The Effect of Primary LanguageAdvance Organizer Podcasts on theAcademic Performance of 3rd Grade

English Language Learners

Purpose of the Study. To examine the effect ofPrimary Language Advance Organizer Podcasts(PLAOP’s) on beginning, early intermediate, andintermediate English language learners’ academicperformance.

Context of Study. School In The Park’s 3rd Grade ZooRotation #3 week of instruction at the Otto EducationCenter Museum Educators: Judi Bowes and Lisa Townsend Focus: Life Science - LIVING THINGS ARECONNECTED

Study Participants. Participants were 121 3rd grade English LanguageLearners at two inner-city elementary schools in biliteracy, Sheltered Englishand mainstream English classrooms;

1) whose primary language is Spanish, and2) who were identified as “beginning”, “early intermediate”, or “intermediate”ELL.

Assessment Instruments. Three assessment instruments weredeveloped for the study: 1) the pre/post test, 2) the Food ChainActivity, and 3) the Owl Pellet Activity.

Pretest/Posttest. On the Friday prior to their week of instruction at thezoo, study participants are given a pretest to measure theirknowledge about the subject matter they would be studying. At theconclusion of instruction on the following Friday, study participantsare given a posttest that is identical to the pretest.

Food Chain Activity. Students are required to organize pictures inproper relationship to one another to describe a FOOD CHAIN.

Owl Pellet Activity. Given an owl pellet, probe and workspace,students

1) dissect the pellet;2) draw conclusions about a] what an owl pellet is and b] what the owl

ate;3) identify the specific types of bones found by matching them with

pictures;4) address, in writing, the following questions:

What did this owl eat?What is an owl pellet?

The podcast designed for each day contained:1) a brief review (in Spanish) of concepts and vocabulary of the previous days

(except for 1st day);2) an overview (in Spanish) of the concepts students would be learning about

today;3) Key academic vocabulary (in English with definitions given in Spanish) that

would be introduced by the museum educator today, and;4) accompanying visuals appropriate to concepts and vocabulary introduced

today.

ELL strategies used:- Introduction of key academic vocabulary- Activation of prior knowledge- Use of audio, graphics, still pictures and video- Repetition- Use of rhythmic chant

PODCASTS