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Tessa Daffern

Bio: Tessa Daffern is an academic researcher from University of Wollongong. The author has contributed to research in topics: Spelling & Orthography. The author has an hindex of 5, co-authored 24 publications receiving 103 citations. Previous affiliations of Tessa Daffern include University of Canberra & Charles Sturt University.

Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: For instance, writing provides a means for personal reflection, thinking, creativity, meaning-making and sharing, as well as complementing other modes of communication in a world of multimodal texts.
Abstract: Writing provides a means for personal reflection, thinking, creativity, meaning-making and sharing, as well as complementing other modes of communication in a world of multimodal texts. While writi...

28 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: For instance, spelling is a word-formation problem-solving process that can be difficu... as discussed by the authors, and being able to accurately spell in Standard English requires efficient coordination of multiple knowledge sources.
Abstract: Being able to accurately spell in Standard English requires efficient coordination of multiple knowledge sources. Therefore, spelling is a word-formation problem-solving process that can be difficu...

20 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: The Component of Spelling Test (CoST) as mentioned in this paper is a non-linear approach to spelling assessment, which is based on the Triple Word Form Theory (TWFT) model of spelling development.
Abstract: Stage theories of spelling development have been widely accepted since their conceptualisation in the 1970s; but, converging evidence offers support for non-linear models of spelling development. Specifically, Triple Word Form Theory (TWFT) suggests that students are capable of drawing on and coordinating phonological, orthographic, and morphological skills from quite early in their spelling development. Assumptions about the nature of spelling development have important implications for the way spelling is taught; however, many existing assessment systems currently being applied by educators and systems have failed to consider non-linear perspectives of spelling development. This paper presents the Components of Spelling Test (CoST) as a new approach to spelling assessment. The test is a valid and reliable assessment tool informed by TWFT and developed through a method of analysis suggested by stage theorists. Data used to develop and test the CoST were drawn from students in Year 3 and Year 5 across four schools in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) (n=198). The results of the testing clearly demonstrated that the CoST can provide teachers and educational researchers with a means to validly and reliably identify individual differences in specific phonological, orthographic and morphological skills associated with spelling.

19 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a case study described by an Australian Year 4 classroom teacher and one of the students in the class illustrates the importance of teacher knowledge in the linguistics of spelling and how teachers can apply their content and pedagogical knowledge to encourage children to talk about the spelling strategies they use.
Abstract: While learning to spell in English is integral to becoming a literate writer, it is a complex and gradual skill to master. If English spelling is understood from a phonological, orthographic, and morphological perspective, its transparency becomes evident. The case study described in this article shines a light on an Australian Year 4 classroom teacher and one of the students in the class. It illustrates the importance of teacher knowledge in the linguistics of spelling and how teachers can apply their content and pedagogical knowledge to encourage children to talk about the spelling strategies they use. Teachers who model and encourage the use of metalanguage while integrating spelling instruction with meaningful reading and writing experiences can empower students to build autonomy and confidence in their spelling.

12 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors proposed a new pseudo-word dictation test to measure three spelling components underpinning Standard English: phonology, orthography and morphology, which can also be used as a measure of spelling ability for experimental, developmental and correlational research purposes.
Abstract: Building on current theoretical understandings of how children learn to spell, this paper reports the design and validation of a new pseudo-word dictation test (labelled the Components of Spelling Test: Pseudo-word version) to measure three spelling components underpinning Standard English: phonology, orthography and morphology. For the first phase of the study, the instrument was tested on a calibration sample of 381 students from Grades 3 to 6, aged between 8 and 12 years. Two versions of the test were recursively developed for Grades 3 and 4 (Pseudo-word-G-3-4) and Grades 5 and 6 (Pseudo-word-G-5-6). In the second phase of the study, the calibrated instrument was validated on a different sample of students in Grades 3 and 4 (n = 224) and Grades 5 and 6 (n = 233). The instrument shows high reliability (0.79–0.92) across the spelling components. A key feature of the instrument is that it affords three specific measures of spelling to align with Triple Word Form Theory. This instrument can be used by teachers to screen students with difficulties in spelling and resultantly plan for targeted instruction in school contexts. It can also be used as a measure of spelling ability for experimental, developmental and correlational research purposes. This novel instrument fills a gap in spelling ability research literature by providing the first pseudo-word metric to assess 8- to 12-year-old students’ phonological, orthographic and morphological spelling skills.

