Discussion: Education-Related Issues—Narrowing the Topic

In

conducting

research,

the

researcher

must

understand

how

to

narrow

down

a

topic

so

that

they

can

focus

on

a

specific

area

of

inquiry;

this

can

be

done

through

the

development

of

a

problem

statement.

Developing

a

problem

statement

allows

the

researcher

to

identify

a

problem

of

study

based

on

scholarly

literature.

Additionally,

during

the

dissertation

process,

the

problem

statement

serves

a

foundational

role

in

communicating

the

reasoning

behind

our

proposed

research

topic

in

that

it

identifies

gaps

in

sets

of

information

that

require

further

research

(Jacobs,

2013).

In

working

closely

with

English

Language

Learner

(ELL)

students,

I

wanted

to

develop

a

broader

understanding

of

how

teachers

can

incorporate

literacy

instruction

that

enhances

ELLs'

language

proficiency

while

building

upon

their

academic

English

.

Acquiring

knowledge

of

academic

English

plays

a

significant

role

in

ELLs

literacy

development

because

although

ELLs

may

be

proficient

in

speaking

the

English

language,

ELLs

can

face

challenges

when

applying

similar

concepts

to

academic

assignments.

Resea

rch

presented

by

Brewer

(2015)

examined

ELLs'

language

development

and

second

language

acquisition;

he

found

that

challenges

presented

to

ELLs

comprehension

of

academic

English

stem

from

ineffective

instruction

and

intervention

strategies

provided

by

teach

ers

(Brewer,

2015).

Moreover,

the

following

problem

-

statement

would

need

to

be

used

to

effectively

explore

this

problem

further:

·

Watson

(2012)

expressed

that

teachers

must

be

knowledgeable

of

the

effects

that

acquiring

knowledge

of

academic

English

has

on

ELLs

literacy

development

(Watson,

2012).

However,

research

presented

by

Watson

(2012)

emphasized

that

if

students

do

not

acquire

an

understanding

of

academic

English

that

they

can

face

challenges

in

articulating

the

knowledge

they

have

of

academic

concep

ts

(Watson,

2012);

such

challenges

are

impacted

based

on

teacher’s

knowledge

of

how

to

teach

such

concepts

effectively.

To

address

this

problem,

research

will

be

conducted

on

the

impact

of

having

access

to

professional

developments

that

adhere

to

understan

ding

the

language

needs

of

ELLs

has

on

teachers’

ability

to

provide

instruction

that

enhances

ELLs’

language

proficiency

and

academic

English.

The

second

problem

that

I

would

like

to

examine

would

focus

on

the

effects

on

low

-

socioeconomic

students’

litera

cy

development

when

not

enrolled

in

preschool

programs.

In

Virginia,

students

aged

4

and

5

can

be

accepted

into

Head

Start,

Title

I,

or

Virginia

Preschool

Initiative

preschool

programs

that

aim

towards

providing

at

-

risk

children

the

foundational

skills

nee

ded

to

be

successful

in

kindergarten.

Skibbe,

Connor,

Morrison,

&

Jewkes

(2011)

expressed

that

early

exposure

to

text

and

print

concepts

supports

students’

long

-

term

literacy

success

(Skibbe,

Connor,

Morrison,

&

Jewkes).

However,

students

who

are

not

enrol

led

in

a

preschool

program

where

literacy

-

based

instruction

is

provided

needed

explicit

instruction

focused

on

letter

identification,

letter

naming,

and

letter

writing

once

entering

kindergarten

(Paige,

Rupley,

Smith,

Olinger

&

Leslie,

2018),

thus

promptin

g

the

following

problem

-

statement:

·

Early

exposure

to

literacy

-

based

concepts

supported

in

a

preschool

classroom

provides

students

with

the

foundational

skills

needed

to

be

successful

in

kindergarten.

However,

students

who

are

not

enrolled

in

such

programs

need

explicit

instruction

focusing

on

concepts

taught

throughout

preschool

programs.

To

address

this

problem,

research

will

be

conducted

on

examining

the

literacy

development

of

kindergarten

students

who

did

not

enroll

in

a

preschool

program

to

those

that

were

enrolled

in

a

preschool

progra

m.

In conducting research, the researcher must understand how to narrow down a topic so that

they can focus on a specific area of inquiry; this can be done through the development of a

problem statement. Developing a problem statement allows the researcher to identify a problem

of study based on scholarly literature. Additionally, during the dissertation process, the problem

statement serves a foundational role in communicating the reasoning behind our proposed

research topic in that it identifies gaps in sets of information that require further research (Jacobs,

2013).

In working closely with English Language Learner (ELL) students, I wanted to

develop a broader understanding of how teachers can incorporate literacy instruction that

enhances ELLs' language proficiency while building upon their academic English. Acquiring

knowledge of academic English plays a significant role in ELLs literacy development because

although ELLs may be proficient in speaking the English language, ELLs can face challenges

when applying similar concepts to academic assignments. Research presented by Brewer (2015)

examined ELLs' language development and second language acquisition; he found that

challenges presented to ELLs comprehension of academic English stem from ineffective

instruction and intervention strategies provided by teachers (Brewer, 2015).

Moreover, the following problem-statement would need to be used to effectively explore this

problem further:

 Watson (2012) expressed that teachers must be knowledgeable of the effects that

acquiring knowledge of academic English has on ELLs literacy development

(Watson, 2012). However, research presented by Watson (2012) emphasized that if

students do not acquire an understanding of academic English that they can face

challenges in articulating the knowledge they have of academic concepts (Watson,

2012); such challenges are impacted based on teacher’s knowledge of how to teach

such concepts effectively. To address this problem, research will be conducted on the

impact of having access to professional developments that adhere to understanding

the language needs of ELLs has on teachers’ ability to provide instruction that

enhances ELLs’ language proficiency and academic English.

The second problem that I would like to examine would focus on the effects on low-

socioeconomic students’ literacy development when not enrolled in preschool programs. In

Virginia, students aged 4 and 5 can be accepted into Head Start, Title I, or Virginia Preschool

Initiative preschool programs that aim towards providing at-risk children the foundational skills

needed to be successful in kindergarten. Skibbe, Connor, Morrison, & Jewkes (2011) expressed

that early exposure to text and print concepts supports students’ long-term literacy success

(Skibbe, Connor, Morrison, & Jewkes). However, students who are not enrolled in a preschool

program where literacy-based instruction is provided needed explicit instruction focused on letter

identification, letter naming, and letter writing once entering kindergarten (Paige, Rupley, Smith,

Olinger & Leslie, 2018), thus prompting the following problem-statement:

 Early exposure to literacy-based concepts supported in a preschool classroom provides students

with the foundational skills needed to be successful in kindergarten. However, students who are

not enrolled in such programs need explicit instruction focusing on concepts taught throughout

preschool programs. To address this problem, research will be conducted on examining the

literacy development of kindergarten students who did not enroll in a preschool program to those

that were enrolled in a preschool program.