The data used in this study were secondary, kindergarten data from a longitudinal, five-year, federal experimental research project: English and Literacy Acquisition (ELLA) (R305P030032). The overall goal of ELLA was to examine the impacts of two different programs (Bilingual and Structured English
Immersion) on the performance of Spanish-speaking English language learners
(ELLs) in grades K to 3.
My first research question was to determine to what extent a curriculumbased measure could be developed and validated to measure oral proficiency
and vocabulary knowledge among ELLs who are participating in a controlled oral
language development intervention. In addressing validity the scores of the S4
were compared with the scores of the Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery
- Revised (WLPB-R) and the IOWA Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) language and
vocabulary subtests. The correlations were .283 to .445 and they were
statistically significant (p<.01). The S4 underwent several iterations. With each iteration intrarater reliability improved (Kappa .817 to 1.00 and Cramer's V .330
to 1.00). Interrater reliability also improved (Kappa .431 to 1.00 and Cramer's V
.616 to 1.00).
The second research question was to determine to what extent teachers
could use the Semantic and Syntactic Scoring System (S4) for the STELLA
vocabulary fluency measure with minimal training to accurately assess students'
vocabulary knowledge and oral proficiency. The teachers' Kappas ranged from
.786 to 1.00 and Cramer's V from .822 to 1.00. On average they were able to
score a given student measure in under 22 minutes.
The third research question was to determine to what extent the Semantic
and Syntactic Scoring System (S4) differentiates the level of knowledge
regarding expressive vocabulary and oral proficiency of kindergarten students
under two different program placements: enhanced Traditional Bilingual
Education and the enhanced Structured English Immersion Program in
comparison to the WLPB-R (language and vocabulary subtests). The S4 was
able to distinguish between the control and experimental groups (unlike the
other subtests); but was not able to distinguish program type (bilingual and
structured English immersion).
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:tamu.edu/oai:repository.tamu.edu:1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2009-12-7639 |
| Date | 2009 December 1900 |
| Creators | Walichowski, Miranda Fernande |
| Contributors | Lara-Alecio, Rafael |
| Source Sets | Texas A and M University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Book, Thesis, Electronic Dissertation, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
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