English extracurricular activities influence on

improving student achievement in English

language lessons.

Penjelasan dari extracurricular di Web dalam bahasa Inggris:

• outside the regular academic curriculum; "sports and drama are popular extracurricular
activities"
• outside the regular duties of your job or profession
• adulterous: characterized by adultery; "an adulterous relationship"; "extramarital affairs";
"the extracurricular activities of a philandering husband"
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• extra-curricular - Alternative spelling of extracurricular
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/extra-curricular
• This term describes activities that take place outside the classroom, including athletic,
social, and cultural events (sometimes referred to as cocurricular).
www.usaeducationguides.com/guidance/articles/080707-glossary-academic-terms.jsp
• describes activities outside the classroom, such as summer language camps, which
provide additional experiences with the target language
www.frenchforlife.ca/glossary.html
• Activities which are part of student life but are not part of the course of study are
extracurricular activities. Athletics, participation in student government or other campus
organizations are examples of this type of activity.
www.uww.edu/Catalog/97-99/Terms/index.html
• extracurriculars - For the song by Girls Aloud see Biology (song) Biology studies the
variety of life (clockwise from top-left) E. coli, tree fern, gazelle, Goliath beetle Biology
(from Greek: Î'ιολογία - βίος, bio, life; and λόγος, logos, speech lit. ... ...
www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Santa-Teresa-High-School
• activities are clubs, sports and other things that students do outside of their school time.
highered.mcgraw-
hill.com/sites/dl/free/0073370193/658862/feldmanup9e_esl_mod31.doc
http://www.google.co.id/search?
hl=id&biw=1280&bih=536&defl=en&q=define:extracurricular&sa=X&ei=7chwTbLa
NJK-cdrfvPkC&ved=0CBcQkAE

ex·tra·cur·ric·u·lar ( k str -k -r k y -l r)
adj.
1. Being outside the regular curriculum of a school or college: Sports and drama are the school's
most popular extracurricular activities.
2. Being outside the usual duties of a job or profession: The attorney's work for the legal aid
society was extracurricular.
3. Informal Extramarital.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000
by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All
rights reserved.

extracurricular [ˌɛkstrəkəˈrɪkjʊlə]
adj
1. (Social Science / Education) taking place outside the normal school timetable extracurricular
activities
2. beyond the regular duties, schedule, etc.
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994,
1998, 2000, 2003
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj. 1. extracurricular - outside the regular academic curriculum; "sports
and drama are popular extracurricular activities"
outside - relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit; "an
outside margin"

2. extracurricular - outside the regular duties of your job or profession

outside - relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit; "an outside margin"
3. extracurricular - characterized by adultery; "an adulterous relationship"; "extramarital
affairs"; "the extracurricular activities of a philandering husband"
adulterous, extramarital
illicit - contrary to accepted morality (especially sexual morality) or convention; "an illicit
association with his secretary"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2008 Princeton University, Farlex In
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/extracurricular

Noun 1. extracurricular activity - educational activities not falling within the

scope of the regular curriculum
didactics, education, educational activity, instruction, pedagogy,
teaching - the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart
knowledge or skill; "he received no formal education"; "our instruction
was carefully programmed"; "good classroom teaching is seldom
rewarded"
dramatics - participation in theatrical productions as an extracurricular
activity
athletics - participation in sports events as an extracurricular activity
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2008 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/extracurricular

extracurricular

American Heritage Dictionary:

ex·tra·cur·ric·u·lar
Home > Library > Literature & Language > Dictionary

(ĕk'strə-kə-rĭk'yə-lər)
adj.
1. Being outside the regular curriculum of a school or college: Sports and drama are the
school's most popular extracurricular activities.
2. Being outside the usual duties of a job or profession: The attorney's work for the legal
aid society was extracurricular.
3. Informal. Extramarital.
http://www.answers.com/topic/extracurricular

ex·tra·cur·ric·u·lar
   /ˌɛk strə kəˈrɪk yə lər/ Show Spelled[ek-struh-kuh-rik-yuh-ler] Show IPA
–adjective
1.
outside the regular curriculum or program of courses: football, orchestra, and other
extracurricular activities.
2.
outside one's regular work, responsibilities, or routine.
3.
Informal . outside the conventional bounds of propriety or ethics: Does his wife know he has an
extracurricular girlfriend?
Use extracurricular in a Sentence
See images of extracurricular
Search extracurricular on the Web

Origin:
1920–25; extra- + curricular
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2011.
Cite This Source
|
Link To extracurricular
Dictionary.com Official Toolbar
Define Extracurricular Instantly.
Get Your Free Dictionary.com Toolbar Now.
Sponsored Results
Dictionary.com
World English Dictionary

extracurricular (ˌɛkstrəkəˈrɪkjʊlə)

— adj
1. taking place outside the normal school timetable: extracurricular activities
2. beyond the regular duties, schedule, etc

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition

2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/extracurricular

extracurricular definition
Ads by Google
Performing Arts School - AIPAH - A boutique school focusing on performing arts! Years 7-12
www.aipah.nsw.edu.au
Extraction machine - SFE chemical Lab extraction. Supercritical carbon dioxide(CO2)
www.tst.tw
Scholarship Online - Offers Online degree programs, partial scholarships available. www.aiu.edu
☆ extra·cur·ricu·lar (eks′trə kə rik′yo̵̅o̅ lər, -yə-)
adjective
1.
1. not part of the required curriculum; outside the regular course of study but under
the supervision of the school: dramatics, athletics, and other extracurricular
activities
2. not part of one's regular work, routine, etc.
2. Informal extramarital
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc.,
Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ex·tra·cur·ric·u·lar (ĕkˌstrə-kə-rĭkˈyə-lər)
adjective
 1. Being outside the regular curriculum of a school or college: Sports and drama are the
school's most popular extracurricular activities.
2. Being outside the usual duties of a job or profession: The attorney's work for the legal aid
society was extracurricular.
3. Informal Extramarital.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
http://www.yourdictionary.com/extracurricular

EXTRACURRICULAR
Pronunciation (US):
Dictionary entry overview: What does extracurricular mean?
• EXTRACURRICULAR (adjective)
The adjective EXTRACURRICULAR has 3 senses:
1. outside the regular academic curriculum
2. outside the regular duties of your job or profession
3. characterized by adultery
Familiarity information: EXTRACURRICULAR used as an adjective is uncommon.

