Education Commons^™

An Ethnographic Interpretation Of Latino Perspectives On Family Engagement In Education, Mary Beth Pollema

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

In this period of intense demographic change and educational reform that strongly emphasizes the imperative of family engagement, yet implicates minority culture parents as not being involved, it behooves the field of education to take a closer look at the rigidity that schools utilize in their normalized perceptions and practices of parental involvement. Effective involvement can consist of a number of different activities, but only a few are acknowledged in educational discourse. Therefore, it is important to hear the perspectives of families of other cultures in order to bring to light new understanding that will assist schools in building stronger …

Work And Rest: Cultural Lessons From A Semester Abroad, Sam Roskamp

Staff Work

"I sometimes wonder what the cost of the U.S. work culture has been. Have we become so fueled by work, success, busy schedules, and growth that we even created the phrase, 'time is money'?"

Posting about learning from other cultures from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/be-still/

Letters From Spice, Ashley Huizinga

Student Work

"From now on, I expect the unexpected. The internet doesn’t have all the answers."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­one student's cross-cultural experience from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

http://inallthings.org/letters-from-spice/

Cooperative Learning In Today's Bilingual Classrooms, Heath Swanson

Master of Education Program Theses

This research study examined the strategy of cooperative learning and whether or not it is an effective strategy for English Language Learners (ELLs). Previous studies have shown that by utilizing cooperative learning groups, each ELL student is enabled with an opportunity to work in a team with other students who have already gained proficiency with the language. The group dynamic of cooperative learning not only provides a supportive environment for learning new content and acquiring English language skills, but also helps to foster friendships and social development (Holt, Chips, & Wallace, 1991) This research study looked specifically at how cooperative …

Beauty Of Diversity And The Problem Of Multiculturalism, Paul Fessler

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

A biblical view of diversity celebrates all of God's people from all different ethnic groups as the image-bearers of God.

Is It Simply A New Language Or Is It A Learning Problem?, Lynda M. Warner

Master of Education Program Theses

English Language Learners (ELLs) have been over-identified for placement into special education classes for more than 20 years. Causes include a lack of precisely defined constructs for disabilities, funding methods used by states, failure to follow federal legislation, weak prereferral systems to special education in schools, a huge influx of non-English speaking students to the classroom, and a lack of training amongst teachers. Correctly identifying ELLs who also need special education is difficult, but teachers can safeguard against improper identification by taking into account the social, educational, cultural, and language aspects of students' special circumstances, i.e., the needs of the …

Comparison Of Academic Progress And Social Development For Retained And Socially Promoted Spanish Speaking Children In An International English-Medium School, Mavis A. Runia

Master of Education Program Theses

This two-year study was designed to investigate the effects of grade retention on a child's academic progress, English proficiency, and social development. All students (n=17) were native Spanish-speaking children, living in a Spanish speaking country, learning in an English-medium school. Each retained child was matched with a child in a control group and a child in a socially promoted group, based on age, sex, Sanford Achievement Test scores, and final reading, language, and math scores. The Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (PHSCS) and the Comprehensive Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary Test (CREVT) were administered in the fall and spring for two consecutive …