abstract: Preschool children with language delays often struggle to learn new concepts. Proven strategies such as modeling, prompting, reinforcing responses, direct teaching, and hands-on experience matter to young children with language delays. Also important are social interactions and shared experiences with more knowledgeable persons. Within a cultural context Funds of Knowledge, that is the talents, traditions, and abilities families possess and pass down to their children may be a context for these. However, despite their importance the value Funds of Knowledge have has not been explored with parents of children with special needs. This action research study used a mixed-methods design to understand if Funds of Knowledge could be used as context to improve communication between parents and their children and build trust between parents and a teacher. Seven families participated in the study. Quantitative data were gathered with surveys and were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Qualitative data consisted of transcripts from home-visit interviews, parent presentations, and a focus group, and were analyzed with a grounded theory approach. Results indicate parents entered the study with trust in the teacher especially in terms of having competence in her abilities. Data also show that parents used the language strategies provided to improve communication with their children. Data also indicate that the use of a Funds of Knowledge activity allowed parents to share their knowledge and interests with their children and children in the classroom, feel empowered, and express emotions. From these findings, implication for practice and further research are provided. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2014

Språket ses enligt den sociokulturella teorin som nyckeln till allt lärande. Barn lär sig sitt språk i samspel med andra och i sociala sammanhang. Förskolan blir av stor betydelse för barns språkutveckling då barn spenderar mycket tid på förskolan. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur förskollärare resonerar om hur deras arbete i utomhusmiljöer gynnar barns språkutveckling. För att svara på studiens frågeställningar har intervjuer utförts med nio yrkesverksamma förskollärare från sex olika förskolor. Resultatet visar att förskollärarna anser samtalet som det viktigaste verktyget i barnens språkutveckling. Förskollärarna beskriver också vikten av aktiva och närvarande förskollärare i barnens lek och i planerade aktiviteter för att kunna utmana och stimulera barnens språkliga utveckling. Resultatet visar på några svårigheter som förskollärarna finner med att bedriva språkutvecklande aktiviteter med barnen i utomhusmiljö. Dessa svårigheter var exempelvis brist på personal och förskollärares gamla tankesätt och vanor. Slutsatsen av denna studie visar att aktiva förskollärare krävs för att samtal av språkutvecklande karaktär ska kunna äga rum. För att lärandet ska bli meningsfullt för barnen behöver aktiviteterna utgå från barnens intressen och behov. Utomhusmiljön bör användas som ett komplement till inomhusmiljön då den tillgodoser barnen med andra erfarenheter och samtalsämnen, vilket leder till ett utökat språkligt innehåll. / Children's language development in the outdoor environment   The language is seen in the socio-cultural theory as the key to all learning. Children learn their language in interaction with others and in social contexts. Preschool is of great importance for children's language development as the children spend a lot of time in preschool. The purpose of the study is to investigate how preschool teachers reason about how their work in outdoor environments favors children's language development. In response to the study's questions, interviews have been conducted with nine professional preschool teachers from six different preschools. The result shows that preschool teachers consider the conversation to be the most important tool in children's language development. Preschool teachers also describe the importance of active and present preschool teachers in children's play and in activities led by teachers to challenge and stimulate children's linguistic development. The result shows some difficulties that the preschool teachers find in pursuing activities of language developing character with the children in the outdoor environment. These difficulties were, for example, lack of staff and the preschool teacher's old thinking and habits. The conclusion of this study shows that active preschool teachers are required for conversations of language developing character to take place. In order for the learning to be meaningful for the children, the activities need to be based on the children's interests and needs. The outdoor environment should be used as a complement to the indoor environment as it contributes the children with other experiences and conversational topics, which leads to an increased linguistic content.

