Instructional Level and Engagement in Students With Behavioral Disorders

This study examined the effects of adjusting the difficulty level of instructional materials on the time on-task and comprehension of four students with emotional and behavioral disorders. All participants previously exhibited low rates of on-task behavior during reading assignments. Students were presented with reading materials at their instructional, frustration, and independent levels to assess the effect on time on-task and comprehension. All four students demonstrated the highest percent of on-task behavior when presented with reading materials at their instructional level. Comprehension scores were highest for all four students at the independent level and lowest at the frustration level.

Foreign language anxiety and achievement: A study of primary school students learning English in China

The present study sought to understand the nature and level of foreign language (FL) anxiety among primary school students and the relationship between FL anxiety and FL achievement. Changes in FL anxiety across groups of three primary school years were also examined. A total of 631 (324 male, 307 female) primary school students aged 9–11 years completed the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) that measured students’ FL anxiety. Our participants’ FL achievements as measured by low-stakes regular assessments and high-stakes formal examinations were also collected. On average, primary school students reported levels of FL anxiety comparable to those of adults observed in previous studies. Factor analysis on FLCAS generated four components of FL anxiety: communication apprehension, fear of negative evaluation, test anxiety and negative attitude towards classroom. Correlation analyses showed that students’ FL anxiety was inversely correlated with their FL achievements. The correlation was stronger for formal examinations with higher stakes as compared to regular assessments with lower stakes. Finally, the correlation strengthened as a function of higher instructional level. Results are discussed in relation to previous research. Implications to FL education are also considered.

ANALISIS KESESUAIAN BUKU TEKS BAHASA ARAB BERBASIS KETERBACAAN MENGGUNAKAN KETENTUAN FOG INDEX

This study discusses the general description of the textbook and then the description of the level of readability based on the readability formula and the reader's response. The method used is the descriptive method with a qualitative approach. The general description of the textbook based on the results of studies of the profile and anatomical structure is very good. Even though there is some lack in its anatomical structure, this is very reasonable considering the textbooks are presented as needed. The level of readability based on the Fog Index theory shows that textbooks are classified as very easy, while based on the reader's response through the Cloze Test the textbook is at the instructional level. This the researcher can judge that the book is suitable for use in learning. In practice the teacher's role is still needed in modifying the presentation of the material also requires the guidance of the teacher in the learning process.

Contextualization in Teaching Short Stories: Students’ Interest and Comprehension

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of contextualization in teaching Philippine short stories in English to students’ reading comprehension and the relationship between students’ reading interest and their comprehension levels. Approach/Methodology/Design: The study is experimental in design. It employed the Z-test and utilized a structured survey questionnaire in collecting the data. Seventy-two (72) Grade 7 students of Lila National High School in the school year 2018-2019 had the Frustration level of reading comprehension based on the Phil-IRI results conducted before the experimentation took place. Contextualized teaching instruction and learning activities were utilized by the experimental group during the discussion of the three Philippine short stories in English. Findings: The study revealed that (a) both the experimental and control groups had the average interest level towards Philippine short stories in English, (b) in the Phil- IRI comprehension result, both the experimental and control groups’ level of comprehension is in the frustration level in three comprehension test categories namely literal, inferential, and evaluative/critical, (c) in the formative comprehension test results, the experimental group’s comprehension level increased to instructional level where in the literal and inferential test levels, the group is classified under independent level and instructional level in evaluative/critical. On the other hand, the control group’s comprehension level fell under instructional in the literal and inferential test levels and remained frustration under evaluative/critical. Practical Implications: The study has practical implications for literature teachers. The findings will assist the literature teachers especially those who are handling Philippine Literature subjects. In addition, an Action Program is proposed to improve reading comprehension in Lila National High School, Philippines. Originality/value: The study is different from existing researches since it focused on the contextualization in teaching Philippine literary pieces, particularly short stories to increase students’ interest in learning and improve comprehension.

Biotechnology Module Based on Sociosaintific Issues to Improve Student's Critical Thinking Ability Through Online Learning

This research aims to develop a science learning module based on Socio Scientific Issues on biotechnology materials that can improve students' critical thinking skills. This research is an R&D research with a 4-D design. Validation is carried out by science experts and teachers. The module readability test and the students' responses to the module were obtained using a close test and questionnaire. Data analysis was performed descriptively quantitatively. The results of the module validation by expert lecturers obtained 89% and an average CVI value of 0.98 with a very valid category and was suitable for use. The module readability test results were 42.22% with the instructional level category indicating that the modules needed to be learned. The results of the N-Gain test for critical thinking ability is 0.59, the module is in the moderate category and the students' response value to the module by 87.50% showed the response in the very good category to the use of module-based SSI in learning to improve critical thinking skill.

