Education Commons^™

Understanding Adult English Language Learners' Experience With Self-Regulation In A Blended English Language Course, Karen T. Arnesen

Theses and Dissertations

Self-regulation is necessary for success in any learning context, but for adult immigrants to the United States who are trying to learn English, it is critical. This qualitative research investigated 46 such learners enrolled in a blended English language course. Using Zimmerman’s 6 dimensions of self-regulation as a framework and data from observations, interviews, and reflexive journals, we attempted to understand and describe how these learners experienced self-regulation. We found that although these learners had strong desires to learn English, they lacked the self-regulation abilities that could bring their desires to fruition. They had difficulty transferring their desires to learn …

The Relationship Between English Language Learners’ Mathematics Problem Solving Strategies And The Mathematics Register, Sarah Reeves Frederickson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This case study followed three Hispanic and three Marshallese students’ participation in a seventh grade pre-algebra unit over the course of four weeks. Pre-assessment items indicated that the students had difficulty with aspects of the mathematics register. Their teacher employed an interpretation of the gradual release model of instruction in which direct strategies for translating word problems into equations with unknowns were modeled prior to students doing similar problems on their own. In these situations, students showed some success in solving similar problems. However, post-assessment results indicated that none of the six students were able to successfully solve open response …

The Preparedness Of Teachers In The Midwest Lutheran Synod To Teach English Language Learners: A Case Study In One High School, Ben Troge

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The enrollment numbers of English language learners (ELLs) in U.S. high schools continue to grow. This trend is not exclusive to public schools; many of the Midwest Lutheran Synod’s (MLS) high schools are increasingly enrolling international students. As such, if preservice programs do not prepare teachers to instruct this student population, individual schools must provide the in-service professional development in ELL. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain an understanding of how a group of teachers at one MLS high school that enrolls international students describe how well prepared they were to teach their ELL student population. …

An Effective Methodology For Teaching Writing To Adolescent English Learners, Emily Hadfield

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This creative Honors project involves analyzing research in the area of second language acquisition and writing pedagogies for teaching English learners (ELs). The goal is to integrate several methodologies including the FIVES for Writing strategy and the process-writing approach to create a unit of lesson plans for teaching writing to 9th grade ELs. On examination of the research on pre-service teacher training and teaching writing to ELs, it is clear that there is a gap in the training and teaching of writing, particularly for ELs. This paper will synthesize research on best practices and find an effective methodology for teaching …

Content Area Teaching In Linguistically Diverse Classrooms, Meghan Odsliv Bratkovich

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Educators and teacher educators in the United States have worked for decades to provide English language learners (ELLs) and other linguistically diverse students access to education. While ELLs’ rising high school graduation rates suggest that efforts have helped ELLs access schools, classrooms, and scholastic tasks, more steps need to be taken toward ensuring that linguistically diverse students can also meaningfully access college or 21st century careers.

This qualitative study is at the nexus of language, culture, academic content, literacy, teaching, and teacher education and uses a bricolage approach to examine the teaching of four secondary science and mathematics teachers recognized …

Mainstream Teachers Learning To Teach English Language Learners : Uncovering The Systems Of Teacher Professional Learning, Alma Morel

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In this qualitative study, I followed three teachers as they participated in a sheltered English instruction professional learning initiative planned and implemented by their school district for purposes of preparing middle school science and social studies teachers to teach English language learners (ELLs). I explored the professional learning process of these teachers and how the ideas to which they were exposed in the professional learning initiative moved into their classroom practices, if at all. The study was guided by a complexity perspective, from which teacher professional learning was conceptualized as emerging from nested systems. In general, the study sought to …

Teachers Of Emergent Bilinguals: Professional Growth In The Age Of Compliance, Kelly Cox

Theses and Dissertations

There are differing views of what constitutes teacher learning in the field of education. The case studies presented herein provide a glimpse into the professional learning lives of two elementary school teachers of emergent bilingual students in order to gain a greater understanding of how professional learning links to instructional practices. Set in a suburban public school setting in the southwest, the study incorporated the use of narrative inquiry with data consisting of interviews, observations, reflections logs, and artifacts. Data were analyzed through the lenses of the adult learning theory of andragogy and critical constructivism. The findings of this study …

The Role Of Technology In Bilingual Education: Developing A Culture Of Excellence, Belinda Gomez

Theses and Dissertations

According to the PEW Research Center (2014), Texas' Hispanic population comprises 39% of its overall population, twice the U. S. Hispanic population. Texas Education Agency (TEA) predicts a 14% increase in the next seven years, with a surge of about 40% in its English Language Learners (ELLs) population. Already, it reports Texas experienced a 20% student enrollment growth in the last ten years within the predominately Mexican-Americans in South Texas border. With a perpetual ELL student population increase, bilingual education programs need to consider emerging best practices. This qualitative case study explored the role of technology in bilingual education, focusing …

How Do Teachers, Counselors, And Administrators Describe Their Roles In Working With English Language Learners?, Myrtelina Martinez Cabrera

