Enhancing Spoken English Among Non-native Kindergarten Children: A Mixed-methods Action Research Study

Background

Dsicuss about the Validity and reliability in social science research.

On the basis of my reading on Pine’s Chapter 1 “The Disconnection between Educational Research and practice, the teacher-action research is a pragmatic approach as it promotes an egalitarian, democratic, participatory and non-hierarchical leadership to be displayed by the teachers. In this type of research, there is encouragement to enquire about the school and its various policies that includes questioning the learning, teaching, leadership as well as the university partnerships along with the participation of the parents (Coghlan & Brannick, 2014). This approach emboldens the teachers to engage in consciousness raising and collaborative research. There is also emphasis on application of knowledge that is marked by democratic and inclusive policy.

 The aim of my research is to seek and suggest ways for the enhancement of spoken English among non-English speaking children in kindergarten. For the objective of the research, I engaged in the drafting of a rigorous plan in consultation with my colleagues and experts in this field. This was followed by a review of literature to outline the challenges faced by non-native children in communicating in English and document the efforts made by the researchers in this field. Literature on teaching and learning was useful for this purpose. The existing literature helped me to formulate an effective strategy. The first step is to identify a group of students in kindergarten and conduct a survey regarding their English communication abilities. Secondly, I decided to distribute DVDs of nursery rhymes in English but vernacular subtitles and encourage parents of the non-native children to expose their children to this content. The third strategy to organize extempore and nursery rhyme sessions thrice a week for one hour and encourage the non-native students to participate in it. These strategies would be implemented for a period of six months followed by an evaluation on the effectiveness of the strategies. My reaserch design is in consonance with the elements and values of Example 3- Julian who is a year 4 teacher (Koshy, 2005).Julian’s research was concerned with assessment of effectiveness of children’s level of understanding, rectification of the misconceptions and suggestions to improve the lesson. Similar to my research her study also had a systematic strategy succeeding the review of literature. Similar to her research that aims to enhance the participation, my research aims to enhance the English speaking among non-native kindergarten children management .

Mixed-methods Action Research Paradigm

In the text on ‘A Paradigm of Teacher Action Research’, there is the mention of eclectic-mixed methods paradigm is befitting for the future action research.  The feature of this paradigm is to deploy different methods to study a phenomenon or an issue. There is openness inherent to the eclectic mixed paradigmatic paradigm (Pines, 2008). In the modernist era, mixed methods and methodological pluralism is perceived a neutralization of the war of the paradigms. The mixed method promotes triangulation that underlines the implementation of more than one research methodology. The second aspect of this paradigm is that it promotes complimentarity by encouraging the research to view the research problems from a variety of perspectives. The development aspect of the paradigm is characterized by the information of one method on another. The feature of this paradigm as envisaged by different scholars is that the possibility of ultimate control might be narrow but there is scope for improvement. The paradigm of my research is in consonance with the mixed method paradigm as I have used the survey (quantitative methodology) followed by an engagement with the kindergarten children in the sessions (qualitative). The first stage of survey guided me to devise strategies for the improvement of English of non-native children.

• The aim of my research is to propose strategies that would enhance the English speaking skills of the non-native speakers. Keeping my research question at the backdrop, ethical validity by Pine (mentioned in Chapter 4) is appropriate. It is because ethical validity examines whether the children involved in the research process whether the proposed recommendations have been made to take that their English learning abilities are enhanced. Another aspect of ethical validity is that it looks into the different stakeholders involved in the research have en consulted. In the light of my research, the teachers, parents and the principal have been consulted to make the research more holistic. The research also took care that all the participants of the research had an equal opportunity to participate and that the needs of the children have been taken care management .

