A selection from Stockholm University publication database

• Primary school teachers’ patterns in using communication-supporting strategies following a professional development program: lessons learned from an exploratory study with three teachers

  2023. Karin Edlund (et al.). Frontiers in Education 8

  Article

  Oral language skills underpin later literacy achievement and life prospects, and many children struggle with oral language for various reasons. Hence, it is crucial for teachers to provide a learning environment with rich opportunities for all children to practice their oral language. The aim of this exploratory study was to explore a professional development (PD) program designed to coach teachers in using communication-supporting strategies during verbal teacher-child interactions in regular classrooms. In focus were five strategies from the Communication Supporting Classroom Observation Tool. The study used a mixed-method case design with multiple observations across four time points over 10 weeks and a follow-up observation after two months. Outcome measures were collected at pre-and, post-intervention, and at follow-up. The cases were two intervention teachers and one comparison teacher in second grade in Swedish primary schools. The teachers were directly observed and video-recorded during teacher-child structured small group conversations while discussing different texts with two groups of children each. The groups were mixed and comprised both children struggling with oral language as well as more typically developing children. To further understand the verbal interactions, the teachers’ amount of talk in relation to the children was analyzed in terms of the percentage distribution of the total number of words per minute. The overall patterns of strategy use showed that the two intervention teachers applied more varied strategies from the PD program during the intervention period, but this was not maintained at the follow-up. The amount of teacher talk appeared stable over time, with individual differences in the three teachers. We also discuss the teachers’ own insights and our experience in the design of the PD program, which may guide future research and applications of the PD program.

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• Teachers’ application of communication supporting strategies in teacher-child verbal interactions

  2022. Karin Edlund (et al.).

  Conference

  Introduction:

  Developing oral language skills is crucial to later school academic achievement. Children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) struggle with their oral language due to various reasons. Teachers may provide rich opportunities for children with SLCN, and for all children to practice oral language in the regular classroom by using communication supporting strategies (e.g. open-ended questions and extending utterances) in their teacher-child verbal interactions. 

  The aim of this study is to describe a professional development (PD) program designed to affect teachers’ verbal interactions with children in regular classrooms. The PD includes individual teacher coaching in using communication supporting strategies from the Communication Supporting Classroom Observation Tool (Dockrell et al., 2015). 

  Method: The participants are two intervention teachers in year 2 in Swedish compulsory school, receiving a 10-week PD program. A third teacher participates for comparison purposes. An exploratory design with multiple observations is used to collect data. The setting is teacher-child structured small group conversations based on discussions of texts. Both children with SLCN and typically developing children participate in the groups. For the analyses, the conversations are video recorded followed by transcriptions and coding using the CHAT guidelines (MacWhinney, 2000). The frequency of strategy use is calculated over time.

  Results: Preliminary results indicate that the teachers develop individual patterns of strategy use. All three teachers appear to be skilled in using open-ended questions. Over time, the intervention teachers appear to develop skills in using other strategies. However, some of the strategies might be more challenging to implement and may need more coaching. 

  Conclusions: Preliminary findings point to that individual coaching may support teachers in using more varied communication supporting strategies over time. However, text type appears to influence strategy use, suggesting that some strategies may be more important to apply within different contexts of the curriculum. 

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