Funded, Ongoing Research
Institute of Education Sciences, 2014 - 2017. Funded: $1,470,000
Proctor, C.P. (PI), Silverman, R.D., & Harring (co-PIs). The CLAVES Intervention Project: Developing a Supplemental Intervention for Comprehension, Linguistic Awareness, and Vocabulary in English for Spanish Speakers.
Building on findings from prior IES-funded Exploration grant, we will develop and evaluate the feasibility and potential efficacy of CLAVES (Comprehension, Linguistic Awareness, and Vocabulary in English and Spanish), a supplemental intervention for fourth grade Spanish-English bilingual learners who are acquiring language and literacy in English. In addition to explicit, text-based instruction in semantics, syntax, and morphology, CLAVES will include collaborative discussions and ongoing linguistic supports and scaffolds. CLAVES will be designed for use by any teachers with specialized training in teaching bilingual learners.
Boston College Collaborative Fellows, 2014 – 2017. Funded: $150,000
Brisk, M.E., O'Dwyer, L., and Proctor, C.P. (co-PIs). "The Russell Way": Study of ELL students in mainstream classrooms.
Researchers at Boston College have collaborated with a K-5 Boston Public school for 6 years to prepare teachers and develop: 1) genre-based curriculum for writing connected with English language arts (ELA), science, and social studies instruction; and 2) awareness and understanding of how to foster student discussions around academic texts from pre-K through to fifth grade. The goal of the proposed study is to examine how ongoing changes at Russell, that have occurred through collaboration with BC faculty (Brisk and Proctor), are related to literacy and language proficiency outcomes for bilingual students from pre-K through fifth grade. The central focus of the work is on students who are considered to have language development (LD) levels 1-5, usually referred to as English language learners (ELLs).
Boston College Teaching and Mentoring, 2014 - 2015. Funded $15,000
Proctor, C.P. & Cochran-Smith (co-PIs). Teaching and Mentoring International Doctoral Students and Doctoral Students of Color.
Developing a series of workshops for faculty that will focus on enriching and “internationalizing” Lynch School of Education (LSOE) faculty's curriculum and also on developing teaching, advising and mentoring skills with respect to issues surrounding academic writing in a US university culture. The proposed series will be directed by the project co-PIs and will involve a core group of 12 LSOE faculty participants. An important part of the project will also be systematic documentation of what we learn about the needs of international students and students of color and about ways faculty can support these needs by engaging in particular teaching, advising and mentoring practices.
Office of Special Education Programs, 2013 - 2015. Funded: $88,785
Partnership between Boston College and the Center for Applied Special Technology (www.cast.org). National Center on the Use of Emerging Technologies to Improve Literacy Achievement for Students with Disabilities in Middle School. The Center will research and develop a technology-rich learning environment that makes it possible for schools to provide personalized literacy support and instruction across content areas to students throughout the school day.
Proctor, C.P. (PI), Silverman, R.D., & Harring (co-PIs). The CLAVES Intervention Project: Developing a Supplemental Intervention for Comprehension, Linguistic Awareness, and Vocabulary in English for Spanish Speakers.
Building on findings from prior IES-funded Exploration grant, we will develop and evaluate the feasibility and potential efficacy of CLAVES (Comprehension, Linguistic Awareness, and Vocabulary in English and Spanish), a supplemental intervention for fourth grade Spanish-English bilingual learners who are acquiring language and literacy in English. In addition to explicit, text-based instruction in semantics, syntax, and morphology, CLAVES will include collaborative discussions and ongoing linguistic supports and scaffolds. CLAVES will be designed for use by any teachers with specialized training in teaching bilingual learners.
Boston College Collaborative Fellows, 2014 – 2017. Funded: $150,000
Brisk, M.E., O'Dwyer, L., and Proctor, C.P. (co-PIs). "The Russell Way": Study of ELL students in mainstream classrooms.
Researchers at Boston College have collaborated with a K-5 Boston Public school for 6 years to prepare teachers and develop: 1) genre-based curriculum for writing connected with English language arts (ELA), science, and social studies instruction; and 2) awareness and understanding of how to foster student discussions around academic texts from pre-K through to fifth grade. The goal of the proposed study is to examine how ongoing changes at Russell, that have occurred through collaboration with BC faculty (Brisk and Proctor), are related to literacy and language proficiency outcomes for bilingual students from pre-K through fifth grade. The central focus of the work is on students who are considered to have language development (LD) levels 1-5, usually referred to as English language learners (ELLs).
Boston College Teaching and Mentoring, 2014 - 2015. Funded $15,000
Proctor, C.P. & Cochran-Smith (co-PIs). Teaching and Mentoring International Doctoral Students and Doctoral Students of Color.
Developing a series of workshops for faculty that will focus on enriching and “internationalizing” Lynch School of Education (LSOE) faculty's curriculum and also on developing teaching, advising and mentoring skills with respect to issues surrounding academic writing in a US university culture. The proposed series will be directed by the project co-PIs and will involve a core group of 12 LSOE faculty participants. An important part of the project will also be systematic documentation of what we learn about the needs of international students and students of color and about ways faculty can support these needs by engaging in particular teaching, advising and mentoring practices.