Dictionary entry details

• EXTRACURRICULAR (adjective)

Sense 1 extracurricular [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:
Outside the regular academic curriculum
Context example:
sports and drama are popular extracurricular activities
Similar:
outside (relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit)

Sense 2 extracurricular [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:
Outside the regular duties of your job or profession
Similar:
outside (relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit)
Sense 3 extracurricular [BACK TO TOP]
Meaning:
Characterized by adultery
Synonyms:
adulterous; extramarital; extracurricular
Context examples:
an adulterous relationship / extramarital affairs / the extracurricular activities of a philandering
husband
Similar:
illicit (contrary to accepted morality (especially sexual morality) or convention)

L
e
a
r
n

E
n
g
l
i
s
h

w
i
t
h
.
.
.

P
r
o
v
e
r
b
s

o
f

t
h
e

w
e
e
k
"Loose lips sink ships." (English proverb)

"Unfortunates learn from their own mistakes, and the lucky ones learn from other's mistakes." (Afghanistan proverb)

"The tail of the dog never straightens up even if you hang to it a brick." (Arabic proverb)

"Bathe her and then look at her." (Egyptian proverb)

Page delivered in 0.1166 seconds http://www.audioenglish.net/dictionary/extracurricular.htm

English extracurricular reading for the role

of comprehensive ability to improve their
English
Posted:2009-5-18 11:03:00 visit:16115 chinese Version Related News
 [Abstract] reading in English language learning plays a very important role,
extra-curricular reading is not only deepen understanding of classroom knowledge,
the best way, but also curricular reading further complement and extend the article
the analysis of the characteristics of English, extra-curricular reading Based on the
set of English extracurricular reading for the role of comprehensive ability to
improve their English.
[Keywords:] the role of high school extra-curricular reading

1 Introduction

At present, China's English teaching mode is still a "duck-administered"

educational method, many still stuck in the teaching of English as the language of
the essay as an entity based on the teaching, through reading material to teach
voice, grammar and vocabulary and other linguistic knowledge, while neglecting
Students use scientific methods and strategies of reading to obtain information.
While learning English is the most important texts in the language of material, the
students receive voice, grammar, vocabulary and a variety of idioms such as the
most important source, but only for students studying textbook materials is not
enough. Did not conducive to student learning mastery and knowledge of the
consolidation, master. As a textbook to read the continuation and extension of the
teaching of English clubs and reading it is important not only to consolidate the
knowledge learned in the classroom can also read the students a sense of the
language, comprehensive ability to read English, to improve the use of syntax, and
expand and enrich vocabulary students emotion. For the characteristics of extra-
curricular reading, teachers can use to guide students in extra-curricular reading to
learn ways to develop their reading ability and reading interest, and on this basis, to
improve the comprehensive capacity of students extra-curricular reading and self-
learning ability.

Second, the characteristics of English extracurricular reading

Students in English language learning is the most important language teaching

lessons, it is the students of voice, vocabulary, grammar and syntax of the various
usual the most important source, but only available on the textbook only the
language of teaching materials as learning to read all the materials, It is not
enough. Less exposure to the material is not susceptible to comparison, summary
and conclusion, and thus the study of language can not be a good grasp.
Extracurricular reading instruction is to read outside the classroom, rather than in
the classroom or curricular, it is not a concept, but relative to the textbook material
is concerned, it comes from textbook, teachers according to different grades,
different Select a different level of subject matter, different genres of extra-
curricular materials for students to learn, and thus to improve English language
learning ability.
Reading ability is one of the objectives of teaching high school English. The
purpose of learning English is to grasp and be able to use English listening,
speaking, reading and writing ability of communicative activities, namely, "the four
will be." From the learning perspective, "reading" is the other "three-fund" basis,
because in the environment for learning English in listening, speaking and writing
opportunities for a relatively small, usually by a large number of reading a variety of
English books and newspapers magazine to enrich our "language sense" to expand
the English vocabulary to improve English comprehension and expression.
Extracurricular reading in learning English is characterized as follows:
(1) does not have a clear purpose. Students in extra-curricular reading
preferences based solely on their own choice, their own reading as a life swap.
Although the primary purpose of reading is to raise the standard of English, but it
could be read as an enrichment of life of English as a recreation, to achieve the dual
purpose of entertainment and learning. Extra-curricular reading can help students
improved reading skills, reading comprehension has been strengthened, and better
at guessing words through the context, the meaning of the phrase, to seize the
article to the effect. You can also expand the students knowledge, learn a lot of
books there is no thing, for example, extra-curricular reading can expand the
students vocabulary through reading, you can reach more commonly used terms in
English and learned a great deal of knowledge can not go to school textbooks.
(2) a wide range of selective, with a certain degree of arbitrariness. Many
students in extra-curricular learning autonomy is not strong, the enthusiasm and
initiative to learn to be enhanced; and allow students to actively engage in extra-
curricular reading aim to train students in self-learning ability, in the reading
process a large number of independent secondary school students learning
opportunities, so that students have can be adjusted according to their own
preferences to learn the state, choose their favorite magazines, articles or
publications to read, so that the students can not only expand vocabulary, improve
their reading ability, speed up the reading speed, expand knowledge, enhance
understanding, analyzing and resolving comprehensive capacity issues, but also to
enable students to real independence, autonomy, and effective learning.
(3) interesting. Unlike extra-curricular reading curricular reading, with the
targeted students are entirely on their own preferences to read, so that the
restrictions on students reading smaller, reading a wide range of changes to
broaden the horizons of students, but also enriched the students knowledge, to
stimulate their interest in learning.
Such teachers through long-term guidance, to stimulate students in extra-
curricular interest in reading. The same time improve the reading ability of students
classified as extra-curricular courses one of the standards to require students to be
able to make full use of the English language as a tool to absorb the knowledge of
the language at the same time to expand reading, speed up the reading speed,
enhance understanding, expand knowledge of the analysis, reasoning and
appreciation of and other aspects of comprehensive ability.
 3, English extracurricular reading for the role of comprehensive ability to
improve their English