10 citations


Cited by
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01 Jan 2016
TL;DR: The using multivariate statistics is universally compatible with any devices to read, allowing you to get the most less latency time to download any of the authors' books like this one.
Abstract: Thank you for downloading using multivariate statistics. As you may know, people have look hundreds times for their favorite novels like this using multivariate statistics, but end up in infectious downloads. Rather than reading a good book with a cup of tea in the afternoon, instead they juggled with some harmful bugs inside their laptop. using multivariate statistics is available in our digital library an online access to it is set as public so you can download it instantly. Our books collection saves in multiple locations, allowing you to get the most less latency time to download any of our books like this one. Merely said, the using multivariate statistics is universally compatible with any devices to read.

14,604 citations

01 Jan 2014
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of a two-year data-based decision-making intervention on student achievement growth were investigated, and the results suggest that the intervention especially significantly improved the performances of students in low socioeconomic status schools.
Abstract: Despite growing international interest in the use of data to improve education, few studies examining the effects on student achievement are yet available. In the present study, the effects of a two-year data-based decision-making intervention on student achievement growth were investigated. Fifty-three primary schools participated in the project, and student achievement data were collected over the two years before and two years during the intervention. Linear mixed models were used to analyze the differential effect of data use on student achievement. A positive mean intervention effect was estimated, with an average effect of approximately one extra month of schooling. Furthermore, the results suggest that the intervention especially significantly improved the performances of students in low socioeconomic status schools.

