Annotated Bibliography on Learning and Teaching

Works Cited

• Budzisz, Mary Gale. Saving Students from a Shattered System: Igniting the Passion for Learning. R&L Education, 2016.
• Gordon, Tatiana. Teaching young children a second language. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2012.
• Phelps, Richard. Defending standardized testing. Psychology Press, 2005.
• Scheve, Jeanna, Kelli Allen, and Vicki Nieter. Understanding learning styles: Making a difference for diverse learners. Teacher Created Materials, 2010.
• Siddiek, Ahmed Gumaa. The impact of test content validity on language teaching and learning. 2018.

Gordon, Tatiana. Teaching young children a second language. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2012.

Teaching young children a second language is a book by Dr. Tatiana Gordon, and it explores the importance of language in education and life in the US. The book explores the learning experience young immigrant children have; especially given the fact that English is often their second language. As the author was once an immigrant child herself, she explores the practical techniques that can entice children to engage in learning English actively. The book also provides prospective and practicing teachers with insight on what approaches might be most useful and successful in teaching young immigrant children English. Therefore, the book not only provides context on what works when teaching a multicultural society, but it also highlights everyday practices that help children enjoy learning. Therefore, when teaching a multicultural society in which English is their second language, teaching young children a second language is an important book that not only provides effective teaching practices, but also ensures that children enjoy their learning.

The Greenwood publishing group published this book in 2007. Despite it not being current, this book is relevant to my essay as it highlights the fact that students are not only leaners, but they are also essential levers in their family. As such, the book explores aspects of education, such as standardized testing and its biases. The book has been published by the Greenwood publishing group, an established educational and academic publishing company, further highlighting the relevance of this book. Dr. Tatiana Gordon, the writer of this book, is best placed to discuss this issue, as she was not only an immigrant child herself, but she also teaches English to speakers of other languages. Besides, she also highlights instructional strategies that are most effective in teaching immigrant students and provides teachers with an insight into what it takes young immigrants to adjust to the American culture. Consequently, this book is relevant to my essay as the author is not only objective in her viewpoint, but the information she presents is equally well researched and supported by peer-reviewed articles.

Siddiek, Ahmed Gumaa. The impact of test content validity on language teaching and learning. 2018.

The impact of test content validity on language teaching and learning is a peer-reviewed article by Dr. Ahmed Gumaa Siddiek, and it explores the effects standardized tests have on both teachers and learners. Apart from limiting teachers’ curriculum freedoms, this article reveals that standardized testing also contributes to increased stress to both teachers and students. Besides, of all the teaching tasks given to teachers, they tend to give the least attention to standardized testing, thus further revealing their irrelevance. Also, standardized tests contribute to the confusion teachers face on how to approach various topics; thus, both the teachers and learners are unable to cover the syllabus as expected. It not only results in the inability of students to grasp syllabus content, but it also misleads teachers into focusing on techniques of examination as opposed to best teaching practices. Moreover, apart from limiting teachers’ freedom in developing useful curriculum, standardized testing also compels learns to exert all their energies to collecting marks, thus failing to meet educational objectives.

This article was published in 2018, thus making it not only current, but also relevant to my essay. This article highlights the fact that education goes beyond awarding marks, and as such proved that standardized testing does not determine if students have understood what they were taught. Also, Dr. Ahmed Gumaa Siddiek highlights the need for better testing techniques and, as such, recommends the full involvement of teachers in developing educational assessments that encourage learning and understanding. Dr. Ahmed Gumaa Siddiek is best placed to discuss this issue as he has not only written multiple peer-reviewed articles and books on standardized testing, but he has also come up with various testing techniques that have been proven to encourage learning. Additionally, Dr. Ahmed Gumaa is objective on his views on standardized testing; therefore, his views lack bias. Therefore, as Dr. Ahmed Gumaa’s recommendations are well researched and supported, it is crucial that the problems posed by standardized testing are addressed and better testing techniques developed.

Scheve, Jeanna, Kelli Allen, and Vicki Nieter. Understanding learning styles: Making a difference for diverse learners. Teacher Created Materials, 2016

Understanding learning styles is a book by Kelli Allen, Jeanna Scheve, and Vicki Nieter. The book was published in 2016 by Shell Education, and it reveals the various learning styles different students have. The book identifies standardized testing as one of the barriers to students understanding specific syllabus content, and as such, provides teachers with alternatives to counter this problem. Similarly, the book reveals the different learning styles in existence and provides students with information on the best delivery approaches that will enable students to understand their class content. This book also presents various practical ideas and suggestions that will allow teachers to design their lessons, and as such incorporate multiple learning styles in their classes. These teaching ideas and suggestions not only help teachers overcome the problems standardized testing presents, but it also ensures that the needs of all students, despite their diverse learning styles are met. Consequently, this book not only highlights the problems standardized testing poses in a learning environment, but it also presents practical solutions that help overcome these barriers.