As far as my present teaching situation is concerned, there are many teachers

focus on teaching and analysis of a sentence to explain composition and voice,
vocabulary and grammar rule-based changes. That foreign language learning is
habit formation, mechanical practice, imitation and memory means to strengthen
the students reaction to the classroom exercises students do a lot of sentences, but
do not consider the context and meaning. In the teaching process to emphasize the
role played by intelligence, so that students understand what they have learned the
material, master the use of language laws, only emphasized the significant drilling
activities. We just let the students learn to master the English language is only a
certain kind of learning methods, can not really learn English, improve the
comprehensive ability in English. To strengthen extra-curricular reading of the
comprehensive ability to improve English language plays an important role. Its
performance is as follows: reposted elsewhere in the paper for free Download
Center

(1) to read the students vocabulary. To expand vocabulary by reading words

than to strengthen the teaching more effective. Therefore, reading is the best way
to accumulate vocabulary. Learning English is necessary to expand the vocabulary,
it is necessary to reproduce the increase in the rate of vocabulary learning, thereby
overcoming the English language learning in the process of forgetting phenomenon,
rote learning alone will not work. Continued access to and use of some terms, the
increase in the rate of recurrence of learning vocabulary, extensive reading is an
important means.
(2) a large number of students to read the language can be a sense of English
language training applications and thinking abilities. Therefore, a large number of
reading is to master knowledge of the language, improve listening, speaking,
writing, translation and so on the basis of ability.
(3) read the help to improve the use of syntactic level. In the reading process,
will be exposed to a lot of language materials, a variety of sentences, the students
will be the syntactic Structure of English gradually become familiar with, gradually
got to meet the proficient level. There are many unique English expression, only in
a wide range of reading in order to contact, learn and master. In different contexts
provided by the specific environment, students can better understand their deeper
meaning to be expressed.
(4) Reading helps to develop students comprehensive ability. In the reading
process, help students develop a positive initiative. In the reading to think, learn,
thus increasing the amount of Information the students to broaden the students
knowledge, but also to enable students to develop good study habits.
(5) The reading will help to stimulate students interest in learning, students
aesthetic ability. Interest in learning can not be made but is going to impart culture.
Students can learn not only reading the contents of the work, organizational
structure, genre, writing style, etc., but interesting reading materials in slowly
cultivate interest in learning English so actively in the learning process. At the same
time, in reading materials there are still many outstanding works of art of language.
And beautiful vivid language allows students to feel good mood to let their emotions
get the refinement of beauty, so that they better love life, cherish the good things.
Thus, in extra-curricular reading, the students are the principal, teachers should
take the initiative to learn cross-over to the students. At the same time, teachers
should guide students to master in teaching the correct reading methods and skills,
and supervision, inspection, extra-curricular student reading the situation, timely
feedback and evaluation. Teachers should also urge students to reflect on their own
inadequacies, and promptly adjust learning strategies to read and constantly
improve reading skills. China is a Chinese language and country, in the absence of
English-language environment, circumstances, increase the amount of students in
extra-curricular English reading, but also improve the ability of high school English
methods. However, in extra-curricular reading, teachers should not be read to
students in extra-curricular pursuits, but should give students effective guidance
and help to inform students to read the method, and asked them to attach
importance to reading speed and fluency. In addition, but also to stimulate students
interest in reading so that they can find pleasure in reading, and reading among
students appeared in the process of curiosity and superficial understanding, the
time for help, do not bite off more quickly, but should be gradual and persistent. To
enable them to maintain enthusiasm for learning, to develop good reading habits,
so as to lay the foundation for comprehensively improve their English proficiency.

4 Conclusion

Advances in science and Technology today, school textbooks to read textbooks,

can not meet the requirements of modern high school students in reading, they are
eager to expand their knowledge and broaden their horizons in order to deepen
understanding of the classroom what they have learned. Extra-curricular reading is
not only deepen understanding of classroom knowledge, the best way, but also
curricular reading further complement and extension to the curricular reading has
played in promoting and strengthening the role of positive and correct the more
extra-curricular reading to improve reading ability provides an important guarantee.
Therefore, in the process of teaching teachers, the students should focus on
grammar, text linguistic point of learning but also pay attention to cultivating
students in extra-curricular reading ability, so as to enable students to genuine and
comprehensive learning of English.

References:

[1] Wei Wei. On the New Curriculum of English in secondary schools under the
guidance of extracurricular reading [J]. Hunan Science and Technology Institute,
2006,27 (4) :270-271.
[2] Xu Xin-li. College English the importance of extracurricular reading [J].
Chengde Teachers College for Nationalities, 2007,27 (1) :91-92.
[3] Chun-Ying Yang. English extracurricular reading practice and inquiry teaching
strategies [J]. Secondary vocational education, 2007,2 (2) :16-18.
[4] Li Chuan-yu. Interest in teaching secondary school physics teaching [J]. Ya'an
Vocational and Technical College, 2007,20 (4): 71.
[5] Penny, Huang Fang, Zhang Xia. College Students Extracurricular Reading
Survey and Research [J]. China Higher Medical Education, 2006, (10): 43. Reposted
elsewhere in the paper for free download http://www . hi138.com
Pages:1 2 3 4 Show All

http://eng.hi138.com/?i95915#

Teaching Primary Children English -

extracurricular activity (150 words!)
Top of Form

EnderThreads: 2
Dec 29, 10, 05:16am #1
Posts: 21

I ask him basic questions. Peter remains silent. I read him a story. He fidgets worriedly. I draw
some pictures for him. He scribbles. This continues for a few weeks. Then one day, Peter starts
pointing excitedly at my friend's soccer shirt. It turns out he has a passion for soccer, so we take
him outside to play some ball. In those few enthusiastic minutes of playing time he warms up to
us and starts to speak. When we return to class he's noticeably more involved.

Classes were big but we split into small groups as there was an emphasis on building a personal
connection with each student. Every child was different and so each one required a different
approach. Getting to know the students and helping them gain confidence in their communication
skills - like I experienced with Peter – was my favorite part of the activity.

------

Grammar + help on writing a better concluding line, thanks!

Paul Chen

jewmunchkin5Threads: 1
Dec 29, 10, 06:17am #2
Posts: 2
Ok so your first paragraph is great. It's creative, simple but intriguing.

