TY - JOUR
T1 - Linking geography to reading and English language learners' achievement in US elementary and middle school classrooms
AU - Hinde, Elizabeth R.
AU - Popp, Sharon E Osborn
AU - Jimenez-Silva, Margarita
AU - Dorn, Ronald
N1 - Funding Information:
The research described here was supported in part by a National Geographic Education Foundation Model grant and the Arizona State University. The attitudes and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies. We wish to thank our many collaborators, coworkers, students, parents, teachers and school and district officials who made this research possible.
PY - 2011/2
Y1 - 2011/2
N2 - The GeoLiteracy for English language learners (ELLs) program is a curriculum that enhances reading and writing skills while teaching geography content for US students in kindergarten through eighth grades. The program includes 85 lesson plans that address all US national geography standards, a quarter of which address environmental issues. The program also includes methodology and materials aimed at meeting the academic needs of the growing population of ELLs in the United States. This article describes a study conducted in three US states that examined the effects of GeoLiteracy for English Language Learners on reading comprehension of third to eighth grade students. The findings reveal that reading comprehension achievement of students, especially ELLs, who used GeoLiteracy improved or maintained. Thus, offering geography education to ELLs not only promotes the discipline but also improves reading comprehension. This study uncovered a number of bureaucratic, political and philosophical issues related to the education of ELLs in the state of Arizona, which could mirror issues in other US states.
AB - The GeoLiteracy for English language learners (ELLs) program is a curriculum that enhances reading and writing skills while teaching geography content for US students in kindergarten through eighth grades. The program includes 85 lesson plans that address all US national geography standards, a quarter of which address environmental issues. The program also includes methodology and materials aimed at meeting the academic needs of the growing population of ELLs in the United States. This article describes a study conducted in three US states that examined the effects of GeoLiteracy for English Language Learners on reading comprehension of third to eighth grade students. The findings reveal that reading comprehension achievement of students, especially ELLs, who used GeoLiteracy improved or maintained. Thus, offering geography education to ELLs not only promotes the discipline but also improves reading comprehension. This study uncovered a number of bureaucratic, political and philosophical issues related to the education of ELLs in the state of Arizona, which could mirror issues in other US states.
KW - English language learners
KW - comprehension
KW - elementary
KW - geography
KW - integrated curriculum
KW - reading
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79951533424&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1080/10382046.2011.540102
DO - 10.1080/10382046.2011.540102
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79951533424
VL - 20
SP - 47
EP - 63
JO - International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education
JF - International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education
SN - 1038-2046
IS - 1
ER -