The aim is to study the newly arrived pupils'participation in the preparatory class (FBK) and regular class and how teachers support the newly arrived pupilsin the classroom for three daysat each school. The study is based on a qualitative method with three observations at each school. Observations in two different schools, one in a preparation class and the other one in a regular class. Our study showed that the newly arrived pupils in the preparation class had more chance to participate, learn and develop with the help of the teachers. On the other hand,the newly arrived pupils had less participation in the regular class and did not get as much help from the teachers as the other newly arrived pupils got in the preparation class.

Thesis advisor: Audrey A. Friedman / English learners (ELs) in US K-12 classrooms are falling behind their peers as they struggle to develop the proficiency needed to succeed in an academic setting (NCELA, 2012). The majority of teacher preparation programs are not preparing teacher candidates (TCs) with the skills needed to help recently mainstreamed ELs succeed in their content area classrooms (Bunch, 2011). This study examined how one undergraduate, secondary education teacher candidates who had participated in supplemental trainings developed their ability to recognize linguistic demand, shelter instruction, and promote academic language proficiency. Using a Sequential Mixed Design (Teddlie & Tashakkori, 2006), this longitudinal study examined the journals and lesson plans submitted by 31 undergraduate, secondary education TCs as they progressed through their prepractica. Six of these TCs were followed as case studies, with observations and interviews collected during their full practica. Collective data analysis indicates that TCs scored higher on all measures when they were in a linguistically diverse classroom. Furthermore, recognition of linguistic demand precedes ability to plan instruction: many TCs were able to recognize linguistic demand in lessons they observed, but few were adept at describing or designing sheltered instruction that could promote academic language development. For many participants, the attention to linguistic demand was focused largely on content-specific vocabulary that is challenging for all learners. However, a small number of TCs were able to attend to the morphological and lexical aspects of their content areas that would be especially difficult for ELs. In classroom observations a few participants were able to plan instruction that sheltered content and promoted academic language. Findings also indicate that supplemental trainings and infusions into methods courses helped TCs to realize the linguistic challenges of their respective content areas. Most importantly, the findings suggest that TCs are better able to focus on the language of instruction when they witness instruction that is focused on language. Therefore, TCs learn best how to support ELs when they observe and teach in linguistically diverse classrooms with knowledgeable mentoring teachers and field supervisors. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2015. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

Att skriva sig till läsning, ASL, är en metod för skriv- och läsinlärning som grundades i Arne Tragetons forskningsprojekt. Metoden ASL går ut på att eleverna, till skillnad från traditionell skrivoch läsinlärning, börjar med skrivningen innan läsningen. Inom ASL används digitala verktyg med talsyntes för att underlätta vid skrivinlärning. Talsyntes är när ljud, kopplat till tangent, ord eller text, uppläses i samband med att man skriver på dator eller lärplatta via ett talsyntesprogram, t.ex Skolstil. Syftet med studien är att återge hur lärare beskriver sitt arbete med metoden ASL i den svenska grundskolan, vad införandet av ASL har inneburit för lärarna, samt belysa hur metoden verkar relevant i ett perspektiv av sociokulturell lärandeteori. Studien bygger på en kvalitativ undersökningsmetod där fem lärare intervjuades. Resultaten visar att de intervjuade lärarna inte enbart arbetade med metoden ASL, utan anpassade metoden efter elevernas behov och skolans resurser. Gemensamt hos alla intervjuade lärare var att metoden ASL har haft stor framgång i klassrummen och att ingen av dem vill gå tillbaka till en mer analog undervisning med penna och papper.

Denna studie strävar efter att synliggöra hur lärare i årskurserna 4–6 beskriver sig arbeta med begreppsbildning före och under pågående arbete vid läsning av skönlitterära texter med elever som har både svenska som första- respektive andraspråk i det integrerade svenskklassrummet. Bakgrunden går igenom begreppsbildning och några varianter inom scaffolding. Datainsamling skedde genom tre kvalitativa intervjuer med lärare som undervisar i årskurderna 4–6. Data transkriberades och analyserades med hjälp av den tematiska metoden. Resultatet visar hur lärare arbetar med begreppsutveckling före läsning genom att ge elever förförståelse, under tiden de läser genom att arbeta med språkutvecklande arbetssätt och cirkelmodellen som är en variant av scaffolding.

