IT LOOKED LIKE ICE DANCING: ORCHESTRATING INTERACTIONS THAT SCAFFOLD THE WRITING OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS by LISA FORCE LANG Under the Direction of Linda Labbo ABSTRACT Elementary teachers meet with challenges organizing instruction to differentiate for diverse learners writing in a new complex language. Building on sociocultural theories of learning, this qualitative multiple case study describes effective characteristics of instructional scaffolds between teachers and first-grade English language learners (ELL) within the context of Reading Recovery lessons, a well-researched early intervention program with documented effectiveness. Observations took place during conversation to compose and message writing components of lessons. Participants included three Reading Recovery teachers and six ELL. Digital video recordings, field notes, interviews, lesson records, and student artifacts collected for eighteen weeks comprised the data. Video and conversation analysis was used to elaborate the interactional details. A collection of interconnected yet stand-alone manuscripts details the findings. The first, “Vygotsky’s reflection “behind the glass”: Blending theory and practice in one- on-one writing instruction, discusses how Vygotsky’s sociocultural theories frame teaching and learning at the growing edges of students’ competencies. The second, “Interactions scaffolding hearing and recording sounds in words: A case study of an early intervention literacy teacher and an English language learner,” depicts how one teacher’s instructional scaffolding fostered a student’s self-regulation of a useful strategy to write new words. The third, “Expanding a meager knowledge of words for strategic actions in writing,” describes how a teacher scaffolded her student’s word learning journey. The fourth, “Using conversational analysis to examine writing instruction,” details the characteristics of effective conversations for composing to write. The fifth, “It looked like ice dancing: Orchestrating interactions that scaffold the writing of ELL,” identifies types of instructional assistance used to bridge actual development to potential development in students’ writing. Just as in paired ice skating, coordination of lifts and leaps requires intentions and collaboration of both partners. Teachers orchestrated instructional talk to foster independent strategic actions for emergent writers. While scaffolds do support learning, the characteristics of those scaffolds are critical for students to become self- regulated writers. Like ice dancing partners skate in tandem to support one another, the teachers’ scaffolding proved to be stronger when built contingent on individual student’s strengths. INDEX WORDS: English language learners, Writing, Scaffolding, Conversation, Composing, Early literacy intervention, Differentiated instruction, Reading Recovery, Sociocultural theory, Vygotsky, Conversation analysis, Qualitative research, Case study IT LOOKED LIKE ICE DANCING: ORCHESTRATING INTERACTIONS THAT SCAFFOLD THE WRITING OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS by LISA FORCE LANG B.S.E., Oklahoma Christian University, 1978 M.Ed., Emory University, 1992 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY ATHENS, GEORGIA 2009 © 2009 Lisa Force Lang All Rights Reserved ORCHESTRATING INTERACTIONS THAT SCAFFOLD THE WRITING OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS by LISA FORCE LANG Major Professor: Linda Labbo Committee: JoBeth Allen Michelle Commeyras Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia May 2009 iv DEDICATION In Honor of my Parents My dad, Dr. Everett Force who lived a life of joy, faith, strength, and courage and My mother, Sis Force, better known as Marmee, who inspires and encourages me daily v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it. H.E. Luccock I am deeply appreciative of family, friends, and colleagues who supported and encouraged me on my learning journey. My university professors provided valuable resources and feedback as my study took shape. I offer my respect and appreciation to my committee of scholars. My major professor, Dr. Linda Labbo, guided my thinking through her support at major turning points in my research. Dr. JoBeth Allen inspired and celebrated my adventures in the art and craft of writing. Dr. Michelle Commeyras enriched my experiences in working with struggling readers and writers in the UGA Reading Clinic and supported my investigations into the history of writing instruction. I appreciate the expertise and enthusiasm in qualitative research methods shared by scholars, Dr. Judith Preissle, Dr. Kathy Roulston, Dr. Melissa Freeman, and Dr. Juanita Johnson-Bailey. My graduate student comrades enriched my learning experiences