I think you should probably write a different second paragraph. In your first you showed, in your
second try telling. Try reflecting on what you wrote in the first paragraph. You don't actually
mention at any point in your response that you're teaching primary children English.... do it in the
second paragraph.

Maybe try something like:

In order to teach primary children English it was important to build a personal connection with
each student, like we did with Peter. Every child was different so each one required a different
approach. In many cases it took patience and perseverance but getting to know the students and
helping them gain confidence in their communication skills was my favorite part of the activity.

Hope this helps!! Help me with mine please?

Holly M.

EnderThreads: 2
Dec 29, 10, 06:53am #3
Posts: 21

wow that's excellent re-structuring, thanks! I'll read through yours soon!
Paul Chen

imclovis404Threads: 4
Dec 29, 10, 10:53pm #4
Posts: 15

I think your essay would be better if you use the past tense. Now it seems a little bit awkward.
What do you think?:)
YULU&WANG

EnderThreads: 2
Dec 30, 10, 10:38am #5
Posts: 21
Attached on merging:
Extracurricular Common App --Teaching Primary kids - (help with conclusion)

I ask him basic questions. Peter remains silent. I read him a story. He fidgets worriedly. I draw
some pictures for him. He scribbles. This continues for a few weeks. Then one day, Peter starts
pointing excitedly at my friend's Arsenal shirt. It turns out he has a passion for soccer, so we take
him outside to play some ball. In those few enthusiastic minutes of playing time he warms up to
us and starts to speak. When we return to class he's noticeably happier and much more involved.

In order to teach these primary children English it was important to build a personal connection
with each student, like we did with Peter. Every child was different so each one required a
different approach. With patience and perseverance, we got to know the students well and it was
a joy to see them gain confidence in their English communication skills.

--
Need to build a stronger ending. Any ideas??? thanks, and much appreciated
Paul Chen

bahynahjThreads: 1
Dec 30, 10, 10:44am #6
Posts: 4

hi your essay was well written but you need to state what exactly you did
bahynah hughes

plittplatt11Threads: 5
Dec 30, 10, 10:46am #7
Posts: 46

This is a short answer about your extracurricular activity, so put 'I' in for the 'we's that you have!
Also I agree, you need to be a little more specific about what you did. How did you get involved?
What did you learn?
S. Platt

EnderThreads: 2
Dec 30, 10, 10:47am #8
Posts: 21
I don't think its required to state "exactly" what you did especially in 150 words. It's shown in my
Extracurricular list after all. But, I understand what you mean and I'll try and add a bit more detail
to the 2nd paragraph!

Mainly interested in how an essay like this should end though. How would I make it a more
powerful ending?
Paul Chen

EnderThreads: 2
Dec 30, 10, 12:05pm #9
Posts: 21

I ask him basic questions. Peter remains silent. I read him a story. He fidgets worriedly. I draw
some pictures. He scribbles. Then one day, Peter starts pointing excitedly at my friend's Arsenal
shirt. It turns out he has a passion for soccer, so we take him outside to play some ball. In those
few minutes of playing time he warms up to us and when we return to class he's noticeably
happier and much more involved.

It was important to build a personal connection with each primary student, like I did with Peter.
Every child was different so each one required a different approach. So with no rigid lesson plan,
we always split into small groups and got to know each student well. What were their talents and
hobbies? What type of learners were they? Then, we planned activities so that they would gain
confidence in their communication abilities.

---

Slightly changed, still need help w/conclusion + grammar thanks

Paul Chen

EF_KevinThreads: 30
Jan 14, 11, 03:27pm #10
Posts: 12,131 [Moderator]

Ender:
Then one day, Peter starts pointing excitedly at my friend's Arsenal shirt. It turns out he has a
passion for soccer, so we take him outside to play some ball.

Great job with the rhythmic writing here... When all those short sentences build intensity, and
then you open up into these longer sentences, it is like going from Am to C major...

:-)
Is your username a reference to ender's game? I can't remember if I asked that before.
You can help a lot of people by visiting the "Unanswered" threads!
 Unanswered
[this
Essay Forum / Undergraduate Admission / forum] / All
Threads /
Similar
delmsg 1 2 24650

Bottom of Form

Similar discussions:

• "underprivileged Egyptian children" - an extracurricular activity or work experience.

• "English Corner" Extracurricular Activity UIUC-prompt

• Teaching public speaking to children

• The Philosophy of Teaching of the English Language Arts

• Scholarship essay - my main purpose/motivation for teaching English abroad

• "Teaching math to secondary school kids; volunteering" - extracurricular activities

• (the social processes) My teaching philosophy of museum teaching

• English 1010 Research Paper on Negative effects of the media on children.

• Extracurricular Activity - XC

• U of I essay- extracurricular activity

This thread has been closed.

http://www.essayforum.com/undergraduate-admission-2/teaching-primary-children-english-
extracurricular-activity-24650/

Internationalization Remodeled: Definition,

Approaches, and Rationales
1. Jane Knight
1. Comparative, International, and Development Education Centre, Ontario Institute for
Studies in Education, University of Toronto
Abstract
The world of higher education is changing and the world in which higher education plays a
significant role is changing. The international dimension of higher education is becoming
increasingly important, complex, and confusing. It is therefore timely to reexamine and update
the conceptual frameworks underpinning the notion of inter-nationalization in light of today’s
changes and challenges. The purpose of this article is to study internationalization at both the
institutional and national/sector level. Both levels are important. The national/sector level has
an important influence on the international dimension through policy, funding, programs, and
regulatory frameworks. Yet it is usually at the institutional level that the real process of
internationalization is taking place. This article analyses the meaning, definition, rationales, and
approaches of internationalization using a bottom-up (institutional) approach and a top-down
(national/sector) approach and examines the dynamic relationship between these two levels. Key
policy issues and questions for the future direction of internationalization are identified.
http://jsi.sagepub.com/content/8/1/5.short

extracurricular adjective
/ˌek.strə.kəˈrɪk.jʊ.lər / /-jə.lɚ/ adj

Share this
Definition
•
describes an activity or subject that is not part of the usual school or college course
•
humorous used to refer to something a person does secretly or unofficially and not within their
normal work or relationship, especially a sexual relationship
He detailed the future president's extracurricular activities while governor.
(Definition of extracurricular adjective from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
English Club As an Extracurricular Program at SMPN 3 Malang
Siti Faizatul Himmatul Khoiriyah

Abstrak

ABSTRACT

Khoiriyah, Siti Faizatul Himmatul. 2010. English Club As an Extracurricular Program at SMPN
3 Malang. Thesis, English Department. Faculty of Letters. Sarjana Program. State University of
Malang. Advisor: Dr. Arwijati Wahyudi, Dip. TESL, M.Pd.

