Digital Commons Network^™

Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Student And Family Perspectives On Using Augmentative And Alternative Communication Devices, Saili S. Kulkarni, Jessica Parmar

Faculty Publications

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices are essential to children with disabilities that result in complex communication needs (CCN) to fully participate in social and academic realms of life. As the numbers of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) learners in schools increase, so does the imperative to better inform instruction for CLD students who use AAC devices. This paper reviewed N=14 articles that emphasized CLD students who use AAC devices and their families. Implications highlighted that Euro-American culture dominates many aspects of AAC use, assessment, and professional recommendations. Additionally, there are limited perspectives of AAC users and families from CLD, …

Journal's Genesis, María Corral-Ribordy, Carlos Molina

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

Full Issue

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

Breaking The Language Barrier, Jessica Hall, Philip Krummrich

Celebration of Student Scholarship Poster Sessions Archive

No abstract provided.

The Degree Of Parental Awareness Of Their Children's Language-Building Readiness Strategies And The Degree Of Practicing Them And Its Relationship With So Variables, Sami Mohammad Hazaimeh

International Journal for Research in Education

Abstract:

This study aimed to detect the degree of awareness of parents in the United Arab Emirates of their children's language-building readiness strategies and the degree of practicing them from their perspectives and its relationship with the parents' educational qualification and economic situation. The researcher prepared a measure consisted of (51) items and distributed it to the study sample which consisted of (115) parents who were chosen by using simple random sampling technique and distributed according to the study’s variables. After the implementation of the study and the analysis of its data, the results showed that the degree of …

Prenatal Care Providers’ Perspectives And Practices: Informed Consent For Hiv Screening Among Latinas With Limited English Proficiency In South Carolina, Edena G. Meetze

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Abstract

The rapid increase in Latinos in South Carolina that has occurred within the past 15 years is associated with both in-migrationand high birth rates. Limited ethnic-specific data and communication barriers betweenLatinas with limited English proficiency have contributed to difficulties in assessing theprovision of recommended routine prenatal HIV screening among this vulnerablepopulation. This qualitative descriptive study examined providers' perceptions andpractices related to obtaining informed consent for routine HIV screening for pregnantLatinas with limited English proficiency. Findings indicate the need for focused educational interventionswith providers and patients and implementation of culturally and linguistically tailoredpractice guidelines to improve patient understanding and acceptance …

Understanding The Support Needs Of Minority Women With Heart Disease, Everly Macario Sc.D., M.S., Ed.M., Heather Z. Montague Ph.D., Susan M. Campbell M.P.H., Yukari T. Schneider Ph.D., M.P.H., Jennifer H. Mieres M.D.

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects minority women disproportionately. WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease sought to determine effective ways to support non-Caucasian women with CVD. We surveyed women of color living with CVD to understand their unique CVD-related support needs.

Methods. 514 non-white women (100 Hispanic, 180 African American, 104 Asian, 107 Indigenous, 23 multiracial) with CVD from 46 states responded to a 55-question survey (online/telephone, English/Spanish) 8/28/15 through 9/11/15.

Results. Among respondents not currently attending support groups, 80% were interested in attending support groups. Of WomenHeart services, respondents were most interested in online message boards. Among …

Making Meaning Of Chinese International Graduate Students' Experiences In The Journey Of Learning English In The United States, Feng Qi

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

This study focuses on how Chinese international graduate students make meanings of their experiences through everyday social communication with native English speaker to make adjustment to their new lives. Grounded on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theoretical framework, this study is conducted by the case study method to present the target group of students’ understanding of barriers encountered in social communication and their interpretation of the relations between self and the environment. Perezhivanie shed light on exploring the participants’ different attitudes and interpretation of the same life issues with the increasing length of residence in the United States. By experiencing a range of …

Providing Equal Opportunity To Learn Science For English Language Learners: The Role Of Simulated Language Learner Experiences In Teacher Preparation, Angela W. Webb, Estanislado S. Barrera Iv

Catalyst: A Social Justice Forum

English language learners (ELLs) are the fastest growing student population in our nation’s public school systems; yet, preservice and inservice teachers are commonly underprepared to teach science effectively to this group of students. Though obviously inequitable, providing ELLs with poor or subpar science instruction denies them their civil right to equal opportunity to learn science. In this paper, we discuss simulation as a promising way to prepare preservice elementary teachers to plan and deliver quality science instruction and robust opportunities to learn to ELLs.

Reaching For The Heart: An Analysis Of Language As A Weapon Of Empathy For Three Capetonians, Sarah Mcdonald

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In this paper, I examine the role that cross-cultural language study plays in the lives of three Capetonians in order to explore its capacity to foster empathy between people of different backgrounds. Framed in the context of South African history and modern academic discourse around language use in educational and public spaces in the country, I present the stories of my three interviewees and analyze particular experiences that they relayed in order to trace trends of empathy and understanding through their language use.

