31.799, Review: Applied Linguistics: de Oliveira (2019)

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LINGUIST List: Vol-31-799. Tue Feb 25 2020. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 31.799, Review: Applied Linguistics: de Oliveira (2019)

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Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2020 15:46:19
From: Laura Dubcovsky [lauradubcovsky at gmail.com]
Subject: The Handbook of TESOL in K-12

 
Discuss this message:
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Book announced at http://linguistlist.org/issues/30/30-2468.html

EDITOR: Luciana C de Oliveira
TITLE: The Handbook of TESOL in K-12
PUBLISHER: Wiley
YEAR: 2019

REVIEWER: Laura Dubcovsky, University of California, Davis

SUMMARY

De Oliveira’s introductory chapter, “Key Concepts and Issues in TESOL in
K-12,” offers the layout of this collaborative handbook, divided into  three
sections that include thematic chapters, as well as general concerns that are
threaded throughout the book.  The first section addresses “Key Issues in
Teaching ESOL Students in K‐12”. In Chapter 2, Hawkins defines “Plurilingual
Learners and Schooling: A Sociocultural Perspective.” After reviewing factors
that influence the nature and variety of English Learners (ELs), the author
claims a socio-humanistic view that involves the integration of language,
pedagogy, policy mandates and curriculum, Hawkins encourages TESOL teachers to
treat minority language students with respect, assuming linguistically and
culturally responsive positions and advocating for equal educational
opportunities, participation and engagement. 

Chapter 3, “Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Practices for K‐12 ESOL
Learners” by Wilcox, Oliver, Gregory and Yu describes common and specific
language features across school disciplines, The authors assert that TESOL
educational programs should strengthen language preparation to help candidates
design lesson plans with clearer language and content objectives, and plan
efficient strategies for Els to improve content knowledge while developing the
second language. In general, Wilcox and her colleagues recommend
collaborations between language and content areas, as well as promoting
discussions and using a variety of modalities in the classroom. They also give
specific suggestions for each discipline, such as selecting readings carefully
and offering heavily scaffolded writing in science, providing toolkits that
enforce reasoning and higher order of thinking in mathematics, and working on
differentiated instruction in social studies, even though students had not yet
met the language demands.  

In Chapter 4, “A Developmental and Contextual Perspective on Academic
Language,” Brisk and Tian traces the construct’s  long trajectory from
classical distinctions between basic interpersonal communicative skills and
cognitive academic language proficiency (Cummins, 1979) to current uses,
functions and varieties of the language of schooling (Schleppegrell, 2004 ). 
While some approaches address academic language in content areas, such as
science or mathematics, others focus on specific abilities, such as reading or
writing. The authors also include strategies that aim at developing students’
academic language, encouraging intense scaffolding, use of students’
knowledge, and contextualized language to convey meaning. Moreover, Brisk and
Tian adopt a flexible perspective on language, praising the incorporation of
students’ home languages in the classroom, as well as translations and
translanguaging practices. They contend that the use of multiple resources
will enable Els to expand their daily and academic linguistic repertoires
across the disciplines.

Chapter 5, “Language Rights and Policy in K‐12 TESOL” by Wright, reviews court
cases and major legislation related to linguistic and academic needs of
English learners.  The author examines  relevant measures that have paved the
path to current accountability in education, such as No Child Left Behind Act
(2002), Race to the Top (2009), Common Core (2014), Every Student Succeeds Act
(2015), and the Seal of Biliteracy (ongoing). He highlights past findings that
still impact current bilingual education status, as well as current dynamic
strategies that draw from translanguaging, multiple resources, and the
integration of content and academic language.  Above all, Wright emphasizes
the TESOL teacher’s advocacy of minority speaking students‘ rights, supported
by the United Nations documents. 
 
