Effects of tracking student growth and success celebrations on high school English learners in science

Abstract

This classroom research project focused on English Learner (EL) students and implemented two strategies to assess how the strategies would impact EL students' engagement and academic growth. The first strategy had students set goals for end-of-unit test scores at the beginning of a unit, and tracked their progress over the course of a unit. The second strategy implemented the Scientists of the Lab Award. This award was given during labs based on the lab group that best demonstrated the use of specific scientific behaviors. Quantitative results suggest that despite showing growth from pre-test to post-test scores, the growth during the units in which the treatment was applied was not significantly different than the growth during the units in which the treatment was not applied (control units). Qualitatively, EL students in general did like the two strategies implemented during the treatment and felt that it helped them as learners.