The Georgia Wolf Trap Project The Georgia Wolf Trap Project 2005-20082005-2008

&&Georgia Wolf Trap Georgia Wolf Trap

for English Language Learnersfor English Language Learners2008-20122008-2012

A collaboration of

Alliance Theatre, Fulton County Schools, and Georgia State University

Funded (2005-2012) by the U.S. Department

of Education

Arts Education Model Development and

Dissemination Program (AEMDD)

AEMDD CriteriaAEMDD Criteria

Discipline-specific arts instruction Discipline-specific arts instruction andand

Enhancement of academic achievement Enhancement of academic achievement

Low-income childrenLow-income children

Context of the Context of the InterventionIntervention

Language development in early childhood Language development in early childhood predicts school performance.predicts school performance.

The The ““achievement gapachievement gap”” begins before the begins before the childchild’’s first day of school.s first day of school.

Low-income children begin Kindergarten Low-income children begin Kindergarten with less than half the vocabulary of with less than half the vocabulary of high-income students, challenging high-income students, challenging literacy development.literacy development.

Premises of the Premises of the InterventionIntervention

Social and communicative experiences that Social and communicative experiences that support the development of symbolic support the development of symbolic functioning are essential in early functioning are essential in early childhood.childhood.

Pretend play, the developmental foundation Pretend play, the developmental foundation of drama, is the childof drama, is the child’’s s ““first language.first language.””

Joint pretense and story sharing can Joint pretense and story sharing can unpack language. Drama engages childrenunpack language. Drama engages children’’s s emotions and intellect, transcending emotions and intellect, transcending culture and class.culture and class.

11stst Project – 2005-8 Project – 2005-8

All Kindergarten classes in 6 schoolsAll Kindergarten classes in 6 schools

Random assignment of low-income Random assignment of low-income schools to conditions; pre-schools to conditions; pre-intervention/post-interventionintervention/post-intervention

Professional learning opportunities Professional learning opportunities for Kindergarten teachers in summer for Kindergarten teachers in summer and fall; artists and teachers and fall; artists and teachers collaboratively infuse drama into collaboratively infuse drama into language lessons in January and language lessons in January and FebruaryFebruary

Sample CharacteristicsSample Characteristics

N= 545 students

36% special needs

71% qualified for free or reduced lunch

94% African American

Sample Starting PointSample Starting Point

HypothesesHypotheses

Intervention students will show more improvement than control students in

Language Development

Writing (near transfer)

Academic Achievement (far transfer)

Language Development:Language Development:SyntaxSyntax

Writing: QuantityWriting: Quantity

Vocabulary

Sentences

Writing: QualityWriting: Quality

Percentage of Students with Improvement over Time

Report Card GradesReport Card GradesFirst Grade (Cohorts 1& 2)First Grade (Cohorts 1& 2)

Special NeedsSpecial Needs

CRCT ScoresCRCT ScoresFirst Grade (Cohorts 1& 2)First Grade (Cohorts 1& 2)

Special NeedsSpecial Needs

ContributionsContributions Drama = Developmental Appropriateness Drama = Developmental Appropriateness

Helping children find their voice—child-Helping children find their voice—child-centered education supports symbolic centered education supports symbolic developmentdevelopment

Authentic, meaningful activity in a Authentic, meaningful activity in a language-rich and emotionally engaging language-rich and emotionally engaging contextcontext

Usefulness of this approach for development Usefulness of this approach for development and and learninglearning

Next?Next?Georgia Wolf Trap for Georgia Wolf Trap for

English Language LearnersEnglish Language Learners

Context

In 2008 Latino students were the largest minority in American schools - 11 Million or 22%

Facing an educational crisis: Less likely to be enrolled in pre-K programs

Twice as likely to be retained Highest dropout rates—18.3 % in 2008 (compared to the total rate of 8%).

White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for HispanicsOctober 19, 2010

White House Initiative advocates enhanced pre-K preparation and K-12 educational reforms for Latino students

Fulton County was the third most populous Latino community in GA; over 20% living in poverty; many students with limited English proficiency

FC schools are English only

Pull out/push in services in K=45 minutes/day

Achievement gap in 2008

70% of Fulton County ELL K students finished the year with low English proficiency

33%were below academic expectations after 1st grade

only 39% passed all areas of GA high school graduation test

Language minority and low income status = double risk for academic failure

Background: Quantity of exposure to English in class does not predict acquisition; quality of engagement with English does (Snow et al., 1998).

Hypothesis: an emphasis on meaningful communication experiences will support acquisition.