throughout our coursework together. To my kindred spirit, sounding board, and writing partner, Amy Evers, I give appreciation for her honesty, creativity, intelligence, unfailing humor, and encouragement. To Amy, Sharon Smith, Amy Alexander Wilson, and Kim Rackley, I give thanks for the commiserating, challenging, and celebrating moments we shared. I thank my Reading Recovery trainers and professors, Dr. Sue Duncan, Dr. Floretta Thornton-Reid, and Dr. Cliff Johnson who supported and extended my theory vi and practice in early literacy instruction and literacy coaching. To my fellow Reading Recovery teacher leaders, Angie Bennett, Crystie Flynt, and Dr. Mary Sangster, I owe a special debt of gratitude for all our conversations about supporting English language learners and fostering independence in our students’ literacy processes. My heartfelt thanks go to the dedicated Reading Recovery teachers who participated in my study and celebrated with me in learning, Sharifa Knowles, Danielle Hilaski, and Dr. Victoria Johnston. I appreciate their time, trust, flexibility, expertise, and reflective thinking and teaching. They are truly remarkable teachers. I thank their students who welcomed me to be amazed by their brilliance. To my family and friends, I offer thanks for their encouragement, patience, unconditional love and support. To the prayer warriors in my church family, thanks for all your prayers and encouragement. To my high school English teacher, Carol McLeod, thanks for proofreading all my dissertation chapters. To my mom, thanks for being my best cheerleader and role model for always and forevermore. To my sister, Dena, thanks for being in charge of buying all the wedding and baby shower gifts and keeping me updated on what was going on in the world while I studied and wrote. To my children, Cory and Elizabeth Pritchard and Matthew and Kerrie Lang, thanks for the technical support, encouragement, and celebrations of all the steps along the way. To my husband of thirty years, Wayne, thanks for allowing me long quiet stretches of time, recording all my favorite television shows, bringing me crushed ice and crunchy potato chips, and taking me to the beach for renewal. vii I am eternally grateful to my dad who advised me to pray for strength and courage every day which I do. He encouraged his children to “get as many pieces of paper as possible that say you can do something.” Well, here is one more! Moon pies! viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS……………………………………………………………….. v LIST OF TABLES……………………………………..……………………………… xiii LIST OF FIGURES…………………………………………………………….……….xiv INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………...1 Overview………………………………………………………………………………. 1 Specific Focus of Each Chapter……………………………………………………….. 2 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………8 Background…………………………………………………………………………….. 8 Statement of the Problem…………………………………………………………….. 10 Purpose of the Study………………………………………………………………….. 12 Research Questions…………………………………………………………………… 12 Theoretical Framework……………………………………………………………….. 13 Definitions……………………………………………………………………………. 16 II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE……………………………………………………….. 19 Introduction…………………………………………………….…………………….. 19 ix A Vygotskian Perspective: Sociocultural Theory of Learning……………………….. 20 Scaffolding Through Instructional Language………………………………………… 32 Studies Examining Scaffolding in Literacy Instruction……………………………… 48 Theory and Practice in Reading Recovery……………………………………………. 60 III. METHODOLOGY…………………………………………………………………. 65 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………… 65 Design of the Study…………………………………………………………………… 66 Methods of Data Collection……………………………………………………………73 Methods of Data Analysis……………………………………………………………. 77 Validity and Reliability………………………………………………………………. 80 Limitations of the Study……………………………………………………………….80 Researcher Role, Reflexivity, and Subjectivity Statements.…………………………. 82 Chapter Summary…………………………………………………………………….. 83 IV. A COLLECTION OF ARTICLES…………………………………………………. 85 Overview of Articles……………………………………………………….………… 85 Article 1: If Vygotsky Could See Me Now! The Instructional Interactions Within a One-on-One Tutoring Context: Blending Theory and Practice……………………… 88 Article 2: Interactions Scaffolding Hearing and Recording Sounds in Words: A Case Study of An Early Intervention Literacy Teacher and An English Language Learner………………………………………………………………………………. 125 x Article 3: Expanding a Meager Knowledge of Words for Strategic Actions in Writing……………………………………………………………………………..…166 Article 4: Scaffolding Progress in One Student’s English Language Learning and Writing Development……………………………….………………………………. 195 Artcle 5: It Looked Like Ice Dancing: Orchestrating Interactions that