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine, through a social justice lens, how teachers, counselors and administrators describe their roles when working with English Language learners (ELLs). The study was conducted with four (N = 4) general education teachers ranging from grades 9-12, one ESL teacher (N = 1), one counselor (N = 1), and three administrators (N = 3) in one suburban school with a culturally and linguistically diverse student population. Qualitative data was collected through interviews. Results indicated that teachers lacked the necessary pedological skills and training to effectively instruct ELLs. Furthermore, the study revealed …

Challenges With Academic Achievement For Esl Students At The Elementary Level From A Teacher’S Perspective, Julie Xu

All Theses And Dissertations

English language learners (ELLs) are currently one of the fastest growing populations in the United States. As growth of the ELL population has surpassed predictions over the years, there a great need to adequately train teachers to effectively serve these students. This pilot study sought to understand the challenges with academic achievement for ESL students at the elementary level from a teacher’s perspective. This case study research was conducted to answer four research questions: 1) What current challenges do teachers have with serving ELLs? How are they currently addressing these challenges? 2) What (if any) current instructional strategies are currently …

Impact Of Language Program Model On Third-Grade English Language Learners’ Proficiency In Literacy, Alecia Roberts

Education Dissertations and Projects

Demographics within U.S. public schools have seen a drastic change over the years from the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954) which integrated schools to the current increase in English Language Learners (ELLs) within the classroom. The U.S. is known to be a melting pot, and the present-day classrooms are a clear example of this phenomenon; however, with the increase in demographics of the U.S. classrooms, ELLs are falling significantly behind their peers in reading achievement. Thus, this study examined the impact of traditional, dual-language, and full immersion settings on North Carolina third-grade ELLs’ proficiency in …

Parent Involvement In Contested Times: A Brief Analysis Of The Effects Of Anti-Immigrant Policies On Latinx Immigrant Parent Involvement, Maria Isabel Morales

CGU Theses & Dissertations

How do perceived community and school cultural values affect Latinx immigrant parents’ decisions to engage with their children’s schools? What lessons might their experiences have for our understanding of parent involvement beyond the parameters of traditional models of parent involvement? Engaging parents as advocates for school success in the home is particularly important for English Language Learners (ELs). Tapping into the experiences of EL parents is a resource educators can use to increase parental involvement and, consequently, student academic achievement.

This qualitative case study grounded in Critical Inquiry and Cultural Historic Activity Theory examined the perceptions and experiences of 5 …

Teacher Perspectives On Performance Pay In One Southeastern State, Wendy B. Firtell

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated teachers’ perceptions of a teacher performance-pay initiative. Despite implementing a performance pay initiative at the beginning of the 2015-16 school year, the target school district had not investigated teachers’ perceptions of the initiative. The researcher included a convenience sample of 54 teachers who worked at a Title 1 elementary school located in the southeastern United States.

This applied dissertation used a descriptive survey research design. The researcher found Pre-K, kindergarten, and Grade 1 teachers were slightly more supportive of performance pay initiatives than Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, and Grade 5 teachers (TPPP difference of 0.17 …

Emergent Bilinguals And Academic Language Acquisition Through The Use Of Sentence Frames, Leah Clougherty

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Emergent bilinguals are a growing demographic in the United States, but little research has been completed on certain aspects of language acquisition, such as the commonly known practice of using sentence frames as a means for academic language acquisition in the middle school classroom. In order to learn more about practices being implemented within my own classroom and to add to the body of research on academic language acquisition, I analyzed the effectiveness of student writing with and without use of sentence frames within the existing curriculum in a pilot study utilizing a mixed methods approach.

Transformative Technology For English Language Learners, Lashonda K. Gardenhire

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Across the United States, communities are becoming more linguistically and culturally diverse. Throughout previous times of change, schools have been the bedrock of transforming society and it’s workers. However, if education in the United States is ever going to level the playing field between the affluent and the poor, white students and minority students, native-born and foreign-born, it will not be enough for English Language Learners to simply learn to read and write in English. Educators must reflect on how to adapt their teaching practices for a plethora of student needs. Subsequently, the focus of this paper will specifically be …

Modality As A Reflection Of Pragmatic Competence : Exploring Modification Of Ells' Pragmatic Knowledge Based On The Use Of Modality In The Context Of Peer Feedback, Liya Zalaltdinova

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The aim of the study is to identify characteristic features of modality use as demonstrated by intermediate and advanced English Language Learners (ELLs), to examine the change, if any, in the characteristic set of features of modality use by advanced as compared to intermediate ELLs, and finally to explore the factors triggering identified modality use as demonstrated by advanced ELLs while they provide evaluation and suggestions in the context of peer feedback. This cross-sectional, developmental, mixed-method study of sequential-explanatory design relied on a new theoretical framework to guide research on pragmatic competence – one for all language codes –, a …

Teachers Support For English Language Learners To Build Inquiry Skills In Online Biology Simulations, Hermione Joseph-Orelus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The population of English language learners (ELLs) is on the rise in the United States, but they are lagging behind English speaking students in several subject areas--including biology. Scholarly literature lacks information on how biology teachers use scaffolding strategies to support ELL students with inquiry skills during online simulations. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore how biology teachers support ELLs in learning biology, using biology simulations to promote inquiry learning. The conceptual framework for this study included the constructivist perspective regarding the zone of proximal development, Electronic Quality of Inquiry Protocol, and technology use in science …