In Chapter 6 Kleyn and García describe, “Translanguaging as an Act of
Transformation: Restructuring Teaching and Learning for Emergent Bilingual
Students.” They counter traditional definitions of language, often reduced to
isolated and formal features, with new socio-cultural perspectives of
language. Within this new paradigm, translanguaging practices become a
powerful tool to leverage children’s linguistic features, broaden their
repertoires and enable them to perform according to social norms and
registers.  The classroom examples show not only a fluid continuum, but also
how these practices help disentangle language from content. Therefore, Kleyn
and García ponder whether translanguaging has the potential of being
transformed into a fairer instrument to measure bilingual proficiency. In
closing, the authors encourage TESOL educators to re-think continuously their
mission and beliefs about Els’ language practices, deepening language
knowledge to construct more stimulant learning experiences.

Chapter 7, “Incorporating Global Englishes in K‐12 Classrooms” by Selvi,
attempts to capture the ubiquitous presence of English and the ways of
teaching it in increasingly diverse societies. The author follows the “inner,
outer and expanding circle” model (Kachru, 1985) to explain the roles of
English as primary language, lingua franca, and medium of international
communication, respectively.  Selvi scrutinizes traditional notions of second
language acquisition under the lenses of current multilingual and
transnational contexts.  He also recommends multiple opportunities and a vast
stock of linguistic and cultural resources, so ELs practice, make sense of
multiple discursive worlds, and raise metalinguistic awareness of English
varieties.  Above all, the author commends collaborations between the fields
of applied linguistics and education to promote the sustainable teaching of
global Englishes, respecting diverse populations’ needs and affordances.

Second Part “Pedagogical Issues and Practices in K-12 Education,” opens with a
first subsection devoted to “Practices and Pedagogies for TESOL in K-12
Education.” In Chapter 8, Reynolds and O'Loughlin describe, “Many Ways to
Build a Model. Content‐Based ESL Instruction Models and Approaches in K‐12,”
such as the  Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach, Specially Designed
Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE), and Language‐Based Approach to
Content Instruction. They point out common objectives of integrating content
and language, similar teaching methodologies and instructional strategies, as
well as shared considerations about students’ background knowledge, extended
discourses, and interaction. 

Chapter 9, “Promoting Educational Equity in Assessment Practices” by Gottlieb
and Ernst‐Slavit, addresses inequities, differential treatment, and biases
toward ELs, highlighting fewer and unbalanced opportunities, unnecessary over
testing, not always well understood “special accommodations,” and debatable
grades generated by assessments, among undesirable consequences. Therefore,
the authors encourage TESOL teachers, administrators and policymakers to
ensure fair conditions for assessment, by designing multiple test types and
using classroom‐based measures. Moreover, they claim using effective tools to
interpret the results, and evaluate what ELs can do in the moment and over
time. Based on principles of justice and advocacy, Gottlieb and Ernst-Slavit
promote efficient practices that lead to mitigation of the ill-effects of
high‐stakes testing, valuing students’ linguistic and cultural contributions
positively. 

In Chapter 10, Parris and Estrada overview, “Digital Age Teaching for English
Learners,” including technological teaching practices, online resources and
digital tools, which are especially useful for advancing literacy skills in
the 21st century. Among benefits of teaching digitally, the authors enumerate
student-centered platforms, versatile scaffolding activities that integrate
academic language and content, combinations of different registers and
modalities, and real and virtual collaborations. The authors explain how
well-led technological instruction can facilitate engaging participation,
accommodate students’ individual interests and proficiency levels and respect
Els’ pace in the learning process. They also endorse professional training
that can help teachers navigate the changing educational landscape, select
appropriate resources among an overwhelming number of links and hyper texts,
and integrate them in meaningful lesson activities. Above all, the digital era
should favor identifying real‐world challenges, connecting learners across the
globe, and raising language and cultural awareness. 