Key words: English Club, Extracurricular program

English is considered as an important language for communication purposes. Unfortunately,

English is a foreign language in Indonesian context that is only taught in the classroom. The
students do not have a chance to practice and use their English outside the classroom. Thus,
some schools conduct extracurricular program of English to give the students chance to have
more practice and use their English. The objective of conducting the extracurricular program
depends on the school. Different schools may have different extracurricular programs and
different objectives. SMPN 3 Malang conducts an English Club as an extracurricular program of
English. The aim of conducting this program is to train students so that they get ready for
English contests such as debate, speech, and story telling contests.
This study is descriptive study. The aim of this study is to describe how the English Club as an
extracurricular program at SMPN 3 Malang was conducted. The school was chosen because it is
considered one of the best schools in Malang which won many English championships. The
study aims at describing: (1) kinds of teaching techniques, materials and media used by the
teacher in the English Club, (2) the requirements for students in joining the club, (3) teachers'
opinion about the English Club and the teachers' problems in conducting the English Club and
(4) the students' opinion about the English Club and the students' problem in the English Club.
The findings show that the technique used mostly is group work; the material that was used
mostly by teachers is recent topic with visual and audio visual media. The findings also show the
test that is interview test should be passed by the students in joining the club. The teachers
believe that the English Club is good but still needs to be improved. Similarly, the students, who
were selected by the interview test feel that their English get improved since they join the club.

http://karya-ilmiah.um.ac.id/index.php/sastra-inggris/article/view/7195

extracurricular
From Wiktionary
Jump to: navigation, search
[change] Adjective
Positive Comparative Superlative
extracurricular none none

1. If an activity is extracurricular, then it is an activity that happens outside of school.

Activities like clubs, sports, and volunteering are consider extracurricular.
Some schools require that you have decent grades in order to participate in
extracurricular activities.
If you focus too much on extracurricular activities, you can fall behind in school.
Retrieved from "http://simple.wiktionary.org/wiki/extracurricular"
Categories: Adjectives | Non-comparable adjectives
http://simple.wiktionary.org/wiki/extracurricular

No Child Left Behind Act

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
President Bush signing the No Child Left Behind Act at Hamilton H.S. in Hamilton, Ohio.
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001

An act to close the achievement gap with accountability, flexibility, and

Full title choice, so that no child is left behind.
Acronym NCLB
Enacted by
107th United States Congress
the
Effective January 8, 2002
Citations
Public Law 107-110
30 Stat. 750, 42 Stat. 108, 48 Stat. 986, 52 Stat. 781, 73 Stat. 4, 88
Stat. Stat. 2213, 102 Stat. 130 and 357, 107 Stat. 1510, 108 Stat. 154 and
223, 112 Stat. 3076, 113 Stat. 1323, 115 Stat. 1425 to 2094
Codification
Act(s) Adult Education and Family Literacy Act
amended Age Discrimination Act of 1975
Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Act of 1994
Augustus F. Hawkins-Robert T. Stafford Elementary and Secondary
School Improvement Amendments of 1988
Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Communications Act of 1934
Community Services Block Grant Act
Department of Education Organization Act
District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999
Education Amendments of 1972
Education Amendments of 1978
Education Flexibility Partnership Act of 1999
Education for Economic Security Act
 Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and
Improvement Act of 1994
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993
General Education Provisions Act
Goals 2000: Educate America Act
Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984
Higher Education Act of 1965
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Act
Internal Revenue Code of 1986
Johnson-O'Malley Act of 1934
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1997
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987
Museum and Library Services Act
National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act
of 1977
National and Community Service Act of 1990
National Child Protection Act of 1993
National Education Statistics Act of 1994
National Environmental Education Act of 1990
Native American Languages Act
Public Law 88-210
Public Law 106-400
Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Safe Drinking Water Act
School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994
State Dependent Care Development Grants Act
Telecommunications Act of 1996
Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 1987
Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
Workforce Investment Act of 1998
Legislative history
• Introduced in the House as H.R. 1 by John Boehner (R-OH) on March
22, 2001
• Committee consideration by: Education and the Workforce and
Judiciary
• Passed the House on May 23, 2001 (384–45)
• Passed the Senate on June 14, 2001 (91–8)
• Reported by the joint conference committee on December 13, 2001;
agreed to by the House on December 13, 2001 (381-41) and by the
Senate on December 18, 2001 (87–10)
• Signed into law by President George W. Bush on January 8, 2002
Major amendments

Relevant Supreme Court cases

None

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (often abbreviated as No Child Left Behind, or in print
as NCLB or pronounced "nicklebee"[1])[2][3] is a United States Act of Congress concerning the
education of children in public schools.
NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after
taking office.[4] The bill, shepherded through the Senate by Senator Ted Kennedy, one of the
bill's co-authors, received overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress.[5] The House of
Representatives passed the bill on May 23, 2001 (voting 384–45),[6] and United States Senate
passed it on June 14, 2001 (voting 91–8).[7] President Bush signed it into law on January 8, 2002.
NCLB supports standards-based education reform, which is based on the belief that setting high
standards and establishing measurable goals can improve individual outcomes in education. The
Act requires states to develop assessments in basic skills to be given to all students in certain
grades, if those states are to receive federal funding for schools. The Act does not assert a
national achievement standard; standards are set by each individual state.
Since enactment, Congress increased federal funding of education, from $42.2 billion in 2001 to
$54.4 billion in 2007. Funding tied to NCLB received a 40.4% increase from $17.4 billion in
2001 to $24.4 billion. The funding for reading quadrupled from $286 million in 2001 to $1.2
billion.[8]
During his 2011 State of the Union Address, President Barack Obama announced that NCLB
will be replaced. [9]

