Results+and+Discussion

Allison Balter =I. Interviews and Qualitative Data = =II. Academic Assessment Data = =III. Discussion =

=__I. Interviews and Qualitative Data __=

Fall Student Intake Interview - This interview was conducted when Luis first arrived in the country in September of 2011. It was conducted in Spanish by a Spanish speaking paraprofessional and answers were recorded in Spanish. The questions and answers have been translated into English. The blank interview template can be found in the Appendix.

Family Background - Luis lives in Lawrence with his father and step-mother. He immigrated with his father in August 2011, leaving behind his biological mother and some siblings. Other siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles live in Lawrence and also in Providence, RI, so he has a fairly strong familial network in the United States. This summary was compiled from informal notes taken after two conversations with Luis' father and step-mother (one during a home visit on February 10, 2012, and another during a school meeting on April 12, 2012). 

Student Interests - Luis has a natural talent for music, which has come up through formal interviews as well as many informal ways in the classroom. He taught himself how to play the drums in the Dominican Republic using buckets and sticks, and then he began playing with his church. Music has been an outlet for Luis. His talents have been recognized at his new school, and he has had opportunities to play drums in school concerts and take extracurricular drum lessons. His teachers have tried to connect music to learning and use music as an incentive and motivator. This has helped build Luis' overall confidence, which has boosted academic investment and success. This video is an excerpt from a drum lesson that Luis received after school. media type="youtube" key="_q1Eim7hLOw" height="315" width="560"

=__II. Academic Assessment Data __=

__**MELA - O**__ MELA-O is the Massachusetts English Language Assessment - Oral and it measures students' listening and speaking development in comprehension and production (vocabulary, fluency, pronunciation, and grammar). Students may score Level 0-5 across each domain.

Fall 2011: Comprehension - 0 Production - 0 (Vocabulary - 0, Fluency - 0, Pronunciation - 0, Grammar - 0)

Spring 2012 Comprehension - 2 Production - 6 (Vocabulary - 2, Fluency - 1, Pronunciation - 2, Grammar - 1)

MEPA is the Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment, and it measures students' skills in reading and writing. Students may score Level 1-5.
 * __MEPA__**

Fall 2011: 400 (Level 1) Reading Scaled Score: 3 Writing Scaled Score: 1

Spring 2012: Still awaiting results

Reading benchmarks are based on Fountas and Pinnell Reading Levels A-Z.
 * __Reading Benchmarks__**

September: A December: A January: A February: A March: B April: B

NWEA-MAP assessment is a district-wide, standards-aligned, computer-based assessment that all students across Lawrence take three times per year in English Language Arts and Math. The assessment is aligned with MCAS and the results are intended to predict student performance levels on MCAS in the Spring.
 * __NWEA-MAP Assessments__**

Math - 141 Reading - 154
 * Fall 2011**

Math - 178 Reading - 138
 * Spring 2012:**

Luis was assessed by a bilingual psychologist for Special Education at the request of his parents in January 2012. Both his parents and teachers were concerned about potential cognitive delays related to memory, attention deficit, and problem solving skills (based on his performance in native language and his behaviors). Luis received a battery of tests, which were all conducted in Spanish. Results indicated potential, borderline concerns in each of the three areas mentioned above, but in the end, as a result of the short amount of time Luis had been in the country and the gaps in his formal education experience, the psychologist recommended giving him more time to adjust to the language and culture and retesting in a year. It was deemed too early to initiate Special Education services until Luis had developed more functional English and we were better able to determine whether his challenges were due to his gaps in education or to actual cognitive delays.
 * __Special Education Assessment__**

__**Digital Voice Portfolio Samples**__ Luis' teacher uses [|www.voicethread.com] to compile student digital voice portfolios throughout the year. At the end of each thematic unit, students create and record an oral language project using this technology. The teacher uses these projects to assess students' oral language development, and students are able to review and reflect on these projects throughout the year to see their growth.

Luis - November 2011 (Clothing Unit) media type="custom" key="15782976" align="center"

Luis - February 2012 (Home Unit) media type="custom" key="15783096" align="center"

=__III. Discussion__=