Research Foundation
The evidence base that shapes every OMEC module
🧠 Cognitive Science
Cummins: BICS vs. CALP
Students can do complex thinking while developing English proficiency
- BICS: 1–2 years
- CALP: 5–7+ years
Sweller: Cognitive Load Theory
Language processing consumes working memory needed for content learning
OMEC Response
- Parallel access points: full academic English, simplified bilingual, rigorous Spanish
- Same cognitive rigor — variable language support
🌐 L2 Acquisition
Krashen: i+1
Comprehensible input just above current level accelerates acquisition
García: Translanguaging
Students draw on one integrated linguistic repertoire — all language resources matter
L1 Scaffold Research
First-language support accelerates, not hinders, second-language development
OMEC Response
- Bilingual materials throughout
- L1 recognized as cognitive relief, not crutch
- Validates full linguistic identity
📖 Literacy Instruction
Beck, McKeown & Kucan: Tiered Vocabulary
Explicit Tier 2 academic vocabulary instruction is essential for comprehension
Duke & Pearson: Comprehension Strategies
Explicit strategy instruction enables deeper engagement with complex texts
Pearson & Gallagher: Gradual Release
"I do, we do, you do" — structured movement toward independence
OMEC Response
- Embedded vocabulary instruction
- Scaffolded comprehension strategies
- Complex texts with structured supports
✍️ Academic Language
Zwiers & Gibbons: Academic Discourse
Explicit instruction in academic language structures is necessary, not optional
Graff & Birkenstein: They Say / I Say
Making argument templates explicit lowers barriers to academic writing
Toulmin: Argument Structure
Recognizable patterns make academic argument learnable and teachable
OMEC Response
- Artifact-Construction Model
- Pressure-Type Analysis framework
- Sentence stems as temporary scaffolds
🧩 Curriculum Design
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression serve all learners
Teacher Autonomy Research
Scripted curricula undermine teacher effectiveness; flexibility is essential
Open Educational Resources (OER)
Open resources promote equity and teacher collaboration across contexts
OMEC Response
- "Lego-style" modular design
- Teacher decision-making preserved
- Completely free and open-source
🌱 Cultural Responsiveness
Paris & Alim: Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy
Sustain and nurture students' cultural and linguistic practices — don't erase them
Moll, González & Amanti: Funds of Knowledge
Students bring deep cultural assets that instruction should build upon
Freire: Critical Literacy
Literacy as a tool for understanding and transforming the world
OMEC Response
- Diverse authors centered
- Multilingualism treated as asset
- Pressure-Type Analysis examines systems of power