English language learners' perceptions of

school environment.
Publication: Journal of Research in Childhood Education Format: Online
Publication Date: 22-JUN-09 Delivery: Immediate Online Access
Full Article Title: English language learners' perceptions of school environment.(Report)

Ads by Google
Free Admission Hong Kong Electronics Fair, Apr 13-16/4, HKCEC, Hong Kong
www.hktdc.com/hkelectronicsfairse
Big Issues Lecture Series Free public lecture from Australian academics in Jakarta. Register!
www.study-adelaide.com/lecture
English in Toronto Canada Quality English language school for international adult students
accessenglish.com
Article Excerpt
Abstract. The number of students who speak languages other than English continues to grow in
both rural and urban public schools in the United States. This study investigated the perceptions
of 123 students (57 monolingual and 66 English language learners [ELLs]) from a rural public
elementary school in North Carolina with respect to school climate, curriculum and instruction,
extracurricular activities, self-efficacy, and self-esteem. All of these indicators contribute to an
overall perception of schools and affect learning experiences of monolingual students and ELLs.
Results indicate that the perceptions of monolingual learners and ELLs in this particular
elementary school are similar.
**********

One of the primary concerns of educators and researchers in the United States is that there has
been a large increase in the number of students entering the public school system who are
English language learners (ELLs). Indeed, North Carolina's public schools have been deeply
shocked by the rapid increase of ELLs in the state. English language learners are enrolled in
schools and receive additional services in English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. The
education of ELLs continues to pose unique social, political, and educational problems for
schools in the United States. Social and educational opportunities are typically hindered by
frequent moves, poverty, gaps in previous schooling, and language and cultural barriers. These
factors may reduce teacher expectations of ELLs. As teacher expectations of ELLs diminish, so
do their prospects for knowledge gains, because there is a clear consensus among educators that
teachers' expectations contribute to ELLs' academic success (Obiako, 1999).

With respect to teacher preparation, Smith-Davis (2004) argued that teachers are not adequately
prepared to help ELLs reach their maximum academic potential. Indeed, very few states require
content area teachers to have any professional development for teaching ELL students.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (1997), only 29.5 percent of teachers of
ELLs have formal training in strategies for ELLs. ESL certification is not required of teachers in
North Carolina, while it is in Texas, California, and New York. To obtain an add-on ESL license
in North Carolina, teachers merely complete a Praxis II test, which can be done without ever
taking any courses related to second language acquisition or cross-cultural understanding. Lack
of formal teacher training that would help ELLs specifically is particularly problematic, because
most ELLs "spend the majority of their school day in grade-level classrooms [in which most
teachers] have little or no training in the differential learning and developmental needs of this
group" (Herrera & Murry, 2005, p. 6). The consequences of this on ELLs are noteworthy for
multiple reasons. First, teachers have considerable influence on the achievement of all students,
especially low-income, culturally and linguistically diverse students (Tucker et al., 2005).
Second, teachers contribute to the formation of a student's cultural identity (Unger-Palmer,
2006). Third, teachers help students cope with complex administrative procedures in schools and
school systems (Unger-Palmer, 2006).

In the fall of 2007, there were approximately 143,000 ELLs in North Carolina's public schools.
Two-thirds of these students indicate Spanish as their native language. The other one-third of
these students speak one of 150 different languages (Public Schools of North Carolina, 2008).
Students' perceptions of school environment can be a powerful predictor of student outcomes
(Johnson, 2006). Unlike typical school environment research, this case study seeks to determine
whether student perceptions of school environment vary by linguistic diversity. In particular, this
study compares the perceptions of ELLs (Latinos) to monolingual (white) learners. Unlike
typical studies comparing those student groups, this work compares students who attended an
elementary school in the southeast region of the United States, a region with only a recent history
of Latino presence. Consequently, the school selected for this case study provides a stark contrast
to studies in which data were collected from students attending schools where Latinos have
resided for many decades (e.g., Texas, California, Arizona, and New Mexico). As noted by
Bohon, Macpherson, and Atiles (2005), schools in the southeast typically have fewer instructors
and instructional materials for teaching ESL.

Specifically, this study investigated student perceptions of: 1) school climate, 2) curriculum and
instruction, 3) extracurricular activities, 4) student self-efficacy, and 5) student self-esteem. All
of these indicators contribute to an overall perception of the school and affect learning. The first
section of this article reviews literature on each of the indicators investigated in this study. The
review on school climate establishes a theoretical rationale of underlying indicators that make up
a successful school. The second section of this paper describes the methodology of this case
study. The third section discusses the analyses of the data.

Theoretical Framework

School Climate

According to Brookover, Erickson, and McEvoy (1997), "school climate" refers to the attitudes,
beliefs, values, and norms that underlie the instructional practices, the level of academic
achievement, and the operation of a school. Howard, Howell, and Brainard (1987) defined
school climate as follows:

A school's climate is its atmosphere for learning. It includes the feeling people have about school
and whether it is a place where learning can occur. A positive climate makes a school a place
where both staff and students want to spend a substantial portion of their time; it is a good place
to be. (p. 5)

In light of attitudinal data collected in multiple studies, Cohen, Shapiro, and Fisher (2006)
identified 10 essential dimensions of school climate: environment, structure, safety, teaching and
learning, relationships, sense of school community, morale, peer norms, school-home-
community partnerships, and learning community. Butler and Gutierrez (2003) investigated
"learning climates" among 4th-grade students in an English-only school district in California.
They defined a student's learning climate as a learner's perceptions of his or her own abilities and
behaviors, as well as the learner's perceptions of others' beliefs about his or her abilities and
behaviors. Although school environment researchers have considered school climate from
diverse perspectives, the common theme throughout all of those studies is the subjective
expression about being in the school, whether identified as a feeling, perception, opinion, or
attitude.

With respect to the importance of school climate, research has shown that improved school
climate contributes to greater student achievement, higher morale, and a better relationship with
the community (Howard, 2002; Johnson, 2006; Wong, 1993). For instance, school environment
research has demonstrated that a positive school climate can increase achievement levels and
reduce maladaptive behaviors (McEvoy & Walker, 2000). Further, according to Wainer (2004),
the "importance of school climate should not be underestimated when considering ELLs" (p. 32).
In addition, the Learning First Alliance (2001) acknowledges that many studies of students'
subjective experiences in school indicate that positive school climates have a significant effect
on student learning and development.

