The National Center for Research on the Educational
Achievement and Teaching of English Language Learners
A research program funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education

Research

Meeting an Educational Challenge

CREATE's focused program of research is designed to address the critical challenge of improving educational outcomes of English-language learners (ELLs) by

  • enhancing the empirical research base for readers in Grades 4–8,
  • using both narrative and expository text to develop and test effective interventions that promote content knowledge and language and literacy development,
  • investigating the features of instruction and text modifications that facilitate learning for ELLs (e.g., traditional instruction v. ESL-enhanced instruction, teacher-guided instruction v. group work, traditional text v. modified text), and
  • designing, testing, and delivering professional development that ensures that teachers implement effective classroom practices to help ELLs achieve high standards.

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A Focused Program of Research

CREATE develops research-based interventions, tests them in tightly controlled experiments and randomized field trials with classroom teachers, and combines them into a comprehensive package, the effectiveness of which is tested in randomized experiments. The research focuses on the specific instructional practices that are proven effective in improving oral English proficiency, English literacy, and student achievement in the content areas (Social studies and science content is used.). The research also explores text modifications and grouping arrangements that enhance outcomes for middle-grade ELLs. More specifically, CREATE

  • develops and tests teacher-guided methods and peer collaborative group work to enhance oral language and literacy development as well as content knowledge;
  • compares the efficacy of enhanced versions of teacher-guided instruction and collaborative group work versus traditional methods of instruction;
  • tests the efficacy of modified social studies narrative and expository text in improving children’s knowledge, understanding, and ability to learn social studies content; and
  • tests and refines a model of professional development for teachers that is geared to improving the content knowledge of ELLs in middle school classrooms.

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Studies

Several primary studies are currently being conducted as part of CREATE’s focused program of research.


Project QuEST (Quality English and Science Teaching) investigates a systematic intervention model to concurrently develop science content and language and literacy skills in middle school ELLs.


Impact of the SIOP Model on Middle School Science and Language Learning investigates the impact of the SIOP Model--a research-based approach that integrates grade-level content with academic English language development--on student academic achievement in middle school science, a subject area with high language demands.


Adaptations of Peer-Assisted Learning for ELLs: Application to Middle School Social Studies Classes examines the efficacy of social studies instruction enhanced with specific instructional and learning strategies, supplemental materials, and purposeful pairing of students. The goal is to enhance knowledge acquisition and vocabulary/concept learning through systematic practices associated with improved outcomes for ELLs in middle school content classes.


Adapting Texts to English Language Learners’ Needs builds on the development and evaluation of Word Generation, an interdisciplinary middle school academic language support program. Word Generation uses engaging paragraphs to present crucial, non-disciplinary, all-purpose academic words and defines activities to help students learn them. The adapting-texts component develops alternative forms of the paragraphs to be used in a modified, ELL-focused version of Word Generation.

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