As the population of K-12 English language learners (ELLs) grows, teachers are challenged to employ strategies that efficiently promote content-learning and language-learning. This paper reports an action research project investigating the effects of three consecutive instructional interventions on student language production at a suburban elementary school. Teachers identified a problem of practice, consulted scholarship for intervention design, and conducted collaborative action research in science, mathematics, and social studies classes. Participants included grades 2-4 ELL and non-ELL students. Data was collected using a modified version of Soto's ELL Shadowing Protocol Form (2012), monitoring frequency of student-speaking, teacher-speaking, student-listening, and on- and off-task behavior. Quantitative analyses found that utilization of message abundancy, 'tasks that require talk,' and stretched language positively impacted student language production and on-task behavior. Statistically significant differences were found in mathematics language production for both ELL (Intervention 1 to 2 p=0.0028; Overall p=0.0023) and non-ELL students (Intervention 1 to 2 p<0.0001) and in task-oriented behavior in science and social studies for non-ELL students (Baseline to Intervention 1 and Overall p<0.0001). Differences between ELL and non-ELL students for both language production and on-task behavior narrowed with time, suggesting that the interventions employed equalized student behaviors.
Keywords: English Language Learners; action research; complex tasks; elementary; language production; mathematics; message abundancy; science; social studies; teacher action research.