Curriculum and Instruction

ELLs face many challenges in school, including the curriculum and teachers' instructional
methods. From the standpoint of Herrera and Murry (2005), "Curriculum and instruction is one
of the most contemporary, harmful, and emergent academic challenges for ELLs and the trend is
toward increasingly reductionistic curricula driven by a strict focus on high stakes assessments at
the national, state, or local levels" (p. 47). Since most ELLs have underdeveloped literacy skills
in English, these demands put ELLs at a great disadvantage (Brown, 2005). There are, however,
many effective program models for ELLs that include a variety of bilingual programs (i.e., dual
language, transitional, or maintenance), sheltered English instruction, or ESL classes. As an
example, mathematics is an important component of the curriculum for all students. Brown
(2005) reports findings from a study that investigated math achievement differences between
ELLs and fully English proficient (FEP) students on a literacy-based performance assessment.
Interestingly, her analyses revealed that socioeconomic status (SES) had a significant impact on
all students, but the impact was larger on FEP students than on ELLs. She concluded that
literacy-based performance assessments, together with the current assessment-driven
accountability system, seriously undermine equal treatment for ELLs. On the other hand, Meltzer
and Hamann (2006) describe classroom practices that increase student motivation and
engagement, generic literacy and learning practices, and content-specific literacy practices, and
offer comments about how to specifically adapt each one to better meet the needs of ELLs who
attend mainstream content-area classes. Wainer (2004) asserts that educators in North Carolina
are not prepared to address the changes in their student population. Granted, some teachers and
principals have creatively adapted the curriculum and their instructional methods to better suit
their ELLs, but Wainer (2004) concludes that schools, overall, have not reacted effectively.

Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities are important components of students' activities at school. After-school

programs can be one means of providing more structured, better supervised, and more productive
use of free time, and thus may improve students' academic performance (Shelton & Hopkins,
2008). Witt and Baker (1997) outlined strategies for after-school programs. These strategies
include having high-quality contact time and highlighting the linkage between fun and learning.
In terms of extracurricular activities, numerous programs faced challenges in six areas: 1)
development of a systematic curriculum for sport, recreation, and fitness; 2) selection of
appropriate activities for the targeted population; 3) adequate programming to address obesity
and physical inactivity; 4) enhancement of programming structure and quality; 5) lack of
qualified staff; and 6) lack of fitness assessment (Zhang & Byrd, 2006). Furthermore, Broh
(2002) linked extracurricular programming to academic achievement. His results demonstrated
that participation in extracurricular activities improves academic achievement. However, that
claim is not widely supported. Sheldon and Hopkins (2008) stated that there is little conclusive
research on how after-school programs can be best positioned to impact academic achievement.
They stated that children typically stay in most after-school programs for relatively short periods
of time. In addition, the programs do not have a history of supporting academics, and thus are not
in a position to achieve the academic outcomes that are increasingly expected of them.

Student Self-Efficacy

Social science researchers have conducted numerous studies on self-efficacy. As noted by Jinks
and Morgan (1999), "Social learning theorists define perceived self-efficacy as a sense of
confidence regarding the performance of specific tasks" (p. 224). For ELLs and other learners,
this confidence (or the lack of it) influences learning across all areas of the curriculum. Indeed,
learners may not even engage in instruction when the learner's self-efficacy is low. Bandura's
(1986, 1997) work in this area is highly regarded. Bandura's social cognitive theory forms the
basis for social learning theory and contributes to our understanding of the personal
consequences of low and high self-efficacy. Since self-efficacy is a personal perception,
researchers collect data concerning self-efficacy by asking learners for their opinions about their
abilities to learn specific content or skills.

Student Self-Esteem

Research findings from several academic domains have demonstrated that students' perceptions
of their own academic capabilities influence their self-esteem (Goldsmith, 2004; Mills, Pajares,
& Herron, 2006; Wicker, Turner, Reed, McCann, & Lee, 2004). Freeman and Freeman (1999)
proposed a formula for high expectations of ELLs. They suggest that effective approaches to
reading and effective bilingual programs implement a set of practices for teaching academic
achievement. An example of one such practice is ensuring that equal status of both languages is
affirmed to a large extent. This is an example of teachers' perceptions of low expectations of
ELLs instead of high expectations. Garrett and Holcomb (2005) discussed some of the struggles
that immigrant students encounter in adapting to the American school system, as well as the
pedagogical strategies that have enhanced the educational performance of ELLs and how this
greater educational performance improves relations between the school and community.

Methods

Settings and Participants

This research was conducted at one particular elementary school in rural eastern North Carolina.
Of the 884 students in the school, 123 of them participated in this study. The school enjoys an
annual attendance rate of 96%. Table 1 identifies the number of participants by grade level and
language descriptor (i.e., monolingual or bilingual). According to criteria established by the
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, the school did not make Adequate Yearly
Progress (AYP), even though the school met 24 out of 25 AYP targets. Table 2 illustrates the
performance of student groups that passed both the reading and mathematics tests.

Procedures

The researchers visited the school 16 times over a six-month period in order to collect the data.
During the interviews with the bilingual and monolingual students, the researchers followed a
modified version of the questionnaire protocol titled "Measuring success in ESL programs,"
which was originally authored by Carrasquillo and Rodriguez (1998). This questionnaire
protocol was modified by the researchers with permission from the original authors. The actual
questionnaire appears in Appendix A. To ensure confidentiality, all data collected were analyzed
and reported without the use of names or personal information. The duration of each interview
was approximately 20 minutes. The questionnaire was administered in the student's preferred
language (e.g., English, Spanish). Simplified language modifications were made for children in
kindergarten and 1st grade. In addition, pictures were presented for some items when
appropriate.

In order to enhance the reliability of this study, the interview protocol contained two parts that
required different data collection methods. In the first part, students were asked to respond to
structured Likert items. In response to each of the 24 items in Part I, each participant responded
by stating either: (1) Always; (2) Usually; (3) Sometimes; (4) Rarely; or (5) Never. The data
generated from the Likert items were collated for statistical analyses. In the second part of the
interview, the participants responded to two open-ended questions. Specifically, the researchers
asked these questions: 1) How do you feel about being a student in this school? 2) Do you
consider yourself a "good student" in the following areas? (i) Reading in English; (ii) Reading in
another language (e.g., Spanish); (iii) Writing in English; (iv) Writing in another language; (v)
Ability to speak and learn in two languages (bilingualism).

