26 Research Design The current study employed quantitative measures within an action research framework to evaluate whether the Risas y Sonrisas teaching resource enhanced Spanish L2 acquisition and achievement among native Englishspeakers. The setting for the current study featured a small, North Texas independent public school district near the greater Dallas/Fort Worth area referred to as the District. The current study initiated purposive sampling to gather participant data with the target population meeting specific criteria, including second grade native English-speaking elementary students enrolled in the two-way dual-language program in all three of the two-way dual-language campuses in the District. The current study focused on second grade, as second grade marked the initial implementation of the 50/50 language model in reading and language arts within the District’s two-way dual-language program. The Spanish MAP Reading Fluency assessment served as the instrument for measuring Spanish L2 growth in the current study. Utilizing the Spanish MAP Reading Fluency to collect a baseline at the beginning of the semester and then again at the end of the semester helped assess the Risas y Sonrias L2 teaching resource’s effectiveness. The decision to track data for one semester was made due to current resource limitations. The District, at the time of the current study, had only acquired the Risas y Sonrisas L2 teaching resource for second grade, and its implementation was scheduled to begin midway through the academic year when Spanish instruction began. Consequently, a single semester was the maximum duration for which data could be collected and analyzed under these circumstances. Four inferential statistical designs were conducted. Research Question 1(RQ1) used dependent samples t-tests to compare the means of picture vocabulary, listening comprehension, and sentence reading fluency before and after using the Risas y Sonrisas teaching resource. RQ2 utilized a one-way ANOVA to test whether sentence reading fluency scores differed significantly among three ethnic groups: Hispanic, White, and African American, as well as by low SES. RQ3 employed a Pearson r to measure the strength and direction of the linear relationship between picture vocabulary and sentence reading fluency. RQ4 used multiple regression to assess whether picture vocabulary and listening comprehension significantly predicted sentence reading fluency scores, testing each predictor’s individual significance. Research Question 1 (RQ1) Is there a difference in pre- and post-test scores for native English-speaking second grade students on the Spanish MAP Reading Fluency assessment after receiving Spanish language instruction with the Risas y Sonrisas teaching resource? Research Question 2 (RQ2) Is there a significant difference in the mean post-test scores in sentence fluency on the Spanish MAP Reading Fluency assessment among students from the District’s three largest ethnic groups and students with a low socioeconomic status? Research Question 3 (RQ3) Is there a relationship between picture vocabulary and Spanish L2 performance on sentence reading fluency for the Spanish MAP Reading Fluency assessment? Research Question 4 (RQ4) Does Spanish L2 picture vocabulary and listening comprehension predict Spanish L2 performance on sentence reading fluency? Individual predictor: Does Spanish L2 picture vocabulary predict Spanish L2 performance on sentence reading fluency? Summary of Findings and Interpretations RQ1 results revealed insufficient evidence to establish statistical significance in picture vocabulary and sentence fluency pre- and post-test scores, despite observed improvements. The limited sample size likely underpowered the study, restricting definitive conclusions about the Risas y Sonrisas L2 resource’s effectiveness on picture vocabulary and sentence fluency. The results for listening comprehension demonstrated a positive impact of the Risas y Sonrisas L2 instruction, with notable gains, though participant growth varied, highlighting the need to explore individual differences affecting the outcomes. The results for RQ2 indicated that although observable differences existed in mean sentence fluency post-test Bernadette Rose-Garcia White, Ed.D.
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