Thesis advisor: Kian L. Tan / Thesis advisor: Shih-Yuan Liu / Chapter 1. In the Tan laboratory, we developed synthetic methods to control reaction selectivity (regio-, stereo-, and site-selectivity) using scaffolding catalysis. Our strategy utilizes directing groups that induce intramolecularity through the formation of a labile covalent bond between the substrate and a binding site in a catalytic system. In the first part, we described site-selective functionalization of various carbohydrates and complex polyhydroxylated molecules which contain cis-1,2-diol motif using a chiral organic scaffold. In the second part, meta-selective C–H functionalization of arenes was demonstrated. High meta-selectivity was achieved by the use of a nitrile-based silyl tether which is cleavable and recyclable. Chapter 2. In the Liu laboratory, we focuses on studies of boron-nitrogen containing heterocycles. In this chapter, synthesis of 1,2-azaborines and their binding study with T4 lysozyme mutants were described. Specifically, we directly compared binding of NH-containing 1,2-azaborines and their carbonaceous analogs to probe hydrogen bonding interaction between the NH group of azaborine and a carbonyl oxygen of protein residue. Structural and thermodynamic analysis provided us the first evidence of H-bonding of azaborines with a biological macromolecule. Chapter 3. Described are the synthesis of regioisomers of ethyl-substituted 1,2-azaborines and their binding thermodynamics to T4 lysozyme mutants. To access the azaborine ligands used in the binding study, we developed synthetic methods for regioselective functionalization of six positions of 1,2-azaborines. Isothermal titration calorimetry experiments showed differences in binding free energy for regioisomers to the L99A T4 lysozyme. This result could originate from electronic differences of the isosteric ligands inducing dipole-dipole interaction between ligand and surrounding protein residues or it may be from local dipolar interactions. Chapter 4. A general method for late-stage N-functionalization of 1,2-azaborines is described to afford libraries of BN-containing complex molecules. The chemical transformations include electrophilic substitution reactions, N–C(sp2) bond forming reactions under Buchwald-Hartwig amination conditions, and N–C(sp) bond forming reactions using copper-catalyzed N-alkynylation. As applications in materials science and medicinal chemistry, synthesis of the first parental BN isostere of trans-stilbene and lisdexamfetamine derivative is described utilizing the methodology developed in this work. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2017. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Chemistry.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-05T18:12:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 28 / Nenhuma / O presente estudo investigou eventos de contação de histórias a partir de livro de gravuras em díades mãe e filho(a). O objetivo foi verificar o estilo narrativo das mães ao narrarem a história do livro de gravuras intitulado “Frog, where are you?” (“Sapo, onde está você?”) a seus filhos(as) de três e cinco anos de idade, assim como verificar se há diferença no estilo em função da idade e gênero das crianças. As gravações foram feitas na residência de cada família, onde participaram 16 mães falantes de português, de classe média, nascidas e residentes em Porto Alegre, e seus respectivos filhos e filhas de três e cinco anos. A partir da análise das perguntas feitas pelas mães a suas crianças durante a contação, verificou-se a ocorrência tanto do estilo elaborativo como do pouco elaborativo. No estilo elaborativo, as mães geralmente se envolvem em narrativas mais longas com seus filhos, requisitam mais a participação oral da criança na co-construção da narrativa, assim como enriquecem a narrativa com detalhes s / This study investigates story telling events through a picture book reading. The aim was to verify mothers’ narrative styles when telling their 3 and 5-year old sons and daughters the story from the picture book entitled “Frog, where are you?”, as well as to verify changes in style according to children’s age and genre. Narratives were recorded in the dyads’ houses. 16 portuguese monolingual speaking mothers, from Porto Alegre, and their 3-year old children (4 girls and 4 boys), as well as their 5-year old children (4 girls and 4 boys) were involved. Through mothers’ questions analysis, both elaborative and low-elaborative styles were observed. In the elaborative style, mothers are generally engaged in long narratives, being used to requiring their child’s oral participation in narrative construction, as well as enriching narrative with details about its characters and actions. On the other hand, low-elaborative mothers tend to get involved in short narratives, not stimulating their child’s oral participation

