Abstracts - Earli

classes can be refined and tested across settings with such combined setups. The generatedknowledge can form a major starting point for the professional development and training ofteachers in multicultural schools.Developing teachers’ competences in integrated content and language instructionMaaike Hajer, Utrecht University of Professional Education, NetherlandsContent teachers in classrooms with a high amount of second language learners experiencechallenges in providing high quality content teaching. Different models have been developed thatintegrate language and content learning, but implementation in classroom interaction has shown tobe difficult. This paper reports on a series of case studies, exploring content teachers’ behaviourand thinking, using observational data as well as concept-mapping tasks and stimulated-recallinterviews. Data were gathered in upper primary, secondary and vocational training in differentcontent areas. Some studies included professional development of the teachers. Data analysiscontained description of instructional strategies, using an adapted version of the ShelteredInstruction Observation Protocol (Ecchevaria a.o. 2004). Speech fragments considered typical ofthe interaction were analysed in detail describing the way in which comprehensible input wasprovided, language production was promoted and/or feedback given. As a second step theinterview data were connected to the observations. Teachers’ ideas about language proficiency,language learning and their own role were described. Findings show a close connection betweenpedagogical relations and development of content-integrated approaches. Another finding was apattern in the development of teachers’ commitment, both in thinking and acting in theirclassrooms, which we describe in terms of four hypothetical steps that could be used in the designof professional development programs. Echevarria, J., Vogt, M. E., & Short, D. (2000) Makingcontent comprehensible for English language learners: the SIOP model Boston, Allyn & Bacon.A 1428 August 2007 15:00 - 17:00Room: 0.100ASymposiumOptimizing peer assessment for learningChair: Jan-Willem Strijbos, Leiden University, NetherlandsChair: Dominique Sluijsmans, Open University of the Netherlands, NetherlandsOrganiser: Jan-Willem Strijbos, Leiden University, NetherlandsOrganiser: Dominique Sluijsmans, Open University of the Netherlands, NetherlandsDiscussant: Keith Topping, University of Dundee, United KingdomPeer assessment is an arrangement where equal status students judge a peers’ performance with arating scheme or qualitative report (Topping, 1998) and it is a hot issue in education (Sluijsmans,Brand-Gruwel, Van Merriínboer, & Martens, 2004). In peer assessment, students are considered asactive persons who share responsibility, reflect, collaborate, and conduct continuous dialogue withtheir peers (Boud, 1990; Orsmond, Merry, & Callaghan, 2004). Most studies on peer assessmentfocused on inter-rater reliability to qualify the accuracy of peer assessment as compared to teacherassessment (Falchikov & Goldfinch, 2000). Although many researchers advocate that peerassessment has a positive effect on learning, empirical evidence for learning effects is very scarce– 42 –