Shell Education published this book in 2016, and as such, thou it is not as current, the book remains relevant to my essay. The book not only highlights the various challenges posed by standardized testing, but it also provides practical solutions that can be adopted by both teachers and students. Also, the book identifies the importance of students understanding what they are being taught, and as such, it recognizes the need for teachers and students to identify each student’s unique learning style, and consequently adopt techniques that ensure all students understand what they are being taught. The publishing company, shell education, is a renowned publishing company that publishes both educational and research materials and books, thus highlighting the relevance of this source. The authors of this book, Kelli Allen, Jeanna Scheve and Vicki Nieter, have extensive experience in the field of academics, and as such, their suggestions and practical ideas have not only been tested, but they have also proven to be useful to teachers. Moreover, this book acts as a guide to teachers, and as such, they are not only able to identify the student’s different learning styles, but they are also able to come up with teaching techniques that overcome barriers presents by standardized testing.

Phelps, Richard. Defending standardized testing. Psychology Press, 2015.

Standardized testing is one of the most significant issues in educational reforms, and often, it is met with criticism. Despite that, various resource materials support standardized testing, and this book, defending standardized testing, is one such book. This book was written by Richard Phelps, an education reformist and independent researcher on educational testing. The book highlights misunderstandings as to the cause of the various negative remarks and observations made about standardized testing and provides a unique insight into educational testing. The book reveals that standardized testing is the best component of measuring effort and understanding, and consequently developing standards to be attained or followed. In addition, the book also highlights the importance of rewarding accomplishment, and it highlights standardized testing as the best tool for measuring accomplishment. The book shows that opposition over standardized testing is often due to clash of interests, and instead highlights its benefits over the years, some of which include the success of the American educational system as compared to other education systems around the world.

 Defending standardized testing was published in 2015, and thou the book is not current, it highlights critical issues relevant to my essay. This book not only highlights the bias against standardized testing among education reformists, but it also reveals its benefits to the American education system over the years. Moreover, the writer of this book, Richard Phelps, has an in-depth view on this topic as he is not only a researcher on the benefits of educational testing, but he is also an education reformist. This book was published by psychology press limited, a renowned publishing company that has released various educational materials such as peer-reviewed journals, school textbooks, and other professional publications. As such, this book is not only resourceful, but it is also reliable. In addition, the author’s extensive experience in the field of educational reforms further reveals the relevance of the information contained in this book, thus ensuring that this resource is relevant and useful in my essay.

Budzisz, Mary Gale. Saving Students from a Shattered System: Igniting the Passion for Learning. R&L Education, 2018.

Despite standardized testing being applauded for its contribution to the American education system, various researchers continue to challenge this approach, and instead call for educational reforms. Saving students from a shattered system is a book by Mary Gale, a researcher that calls for the change in this educational testing method. This book explores the defectiveness of standardized testing in academics, and it reveals the effects it has had in the field of academics. The book shows that standardized testing has not only smothered education, but it has also resulted in many students being excluded from learning. The book describes standardized testing as being outdated in this era, and it calls for an educational program that caters to the needs of all students. These reforms will not only eradicate the need for teachers to determine their best students, but rather it will ensure that all teachers take up more responsibility in ensuring that all students understand what they are taught, and as such, are prepared for the future.

This book was published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, a renowned and established company that publishes scholarly books for academic purposes. Saving students from a shattered system was published in 2018, and despite the book not being current, the information provided in it is relevant to my essay. The book explores the defectiveness of current educational testing methods, and it presents valid reasons as to why they no longer work. This book is written by Mary Gale, an independent researcher that has extensive knowledge of education reforms and existing educational testing programs. Mary Gale presents objective reasons as to why standardized testing is no longer valid, and instead, she offers recommendations that not only ensure that all students understand what they are taught but also better prepare them for the future. Consequently, this book is practical to both teachers and educational reformist as it not only highlights the problems in the existing educational testing programs, but it also recommends alternatives that will promote inclusivity among all students.

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