Syftet med denna studie är att analysera lärandesituationer i det naturvetenskapliga klassrummet med avseende på affektiva, kognitiva och sociala aspekter med fokus på genus. Studien utgår från ett sociokulturellt synsätt på lärande. Lärande anses vara både socialt och individuellt, dessutom är lärandesituationer alltid känslomässigt kopplade. Människan är i ständig utveckling och det är i sociala interaktioner och samspel med andra hon kan tillägna sig kunskap, tankesätt och förmågor av olika slag. Vårt naturliga tillstånd är att lära och utvecklas. Med stöttning från en mer kompetent person - till exempel lärare eller kamrat - kan vi lära oss nya saker som vi sedan klarar av på egen hand. Stöttning, även kallat Scaffolding, omfattar aktiviteter och strategier som lärare kan använda sig av för att stötta kunskapsutvecklingen hos elever. Det intervall mellan vad eleven redan kan och vad eleven kan lära sig med stöttning kallas för Zone of Proximal Development, ZPD. För att studera lärandesituationer har filminspelningar och observationer gjorts av en lärare som undervisar i naturvetenskapliga ämnen. Fem tillfällen i två olika klasser har filmats och observerats. Det inspelade materialet har sedan analyserats både kvantitativt och kvalitativt. Resultatet visar att pojkar har ett litet övertag när det gäller interaktionstid med läraren jämfört med vad flickor har. Pojkar får också mer uppmärksamhet i form av återkoppling på sina svar. Däremot går det inte att se några genusskillnader i lärarens bemötande eller vilka lärarstrategier som används. Strategierna som läraren använder är en blandning av affektiva och kognitiva vilket förbättrar elevernas möjligheter att tillgodogöra sig kunskap.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur pedagoger arbetar med skrivutveckling i specialpedagogisk verksamhet. Det gjordes nio observationer av lektioner med skriftspråksaktiviter i de båda verksamheterna, informella samtal i anslutning till observationerna, fyra intervjuer av pedagoger från respektive verksamhet samt elva intervjuer av elever i olika årskurser från respektive verksamhet. Studien följer således kvalitativa metoder, då resultatet utgår från de observationer och intervjuer som har gjorts. Resultatet har sedan analyserats utifrån Vygotskijs sociokulturella perspektiv samt scaffolding. Resultatet visade att de använde sig av stöttning, att de utgick från varje individs behov och förutsättningar genom att interagera och använda stödstrukturer samt till viss del använda sig av olika överlappande metoder vid tillämpandet av sin skrivundervisning. Pedagogerna var olika medvetna om vilka metoder de använde och de hade olika lång erfarenhet av arbete med elever i läs- och skrivsvårigheter, vilket påverkade den repertoar av metoder de använde sig av. Vid samtliga observationer och pedagogintervjuer framkom således att de använde sig av interaktionen och språket parallellt med stöttning och guidning utifrån elevernas individuella förutsättningar som en del av lärandet för att nå utveckling i skrivandet.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in parent-child interactions when they played the same numeracy-related game using two formats, a technology-based electronic format and a non-technology traditional board format. It aimed at unpacking the game format effect on parent-child interactions in early home numeracy activities. A mixed-method study with an embedded design was conducted to approach the research questions. In the repeated-measures experiment, 39 parent-preschooler dyads played the same numeracy-related game – The Game of the Goose – using both an electronic format and a board format. The videos of all the play sessions were the data source. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted. The quantitative analysis was the primary focus. The videos of parent-child play were coded using two pre-determined coding schemes, Parental Scaffolding Behavior and Mathematical Talk. Two repeated-measures multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) were conducted respectively for each coding scheme. The qualitative analysis of the 30% selected dyads played a supportive role to further explore the similarities and nuanced differences in parents’ performance of each coded scaffolding behavior across the two formats. The MANOVA for Parental Scaffolding Behaviors showed that the game format had a significant effect on seven of the twelve coded behaviors. The frequencies of Affirmation/Encouragement, Explanation, Inquiry, Re-representation, Modeling, Correction/Disaffirmation, and Physical Control were significantly higher in the board game condition compared in the electronic game condition. The MANOVA for Mathematical Talk revealed an interaction between the game format and the player on Naming Numbers. Both parents and children engaged in more statements about naming numbers in the board condition compared to the electronic condition, but the difference across the two game formats was bigger for parents than for children. In terms of the main effect of game format, the frequencies of Counting, Using Spatial Words and Estimating were significantly higher in the board game condition compared to the electronic game condition. Themes from qualitative analysis revealed parents’ different roles when using the two game formats, as well as the affordances of each format and their influence on parental scaffold behaviors. Interpretations of the results and findings about the game format effect were provided through the lens of sociocultural perspectives and affordances. This study enlarged the understanding of parent-child interaction in early numeracy activities. The findings offered implications for how to help preschoolers develop early numerical skills using different tools and how to design effective learning products for early numeracy using the features of different formats.

Research shows that academic literacy is discipline specific. Students have to learning the ways of communication in order to gain access to the discourse community of the selected discipline through understanding and performing required genres and learning necessary disciplinary knowledge. Scaffolding is important in the process to help students internalize the disciplinary knowledge and improve students' performance on academic papers. Computer-mediated communication (CMC) provides good chances of scaffolding and mediation especially for non-native graduate students who may have lost many opportunities of class participation due to their limited language proficiency or other cultural issues. In this dissertation, the researcher investigated how a group of L2 students tried to acquire academic literacy in applied linguistics by completing a series of teacher preparation classes. CMC was built naturally into the classes where students kept online discussions on various components of applied linguistics and were engaged in some online peer review activity on draft papers. Data were gathered from 8 sources: observations, questionnaire, online discussion entries, online peer feedback, students' major assignments, source materials, interviews and discourse-based interviews. The various sources of data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively using different methods and schemes to present how L2 graduate students negotiate their academic literacy in CMC environment in terms of language functions and focus; how CMC influences both the process and the product of student's academic writing; and how students perceive CMC in the academic literacy acquisition process. Analysis of data indicated that non-native English speaking students used various language functions in their negotiation of academic literacy with their peers in the online discussion. They tended to apply a wider range of language function as they became more familiar with the discourse community. Students in this study also applied multiple intertextual techniques in the online discussion, whereas only a few were used in face-to-face class discussions. Results also indicated that computer-mediated communication facilitated students' understanding of tasks, performance of writing activities and applying citation conventions correctly. The scaffolding among students enabled them to effectively learn disciplinary knowledge and develop their academic literacy. Analysis of the students draft and final papers in the online peer review activities indicated that students incorporated peers' feedback into their revisions and benefited from such activities although they claimed high quality feedback was still not enough. Finally, although the students considered that computer-mediated communication had some drawbacks, it did facilitate their acquisition of academic literacy in the field of applied linguistics.