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 13) Case Study — English Learner (EL) Specialist Teacher
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 13) Case Study — English Learner (EL) Specialist Teacher of EL Students
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

English Learner (EL) Specialist Teacher
Interview Protocol
Our interview today focuses on how technology resources, or as we term them, Digital Learning
Resources, or DLRs, are used in this school for instructing English learner, or EL, students. Please
consider the DLRs used in supporting ELs’ learning of both language and academic content. We are
interested in how you have used DLRs for instruction with ELs in your instruction overall in the current
school year. We are also interested in general, school-wide DLR use so that we can understand the
similarities and differences in DLR use between ELs and the general student population.
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 or 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 responsibilities.
a. How long have you been a teacher?
b. What grade levels do you work with?
c. Approximately how many students do you work with on a weekly basis?

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d. What are the settings in which you work? (E.g., mainstream, self-contained, pull-in, push-out,
itinerant,

2.

e.

[If an itinerant teacher] How many schools do you work in?

f.

Do you typically teach non-ELs as well as ELs?

How long have you been working with ELs?
a. Could you please briefly describe the language background and English proficiency of the ELs
you work with?
b. How prepared do you feel about addressing the needs of ELs?

3.

SCREENER: Do you use DLRs or any other form of technology to teach ELs in your classroom?

[Note to the interviewer
If the teacher uses DLRs, proceed with the following questions.
If the teacher does not use DLRs, skip the following sections on DLR use and Identifying DLRs and
proceed to the section on Barriers.]
DLR Use With ELs
4.

Which DLRs do you use with ELs?
a. What are your goals for using these DLRs with your ELs?
b. Are there specific content areas in which you use DLRs to support the instruction of ELs?

5.

How frequently do you use DLRs for instructing ELs?

6.

Please walk me through a typical class period when you are using DLRs with ELs.
a. Do you combine different DLRs at times to teach a particular concept or in a particular lesson?
b. Do you combine DLR and non-digital activities at times in your classroom?

7.

[If teacher works with non-ELs] Are there DLRs that you use exclusively with your EL students, but
not with your mainstream students? [If yes] Which ones are they?
a. Are these DLRs that are designed specifically for ELs? Or are they “mainstream” DLRs that you
use with ELs?

8.

[If teacher works with non-ELs] Are there DLRs that you use with your mainstream students but not
with your EL students? [If yes] Which ones are they? Why do you use them with mainstream
students but not with ELs?

9.

[If teacher works with non-ELs] Do you ever have your ELs work with DLRs that are different from
those the rest of the class uses or work with DLRs when the rest of the class is engaged in another
activity? [If yes] Why do you take this approach?

10. Do you expect your ELs to use DLRs outside of the classroom or at home? [If yes] Please describe
what sort of work you require students to do?
11. Has your use of DLRs influenced how you teach ELs? [If yes] Please describe.
a. How do you rate the degree of importance of DLR use for the instruction of EL students?

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Identifying DLRs
12. How do you learn about DLRs that you might use for instruction?
13. Are you able to choose the DLRs you use for instruction? [If yes]
a. Which characteristics, features, or functions do you look for when choosing a DLR to use with
ELs?
b. [If teacher works with non-ELs] Do you look for different features or functions when choosing
DLRs to use with non-ELs?
c. Does school policy allow teachers to request the purchase of new DLRs? Do you ever pay for
new DLRs yourself?
d. Are you required by your school or district to use specific DLRs? [If yes] Please explain.
Barriers to Using DLRs
14. Have you encountered barriers that make it difficult for you to use DLRs with ELs? Please provide a
specific example,
15. Are you aware of challenges that your EL students face when using DLRs outside of the classroom?
[If yes] Please describe.
a. [If teacher works with non-ELs] Are these challenges the same for your non-EL students?
Professional Development and Support for DLR Use With ELs
16. Do you receive any professional development (PD) or support focused on using DLRs with ELs? [If
yes] Please describe the PD and support.
a. Who provides this PD or support? Other than the PD and support provided by the district, do
you seek any PD or support on your own?
b. How frequently do you participate in PD related to DLR use with ELs? How frequently do you
receive support related to DLR use with ELs? [Support may include coaching, technical support,
etc.]
c. What PD or support have you found to be the most useful? Why have you found it useful?
17. Do you collaborate with other teachers on the use of DLRs with EL students? [If yes]
a. Is the collaboration formal (e.g., during grade-level team/PLC/COP meeting) or does it take the
form of informal sharing?
b. What type of information or resources do you share when you collaborate?
c. Do you coordinate with or collaborate with general education teachers on how to use DLRs
with EL student(s)? For example, do you advise general education teachers about the DLRs they
can use with their EL students?
18. Are there additional PD or supports that you would like to receive to help you use DLRs more
effectively with ELs? [If yes] What are they?

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Additional Needs and Gaps
19. 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?
20. Are there lessons you have learned about using DLRs with ELs that you can share with other
educators? [If yes] What are they?
At this point, you may ask the teacher to provide a demonstration of one or more of the DLRs that he or
she uses, using the DLR demonstration protocol. If the teacher is not being asked for a DLR
demonstration, thank the teacher for his or her time and conclude the interview.
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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