Professional development for teachers as before —teaching artists as coaches, November-March

Drama activities—“improvised guided enactment”—can disambiguate language

Story sharing; analyzing and enacting; re-telling and reflecting

Elements in common with ESOL strategies language embedded in meaningful contexts

using the senses, props, facial expressions

physicalization, repetition incorporating students’ ideas

Design

Paired Cluster/random assignment of schools to conditions (6 schools; all K classrooms)

Random selection of research participants (all ELL)

Schools range from 39-68% ELL

Participants

514 Kindergartners over three years 2009-12

All qualified as ELL, all speak Spanish at home

97% qualified for free or reduced lunch

All regular education students

Measures District ESOL Screening Measures - English

WAPT-L/S - at registration Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs - January/February

WMLS-R - two languages - pre (Sept & Oct) and post (April & May)

Story Writing - English only - pre and post

G-KIDS - first grade readiness test - English only

Significance Testing: Significance Testing: Treatment ReceivedTreatment Received

All three years of professional All three years of professional

learning (N=12 teachers)learning (N=12 teachers)

Control group (N=31 teachers)Control group (N=31 teachers)

Total Oral EnglishTotal Oral English

Story Writing - FluencyStory Writing - Fluency

Story Writing - QualityStory Writing - Quality

Academic Achievement Academic Achievement GKIDSGKIDS

Academic Achievement GKIDS

What We LearnedWhat We Learned

Drama = links among emotion, Drama = links among emotion, meaning, wordsmeaning, words

Brief intervention Brief intervention —>—> noteworthy effects in language noteworthy effects in language and mathematicsand mathematics

Enhanced language Enhanced language engagementengagement (versus exposure or drill)(versus exposure or drill)

What is driving all What is driving all this?this?

Professional LearningProfessional Learning

Professional LearningProfessional Learning

Key toKey to

Positive Positive student student

outcomes outcomes

andand

true reformtrue reform

PL ProcessPL Process PL is most effective when teachers PL is most effective when teachers are taught as they would teachare taught as they would teach Workshops employed Wolf Trap strategiesWorkshops employed Wolf Trap strategies

PL takes timePL takes time Summer studySummer study Opportunities throughout year to Opportunities throughout year to observe, co-teachobserve, co-teach

Three years durationThree years duration

Evaluation SourcesEvaluation Sources Teachers’ evaluationsTeachers’ evaluations

Teaching artists’ evaluationsTeaching artists’ evaluations

Focus groupsFocus groups

Classroom observationsClassroom observations

Teachers’ self-assessment surveysTeachers’ self-assessment surveys

Performance MeasuresPerformance Measures 100% 100% developed lessons developed lessons integrating integrating dramadrama during the residenciesduring the residencies

95%95% employed employed drama management drama management techniquestechniques

95% 95% used used Best Practices in DramaBest Practices in Drama during the residenciesduring the residencies

90%90% indicated they would indicated they would develop develop lessons lessons using Best Practices in using Best Practices in Drama after the residencies endedDrama after the residencies ended

What Did You Learn?What Did You Learn? ““I learned to put down my guard and try I learned to put down my guard and try new things ‘dramatically’ with the new things ‘dramatically’ with the students.”students.”

““I learned how to effectively use my body I learned how to effectively use my body and my voice to tell a story.”and my voice to tell a story.”

““I learned how to build drama into my I learned how to build drama into my literacy instruction.” literacy instruction.”

““I learned how to incorporate Wolf Trap I learned how to incorporate Wolf Trap ideas in other areas of teaching.”ideas in other areas of teaching.”

PL ConclusionsPL Conclusions

Teachers recognize the learning taking Teachers recognize the learning taking place in their students – socially, place in their students – socially, emotionally, linguistically, and emotionally, linguistically, and cognitively.cognitively.

Teachers applaud the PL model used, Teachers applaud the PL model used, especially the Teaching Artist as coach especially the Teaching Artist as coach in the classroom.in the classroom.

Over time, teachers increasingly used the Over time, teachers increasingly used the strategies throughout their teaching.strategies throughout their teaching.

Oral Language

Story Writing: Quality

It Makes a DifferenceStory Writing:

Fluency

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

Fulton County SchoolsFulton County Schools

Alliance Theatre Education DepartmentAlliance Theatre Education Department

Jackie Gray, Carol Jones, Michele Mummert, Jackie Gray, Carol Jones, Michele Mummert, Denise Jennings, Jes BoothDenise Jennings, Jes Booth

GSU: GSU: Audrey Ambrosino, Brooke Bays, Judy Orton, Lynda Audrey Ambrosino, Brooke Bays, Judy Orton, Lynda Kapsch, Heather Smith, Nicole Lorenzetti, Carol Ashong, Kapsch, Heather Smith, Nicole Lorenzetti, Carol Ashong, Josephine Lindsley, Callie Reeves, Daniel Medina, Josephine Lindsley, Callie Reeves, Daniel Medina, Kareema Spells, Peter Samuelson, Elizabeth McGarragh, Kareema Spells, Peter Samuelson, Elizabeth McGarragh, Macy Strickland, Lisa Quick, Joanna Sherwood, Beatrice Macy Strickland, Lisa Quick, Joanna Sherwood, Beatrice Moreno, Araceli Santa Cruz, Inez McDaniel, Renzo Gobea, Moreno, Araceli Santa Cruz, Inez McDaniel, Renzo Gobea, Brandi Harper, Kathryn Taylor, Meghann Griffin, Rachael Brandi Harper, Kathryn Taylor, Meghann Griffin, Rachael Kaplan, Emily White, Billy ThompsonKaplan, Emily White, Billy Thompson

Thank you!Thank you!