85 citations

DissertationDOI
01 Jan 2019
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored teacher beliefs, practices and influences relating to the teaching of writing in the early years of schooling, and found that teachers are influenced by their own individual approaches to teaching writing and these approaches are underpinned by a complex dynamic of personal beliefs, knowledge, self-knowledge and vision.
Abstract: The research problem underpinning this study concerns the paucity of research examining teacher beliefs about the teaching of writing and associated classroom practices. Consequently, the evidence is elusive concerning what contributes to the enactment of teaching writing and how teachers engage students and foster writing development. This research explores writing pedagogy with a focused exploration of teacher beliefs, practices and influences relating to the teaching of writing in the early years of schooling. Three contributing research questions focus the conduct of the study: 1. What do teachers believe about the teaching of writing in the early years of schooling? 2. What practices do teachers employ in the teaching of writing in the early years of schooling? 3. What influences teacher writing pedagogy in the early years of schooling? This doctoral research is significant because: • It contributes to the limited research in the domain of writing by documenting teacher beliefs and practices, providing important insight into what happens at the micro-level of the classroom; • It contributes to the quantum of knowledge about writing practices from the perception of the classroom teacher; • It contributes to the pedagogical understandings about what promotes students’ writing development; and • It contributes to an understanding of what influences teachers’ writing pedagogy. An epistemological framework of constructionism underpins this study, as it explores teacher beliefs and practices about the teaching of writing in a context in which teachers reflected on their own understandings and the meanings they constructed (Crotty, 1998). An interpretivist design is adopted to interpret and understand both how the teachers construct their practice and the meanings they attach to their actions in the teaching of writing (Denzin & Lincoln, 2011). Symbolic interactionism is adopted, allowing the research to be conceptualised within these contexts, to comprehend how teachers understand their writing pedagogy within their worlds (Charon, 2007). Case study (Miles & Huberman, 1994) is the methodology chosen to orchestrate the data gathering strategies of teacher interviews; participant observation including writing lesson observations, field notes and teacher interviews; and teacher artefacts. Participants in this study included primary school teachers from Catholic primary schools in the archdiocese of Brisbane who were teaching early years classes during the time of this study. Purposive selection (Patton, 1990) was employed to select teachers purposively for their specialist knowledge and experience concerning writing pedagogy in the early years of schooling. Therefore, a number of purposive processes were adopted in order to engage with informed participants. Constant comparative analysis (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) was employed to examine the data. Further, Approaches to Writing Pedagogy: A Conceptual Lens (Graham, 2009), was utilised in further analysis and synthesis of the data within this study. The conceptual lens identifies four approaches that inform teachers’ writing pedagogy, including pragmatic, eclectic, philosophical and epistemological approaches. The conceptual lens and subsequent discussion about the six teacher participants’ approaches are presented in this thesis, illuminating important influences on teachers’ writing pedagogy. This research generates conclusions that contribute new knowledge and understandings about the teaching of writing in the early years. This study concludes that: 1. there are a multiplicity of beliefs underpinning an individual teacher’s writing pedagogy. These beliefs are informed by teachers’ own education, teaching experience and their understandings about how children learn to write and how children learn more generally; 2. teachers believe students are the primary influence on their writing pedagogy and and differentiate writing instruction to respond to the needs, interests and abilities of their students; 3. there are multiple influences informing teachers’ writing pedagogy. These influences include personal beliefs, knowledge of theory, systemic influences, their personal journey, students, and personal approaches; 4. similar influences inform teachers’ pedagogical choices, but they do so differently; 5. teachers are influenced by their own individual approaches to teaching writing and these approaches are underpinned by a complex dynamic of personal beliefs, knowledge, self-knowledge and vision. Teachers may be categorised according to their approach using Approaches to Writing Pedagogy: A Conceptual Lens (Graham, 2009). The teachers in this study identify as being pragmatic, eclectic, philosophical or visionary in their approaches to teaching writing; and 6. teachers make sophisticated pedagogical choices which include engaging in multiple practices that they believe are fundamental for teaching writing in the early years of schooling. Teachers: • cater for individual differences by offering children opportunities to write at their developmental levels and considering varying abilities when teaching writing; • engage children in writing as a social practice; • employ the learning environment creatively to foster writing development; • teach writing as an integral part of literacy; • teach explicitly the skills and strategies needed to write; • employ a functional approach to teach grammar; • employ a multifaceted and functional approach to teach spelling; and • teach children to write digitally alongside print literacy through engagement with new technologies and new literacies. The collective orchestration of each of these practices increases student motivation, fosters writing development and contributes to students being successful writers.

43 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Analyzing the didactic functionality of a chatbot to improve the results of the students of the National University of Distance Education (UNED / Spain) in accessing the university in the subject of Spanish Language showed that the students in the experimental group substantially improved the results compared to the students with a more traditional methodology.
Abstract: The objective of this article is to analyze the didactic functionality of a chatbot to improve the results of the students of the National University of Distance Education (UNED / Spain) in accessing the university in the subject of Spanish Language. For this, a quasi-experimental experiment was designed, and a quantitative methodology was used through pretest and posttest in a control and experimental group in which the effectiveness of two teaching models was compared, one more traditional based on exercises written on paper and another based on interaction with a chatbot. Subsequently, the perception of the experimental group in an academic forum about the educational use of the chatbot was analyzed through text mining with tests of Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), pairwise distance matrix and bigrams. The quantitative results showed that the students in the experimental group substantially improved the results compared to the students with a more traditional methodology (experimental group / mean: 32.1346 / control group / mean: 28.4706). Punctuation correctness has been improved mainly in the usage of comma, colon and periods in different syntactic patterns. Furthermore, the perception of the students in the experimental group showed that they positively value chatbots in their teaching–learning process in three dimensions: greater “support” and companionship in the learning process, as they perceive greater interactivity due to their conversational nature; greater “feedback” and interaction compared to the more traditional methodology and, lastly, they especially value the ease of use and the possibility of interacting and learning anywhere and anytime.

33 citations