Submitted by Maicon Juliano Schmidt (maicons) on 2015-06-26T18:33:16Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Moema Karla Oliveira Santanna.pdf: 3083748 bytes, checksum: fcd977a783e92fcb495b4af1de00731f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-06-26T18:33:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Moema Karla Oliveira Santanna.pdf: 3083748 bytes, checksum: fcd977a783e92fcb495b4af1de00731f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-01-31 / Nenhuma / Este estudo investiga e analisa dados de ensino-aprendizagem de Língua Portuguesa (LP) por alunos com Deficiência Intelectual (DI), em um contexto de uma APAE - Educadora, com uma turma de Educação de Jovens e Adultos (EJA), a fim de apontar em que medida a mediação/colaboração entre pares mais experientes contribui para o desenvolvimento da linguagem. Para tanto, problematizam-se atividades de leitura e de escrita propostas/desenvolvidas aos/pelos educandos em aulas de LP. O corpus constitui-se dos Planos de Estudo de LP que orientam o trabalho no que se refere ao ensino-aprendizagem da referida disciplina, de registros feitos em diário de campo durante observações de aula de LP, além de gravação em vídeo de uma aula de língua materna (LM). Foram adotados pressupostos da teoria sócio-histórica de Vigostki (2007), principalmente no que se refere aos conceitos de nível de desenvolvimento real (NDR), nível de desenvolvimento potencial (NDP) e zona de desenvolvimento proximal (ZDP). Além disso, estabelecem-se relações com estudos sobre o letramento, trazendo Kleiman (2000, 2005), Street (1984), Tfouni (2006), Rojo (2009), entre outros autores, aliados a indicações dos Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais de LP (MEC, 1997). Uma vez que esta pesquisa também discute aspectos relacionados à inclusão sob a perspectiva dos Estudos Culturais, problematizando o que se entende por deficiência e por diferenças quanto à DI em contextos de ensino regular/especial, os resultados das análises indicam que a deficiência não compromete o aprendizado da LP/desenvolvimento da linguagem, em relação ao que é proposto, principalmente quando tensionada a ZDP. / This research proposes to investigate and analyze teaching and learning data of Portuguese Language (LP), by students with Intellectual Disabilities (DI), in a disable-dedicated special institution context, so that one can point out to what extent the mediation / collaboration among experienced pairs contributes to language development. Therefore, reading and writing activities proposed to/by alumnus in LP are discussed. The Corporaconsists of Portuguese Language Study Plans that guide the essay with regard to teaching – learning of this subject. Field-made records, obtained from observation in a LP class, in addition to video-recorded Mother Language (LM) class are considered for analysis too. Vigotsky’s Social-Historical Theory (2007) is taken, mainly with regard to concepts of real-development/progress levels ( NDR) , potential-development (qual dos dois sinônimos – desenvolvimento ou progresso é mais adequado ao estudo) levels (NDP) and zone of proximal development ( ZDP). Also is done, in data analysis, and interface with Kleiman studies about literacy ( 2000,2005) , Street ( 1984) , Tfouni (2006), Rojo ( 2009), among others , in addition to some interaction to Portuguese Language ( LP ) national curricular parameters (Brazilian Ministery of Education and Culture, MEC, 1997), with regard to what is prescribed by disable-dedicated special institution. Also, the research also discusses aspects related to social inclusion from Cultural Studies perspective, so that one can problematize what is understood by disability and by differences in DI, in regular/special education context. The results indicate that disability does not prejudice Portuguese Language (LP) learning and development, in relation to what is proposed, mainly when ZDP is tensioned.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Research in the area of pre and inservice teacher education have focused on the development of a meta-awareness on English teachers learning process and how this knowledge affects their social and discursive practices and their social relations in the teaching contexts in which they work (see MAGALHÃES & FIDALGO, 2008; BARCELLOS, 2006, CASTRO, 2006; PAIVA, 2005; CRISTÓVÃO, 2005a; MAGALHÃES, 2004; VIEIRA-ABRAHÃO, 2004; MOTTA-ROTH, 2006b; for instance). As a result of these investigations, this knowledge can be appropriated by language teacher programs (JOHNSON, 1996, p. 47) in the configuration of a critical and empowered second language teacher education (FREIRE, 2003b). Following this perspective, this work tries to evaluate how a collaborative practice of intervention can contribute to qualify pre and inservice language teacher education linguistically and pedagogically. To do that, we initially investigate the profile of preservice teachers and the concepts of language, teaching and learning built along their language teacher program. Then a focus group (two pre and one inservice teacher) was established in order to develop a collaborative practice of intervention which could ultimately generate reflection on concepts of learning, teaching practice and identities built along the preservice training practice in a State school. The reflective actions and the analysis of the discourses produced during these actions are theoretically supported by collaborative research of intervention (MAGALHÃES & FIDALGO, 2008; MAGALHÃES, 2004), Critical Discourse Analysis (FAIRCLOUGH, 2003, 1989) and socio-cultural theory of learning (VYGOTSKY, 2001, 1995). The discourse analysis shows that, through the practice of intervention, participants could develop a meta-awareness on behaviorist concepts of learning which underly their discourse and teaching practices at the beginning of the reflective process. The practice of intervention also helped them give their first steps on building a sociocultural learning perspective (concepts and teaching practice). This reconfiguration had an impact not only on the way they act in the classroom, but also in the constitution of their identities as teachers of English, as they gradually personify social roles which demand a critical and socially-situated attitude from themselves and from their students. By the end of the intervention practice, they point out the importance of teacher s engagement in reflective ongoing processes, taking responsibility for their role in the configuration of these processes. / Pesquisas na área de formação pré e em serviço têm priorizado o desenvolvimento de uma metaconsciência acerca do processo de aprendizagem de professores de inglês e de que maneira esse conhecimento afeta suas práticas sociais e discursivas e suas relações sociais nos contextos de ensino em que atuam (ver MAGALHÃES & FIDALGO, 2008; BARCELLOS, 2006, CASTRO, 2006; PAIVA, 2005; CRISTÓVÃO, 2005a; MAGALHÃES, 2004; VIEIRA-ABRAHÃO, 2004; MOTTA-ROTH, 2006b; por exemplo). Como resultado dessas investigações, esse conhecimento pode ser apropriado pelos currículos de licenciatura (JOHNSON, 1996, p. 47) na configuração de uma formação crítica e democrática (FREIRE, 2003b). Dentro dessa perspectiva, este trabalho procura avaliar em que medida uma prática de interferência colaborativa pode contribuir para qualificar o processo formativo lingüístico-pedagógico do professor de inglês pré e em serviço. Para tanto, procuramos inicialmente investigar o perfil do aluno de Letras e as concepções de linguagem, ensino e aprendizagem que constrói em diferentes pontos de sua trajetória universitária. Em seguida, um grupo focal (duas professoras em pré e uma em serviço) foi estabelecido no sentido de desenvolvermos uma prática de interferência colaborativa que, em última instância, pudesse gerar a reflexão acerca das concepções de aprendizagem, da prática pedagógica e das identidades construídas ao longo do programa de estágio curricular supervisionado, vivenciado pelo grupo, em uma escola pública. As ações reflexivas e a análise dos discursos produzidos no decorrer delas são ancoradas teoricamente pela pesquisa de interferência colaborativa (MAGALHÃES & FIDALGO, 2008; MAGALHÃES, 2004), pela Análise Crítica do Discurso (FAIRCLOUGH, 2003, 1989) e pela perspectiva sociocultural de aprendizagem (VYGOTSKY, 2001, 1995). A análise do discurso das participantes mostrou que, por meio da prática de interferência colaborativa, puderam desenvolver uma metaconsciência acerca da concepção behaviorista que subsidiou seu discurso e sua prática pedagógica no início do processo reflexivo, bem como dar os primeiros passos na configuração de uma perspectiva de aprendizagem sociocultural (conceitos e prática pedagógica). Essa reconfiguração teve impacto não somente no modo como vivenciaram suas ações em sala de aula, mas igualmente na constituição de suas identidades como professoras de inglês, uma vez que gradualmente personificam, em sala de aula, papéis sociais que demandam uma postura crítica e socialmente situada em relação a si mesmas e a seus alunos. Ao final do processo de investigação, apontam a importância de o professor estar inserido em um processo reflexivo crítico e continuado, assumindo sua parcela de responsabilidade na configuração desse processo.