Office of Special Education Programs, 2013 - 2015. Funded: $88,785
Partnership between Boston College and the Center for Applied Special Technology (www.cast.org). National Center on the Use of Emerging Technologies to Improve Literacy Achievement for Students with Disabilities in Middle School. The Center will research and develop a technology-rich learning environment that makes it possible for schools to provide personalized literacy support and instruction across content areas to students throughout the school day.
Completed Projects
Institute of Education Sciences, 2009-2013. Funded: $1,400,000.00
Silverman, R.D. (PI), Proctor, C.P. (Co-PI), & Harring, J. (Co-PI). Investigating Vocabulary Breadth and Depth and Comprehension in English Monolingual and Spanish-English Bilingual Elementary School Students. Three-year collaborative grant between Boston College and the University of Maryland with the goal of investigating the development of vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension, and the instructional factors that affect that development, among a sample of monolingual English and bilingual Spanish-English students.
U.S. Department of Education, 2007-2012. Funded: $1,490,000.00
Páez, M. (Co-PI), Homza, A. (Co-PI), Brisk, M.E. (Senior Adviser), & Proctor, C.P. (Language and Literacy Specialist). Teaching Academic Language in the Content Areas: Enhancing Achievement for English Language Learners. The two overriding goals of this 5-year grant are to: 1) Improve the Lynch School’s teacher education program by better preparing all teachers to provide effective instruction to bilingual learners; and 2) Support high-quality professional development for elementary and secondary content teachers in language and literacy development of bilingual learners. While not a principal investigator on this project, I was part of the grant writing effort and have worked with Drs. Páez and Homza to create and deliver the curriculum that was the hallmark of the first year of the grant.
Institute of Education Sciences, 2005 – 2008. Funded: $1,500,000.00
Dalton, B. (PI), Proctor, C.P., & Snow, C.E. (Co-PIs). Improving Comprehension Online (ICON): Understanding the Roles of Vocabulary Development, Guided Strategy Use, and Spanish Language Supports in a Digital Reading Environment. The Center for Applied Special Technology, Boston College, and Harvard University collaborated to develop and test a digital reading environment designed to improve English vocabulary and comprehension among culturally and linguistically diverse students in urban schools. One study was conducted each year, culminating in a final quasi-experimental test of the prototype versus a control condition. The products developed over the course of the project included an Internet-delivered prototype with embedded learning supports and assessments, teacher training materials, a curriculum guide, and researcher-designed vocabulary measures.
Boston College, 2008-2009. Funded: $15,000.00
Proctor, C.P. (PI). Promoting Biliteracy: An instructional pilot to preserve Spanish literacy in an English-only setting. One year project with the Northeast School in Waltham, Massachusetts. We are working with a fourth grade structured English immersion program that serves predominantly Spanish-speaking immigrant students. The goal of the project is to develop Spanish literacy in the service of heightening students’ awareness of similarities and differences between Spanish and Englis to promote English literacy development.
Silverman, R.D. (PI), Proctor, C.P. (Co-PI), & Harring, J. (Co-PI). Investigating Vocabulary Breadth and Depth and Comprehension in English Monolingual and Spanish-English Bilingual Elementary School Students. Three-year collaborative grant between Boston College and the University of Maryland with the goal of investigating the development of vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension, and the instructional factors that affect that development, among a sample of monolingual English and bilingual Spanish-English students.
U.S. Department of Education, 2007-2012. Funded: $1,490,000.00
Páez, M. (Co-PI), Homza, A. (Co-PI), Brisk, M.E. (Senior Adviser), & Proctor, C.P. (Language and Literacy Specialist). Teaching Academic Language in the Content Areas: Enhancing Achievement for English Language Learners. The two overriding goals of this 5-year grant are to: 1) Improve the Lynch School’s teacher education program by better preparing all teachers to provide effective instruction to bilingual learners; and 2) Support high-quality professional development for elementary and secondary content teachers in language and literacy development of bilingual learners. While not a principal investigator on this project, I was part of the grant writing effort and have worked with Drs. Páez and Homza to create and deliver the curriculum that was the hallmark of the first year of the grant.
Institute of Education Sciences, 2005 – 2008. Funded: $1,500,000.00
Dalton, B. (PI), Proctor, C.P., & Snow, C.E. (Co-PIs). Improving Comprehension Online (ICON): Understanding the Roles of Vocabulary Development, Guided Strategy Use, and Spanish Language Supports in a Digital Reading Environment. The Center for Applied Special Technology, Boston College, and Harvard University collaborated to develop and test a digital reading environment designed to improve English vocabulary and comprehension among culturally and linguistically diverse students in urban schools. One study was conducted each year, culminating in a final quasi-experimental test of the prototype versus a control condition. The products developed over the course of the project included an Internet-delivered prototype with embedded learning supports and assessments, teacher training materials, a curriculum guide, and researcher-designed vocabulary measures.
Boston College, 2008-2009. Funded: $15,000.00
Proctor, C.P. (PI). Promoting Biliteracy: An instructional pilot to preserve Spanish literacy in an English-only setting. One year project with the Northeast School in Waltham, Massachusetts. We are working with a fourth grade structured English immersion program that serves predominantly Spanish-speaking immigrant students. The goal of the project is to develop Spanish literacy in the service of heightening students’ awareness of similarities and differences between Spanish and Englis to promote English literacy development.