Action research is befitting for the context of my research as it fosters enquiry to be undertaken with rigour with the aim to refine the associated practises with the research. The evidence-based orientation of action research enables the researcher to continuously work on the research and promotes the professional development of the researcher (Brydon-Miller, Greenwood & Maguire, 2003). Another feature of action research is the generation and spawning of new knowledge. It entails learning through action that further catalyzes the scholarly or personal development of the researcher. Action research underscore on problem solving rather pure research. There is an emphasis on practical outcomes and understand the importance of research as a mode of transforming the society (Lewin, 1946). It is viewed as constructive enquiry that allows the researcher an opportunity to engage in constructing her/his knowledge through the process of action, evaluation, planning and encouraging learning through experience. The planning and performing stage of action research includes the implementation of practical achievements that would lead to the improvement of efficiency, greater effectiveness and enhanced communication (Reason & Bradbury, 2001). The research aspect is concerned with the theoretical achievements, learning the processes of problem solving and acting according to the circumstances. Finally, confirming or adjusting or rejection of the prevalent theories and establishing on the new ones (Koshy, 2005) A team of practitioners usually carries out action research who choose a new endeavour, examine its implications and find out ways of implementing it and finally evaluate the implications to make decisions (Bradbury-Huang, 2010). Action research is purposeful research that is done with an intention of fostering praxis. This research enables the teacher to engage with evidence and research regarding the achievements of the pupil. There are certain advantages in the adoption of action research. The first advantage is that action research consistently entails evaluation. As a result, of which, modifications can be made by the researcher. Secondly, action research has the potential to be located in a situation or context. Theory can emerge from action research rather than the traditional approach of following an established theory for the accomplishment of research ()There is an opportunity for the study to produce results that are open-ended in nature. Another interesting aspect of action research is that researchers can be participants rather than maintain a professional distance from the participants. This is a welcome departure from the positivist epistemology that informs the quantitative research methodology. Action research becomes an opportunity for the researcher to narrate a story on real issues.

Advantages of Action Research

The first step of action research is to address the practical problem-this involves the recognition of the everyday practical problems pertaining to a particular context and implement solutions in the context (Ritchie et al., 2013). The second step is to generate knowledge- this involves the production of knowledge to drive change and working on the knowledge produced. The third step is the enacting change-This involves keeping a track of whether changes are implemented for the target and ensure that it is not implemented when the project gets over. The fourth step is the participatory phase- this stage involves the collaboration of the researchers, practitioners and multiple stakeholders. Therefore, action research is a cyclical process and progresses with the emergent knowledge. The notion of cycles is that it moves toward an astute understanding and implementation of enhanced action plan. It is couched in evaluative practice that simultaneously follows critical reflection and action.

1. ) The research question does justice to the scholarship of Pine and incorporates passion and energy, a key feature of action design research framework.
2. ) Dana and Yendol-Hoppy’s eight passions include the child, the curriculum, the content knowledge, the teaching strategies, the relationship between beliefs and professional practice, the intersection that exists between the professional and the personal identities, advocating social justice and equity and finally content matters. The proposed research question is in consonance with the eight passions as propounded by Dana and Yendol-Hoppy.

The research question is that the research aims to address is very important for the learners and fellow researchers in the context, as it would facilitate an understanding of English language among non0native speakers and also propose strategies to enhance English among the non-native speakers. The research question will enable scholars in the field of education and language to understand the challenges faced by non-native English language speakers and also find corresponding solutions.

The research question has been formulated keeping in mind the purpose of the research. The study is concerned with exploration of challenges and corresponding solution for non-native English language speakers and enhance their English language skills.

• The aim of action research is to ensure that the privacy or the confidentiality of the participants are taken care during the course of research. Fair representation is an important issue that largely remains unaddressed as part of the ethical guidelines (Smith, 2015). The articulations of the participants in the research need to be maintained with full integrity. There is a need to ensure that they are represented with honesty at the same time keeping in mind the fusion of power in the dynamics between the different stakeholders as well as the researcher and the participants. The consent and cooperative participation of the participants is desirable for the research and therefore, the participants should be made comfortable. There should be an attempt to bridge the hierarchy between the researcher and the participant  Managemen .

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