Knowledge, Language, & Inquiry for English Learners

Project Information

Funding Agency

• Institute of Education Sciences (IES), US Department of Education, R305A200283

Team

• PI: Dennis Davis, Ph.D. (North Carolina State University)
• Co-PI: Jackie Eunjung Relyea, Ph.D. (North Carolina State University)
• Co-PI: Becky Huang, Ph.D. (The University of Texas at San Antonio)
• Methodologist: Ben Kelcey, Ph.D. (University of Cincinnati)

Project Description

The researchers will develop a new small-group intervention for English learners (ELs) in grades 3 through 5 who have reading comprehension difficulties. The intervention, called the Building Knowledge and Language through Inquiry Framework (KLI), aims to help readers strengthen their language and literacy skills while building new knowledge of interesting topics in the disciplines (science and social studies). The KLI approach aims to build students’ knowledge of both the language and the topic area through direct instruction and through inquiry-based approaches, such as having students engage in conversations about language and the topic area. By addressing both of these areas of knowledge concurrently, KLI will help improve the reading comprehension of upper-elementary ELs.