Action Research Project update

Action Research Project Title: The Impact of CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) on TELPAS Ratings for Elementary ELLs

Blog URL: http://shaunydaun.blogspot.com/

Number of AR Project Documented Hours: 10

AR Project Summary (at least 250 words):This project was completed in May 2011.  I only have to write up the final report.  I completed all of the activities on my action research plan and I have written up some results and created tables based on the data.  I have even already communicated the results of my study, in table form, to my Bilingual Director and MIS.  This activity has led me to believe that my future career will involve language acquisition and computer assisted language learning.  I have see the impact of the program I chose to study and I realize the parts of the program that don’t have any effect on student learning.  I will be able to help a software developer in creating truly impactful language programs due to this experience.  I only have to write up the results to be completed with this project. 

The conclusion I and my Bilingual Director have come to is that the CALL I studied was really only having an impact on the youngest students we assigned to it.  The group who move the most, according to TELPAS results, was 2^nd graders and new comers.  This has helped us decide that this year all second grade ELLs will be assigned to the program.  No third and fourth graders.  Last year we assigned only newcomers to the program, along with all low level third and fourth grade students.  Those third and fourth graders had the highest incidence of non-movement on TELPAS, and so this year we won’t assign them to the program.  Hopefully we will get more use out of the program if we assign the younger students in larger numbers.