 0.05). Based on the observations and RIT growth percentages on the NWEA MAP, the classrooms with the highest fidelity of implementation percentage also demonstrated the highest growth for their students.

Educational success and attainment, and individual sustainability depend on reading ability. School leaders, especially at the elementary and primary level, have great responsibility ensuring student success in learning to read. In this era of standards-based curriculum and high stakes testing and accountability, school leaders must be certain the programs employed to grow student reading ability are successful. This program evaluation analyzes the effects implementing a scripted, direct instruction reading program has had at a rural, primary school. Specifically, this study investigated the correlation between the Scholastic Reading Inventory and the Virginia Third Grade Reading Standards of Learning Assessment, analyzed the extent student achievement changed on the two assessments from implementing the Reading Mastery initiative, and determined the extent the practice of regrouping students for instructional alignment was utilized and the effect it had on student achievement. Findings indicate a moderate correlation between the Scholastic Reading Inventory and the Third Grade Reading Standards of Learning Assessment, a significant increase in Lexile when comparing beginning and end of year scores, a significant decline in Standards of Learning Assessment scores when comparing three years pre-Reading Mastery implementation to three years post implementation, and found that students remaining in their original program placement demonstrated greater Lexile and grade level equivalency growth than students regrouped to a lower level or accelerated. If program goals, increasing reading ability and increasing Standards of Learning pass rates are to be obtained, Reading Mastery initiative implementation will require modifications. Recommendations for policy, practice, and future studies are included.

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