Chapter 11, “Multimodal Literacies in Teaching and Learning English In and
Outside of School” by Yi, Shin and Cimasko, overviews literacy practices that
take place in formal and informal settings. The authors follow semiotics,
sociocultural and translanguaging perspectives to analyze how digital stories,
photo essays, graphic comics, and other multiple expressions help Els increase
vocabulary, write elaborated responses and read critically, as well as connect
with personal experiences, uncover their identities and take up responsibility
.To counter the pressure of prescribed curricula that relegate multimodal
practices to extra-curricular activities or after school programs, Yi and his
colleagues propose to build well- threaded lesson plans, where multimodal
resources are integrated into  the core curriculum, facilitating ELs’ access
to academic demands and technological literacies.

The second subsection “Teaching Skills and Content Areas” opens with Chapter
12, “Shifting from the Teaching of Oral Skills to the Development of Oracy,”
by Walqui. She summarizes the main eras in the teaching of oral language, and
focuses on integral methods, by which oral language intertwines with speaking,
reading, and writing and non-linguistic abilities, as well as cognitive and
social-emotional components. The current comprehensive perspective on orality
facilitates not only ELs’ language development but also their empowerment as
agents of the learning experience.  David and Yvonne Freeman address
“Effective Practices for Teaching Reading to Emergent Bilinguals in K‐12
Classes” in Chapter 13. They conclude that most reading methods for Els
privilege meaning and critical comprehension. Typical reading strategies of
making predictions, drawing inferences and using contextualized clues, are
combined with current practices of translanguaging, connecting between
languages, and changing registers and modalities according to the situation
and text type. Overall effective reading approaches enable Els to access
academic literacy. The following chapters reflect on various aspects of
language from socio-semiotic and cognitive perspectives. In Chapter 14
Humphrey and Hao focus on, “New Descriptions of Metalanguage for Supporting
English Language Learners' Writing in the Early Years: A Discourse
Perspective.”  Drawing from Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) the authors
provide Els with an effective tool to explore language, expand their
linguistic repertoire, and choose appropriate features according to purposes,
audiences, and circumstances. They use young students’ texts from a science
class to exemplify how SFL enable EL to talk and write about the disciplinary
language. Chapter 15 turns the reflection onto lexicon, “Problematizing
Current Vocabulary Instruction Frameworks: Where Does Student Knowledge Fit?” 
by Herrera, Holmes, and Kavimandan. They offer the
“Biography-driven-instruction” model (Herrera, 2016), which aims at improving
Els’ vocabulary development and retention through phases of activation,
connection and affirmation, which include student background knowledge,
teachers’ direct instruction, and full engagement, respectively. Finally,
Gebhard, Accurso and Chen reflect on, “Paradigm Shifts in the Teaching of
Grammar in K‐12 ESL/EFL Contexts: A Case for a Social Semiotic Perspective” in
Chapter 16. The authors privilege a contextualized and meaningful teaching of
grammar. Using SFL ideational, interpersonal, and textual meanings, Gebhard
and her colleagues unfold students’ grammatical repertoire and encourage
teachers to give explicit instructions of grammatical features that build the
ways of “doing” science, math, history and the rest of curricular disciplines,
helping ELs gain a better understanding of content and language, and
facilitating their access to academic literacy. 

The last chapters are devoted to the teaching of language through the content
areas for Els. In chapter 17 Hansen‐Thomas and Bright discuss, “Teaching
Mathematics to Emergent Bilinguals,” under current high-stake standards. Els
are required not only to manage mathematical content and procedures, but also
to communicate their mathematical thinking, being aware of specific word
order, technical words, discursive features and symbolic visualizations
pertinent to the area.  Likewise, Oliveira, Weinburgh, McBride, Bobowski, and
Shea focus on, “Teaching Science to English Learners: Current Research and
Practices in the Field of Science Education,” in chapter 18. The authors find
that science lessons are an excellent platform to develop Els’ higher levels
of thinking and critical language. In order to support minority speaking
students, teachers need to work on content, language and pedagogical
knowledge, engaging Els in the challenging ways of speaking and writing in
science. 

