This is a general investigation into whether bi-lingual teaching assistants help South Asian students to assimilate in the Chinese school system.
2. What are the research questions?
As suggested in the notes, the RQ seems to be:
'Do bilingual teaching assistants enhance the learning of pupils who are similarly bilingual?'
The exact focus of the research is not made explicit. The overall purpose is:
'To obtain overall understanding of the roles of bi-lingual TAs' (p.448)
3. Is there evidence of the authors’ values (i.e. what they think is important)? If you can find them, note them down.
The authors' main concern seems to be equality. They mention that South Asians are vulnerable, disadvantaged and discriminated against in Hong Kong society.
'The classroom as a community of practice involves conflicts and inequalities for linguistic minority students.'
They also note the beneficial influence of bi-lingual TAs in other schools:
'More and more schools notice the value and importance of teaching assistants inside the school'.
4. How did the researchers undertake the enquiry? Can you see any connections between this approach and any values you noted in (3)?
The research hinges on open ended questions asked in interviews of 2 TAs.
13 teachers were also interviewed, but there is very little mention of their responses.
5.To what extent did the authors acknowledge any previous research undertaken in this area?
Townsend and Parker (2009) on the isolation of SA learners.
Delpit (1995); Kubota (2004) on equality
Ku, Chan and Sandhu (2005); Loper (2004) on the importance of language s a tool to facilitate adjustment into society.
6. Is it clear what sort of evidence the researchers produced?
Apart from the need for further research, the conclusions are quite general and seem to be a foregone conclusion. Bi-lingual TAs are, of course, bound to make a difference. Perhaps, to make it more scientific,the results of two sets of pupils, one with and one without a TA, could have been compared.
7. Did the data allow the researchers to address their original question/dilemma/ concern?
A series of quotes from teachers, students and TAs does reveal the need for better integration of minorities, which seems to be the underlying angle of the research.
8. What was the scope of the research?
As the course notes suggest, the research is
'small-scale and undertaken by practitioners within their own workplace'
The results of 2 interviews with TAs are discussed and quotes from students are included.. Not much information is given about the results of 13 teacher interviews.
E891 - Action 1.1: What should be noted about research?
Gao, F. and Shum, M. (2010) ‘Investigating the role of bilingual teaching assistants in Hong Kong: an exploratory study’ [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] , Educational Research, vol. 52, no. 4, pp. 445–56.
1. What is the research about?
This is a general investigation into whether bi-lingual teaching assistants help South Asian students to assimilate in the Chinese school system.
2. What are the research questions?
As suggested in the notes, the RQ seems to be:
'Do bilingual teaching assistants enhance the learning of pupils who are similarly bilingual?'
The exact focus of the research is not made explicit. The overall purpose is:
'To obtain overall understanding of the roles of bi-lingual TAs' (p.448)
3. Is there evidence of the authors’ values (i.e. what they think is important)? If you can find them, note them down.
The authors' main concern seems to be equality. They mention that South Asians are vulnerable, disadvantaged and discriminated against in Hong Kong society.
'The classroom as a community of practice involves conflicts and inequalities for linguistic minority students.'
They also note the beneficial influence of bi-lingual TAs in other schools:
'More and more schools notice the value and importance of teaching assistants inside the school'.
4. How did the researchers undertake the enquiry? Can you see any connections between this approach and any values you noted in (3)?
The research hinges on open ended questions asked in interviews of 2 TAs.
13 teachers were also interviewed, but there is very little mention of their responses.
5. To what extent did the authors acknowledge any previous research undertaken in this area?
Townsend and Parker (2009) on the isolation of SA learners.
Delpit (1995); Kubota (2004) on equality
Ku, Chan and Sandhu (2005); Loper (2004) on the importance of language s a tool to facilitate adjustment into society.
6. Is it clear what sort of evidence the researchers produced?
Apart from the need for further research, the conclusions are quite general and seem to be a foregone conclusion. Bi-lingual TAs are, of course, bound to make a difference. Perhaps, to make it more scientific,the results of two sets of pupils, one with and one without a TA, could have been compared.
7. Did the data allow the researchers to address their original question/dilemma/ concern?
A series of quotes from teachers, students and TAs does reveal the need for better integration of minorities, which seems to be the underlying angle of the research.
8. What was the scope of the research?
As the course notes suggest, the research is
'small-scale and undertaken by practitioners within their own workplace'
The results of 2 interviews with TAs are discussed and quotes from students are included.. Not much information is given about the results of 13 teacher interviews.