Study of Digital Learning Resources for Instructional English Learner Students

Task Order 27
Study of Digital Learning Resources for
Instructing English Learner Students
Task 4.4 (Part 12) Case Study — School Coordinator or Lead Teacher for
English Learner (EL) Services Interview Protocol

July 11, 2016

Submitted to:
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development

Submitted by:
Westat
1600 Research Boulevard
Rockville, Maryland 20850-3129
(301) 251-1500

Study of Digital Learning Resources for
Instructing English Learner Students
Task 4.4 (Part 12) Case Study — School Coordinator or Lead Teacher for English Learner
(EL) Services Interview Protocol

Prepared by:
Philip Vahey
Daniela Torre
Kaily Yee
Savitha Moorthy
Kea Vogt
SRI International
Annette Zehler
Eva Chen
Jennifer Flynn
Karin Katterfeld
Adrienne von Glatz
Westat
Yesim Yilmazel-Sahin
OneWorld Linguistic Consulting, LLC

Study of Digital Learning Resources for Instructing English Learner Students

School Coordinator or Lead Teacher for English Learner (EL) Services
Interview Protocol

Our interview today focuses on how technology resources, or as we term them, Digital Learning
Resources, DLRs, are used in this school for instructing English learner, or EL, students. Please consider
DLRs used in supporting EL students’ learning of both language and academic content. We are
interested (1) in all of the different settings in which EL students are instructed, including both
mainstream or general education classrooms, (2) in the instructional settings where EL specialist
teachers work with EL students, and (3) in the DLRs used for instruction with ELs in the current school
year.
Before we continue, I would like to review our consent form with you. [Note to interviewer: Hand
interviewee the consent form and highlight the following information: (1) the study team will protect or
maintain confidentiality for data collected, except as required by law; (2) only the study team will have
access to data with identifiable information; (3) responses will be aggregated; and (4) no individual will
be identified by name in any reporting. After reviewing these highlights, please ask the respondent to
read and sign the form before proceeding with the interview.]
Definitions:
Digital Learning Resources (DLRs) refers to individual applications, software, programs or websites,
hardware and other digital resources that engage students in learning activities and support students’
learning goals. We have defined three categories of DLRs; individual DLRs from the different categories
may be combined in a comprehensive package (what we call an “integrated DLR set”). In discussing
DLRs, we are interested in the software or programs used for instruction; in addition, please indicate
hardware and infrastructure needed to support the use of a particular DLR.
English learner (EL) refers to students not born in the United States or students whose native language
is other than English and students who come from non-English-dominant environments, whose skills in
English are so limited that they derive little benefit from regular school instruction. “English learner”
also refers to students who have no proficiency in English. Note: If your district has an operational
definition for EL students, then use your district’s definition in responding.
[Note to interviewer: Hand interviewee the definitions sheet and briefly review the three categories of
DLRs.] Do you have any questions about these categories? We’ll be using them in some of our questions
in the interview today. Please feel free to refer to this sheet throughout the interview.
Background Questions
We’d like to start by learning a little bit about you and the context in which you work.
1.

Tell us about your role and your responsibilities.
a. How long have you been in this role at this school?
b. How many years have you been an educator?

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2.

How long have you been working with ELs?
a. To what extent do you feel prepared to work with ELs?

3.

What is the school’s EL population, and how would you describe it? (E.g., size, language groups,
whether they are newcomer ELs or a long-term EL population, special challenges)
a. Does your school provide instructional services for EL students? If so, what kinds of services are
they? (E.g., mainstream, pull-out, push-in, dual immersion, newcomer program.)

4.

Does the school have specific goals for using DLRs with ELs? [If yes] What are they?
a. Does it have goals for using DLRs to engage the families of ELs? [If yes] What are they?

Use of DLRs With ELs
5.

How widespread is DLR use in your school? What percentage of teachers at your school use DLR
with ELs?

6.

Are there particular DLRs commonly used with ELs at this school? [If yes] What are they?
[If the school has specific DLRs in use with ELs, continue with the following sub-questions;
otherwise, please proceed to the next question.]
a. Why has it chosen these DLRs?
b. Are these DLRs intended for use by mainstream teachers, EL specialist teachers, or both? [If
intended for a particular type of teacher] Why?

7.

Do specific features or functions of these DLRs make them especially useful to teachers working
with ELs? [If yes] What are they? (E.g., read-aloud functions, translation, first language support)

8.

Are DLRs used in specific programs for ELs, such as when EL students are “pulled out” of regular
instruction? [If yes] Which DLRs are they? Why have these DLRs been chosen for use in specific
programs?

9.

Are you aware of DLRs that mainstream teachers use with the general student population that they
do not use with EL students? [If yes] Which ones are they? Are you aware of why they don’t use
them with EL students?

10. Does the school’s program of services for EL students use DLRs used to support parent and family
engagement If so, how does it do so?
Barriers Related to the Use of DLRs With ELs
11. Do you know of barriers teachers encounter while using DLRs with EL students? [If yes] Can you
provide specific examples?
12. Are you aware of challenges that EL students face when using DLRs outside of the classroom? [If
yes] Can you provide specific examples?
Identifying, Selecting, and Purchasing DLRs
13. Does the school have a specific process for identifying and selecting the DLRs that are used with
ELs? [If yes] Please describe the process.
[If the school has a process for identifying and selecting DLRs for use with ELs, please proceed with
the following sub-questions; otherwise skip to the next question.]

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a. Who is involved in the process?
b. What characteristics, features, or functions does the school look for in choosing a DLR for ELs?
(E.g., practice, adaptive learning, translation, games or game-like elements, read-aloud)
Evaluating the Use of DLRs With ELs
14. How would you rate the success of DLRs that the school is using with ELs? Can you name some
examples of DLRs that are being successfully with ELs?
a. What are outcomes or indicators does the school use to evaluate the success of these DLRs?
b. Have particular features or components of these DLRs made them useful for EL students? [If
yes] What are they?
Professional Development and Support Around DLR Use With ELs
15. Does the school provide coaching, professional development (PD), or support for teachers that
focuses on using DLRs with ELs? [If yes] Please describe these activities.
[If the school provides coaching, PD, or support for teachers focused on DLR use with ELs, continue
with the following sub-questions; otherwise, skip Lo the next question.]
a. Who provides this PD or support?
b. How frequently does the school offer PD or support?
c. What support do you think is most useful to teachers? Please explain.
d. Do the supports related to using DLRs for instruction differ for mainstream teachers and EL
specialist teachers? [If yes] Please describe any differences.
e. Could additional PD or supports be offered to teachers to help them use these DLRs more
effectively with ELs? [If yes] What do you suggest should be offered?
16. Does the school have systems or structures in place to facilitate collaboration between El specialists
and mainstream teachers concerning the use of DLRs? (E.g., during grade-level team/PLC/COP
meeting) [If yes] Please describe them.
Gaps in DLRs
17. How could DLRs be designed or used to support the specific learning needs of EL students better?
a. Are there any features or functions that you would like DLRs to include that would better
support your ELs?
18. Are there lessons you have learned about using DLRs with ELs that you can share with other
educators? [If yes] What are they?
This is the end of the interview.
Do you have anything to add regarding DLR use related to ELs or students in general?
Do you have any questions for us?
Thank you very much for your time.

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