Silver, Rita

The study follows up on prior research on the key role of negotiation for meaning (NFM) in increasing second language learning and oral comprehension (e.g., Ellis & Heimbach, 1997) and on reading comprehension (Van den Branden, 2000). The investigation described in this report considers whether and in what ways classroom discussions can encourage the types of interactions that are beneficial to language and literacy learning, especially reading comprehension. The intervention encourages a more thoughtful, questioning approach to reading comprehension, integrated with oral interaction that encourages NFM.

"Our purpose in this manual is to establish and document useful procedures for maximizing research data, especially from classroom studies, using corpus software for data analysis and management. In non-technical language, we provide an overview of the purposes for corpus-based research and necessary procedures for corpus-based analyses with specific reference to tools used and developed at CRPP. Our goal is to help readers understand some of the distinctive features of corpus-based research and make informed decisions about whether this approach would be fruitful for their own work. " -- p. 6.

In Singaporean schools and other settings with a national syllabus, ‘required’ textbooks and high-stakes exams, teachers usually feel locked into their textbooks. One way to ensure coverage of the necessary material is to follow the book, lock step. In other contexts where there is less structure in the syllabus and exams (for example, teaching in private language schools in some Asian countries), teacher sometimes have the opposite problem of feeling that teaching is a free for all. Textbooks can be a joy or a sorrow depending on how much they constrict or support our classroom teaching. In this workshop, I demonstrate ways to unlock the textbook so it can serve as a resource for classroom teaching and student learning whether in highly structured contexts or in situations which lack supporting structures for pedagogical planning. Together we work through three steps for unleashing classroom teaching: analysis of the textbook as classroom teaching materials and resources, adaptation of those materials to create more variety in day-today teaching and to enhance opportunities for student learning, and adopting alternative activity types that can supplement that materials which are readily available in the textbook.

"This one-year project was an investigation into the ongoing implementation of recent policy initiatives that influence pedagogies, curriculum innovation, and instructional practices in primary education in Singapore. Investigation covered P1 and P2 in all core subjects: English, Mother Tongue (Chinese, Malay, Tamil) and mathematics. It included investigation of local contextual conditions which impact the work of policy developers and implementers at all levels within the system: class, school, zone, national. Our goal was to assist in developing a more complete understanding of the specific, local challenges of policy implementation." -- p. 2.

The purpose of this project was to follow-up on a prior project1 which investigated the use of Questioning-the-Author (QtA) (e.g. Beck & McKeown, 2002; Beck, McKeown, Sandora, Kucan, & Worthy, 1996) with negotiation for meaning (NfM) (e.g. Pica, 1994) in Singapore Primary 4 (P4) reading lessons (OER 29/08 RS). A 2-year collaborative project was undertaken to assist teachers in understanding and using QtA and negotiated discussions. The intervention also intended to lead to sustainable, school-based teacher development through introducing different ‘generations’ of teachers to join the project year-by-year and by encouraging the first generation (Gen 1) of teachers to act as mentors and leaders to the second generation (Gen 2).
Research Questions 1. How do teachers understand reading comprehension in the local, P42 school setting (i.e. what do teachers understand reading comprehension to be and how do they understand the development of student reading comprehension)? 2. In what ways do teacher understandings of reading comprehension change through participation in a long-term (3 year) professional development project? Specifically, in what ways do teacher understandings change at different points of time (1 year, 2 years, 3 years) and when engaged in different roles (trainee, trainer, observer, evaluator)? 3. How successful are the different stages of the intervention (Direct Instruction, Reflection & Adaptation, Lesson Study) in changing teacher classroom practices for reading comprehension?

A study of the implementation of the Strategies for effective engagement and development (SEED). SEED "aimed to assist teachers in engaging learners and support student development by utilising effective teaching strategies, which built upon an understanding of learner needs and learning styles of children in lower primary. As such the SEED initiative advocates the adoption of developmentally appropriate teaching practices and assessment modes." -- p. 4-5.