Abstract Assessment results from rural schools have shown little improvement in over a decade, mainly because many of the barriers to learning, such as poverty and limited resources, still prevail. Without the necessary English language skills, language can become another barrier to learning. The assessment results of Progress in International Reading Literacy Studies (PIRLS) in 2011 and 2016 reinforce the need for instructional practices to address the difficulties learners’ experience with English in primary school. The aim of our study was to provide a detailed analysis of how English as a second language is taught, to guide policy makers in developing the instructional skills of teachers in rural settings, and consequently to improve the educational outcomes of the learners. A comparative case study was used to provide evidence-based descriptions of the teachers’ instructional practices from three Grade 3 classes. Findings indicated that language instruction appeared to focus on the structural components of language, compromising the development of the independent academic language skills needed to make the transition in Grade 4 to English as the language of learning and teaching. The results of this research can inform the planning and monitoring of future literacy development initiatives, and thereby, improve assessment results of learners.

中文翻译：

---

在三个农村小学班级教授英语为第二语言的案例研究

摘要农村学校的评估结果在过去的十年中几乎没有改善，主要是因为仍然存在许多学习障碍，例如贫困和资源有限。没有必要的英语语言技能，语言会成为学习的另一个障碍。2011年和2016年国际阅读素养研究进展（PIRLS）的评估结果强调，需要采取教学实践来解决学习者在小学英语学习方面的困难。我们研究的目的是对英语作为第二语言的教学方式进行详细分析，以指导政策制定者发展农村地区教师的教学技能，从而改善学习者的教育成果。进行了比较案例研究，对三个3年级班级的教师教学实践进行了循证描述。调查结果表明，语言教学似乎侧重于语言的结构成分，损害了将4年级过渡到英语作为学习和教学语言所需的独立学术语言技能的发展。这项研究的结果可以为将来的扫盲发展计划的规划和监测提供信息，从而改善学习者的评估结果。削弱了将4年级过渡到英语作为学习和教学语言所必需的独立学术语言技能的发展。这项研究的结果可以为将来的扫盲发展计划的规划和监测提供信息，从而改善学习者的评估结果。损害了将4年级过渡到英语作为学习和教学语言所需的独立学术语言技能的发展。这项研究的结果可以为将来的扫盲发展计划的规划和监测提供信息，从而改善学习者的评估结果。