In chapter 19 Smith and de Oliveira discuss, “Teaching English Language Arts
to Emergent to Advanced Bilinguals: Current Research, Theories, and
Pedagogical Practices.” The authors embrace content-based approaches that help
fill the academic gap between monolingual and bilingual students. They also
advise that English language teachers should prepare more strongly to guide
ELs in developing academic language, teaching them to read and write more
critically and integrate multiple perspectives. Chapter 20  refers to,
“Teaching Social Studies to English Language Learners: Current Research,
Theories, and Pedagogical Practices” by Jaffee and Yoder. It emphasizes two
major aspects in the teaching of the discipline: imparting content in a
culturally and linguistically responsive manner and integrating it with
appropriate academic language. The authors suggest incorporating transnational
experiences, short‐term travel experiences, and on-line platforms to the
current social studies curriculum, emphasizing main directions toward justice,
equity and citizenship education. The list of disciplines closes with Faltis’
“Arts‐based Pedagogy for Teaching English Learners” in chapter 21. The author
examines alternative and creative ways of learning and understanding language
and world topics, which contrast with pedagogies based on standardized tests
and rote memorization. Many studies have proven the benefits of art education
to all students, especially for Els, who may find imaginative ways to solve
problems and exert critical thinking, as well as connect with their
communities, languages and culture, in a safe and positive environment. 

The last section focuses on, “School Personnel Preparation for TESOL in K‐12,”
from language to ESOL specialists, and from content area to multilingual
teachers, covering educational agents who work with ELs.  In chapter 22,
“Preparing Teachers to Be Advocates for English Language Learners,” Linville
and Fenner address TESOL teachers as responsible for minority students’
educational rights. Among other actions they can develop workshops, create
scenarios, and organize resources led to protect Els, as well as identify
outlets for change that take place at classroom, school, district, state and
nation levels. Lindahl and Baecher point out at, “Preparing ESOL Specialists
for K‐12 Contexts,” in chapter 23.  Above all, they consider solid foundation
in language, culture, instruction, assessment and professionalism, and
therefore, they suggest better ESOL preparation programs that instruct
candidates on efficient teaching methods and intensify clinical experience and
opportunities for culturally relevant practices.  Chapter 24, “Preparing
Content Teachers to Work with Multilingual Students,” by Viesca and Teemant,
underlines how matters of language, learning and pedagogy are relevant for all
teachers. As a matter of fact, disciplinary teachers need to develop Els’
language proficiency in, through, and about the content areas. 

In Chapter 25, “Preparing Multicultural and Multilingual Teachers to Work with
Diverse Students in K‐12 Settings,” Kamhi‐Stein and Osipova highlight low
numbers of minority speaking teachers within an increasing diverse student
population in the classroom. This disproportionate ratio brings negative
impact on the teaching of Els, who feel the lack of effective modelling and
identification among faculty and personnel. The authors urge recruiting
candidates from diverse backgrounds, who can challenge still current deficit
paradigms and offer an inclusive teaching, by which all students are valued
for their social, linguistic, cultural, and academic capital. The final two
chapters deal with major principles in TESOL teaching. Chapter 26, “Preparing
Teachers for Co‐Teaching and Collaboration,” by Honigsfeld and Dove, is
supported by influential notions of zone of proximal development (Vygotsky,
1978), inclusive pedagogy (Florian & Black‐Hawkins, 2011), and co‐teaching
(Honigsfeld & Dove, 2010). Most collaborations are intended to improve lesson
plans, instructional materials, assessment and reflections toward Els,
stimulating critical conversations and valuable partnerships among novice and
experienced teachers.  Finally, Morita‐Mullaney thinks of, “Intersecting
Leadership and English Learner Specialty: The Nexus of Creativity, Resistance
and Advocacy,” in Chapter 27.  The author addresses principals and TESOL
teachers who work with minority students, encouraging them to take up leading
roles, defending better conditions for Els.  Among practical suggestions,
Morita-Mullaney indicates fostering quality professional preparation among
staff and personnel  and promoting creative collaborations between school and
community. Above all, leaders should identify typical school barriers that
usually prevent ELs from full academic access and engagement, such as
conflicted master schedules, course placement, and program selection .

