The Qualitative Research Article

Lecture based on Jiménez (1997)

What are the problematic issues that Latino/a children face in American

schools?

What problematic issue does Jimenez (1997) state in relation to literacy

instruction in middle school?

The Statement of the Problem

The Statement of the Problem

• Under this section, authors present the problem or issue they intend to investigate.

• Problems can be viewed:– From a global perspective (e.g., the

importance of English in the world)– From a local perspective (e.g., the

instructional issues involved in teaching English at a language program)

“Latina/o students often experience difficulties with literacy in both English and Spanish because they must contend with less than optimal learning conditions, such as inadequately funded schools (Kozol, 1991), segregated schools (Valencia, 1991), and teachers without training in second-language acquisition or multicultural education (Berman et al., 1992; Nieto, 1992).” (Jiménez, 1997, p.224)

One idea from the Statement of the Problem

Paraphrasing Academically

• To paraphrase:– Understand the idea first by reading

carefully.

– State in your own words what the author intends to say.

– In your paraphrasing, strive to maintain the meaning and the references the author makes in the original text.

The Process of Paraphrasing 1: First Read and Understand the IdeaOriginal Idea from Jiménez (1997):• “Latina/o students often experience difficulties with literacy in both English and

Spanish because they just contend with less than optimal learning conditions, such as inadequately funded schools (Kozol, 1991), segregated schools (Valencia, 1991), and teachers without training in second-language acquisition or multicultural education (Berman et al., 1992; Nieto, 1992).” (Jiménez, 1997, p. 224).

My thought process (Enrique thinks aloud to understand the idea first):

“Hum…Jiménez is saying here that developing literacy in English and Spanish is difficult for Latino/a students… or children… because the conditions…the educational conditions…in the context…which I guess is the US here…are not great. Jiménez cites some authors in parenthesis…hum…maybe to give the reader examples of some of the problems that Latino/a children face in schools…so, Kozol (1991) says that schools are not funded…Valencia says that schools are segregated, and Berman et al. & Nieto say that teachers of these students do not receive training in SLA or in multicultural education…”

Version 1:Jiménez states that literacy development in English and Spanish in the US is a challenge for Latino/a students due to poor conditions in schools, and Jiménez refers to Kozol (1991) to report that American schools are not appropriately funded. The author draws from Valencia to point out that schools are segregated, and from Berman et al. and Nieto to affirm that the teachers of Latino/a children are not well-trained in SLA or in multicultural education, and so Jiménez is talking about how the school circumstances contribute to the difficulty of Latino/a children in their development of literacy.

The Process of Paraphrasing 2: Crafting Writing for Accuracy, Clarity, and Academic Writing Style

“Hum…Jiménez is saying here that developing literacy in English and Spanish is difficult for Latino/a students… or children… because the conditions…the educational conditions…in the context…which I guess is the US here…are not great. Jiménez cites some authors in parenthesis…hum…maybe to give the reader examples of some of the problems that Latino/a children face in schools…so, Kozol (1991) says that schools are not funded…Valencia says that schools are segregated, and Berman et al. & Nieto say that teachers of these students do not receive training in SLA or in multicultural education…”

Jiménez states that English and Spanish in the US is a challenge for Latino/a students due to poor conditions in schools, and Jiménez refers to Kozol (1991) to report that American schools are not appropriately funded because the author draws from Valencia to point out that schools are segregated, and from Berman et al. and Nieto to affirm that the teachers of Latino/a children are not well-trained in SLA or in multicultural education, and so Jiménez is talking about how the school circumstances contribute to the difficulty of Latino/a children in their development of literacy.

Version 1: First attempts at paraphrasing, but issues of accuracy, clarity, and APA format

Jiménez states that literacy development in English and Spanish in the US is a challenge for Latino/a students due to poor conditions in schools. Jiménez refers to Kozol (1991) to report that American schools are not appropriately funded. The author draws from Valencia (1991) to point out that schools are segregated, and from Berman et al. (1992) and Nieto (1992) to affirm that the teachers of Latino/a children are not well-trained in SLA or in multicultural education. With these examples, the author reports how the school circumstances may contribute to the difficulty of Latino/a children in their development of literacy.

Version 2: Polishing my academic paraphrasing: Fixing APA, accuracy, and run-on statements

Challenge: Pair up and paraphrase

“Adding to the difficulties of these students, the knowledge base for teaching literacy to linguistically diverse students is, as yet, still in its formative stages (Bernhardt, 1991; Garcia, Pearson, & Jimenez, 1994; Weber, 1991). Further exacerbating the problem, middle school teachers traditionally have not viewed literacy instruction as central to their mission (Garcia et al., 1995).” (Jiménez, 1997, p. 224)

Another problem for Latino/a students in US schools that Jimenez (1997) reports, is that the education community does not have sufficient knowledge and strategies to teach literacy to students who do not have the same linguistic background. As Garcia et al. (1995) reported, middle-school teachers do not take into account literacy as the focus of their instruction. Consequently, a lack of quality literacy instruction implies that the students have to struggle with literacy at school.

In addition to the increasing problems that Latino/a students face with literacy learning in American schools, the research base for teaching literacy to students who speak a variety of languages is, at the moment, still developing (Jimenez, 1997). To point out more struggles at the spotlight of the problem, middle-school teachers do not see literacy instruction as part of their job. In other words, teachers assume that learners know how to read and write perfectly (Garcia, 1995).

• ….Is at the moment, still developing• …in the process of construction• …in its first stages of development• …is still in its initial stages of

development• …is still in its infancy• …is still forming

Jimenez (1997) draws from Garcia (1995) that there are more struggles at the spotlight of the problem. Garcia (1995) claims that middle-school teachers do not see literacy instruction as part of their job. In other words, teachers assume that learners know how to read and write perfectly (Garcia, 1995).

Useful Verbs to Paraphraseagree complain emphasize note

analyzeconcede explain observe

argue consider find offer

ask conclude grant point out

assert contend illustrate refute

believe declare imply report

claim deny insist reveal

comment describe maintain say

see show speculate state

suggestsuppose think write

Under the literature review of the article, find what characterizes the

reading of proficient and less proficient bilingual readers according to

research.

Also under the literature review, point out why the use of high-quality

children’s and young-adult literature is important in teaching students to

read.

From the section in the lit review that refers to the role of word recognition and reading fluency in reading, infer

the importance of effective word recognition in reading.

The Literature

Review

The Literature Review (Lit Review)

Under this section, authors present the relevant studies and theories that frame their topic–Research & Conceptual Pieces–Use reported speech to report others’ work

What were the research

questions that guided the

Jimenez (1997) study?

The Research Questions

• Guide the study. Findings should be connected to the research questions.

• May be presented under the statement of the problem or after the lit review.

• May change throughout the development of the study (we don’t see that process in a published article)

What was important about the researcher’s

background for the study?

What were some commonalities amongst the participants of this

study?

Methodology

Methodology

•Also called Study Design•Includes the how of the study.•Participants, context, methods of data collection, data analysis, researcher’s role/identity.