TAI #5 Baseline Student Data and Evidence

 Preliminary Findings

The preliminary evidence and information gathered about learners in my inquiry group show not only interesting background information about them, but also the types of English language learners that they are. More importantly, the evidence identify areas of difficulties in their writing which help to show the nature and extent of the student learning challenge I chose as focus of my inquiry. This post aims at presenting and explaining those preliminary findings. 

Student Background Information

There are altogether nine students in my year 12 English language class which is my inquiry group. Table 1 below gives an overview of students' personal and demographic information gathered from the interview and school record. 

Table 1: Student Background  Information
#	Student Initials	Age	Gender	Country of birth	Native language	Arrival in NZ
1	T.A.	19	Male	New Zealand	Tongan	2020
2	M.D.H.	18	Female	Burma	Burmese	Late 2019
3	S.K.	18	Male	Tonga	Tongan	2019
4	A.K.	17	Male	Samoa	Samoan	2018
5	L.K.	18	Female	Samoa	Samoan	2018
6	E.L.	20	Female	Filipino	Filipino	2020
7	A.R.	16	Female	Filipino	Filipino	2019
8	K.S.	17	Female	Samoa	Samoan	2018
9	S.V	17	Male	Tonga	Tongan	2019

Of the nine students, five are females and 4 are males. Their ages range from 17-20 years of age which make them young adult learners of English. All were born at 4 different countries - Burma, Tonga, Samoa, Filipino - except student 1 who was born here in New Zealand but sent to be raised in Tonga toward the end of primary years. The students speak 4 different native languages - Burmese, Tongan, Samoan, and Filipino - which make them their first languages (L1). All are fluent in their L1 oral language, all can write in their L1 too but at different degress of confidence. 

Students were also asked to identify the types of English language learners they think they are using 5 descriptions given by the ministry to help identify different types of English language learners. Table 2 below gives the students' responses. 

Table 2: Types of English Language Learners
#	Student Initials	1	2	3	4	5	Descriptions
1	T.A.						1. Begin school at the age of five or six, with minimal or no previous exposure to English.   2. Begin school after the normal commencement age and have had severely disrupted schooling. 3. Arrived from overseas with school experience equivalent to that of their New Zealand peers, except that they have learned in a language other than English. 4. Had most or all of their education in New Zealand but still had difficulties with the English-language demands of mainstream classes.  5. Have learning difficulties or delays for reasons other than language and cultural differences.
2	M.D.H.
3	S.K.
4	A.K.
5	L.K.
6	E.L.
7	A.R.
8	K.S.
9	S.V

Of the nine students in the inquiry group, eight began school at the age of five or six at their respective countries, with very minimal exposure to English. All the nine students said they arrived in New Zealand from their respective countries with school experience equivalent to that of their New Zealand peers, except that they have learned more in a language other than English, their native languages or L1. That means they started to be exposed to English as an additional language at primary schools where English was offered as a subject among other subjects in other learning areas, including their first languages. However, their teachers used mainly their first languages as their main medium of instruction, even in the teaching of English. Students identified that there was limited exposure to the use of English outside of schools because their L1 were the main medium of communications.

Student 1 started part of his education here in New Zealand and then shifted to Tonga and continued his education there. He still has difficulties with the English-language demands of mainstream classes. Student 6 identified some learning difficulties or delays for reasons other than language and cultural differences.

Despite these learners having similar prior English language learning experiences, they also differ in terms of different schools they attended, the teaching and learning language strategies used at their various contexts, and such other things like may be personal independent reading and being in close contact with native speakers of English.

The different times of their arrivals in New Zealand also vary their exposure and use of English in this English speaking environment. Those who have been here three years now might have acquired more than those who have just arrieved at the beginning of this year.

Quantitative Evidence

The assessment tasks here required students to write three different text type essays on familiar topics with the students - recount on a personal event they encountered, description of a favourite person, and informational text on family. The ELLP matrix was then used to assess their essays and identify their stages at the progression. The stages range from 0 (foundaton stage) the lowest to stage 4 the highest. The graph below shows the students' ELLP stages in the writing language skill.

 

The results show only one person at stage 3, four students at stage 2, four students at stage 1, and one person still at the foundation stage. It is shown here that there is a wide range in the writing skills of learners of my inquiry group. 

The writing matrix uses five main categories to assess the students' writing skills 

• Topic development
• Sentence development and language structures
• Vocabulary development 
• Script control 
• Editing, spelling, punctuation  

The lower the stage achieved, the lesser the development of the writing skills in those areas. Table 3 below shows some examples of writing skills development at different ELLP stages.

Table 3: Some Examples of writing skills at different stages
Stage	Topic development	Sentence development and language features	Vocabulary development	Script control	Editing, spelling, and punctuation
0	Original texts are very short (two or three ideas) with minimal topic development.  Ideas may be presented randomly.	Sentences show frequent or repeated use of a restricted range of model (learned) structures. Sentences are simple or compound (linked with “and”).	Most words are high-frequency and there is little topic-specific vocabulary	Letter formation is developing but is often variable.	- Some words are spelt correctly, and there are attempts to spell words as they sound.  There are often errors in the use of simple punctuation
1	Texts are longer (at least 6–8 sentences), with some organisation of the ideas.  The main ideas may be expanded with details.	Sentences are mainly simple or compound (e.g. linked with “and”) Texts include linking words to signal the development of ideas	Texts use a greater range of vocabulary.  - Texts use some learned topic-specific vocabulary.	Script is generally readable	There is some evidence of editing, - Writing may show some awareness of additional punctuation features
2	Topics are developed in stages, using appropriate paragraph structure.  Ideas are linked and organised, although they may simply be listed at times	Texts include a range of different sentence beginnings and structures (such as use of relative clauses). The writing shows an increasing use of subordinate clauses.	The writing shows a strong personal voice developing through deliberate choice of appropriate vocabulary. There may be some evidence of less appropriate language choices, perhaps from direct translation	The script is controlled and legible.	The text shows some evidence of accurate editing. - The writing shows evidence of attention to specific points, such as distinguishing between homonyms
3	Topics are developed according to the purpose of the task.  Topics are sustained and organised logically and coherently in stages. . Ideas are linked with appropriate use of a range of connectives.	Texts include varied and complex sentence structures and/or sentence types appropriate to the writing purpose, often with errors.	Words are chosen from an expanding bank of general, technical, and academic vocabulary in a range of curriculum and topic areas. - Words are mostly chosen appropriately to meet the purpose for writing and to create specific effects	The writing style is now established, and there is little likelihood of the learner changing how they form their letters	The writing shows evidence of independent, accurate editing. Surface features are generally controlled consistently..

 

To sum up, these preliminary findings clearly point out that the personal and demographic learners' factors do affect their acquisition and development of writing skills. The similarities and differences between these factors contribute to the different types and range of learners whose needs must be specificaaly addressed for any improvement to happen. The ELLP assessment information is also very helpful in identifying the stages of development that the learners are at and again specific skills or domains that must be addressed in order to increase the learners' writing skills.