Education Commons^™

Addressing English Learner Teacher Shortage: Conceptualizing Collaborative Efforts Between K–12 Schools And Higher Education, Rui Niu-Cooper, Tom Reeder, Mayda Bahamonde-Gunnell, Shirley Johnson, Carol Lautenbach

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

With the rapid increase of English Learners (ELs) in K–12 schools, school districts are struggling to find ways to meet the needs for EL teachers. One approach to address the shortage is to build teacher capacity by collaborating with higher education institutions where English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher preparation programs are offered. However, such collaborations are expensive to local schools due to the credit hours that those programs require.

In this paper, comparing the contexts in the State of Michigan and the State of New York, we describe a partnership experience between a university in Michigan and its …

Making It To The Next Grade: How Elementary School Principals Make Sense Of Grade Retention Policies For English Learners, Lynmara Colón

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Critical approaches to policy suggest that policy, even in the most apparently democratic polity or institution, codifies and extends the interests of those who disproportionately wield power (Levinson et al., 2009). While many people are involved in conversations and decisionmaking processes related to the implementation of grade retention or promotion policies, the final decision is made at the school level. Critics of grade retention, meanwhile, also warn that retained students may be harmed by stigmatization, reduced expectations for their academic performance on the part of teachers and parents, and the challenges of adjusting to a new peer group (Schwerdt et …

Schools’ Civil Rights Obligations To English Learners: Leadership Perceptions On Key Issues, Pamela R. Schwallier

Dissertations

English Learners (ELs), who now represent nearly 10% of all K-12 public school students, 4.8 million of who speak over 400 different languages and dialects, continue to lack equitable educational opportunities as demonstrated through gaps in achievement outcomes, poor graduation rates, and identified systemic barriers related to the intersectionality of language, culture, race, and racism (Crump, 2014; DeMatthews & Izquierdo, 2017; Menken & Solorza, 2015; Morita-Mullaney, 2018; National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition [NCELA], 2015, 2018). This quantitative study captured over 800 K-12 educational leaders’ perspectives, via an anonymous electronic survey, on key issues regarding equitable programs for ELs that …

Language – Liberation – Leadership The Identity Reconstruction And Lived Experiences Of Subaltern (Non-Elite) Learners Of English In Pakistan, Aamir Hasan

Dissertations

English enjoys an unassailable position of dominance in the world today, especially as the language of leadership. In most of the developing world, fluency in English is a must for meaningful employment and leadership opportunities. Yet English is the preserve of a tiny elite class, who use it as a first language. For the vast majority, the prospects for learning English are bleak. However, some individuals not hailing from the elite classes acquire the language through personal effort and perseverance. Yet, researchers have not studied this population.

The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experiences of non-elite …

An Urban High School’S Response To A Demographic Shift, Tristian Cox

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

With the increasing numbers of Latino English Learners in United States, school educators are tasked with how to better service this population of students. New immigration destination schools are being affected by challenges that come with this increasing population of students. High schools that are experiencing demographic shifts from being predominantly African American to Latino are not prepared to meet the needs of these students. Moreover, additional challenges that arise with this group of students involve addressing their socio emotional and acculturation needs. This qualitative study examined how key personnel in an urban high school responded to a swift …

Understanding High School English Learners’ Chronic Absenteeism, Patricia A. George

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Chronic absenteeism has significant implications for both the individual student and society at large and has been receiving attention for over a century. Every school day counts. Regular attendance provides students with opportunities to learn and has a strong link to achievement. Conversely, poor attendance has serious implications for high school students. For each subgroup of students there is a similar pattern: the likelihood of chronic absenteeism increases as students progress through high school. Notably, the U.S. Department of Education found English learners experience higher chronic absenteeism than their non-English learner peers when they reach high school. Furthermore, compared to …

The Impact Of Immigrant Native And English Language Literacy Proficiency On Parental Involvement And School Practices, Kristi Wiese

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The study measured perceptions of immigrant English learner parents’ native and English language literacy proficiency levels, reported challenges affecting native and English language literacy proficiency levels, and reported the effect of native and English language literacy proficiency levels on parental involvement in three Minnesota schools. Research questions were answered through analysis of data from two surveys administered to immigrant parents of English learners and K-12 public school administrators.

The study found that 92.2% of immigrant parent participants, combined, had either some or much involvement in their child’s education. The majority of non-involved participants, 69.7%, chose the lack of English language …

Perspectives And Expectations Of Native Spanish-Speaking Parents About Their Children's Education In An American Elementary School, Franklin D. Rothwell Ii

Educational Studies Dissertations

This qualitative study inquired about the perceptions of Spanish-speaking immigrant parents about their children's experiences in a Massachusetts elementary school, the expectations they have for their children's education, and their understanding of their role with regards to their children's education. The phenomenological design and analysis concentrated on parents' lived experience as they and their families interacted with the school. Thirty-eight parents of English learners participated in answering a questionnaire and ten were later interviewed. Findings reveal that parents of English learners face obstacles in understanding American schooling and often rely on information from others and comparisons with their own previous …

A Quantitative Comparison Of The Reading Achievement Of English Learners In Dual Language And Transitional Bilingual Programs, Shajaira P. Lopez

Dissertations

One of the goals of bilingual education research is to identify programs that have shown to be effective in increasing the English proficiency of English learners (ELs). The purpose of this archival comparative study was to conduct a quantitative comparison of the English reading achievement of third grade ELs enrolled in dual language education (DLE) programs to those enrolled in transitional bilingual education (TBE) programs in order to determine which program is more effective in improving the reading proficiency of third grade ELs in the Chicago Public Schools. The data analyzed in this study were the 2010-2014 reading scores on …

Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students' Standardized English Literacy Achievement And Language Redesignation Status: A Multiple Regression Analysis, Matthew R. Weyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The initial No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation stated that by 2014 all students would reach proficiency in all subjects. However, this has not been the case as NCLB has had mixed effects for culturally and linguistically diverse students (CLDs) (Hopkins, Thompson, Linquanti, Hakuta, & August, 2013). Language redesignation policies, often termed reclassification, can be considered a significant contributor as the variation in policies and practices alone has led to significantly different achievement for CLDs across the country (Hill, Weston, & Hayes, 2014; Mahoney & MacSwan, 2005) and has created an expansive achievement gap with their non-CLD White counterparts (Reardon, …