AATJ’s Role in Diversity and Inclusion: An Opportunity to Transform into a Well-Integrated Organization

The survey results (Mori et al., this volume) show that there are divisions among subgroups based on instructional level and language background in the field of Japanese language education. This commentary discusses various kinds of divide or disparity in our professional field based on the author’s experience of involvement in three national professional organizations (ATJ, NCJLT, AATJ). In order for AATJ to become a well-integrated professional organization, the following three recommendations are made: (1) Reevaluate the AATJ’s current mission and bylaws to have a common goal, (2) incorporate the spirit of diversity and inclusion to foster a collegial culture in the organization, and (3) articulate what AATJ wants students to attain through the study of Japanese.

Whole Class or Small Group Fluency Instruction: A Tutorial of Four Effective Approaches

Four scientifically validated approaches to fluency instruction (Fluency-Oriented Reading Instruction, Wide Fluency-Oriented Reading Instruction, Fluency-Oriented Oral Reading, and Wide Fluency-Oriented Oral Reading) are reviewed. Two for the whole class and two for small groups. Key components of fluency, automaticity, and prosody are defined, and their contribution to reading comprehension is discussed. Automaticity contributes through its freeing up of attention to attend to meaning, and prosody contributes through its addressing of pacing and expression that, in turn, reflect textual meaning. Four principles for effective fluency instruction are also presented: Modeling, extensive opportunities for practice, the use of scaffolding, and the incorporation of prosodic elements. The four instructional approaches presented in this article are based on two different strategies for integrating extensive opportunities to read: Repeated versus wide reading. All four approaches use challenging texts, or texts at the upper end of the learners’ zone of proximal development, thus providing learners with access to a broader range of vocabulary and concepts than would be the case if they read only instructional level texts. All four also provided highly effective procedures for either whole-class or small-group reading instruction. The goal of this summary is to provide readers with effective approaches for classroom instruction.

Factors Affecting the Reading Comprehension Level of Grade VI Learners of Selected Elementary School in the District of Tanza, Cavite

This study probed on factors affecting the reading comprehension among 264 Grade Six learners in the three selected schools in the District of Tanza Cavite for the academic year 2018-2019. The researcher aptly considered the descriptive method of research using Phil-IRI Test and a researcher- made questionnaire as data gathering instruments. The gathered data were analyzed through percentage, mean, arbitrary scale with its corresponding adjectival interpretation, and the Pearson product moment of correlation. The singular hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that majority of the Grade VI learners comprised the instructional level of reading comprehension; the parent, home, teacher and learner factors all have moderate extent of association to the learners’ level of reading comprehension; and that the parent factor had a weak association with learners’ level of reading comprehension, while home, teacher and learner factors have had a negligible association with learners’ reading comprehension level. Furthermore, it revealed that the all the factors considered significantly affect the reading comprehension of the 6th Grade learners. The researcher therefore recommends Reading/English teachers and school managers to expose students with variety of reading materials so it can positively affect learners level of reading comprehension; and that the external stakeholders must be informed on the relevance of reading activities at school and at home to ensure that learners will be molded holistically

Analyzing the Early Literacy Skills and Visual Motor Integration Levels of Kindergarten Students

Early childhood education aims to support children’s whole development and their school readiness. Children develop a knowledge about reading, writing and learning before elementary school. This knowledge is called early literacy and it’s a key factor for school readiness. This study delves to investigate the early literacy skills of children and their visual motor integration. For this purpose, kindergarten students’ level of early literacy skills and visual motor integration was determined and the correlation between the two was analyzed. Eighty children at the age of five (40 females and 40 males) attending kindergarten were purposively chosen. In the study, 38% of the participants in the kindergarten was in the inadequate level of early literacy skills and 62% was in the instructional level. Children in the instructional level also showed that they had better visual motor coordination skills as well. These children presented better visual motor coordination skills in the fine manipulative skills category, print awareness category, and expressive and receptive language skills category. It was seen that visual motor integration development is a valuable factor to supports kindergarten children’s early literacy skills. For this reason, children’s visual motor coordination skills should be taken into consideration and supported for their early literacy skills development.