Min, Yue (2018-08). The Utilization of Leveled Question as Instructional Scaffolding on English Learners' Cognitive Academic Oral English Proficiency. Doctoral Dissertation.
Thesis
With the influx of immigration in the United States, a large number of English learners (ELs) who speak a non-English language are facing challenge of developing academic skills in English. In the United States, among the increasing EL enrollments in public schools, young students, particularly those at lower grade in elementary schools are at a critical period for oral language acquisition that is associated with subsequent reading development and overall school achievement. Among domains of language proficiency, oral language proficiency has been found as a fundamental and significant factor on literacy development. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine effective instructional scaffolding that can promote EL students' academic oral language proficiency in English. Based on the statement of introduction, definition, and significance concerning EL students' academic oral language proficiency, this dissertation provides a systematic review of effective instructional scaffoldings that promote EL students' academic oral English proficiency. Seven effective teaching strategies were synthesized for establishing effective instructional scaffolding. This study also tests the effects of virtual professional development on teachers' application of leveled question instructional scaffolding (QS) utilizing data from a federally-funded randomized controlled trial, as well as the effects of QS on first grade Hispanic-English ELs' oral language development through multilevel models. Furthermore, this study conducts a narrative review furnishing practical guide of teachers' usage of QS in English-as-foreign-language (EFL) setting. The results of this dissertation are potentially contributing to EL students' cognitive academic English oral language advancement along with the improvement of EL teaching strategies.