Research Questions

The researchers sought to gain insights into the following questions:

Do monolingual and ELL students perceive the school climate differently?

Do monolingual and ELL students perceive the instruction differently?

Do monolingual and ELL students perceive the extracurricular activities differently?

Do monolingual and ELL students differ in self-efficacy?

Do monolingual and ELL students differ in self-esteem?

Findings

First, this section considers the five research questions in light of the Likert data collected from
the participants. Those results are

summarized in Table 3. Second, this section discusses the results of the open-ended questions.

Research Question 1:

Do monolingual and ELL students perceive the school climate differently?

As discussed in the School Climate section, researchers in studies concerning school

environment or school climate seek fundamentally to ascertain subjective opinions about what it
feels like to be a member of a particular school. Accordingly, this study asked participants the
following questions in order to ascertain a sense of the school's climate: 1) Is the school a safe
and secure place to learn? 2) Is the school clean and in good repair? 3) Are all students
respected? 4) Are you proud of your school? 5) Do students work together on school/classroom
activities? 6) Does the school reward excellence in achievement? and 7) Do you feel that the
school provides an enriching environment where your first language is respected?

Data in Table 3 reveal virtually no difference in school climate among ELLs and monolingual
learners. This is true across all grade levels. Accordingly, all of the students attending the school
feel safe and secure in a clean learning environment. All of the students feel respected and
welcomed. Both ELLs and monolingual students are proud of the school. Students work
harmoniously in school activities. Curiously, although the data reveal essentially no differences
in school climate, during the interview, several students reported that they were punished if they
spoke in their native language.

Research Question 2:

Do monolingual and ELL students perceive the instruction differently?

Due to the importance of the curriculum and instruction for learning, students in Grades 3, 4, and
5 were asked the following items: 1) Does the teacher inform you about what you are studying?
2) Are class content and activities neither too hard nor too easy? 3) Does the curriculum vary and
is it challenging? 4) Are the classes flexible? and 5) Are there different ways of teaching the
class? Students in K-2 were asked the first three of those five questions; items 4) and 5) were not
asked of these primary school students.

The data in Table 3 reveal very minor differences in perceptions of curriculum and instruction
among ELLs and monolingual students in kindergarten and grade 1. The data reveal no
difference in perceptions of curriculum and instruction across all of the grades. Overall, students
are aware of the instructional goals, find the content to be neither too easy nor too difficult, and
find that learning activities vary.

Research Question 3:

Do monolingual and ELL students perceive the extracurricular activities differently?

Researchers asked participants whether the school encourages participation in school/community

activities and whether they have been or are currently participating in any plays, sports, or teams
at school. The results in Table 3 suggest that ELLs and monolingual students in each grade differ
with respect to the perception of extracurricular activities. However, since the school does not
provide extracurricular activities for students, some students have naive or unrealistic views of
extracurricular activities. Apparently, some students believe that watching a community soccer
team (not made up of students attending the school) play on their school field is an
extracurricular activity.

Research Question 4:

Do monolingual and ELL students differ in self-efficacy?

To assess self-efficacy, students were asked to respond to the following items: 1) I feel proud of
who I am; 2) I feel proud of being in this school; 3) I am motivated to learn; 4) I enjoy coming to
school; 5) I feel that the teacher is part of my life; and 6) I work very hard to complete
schoolwork. Although the data in Table 3 reveal a small difference in self-efficacy for Grade 5
monolingual learners and ELLs, the data show no difference for all other grades.

Research Question 5:

Do monolingual and ELL students differ in self-esteem?

For self-esteem, students were asked to respond to the following items: 1) Are you able to learn
in two languages?; 2) Are you able to read and write in both languages?; 3) Do you do well in all
of your classes, especially in mathematics?; 4) Do you know science and social studies concepts
and skills?; and 5) Is your work displayed in school in both languages? Kindergarten students
were not asked item 4), which considers science and social studies concepts and skills. The data
in Table 3 indicate that differences in self-esteem among monolingual learners and ELLs were
evident in kindergarten and grade 5.

Results for Open-ended Questions

In the second part of the protocol, which was semi-structured, the participants responded to these
two open-ended questions: How do you feel about being a student in this school? and Do you
consider yourself a "good student" in the following areas?: (i) Reading in English; (ii) Reading in
the other language (i.e., Spanish); (iii) Writing in English; (iv) Writing in the other language; (v)
Ability to speak and learn in two languages (bilingualism); and (vi) What do you want to be
when you grow up?

Table 4 indicates how ELLs and monolingual students feel about attending the school. Overall,
there is a positive feeling about the elementary school. Specifically, the participants in
kindergarten expressed 100% satisfaction; 1st grade--93%; 2nd grade--100%; 3rd grade--97%;
4th grade--88%; and 5th grade has the lowest positive feeling at 69%. Students' perceptions of
the school, as expressed in this single item, are quite limited in what they tell us, and especially
what they do not tell us, about significant issues facing them. Perhaps given the fact that 5th-
graders are more perceptive than the other students, the findings for 5th-graders indicate the
lowest positive feeling.

Table 5 indicates the percentages of participants who consider themselves a "good student" in the
following areas: reading in English, reading in other languages, writing in English, writing in
other languages, and speaking and learning in two languages. Results demonstrate that both
ELLs and monolingual students consider themselves highly confident in reading and writing
English. Participants have a mixed consideration in reading and writing in other languages. In
general, ELLs considered themselves capable of speaking and learning in two languages, but
some ELLs expressed diminishing confidence in their ability to read and write in their family's
native language. Positive perceptions toward bilingualism were observed by both students who
read English well and by ELLs.

Discussion

This study examined students' perceptions of factors commonly associated with school climate.
This study also examined student self-efficacy and self-esteem. After interviewing a total of 123
students in kindergarten through Grade 5, the main finding of this study is that the perceptions...
http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-11080177/English-language-learners-perceptions-
of.html