Impact of Supplemental Instruction (SI) on Teaching and Learning "Data collected by the Center for Supplemental Instruction at the University of Missouri-Kansas City from 719 institutions in the United States and 146 institutions in twelve other countries demonstrate that students participating in SI earn higher course grades and withdraw less often than non-SI participants." Characteristics of Supplemetal Instruction Involve the Following: SI provides an opportunity for students to learn how-to-learn while learning what-to-learn. Participation in SI is voluntary, free-of-charge, and open to all students in the course. SI Leaders attend all lectures for targeted course. SI Leaders are trained in group facilitation methods, student learning theory, and study techniques. SI sessions begin the 2nd week of classes after students’ have given input as to when sessions will be scheduled. SI Leaders facilitate and encourage the group to process the material rather than acting as authority figures who lectures to participants. Supplemental Instruction SI Research A framework for understanding Supplemental Instruction is presented along with theoretical and philosophical underpinnings. SI and Student Performance in Bio course Supplemental Instruction and The Performance of Developmental Education Students in an Introductory Biology Course Annotated Bibliography This extensive annotated bibliography lists sources related to Supplemental Instruction (SI) and Video-Based Supplemental Instruction (VSI).

Action Research Typically, action research is undertaken in a school setting. It is a reflective process that allows for inquiry and discussion as components of the action research. Often, action research is a collaborative activity among colleagues searching for solutions to everyday, real problems experienced in schools, or looking for ways to improve instruction and increase student achievement. Rather than dealing with the theoretical, action research allows practitioners to address those concerns that are closest to them, ones over which they can exhibit some influence and make change. Action Research in Educational Settings Using Action Research to Support International ESL This paper concludes that the main initiative implemented during the research, providing team-taught support tutorials to identified students, was highly beneficial, both in terms of student and staff perceptions and in terms of learning outcomes.

Critical Theory The primary characteristic of this school of thought is that social theory, whether reflected to educational research, art, philosophy, literature, or business, should play a significant role in changing the world, not just recording information. Paolo Friere The tasks for progressive educators in Freirian theory are: ...to unveil opportunities for hope, regardless of the obstacles(p. 9). to accept the political and directive nature of education. to express respect for differences in ideas and positions. to respect the educands, never manipulating them. to be tolerant, open, forthright, and critical, teaching is not simply the transmission of knowledge concerning the object or concerning the topic(p. 81). to teach so that educands can learn to learn ..the reason-for, the why of the object or the content. to challenge educands with a regard to their certitudes so that they seek convincing arguments in defense of the why. to respect popular knowledge, cultural content...this is the point of "departure for the knowledge (that educands) create of the world. to understand that the perception of the why of the facts...lead us to transcend the narrow horizons of the neighborhood or even the immediate geographical area, to gain (the) global view of reality...(pp.87) Freire contended that the basic importance of education lays in the act of cognition not only of the content, but of the why of economic, social, political, ideological, and historical facts...under which we find ourselves placed.(pp. 101) http://www.edb.utexas.edu/faculty/scheurich/proj3/freire1.html

Historically, students participating in effective SI programs earn higher final course grades, succeed at a higher rate, and tend to persist at higher rates. http://www.cccbsi.org/Websites/basicskills/Images/Lit_Review_Student_Success.pdf At this college, Supplemental Instruction (SI) leaders have played a role in student success on a variety of levels, but the impact of their role has not been investigated on a formal level. The general feeling is that the students taking classes and the SI leaders both seem to benefit from the interaction and support with each other the SI acting as a connection between the faculty and students. In this participatory action research project, I would like to investigate the impact of the Supplemental Instruction Leader on the success of students in an ESL Grammar class. Students at this stage of the language learning process are challenged by the complexity of the language they are studying. Research Questions This participatory action research project will address the following questions: To what extent does Supplemental Instruction impact the pedagogy of the teacher? To what extent does a Supplemental Instruction Leader impact the college life of students? To what extent is the college life of a Supplemental Instruction Leaders impacted by being an SIL? Center for Student Success. (2007, February). Basic Skills as a Foundation for Success in California Community Colleges. Sacramento

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Proposal

Course Description ESL 823 GRAMMAR III Units 4; Class Hours: Minimum of 64 lecture hours/semester; Prerequisite(s): ESL 802 or 822, or placement by College ESL Placement Test. Description: Introduces students to grammar skills at the high-intermediate level. Special attention is paid to understanding grammar rules in context and applying these rules to student writing. Units do not apply toward AA/AS degree. Syllabus ESL 823 Student Profile form On the first day of class students are expected to complete this form.

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