Appendix G, Teacher Consent Form

School ID: ____________________

OMB Number: xxxx-xxxx

Expiration Date: xx/xx/08

APPENDIX G

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT GREENSBORO

CONSENT TO ACT AS A HUMAN PARTICIPANT: Long Form

Project Title: The Effectiveness of Sheltered Instruction on English Language Learners in Georgia 4^th and 5^th Grade Classrooms

Principal Investigator(s): Micheline Chalhoub-DeVille, UNCG; Carolyn Layzer, Abt Associates Inc. Kimberly Anderson, GADOE & REL-SE, SIOP Study Manager

Participant's Name:      

DESCRIPTION AND EXPLANATION OF PROCEDURES:

With funding from the U.S. Department of Education, the Regional Educational Laboratory-Southeast will be conducting an experimental research study focused on effective instruction for English Language Learners. This study, The Effectiveness of Sheltered Instruction on English Language Learners in Georgia 4^th and 5^th Grade Classrooms, was commissioned in order to provide educators, decisionmakers, and policymakers research-based information about "what works" in improving the achievement of all students.

What is SIOP?

The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) is known as the most comprehensive and explicitly developed model of sheltered instruction currently in use in the U.S. Sheltered instruction techniques are increasingly needed in mainstream classrooms so that subject area teachers can meet the English language development and content area needs of English Language Learners (ELLs). The SIOP model was developed by researchers at the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) and California State University, Long Beach, with funding from the U.S. Department of Education. The model is used in most states in the nation, including several systems in Georgia. It is attractive to educators due to its articulation of instructional techniques with support for lesson planning, training and implementation. The model consists of eight components—(1) Lesson Preparation, (2) Building Background, (3) Comprehensible Input, (4) Strategies, (5) Interaction, (6) Practice and Application, (7) Lesson Delivery, and (8) Indicators of Review and Assessment.

Who Can Participate?

The following selection criteria will be used to choose participating schools.

1. Elementary schools with 5% or higher ELL students. All of the 4th and 5^th grade teachers in the schools will be encouraged to participate.

2. Schools will be selected to represent schools from across the state. A total of 64 88 schools will be included in the study.

3. An equal number of participating schools will be randomly assigned to the treatment group or the control group.

What does the Training Entail?

• Teachers in the 32 44 treatment schools will be trained in the SIOP intervention in a three-day institute in the summer of 2008, provided by the national SIOP organization, Pearson Achievement Solutions (Pearson).

• During the 2008-2009 year, Pearson national faculty members will provide these teachers four full days of follow-up instruction on the components of the model and two observational and coaching visits.

• Administrators will also attend a one-day informational training.

• Teachers in the 32 44 control schools will be offered the three-day SIOP institute during the summer of 2009, after data collection is complete.

What will be required of Participating Schools and Teachers?

• Teachers in treatment schools will be asked to participate in the SIOP training as described above.

• Study team data collectors will conduct one classroom observation of each treatment and control group teacher in the spring of 2009.

• Treatment and control teachers will be asked to complete a Teacher Survey of their experiences with the training and other professional development activities. This survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete.

RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS:

There is minimal risk to participating in this study. In the case of teachers being observed in their classrooms, there is a slight (minimal) risk of added stress associated with being observed.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS:

The 4^th and 5^th grade teachers at participating treatment schools will be provided with a year of training and support in one of the most popular ELL instructional interventions in the country at minimal cost to the teachers or their schools or districts. Teachers may also use the training to gain Professional Learning Units. The 4^th and 5^th grade teachers at participating control schools will be invited to participate in the 3-day summer training institute in the summer following the study year.

The SIOP model is currently in wide use with no rigorous evidence to date of its effectiveness. This study will demonstrate whether or not the model delivers the benefits that its developers claim, which will enable consumers (school districts, administrators, individual teachers) to make informed decisions about how they spend their scarce professional development funds and time. If this intervention is shown to reduce the achievement gap between ELLs and non-ELLs, then it may provide a valuable tool in the struggle to provide equality of opportunity to the ever-growing population of minority language learners in our public schools, who are currently underserved.

CONSENT:

By signing this consent form, you agree that you understand the procedures and any risks and benefits involved in this research. You are free to refuse to participate or to withdraw your consent to participate in this research at any time without penalty or prejudice; your participation is entirely voluntary. Your privacy will be protected because you will not be identified by name as a participant in this project. Any data collected as part of this study will be maintained in secure locations (locked filing cabinets and or password protected computers) at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro or Abt Associates offices for the duration of the research study. Paper data will be shredded and electronic data will be erased at the completion of the study and dissemination of study results, March 2014.

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Institutional Review Board, which ensures that research involving people follows federal regulations, has approved the research and this consent form. Questions regarding your rights as a participant in this project can be answered by calling Mr. Eric Allen at (336) 256-1482.

Questions regarding the research itself will be answered by calling or e-mailing Carolyn Layzer (617) 520-3597 or carolyn_layzer@abtassoc.com; Micheline Chalhoub-Deville (336) 334-5000 or chalhoub-deville@uncg.edu; Kimberly Anderson, Study Manager, (404) 657-6174 or kanderson@serve.org. Any new information that develops during the project will be provided to you if the information might affect your willingness to continue participation in the project.

By signing this form, you are agreeing to participate in the project described to you. Please keep one copy of this consent form for your files.

____________________________________ ______________

Participant's Signature* Date

Note. Responses to this data collection will be used only for statistical purposes.  The reports prepared for this study will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate responses with a specific district or individual.  We will not provide information that identifies you or your district to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law. 

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