EVALUATION

“The Handbook of TESOL in K-12,” edited by de Oliveira is a valuable resource
for teachers and students in the field of second language. It is clearly
organized in three sections that follow similar components of general
overview, major findings, practical applications and further directions, which
makes the reading accessible for professional and lay audiences. Well-known
experts summarize major concepts in a simple style, usually accompanied by
tables and figures, as well as classroom-based examples The overarching themes
are already introduced in the first section, elaborated through pedagogical
practices on language skills and curricular disciplines in the second section,
and taken up by educational agents in the third section three. Common trends
of fluid construct of language, use of students’ first language and
translanguaging practices in the classroom, and collaboration are
re-emphasized throughout the chapters. Every topic converges on facilitating
academic access to minority students through equal opportunities, integrating
academic content and language, and promoting culturally and linguistically
responsive teaching. 

“The Handbook of TESOL in K-12” is a convenient resource that enables
interested readers to update themselves on the teaching of English as a second
language.   A shorter volume might be suggested, avoiding some overlapping
repetitions that reappear too frequently. Overall the book is highly
recommended for teaching preparation programs, raising classroom teachers and
specialists’ awareness of the advocate role   they should assume in current
multilingual classrooms. 

REFERENCES

Cummins, J. 1979. Linguistic interdependence and the educational development
of bilingual children. Review of Educational Research 49(2). 222-251.
 
Florian, L. and Black‐Hawkins, K. 2011. Exploring inclusive pedagogy. British
Educational Research Journal 37(5). 813-828.

Herrera, S. 2016. Biography-driven culturally responsive teaching. New York,
NY: Teachers College Press.
 
 Honigsfeld, A. and Dove, M. 2010. Collaboration and co-teaching: Strategies
for  English learners. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
 
Kachru, B. 1985. Standards, codification, and sociolinguistic realism.  The
English language in the outer circle. English in the world:  Teaching the
language and literatures. In R. Quirk and H. Widdowson. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press. 11-30.
 
 Schleppegrell, M. 2004. The language of schooling. A functional linguistics
perspective. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. 
 
Vygotsky, L. 1978. Mind in society: The development of higher mental
processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.


ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Laura Dubcovsky is a retired lecturer and supervisor from the Teacher
Education Program in the School of Education at the University of California,
Davis. With a Master’s in Education and a PhD in Spanish linguistics /with
special emphasis on second language acquisition, her interests tap topics of
language and bilingual education. She has taught a pre-service bilingual
teachers’ course that addresses communicative and academic traits of Spanish,
needed in a bilingual classroom for more than ten years. She is currently
helping in- service bilingual teachers with oral and written use of Spanish
for educational purposes. She also volunteers as interpreter in
parent/teachers conferences at schools and often translates school letters,
minutes, and announcements programs and flyers. She volunteers at the Crocker
Art Museum by translating artists’ captions and brochures, and in sporadic
translations for emergency programs (STEAC) and the Davis Art Center. She is a
long-standing reviewer for the Linguistic list- serve, the Southern California
Professional Development Schools and more recently for the Journal of Latinos
and Education. She published “Functions of the verb decir (‘to say’) in the
incipient academic Spanish writing of bilingual children in Functions of
Language, 15(2), 257-280 (2008) and the chapter, “Desde California. Acerca de
la narración en ámbitos bilingües” in ¿Cómo aprendemos y cómo enseñamos la
narración oral? (2015). Rosario, Homo Sapiens: 127- 133





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