Emergent Multilinguals and Making Inferences in Elementary Guided Reading Groups
2017-07
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Emergent Multilinguals and Making Inferences in Elementary Guided Reading Groups
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2017-07
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This study explores the topic of inference making with young emergent multilinguals. Literature demonstrates that inference making is essential for reading comprehension (Oakhill & Cain, 2007) and that the skill of inference develops before learning how to read. Inference skills may transfer as a child learns how to read (Kendeou, Bohn-Gettler, White & van den Brock, 2008). However, there are very few studies regarding inference skill with young emergent multilinguals, that specifically account for the factors of multilingualism and from descriptive and qualitative approaches. This action-research study in a second-grade classroom with English learners focused on the following research questions: 1. How can I scaffold instruction to support inference-making during guided reading in my classroom? And, 2. What student actions and dialogues take place when my students attempt to make inferences from text and images? After thematic coding and analysis of transcriptions, journals and artifacts, findings showed that differences in prior knowledge, using visuals and explicit questioning were important considerations for supporting the learners. Learners also demonstrated a variety of modes and strategies (i.e. peer interaction, facial expressions, gestures, pointing) to explain their thinking and occasionally demonstrated their developing metacognition. The transcripts and field notes also demonstrated inconsistencies in students’ abilities to infer within texts, implying the contextual basis of making inferences and individual differences in interactions with texts (e.g., dispositions, experiences, skills). Other implications of this study include using pictures to practice comprehension skills, as the study demonstrated more discussion and ease with regards to making inferences, as decoding text was not an element of that activity. Results of this study point to the need for further study on reading comprehension with multilinguals, specifically from a framework that takes into account the experiences, culture and background of students. Additionally, a focus on the process of inference through classroom-based research, could lead to findings more relevant for practitioners and that support student learning. Further research could benefit from utilizing sociocultural and discourse frameworks to inquire about multilinguals’ multitude of developing skills and abilities.
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University of Minnesota M.A. thesis. July 2017. Major: Education, Curriculum and Instruction. Advisors: Martha Bigelow, Lori Helman. 1 computer file (PDF); vi, 132 pages.
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Carey, Leah. (2017). Emergent Multilinguals and Making Inferences in Elementary Guided Reading Groups. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/190613.
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