Teacher qualifications and reading outcomes

Reading acquisition in alphabetic languages starts with learning the associations between speech sounds and letters. This learning process is related to crucial developmental changes of brain regions that serve visual, auditory, multisensory integration, and higher cognitive processes. Here, we studied the development of audiovisual processing and integration of letter-speech sound pairs with an audiovisual target detection functional MRI paradigm. Using a longitudinal approach, we tested children with varying reading outcomes before the start of reading acquisition (T1, 6.5 yo), in first grade (T2, 7.5 yo), and in second grade (T3, 8.5 yo). Early audiovisual integration effects were characterized by higher activation for incongruent than congruent letter-speech sound pairs in the inferior frontal gyrus and ventral occipitotemporal cortex. Audiovisual processing in the left superior temporal gyrus significantly increased from the prereading (T1) to early reading stages (T2, T3). Region of interest analyses revealed that activation in left superior temporal gyrus (STG), inferior frontal gyrus and ventral occipitotemporal cortex increased in children with typical reading fluency skills, while poor readers did not show the same development in these regions. The incongruency effect bilaterally in parts of the STG and insular cortex at T1 was significantly associated with reading fluency skills at T3. These findings provide new insights into the development of the brain circuitry involved in audiovisual processing of letters, the building blocks of words, and reveal early markers of audiovisual integration that may be predictive of reading outcomes.

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Preparing Teachers of English Language Learners: Empirical Evidence and Policy Implications

Education Policy Analysis Archives ◽

10.14507/epaa.v21n20.2013 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 21 ◽

pp. 20 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Francesca López ◽

Martin Scanlan ◽

Becky Gundrum

Keyword(s):

English Language Learners ◽

Language Learners ◽

English Language ◽

Current Theory ◽

English Language Development ◽

Theory And Practice ◽

Policy Implications ◽

Teacher Education Programs ◽

Reading Outcomes ◽

Level Of Training

In this study, we examined the degree to which the requirements in each state’s teacher education programs reflect current theory and practice for teachers of ELLs in their coursework, and how these requirements in turn are related to 4th grade Hispanic ELL’s reading outcomes on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. We found that required coursework on English language development and assessment were positively related to Hispanic ELLs' reading outcomes. Moreover, states that require both specialist certification, and all teachers to have some level of training to meet the needs of ELLs, also tend to have higher levels of achievement than states that do not have these requirements.

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Teacher Qualifications and Academic Performance of Pupils in Public Primary Schools in Hargeisa District

10.31219/osf.io/bcjum ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Gulled M. Yasin

Keyword(s):

Academic Achievement ◽

Academic Performance ◽

Primary Schools ◽

Formal Education ◽

Teaching Experience ◽

Teacher Qualifications ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Average Value ◽

Teacher Qualification

This study investigated effect of teacher qualifications on the academic performance of pupils in primary schools in Hargeisa districts. Teacher qualifications were operationalized as Formal education, certification and teaching experience. The study emerged from the deteriorating academic achievement of pupils in Somaliland National Primary Examinations. The deteriorating academic performance was well demonstrated from increase number of failures in Somaliland National Exams. The study employed cross sectional survey research design, on a sample of 160 teachers, the study found out that, Fo = 15.838 > F (2,157) = 3.06; p = .000. The eta-square returned an average value of η 2 = 16.8%. Therefore, teacher qualification accounts for 16.8% of the variance in academic performance of pupils in pubic primary schools in Hargeisa. The rest 83.2% are due to factors not investigated here, and errors in measurements. The study findings indicate that teacher qualifications affect to the academic performance of pupils in public primary schools in Hargeisa District.

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