Observational Research in U.S. Classrooms New Approaches for Understanding Cultural and Linguistic Diversity
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Tables, Figures, and Appendixes
- Contributors
- 1 Introduction: Purposes and Perspectives on Classroom Observation Research
- 2 Using Multiple Perspectives in Observations of Diverse Classrooms: The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIPO)
- 3 The Standards Performance Continuum: A Performance-Based Measure of the Standards for Effective Pedagogy
- 4 The Uses of the Classroom Observation Schedule to Improve Classroom Instruction
- 5 Development and Use of a Classroom Observation Instrument to Investigate Teaching for Meaning in Diverse Classrooms
- 6 Patterns of Language Arts Instructional Activity and Excellence in First– and Fourth–Grade Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Classrooms
- 7 Using Classroom Observation as a Research and Formative Evaluation Tool in Educational Reform: The School Observation Measure
- 8 Observing School Restructuring in Multilingual, Multicultural Classrooms: Balancing Ethnographic and Evaluative Approaches
- 9 Sociocultural Activity Settings in the Classroom: A Study of a Classroom Observation System
- 10 The Influence of School Reform on Classroom Instruction in Diverse Schools: Findings from an Observational Study of Success for All
- 11 Future Directions for Classroom Observation Research
- Index
- References
8 - Observing School Restructuring in Multilingual, Multicultural Classrooms: Balancing Ethnographic and Evaluative Approaches
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 November 2009
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Tables, Figures, and Appendixes
- Contributors
- 1 Introduction: Purposes and Perspectives on Classroom Observation Research
- 2 Using Multiple Perspectives in Observations of Diverse Classrooms: The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIPO)
- 3 The Standards Performance Continuum: A Performance-Based Measure of the Standards for Effective Pedagogy
- 4 The Uses of the Classroom Observation Schedule to Improve Classroom Instruction
- 5 Development and Use of a Classroom Observation Instrument to Investigate Teaching for Meaning in Diverse Classrooms
- 6 Patterns of Language Arts Instructional Activity and Excellence in First– and Fourth–Grade Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Classrooms
- 7 Using Classroom Observation as a Research and Formative Evaluation Tool in Educational Reform: The School Observation Measure
- 8 Observing School Restructuring in Multilingual, Multicultural Classrooms: Balancing Ethnographic and Evaluative Approaches
- 9 Sociocultural Activity Settings in the Classroom: A Study of a Classroom Observation System
- 10 The Influence of School Reform on Classroom Instruction in Diverse Schools: Findings from an Observational Study of Success for All
- 11 Future Directions for Classroom Observation Research
- Index
- References
Summary
The goal of this chapter is to discuss a methodology for conducting classroom observations in culturally and linguistically diverse schools implementing externally developed reform designs. The classroom observation strategy discussed in this chapter was developed for a study entitled Scaling Up School Restructuring in Multicultural, Multilingual Contexts. In this study, we conducted longitudinal case studies of 13 elementary schools in Sunland County Public Schools (SCPS), each of which was implementing one or more nationally regarded school reform designs.
Assessments of such reform models have become particularly important as the number of schools implementing these models has increased dramatically in the past few years. The passage of the Obey–Porter law, a bipartisan initiative that allocated 150 million federal dollars in the fall of 1998 (and additional funds in subsequent years) to schools willing to adopt research-based reform programs, is evidence of the growing enthusiasm for external models. This was spurred in part by research suggesting that scaling up externally developed school reform models or promising programs may be the best way to systematically raise students' academic achievement (Stringfield et al., 1997).
However, we know little about how these reforms can be implemented successfully in districts serving linguistically and culturally diverse student populations. Many externally developed school reform models were developed mindful of schools serving students who speak English as a first language. None of the models was developed specifically for multicultural, multilingual student populations.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Observational Research in U.S. ClassroomsNew Approaches for Understanding Cultural and Linguistic Diversity, pp. 174 - 204Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2004
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