The Study Of Webquests For Ells

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Given our focus on the learning opportunities for secondary students for whom English is an additional language, our inquiry arose from a desire to investigate whether existing WebQuests that met March's (2008) and Dodge's (2001) standards of quality contained elements that would make them appropriate for use with ELLs. In examining eight selected WebQuests, which were recommended for secondary classrooms, we found that in spite of being rated highly, most lacked the linguistic supports that ELLs are likely to need. Therefore, Sox designed a rubric to help educators focus on three elements of support for ELLs.

The main purpose of this rubric is to identify WebQuest features that are especially beneficial for ELLs and point out features that may hamper ELLs' comprehension. Sox grouped the elements of "WebQuest design into three main features: linguistic, multimedia, and organizational (see Figure 2). Next, she provided specific strategies to improve each of the features, and last, she Breitling Replica provided a rating for each of the three features ...
... on a scale of 1 (ineffective) to 4 (very effective). See the adapted rubric in Figure 2.

1. Linguistic Features
The rubric criteria for this category focused on the language used throughout the WebQuest. Because the WebQuest is a student-centered activity, it is essential that all directions be clearly and concisely written—especially for ELLs. One should avoid using flowery and convoluted language, opting instead for short sentences, simple tenses, and direct commands. Colloquialisms, phrasal verbs like get together and think up should also be avoided, as they are often not directly translatable from one language to another. WebQuests receiving a score of "4" for linguistic features, therefore, would contain language that predominantly, if not entirely, followed these guidelines.

2. Multimedia Features
The use of illustrations, graphic organizers, trade books, and audiovisual resources provide scaffolding, making the content information more easily accessible for ELLs (Echevarria et al., 2000). WebQuests were rated on whether the web resources incorporated video and audio clips, interviews, interactive maps, and so forth, which would enhance access to information for ELLs. In addition, the authors recognized Web resources that provide first-language support, including online bilingual dictionaries and sites with content in multiple languages. Finally, the use of visuals, including clip art and downloadable photographs appearing on the WebQuest, was considered. Careful placement of visuals to enhance comprehension of the instructions or key vocabulary used in the WebQuest is also important for improving comprehension for ELLs. Photographs and clip art can be used to build the background knowledge of ELLs as well. Thus, a WebQuest that received a "4" on the adapted rubric would include access to multiple modes of information and make the most of Internet resources, and would include only those photos and visuals that were specifically relevant to the completion of the cumulative product.

3. Organizational Features

Adapting texts by chunking information, highlighting content vocabulary and words essential to understanding directions, as well as by providing graphic organizers for note-taking and planning the final product, help to improve comprehension of ELLs in the classroom (Chamot & O'Malley, 1994; Echevarria & Graves, 2007). Organizing the text throughout a WebQuest can be easily accomplished by adding spaces between paragraphs and numbering or bulleting key information. Using different sizes and formatting options for fonts should also be used to call attention to important content vocabulary and key information within the instructions of the WebQuest. Providing scaffolding for the web resources should also be included.

ELLs' learning can be scaffolded by including a brief description of what they would be likely to find on the site next to each link and by adding links to the most relevant websites for each step of the process throughout the WebQuest, rather than by listing them on a separate page. Finally, it is important to ensure that all links are current and that they lead students directly to the page with the appropriate information. This is an essential part of the organization of the WebQuest. Without it, students will likely waste time surfing irrelevant information or encounter the Omega Replica Watches frustration of dead or incorrectly typed links. Although this aspect of organization is beneficial for all students, it is crucial for ELLs, who may have difficulty understanding all the information on a site because of their level of English proficiency. Therefore, a WebQuest that received a "4" on the adapted rubric would use formatting features consistently to highlight key concepts, aspects of the instructions, and for breaking the text into smaller, more manageable pieces. In addition, resources would be organized to facilitate the completion of the task throughout the steps of the process.