Through my discussion of this qualitative data, I reach the conclusion that language can be an effective …

Beyond Social Justice For The African American Learner: A Contextual Humanistic Perspective For School Counselors, Lacretia Dye, Lashonda B. Fuller, Monica G. Burke, Aaron W. Hughey

Counseling & Student Affairs Faculty Publications

African American students’ ability to persist in an educational system that has historically viewed them as uneducable is a testament to their persistence and resilience. The authors provide a brief historical overview of how African American students have been treated since they were first brought to what later became the United States. A social justice framework is discussed as a solid foundation for addressing current inadequacies, with emphasis on the need for school counselors to move beyond their traditional understanding of the so-called “achievement gap.” Using a contextual humanistic approach, the authors suggest micro and macro level action steps that …

Using Collaborative Discussions In College Classrooms, Komako Suzuki

Dissertations

The purpose of the current study is to investigate whether an open-format, small group discussion approach, Collaborative Reasoning (CR), positively affects the English language development of college English as Second Language (ESL) students. According to Zhang and Dougherty Stahl (2011), CR is an approach to discussion that makes use of small groups and is designed to encourage students to become more intellectually and personally engaged.

In order to measure the effectiveness of the CR approach in English classes with ESL students, data were collected from the six classrooms at an international English language institute at a university in the southeastern …

The Influence Of Culture On The Use Of Healthcare Services By Refugees In Southcentral Kentucky: A Mixed Study, Chika N. Ejike

Dissertations

The world as a global village has become a ubiquitous trope in the popular discourse, and Bowling Green, Kentucky, with its substantial immigrant population, may be considered an exemplar of this idealized community. It has become an ideal location for research regarding the challenges faced by immigrants. Due to the diverse cultural identities of the refugee/immigrant population, it is particularly well suited for studies into complex culturally dependent healthcare utilization patterns.

The central research question for the study was as follows: What are the healthcare-seeking behavioral patterns (as influenced by culture) among refugees at their nearest healthcare facilities? This mixed …

The Impact Of Program Structure On Language Acquisition And Intercultural Competence: A Comparative Study Of Study Abroad Programs In Kunming, China, Samantha Bergman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

According to the Project Atlas study conducted by the Institute of International Education, China is the world’s third most popular study abroad location. With over 390,000 international students currently studying in China, there are more opportunities for cultural exchange and mutual understanding than ever before. However, there is still relatively little existing research on how different study abroad program structures impact students’ Chinese language skills and cultural literacy.

This study examined the impacts of experiential learning and intensive language study abroad program structures on students’ language acquisition and intercultural competence development. Two study abroad programs based in Kunming, SIT China: …

From Descendants Of Refugees To First-Generation College Students: The Untold Story Of Southeast Asian American College Students’ Lived Experience, Vunsin Hiew Doubblestein

Dissertations

Aggregate data on Asian Pacific Americans (APAs) may show APAs to have exceptionally high educational attainment and economic mobility compared to other racial groups (Museus & Buenavista, 2016). In reality, various APA sub-groups face significant obstacles to academic access and success and are found at both the highest and lowest levels of the achievement, as well as educational attainment and income spectrums. In spite of the growing awareness of and scholarship on the complexity of APA student experience in higher education, there is limited research on Southeast Asian Americans (SEAAs) who have come to the U.S. as refugees, the circumstances …

Neighbors Link's Parent-Child Together Program: Supporting Immigrant Parents' Integration To Promote School Readiness Among Their Emergent Bilingual Children, Carola Otero Bracco, Judith Eisenberg

Publications and Research

The authors of this article describe Neighbors Link, a multi-service community and worker center in suburban Westchester County, NY. This organization created Parent-Child Together in the belief that supporting immigrant parents' integration and social inclusion, in activities that also engage long-term community residents, would improve school readiness outcomes for preschool children. A key assumption in the program design is that immigrant parents are best supported when teaching respects their home language and incorporates their home culture and customs. Among the program's positive results has been greater acceptance of the assets and strengths that immigrants bring to the community. The community, …

Southeast Asian American Community: Improving Students Literacy Performance Through The Involvement Of The After School Literacy Enrichment Program, Kalia Lee

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This research was influenced by the Author’s personal experience with literacy practices and education. The question addressed in this capstone is, how to improve third grade literacy performance through the involvement of the After-School Literacy Enrichment Program? The capstone explores a sense of encouraging positive behavior, self-esteem, and motivation with our culturally diverse students as well as connecting with our students on a genuine level. The capstone cover the history of the two Southeast Asian groups; Hmong and Karen/Karenni leading onto the disparities and challenges in the United States. By providing a culturally responsive classroom as well as becoming a …

Decreasing The Social Gap Between English Language Learners And Native Speakers Of English, Rachel Loayza

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This paper discusses the social gap between English Learners and native speakers of English and the importance of inclusion. EL students experience isolation in school today and share few positive social experiences with their non-EL peers, although some schools have had some success increasing the inclusion. Through a Systematic Literature Review this research attempts to find out whether teachers and administrators can have an affect on the frequency of intercultural social experiences. Heterogeneous classrooms emerged as the strongest factor for inclusion and pull-out ESL programs emerged as the strongest barrier to inclusion. Future research including international locations, a larger list …

How Mindsets Matter: Second Grade, English Language Learners’ Reportings Of Their Experiences With A Growth Mindset Curriculum In Colombia, Amanda Brooks

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, classroom action research was conducted in a private bilingual school in Colombia with seventeen participants. The research questions were: 1) How do second-grade Colombian English language learners report changes to their Growth Mindset qualities following a six-week Growth Mindset intervention? and 2) How do second-grade Colombian English language learners perceive their language learning ability following a self-evaluation of Growth Mindset qualities? The research fills a gap in existing literature on three similar topics: Growth Mindset and academic achievement for adolescents and adults, conditional self-worth for children six and younger, and attribution theory and language learning for adolescents. One …

Mathematics Vocabulary: Teaching Tier 3 Language Of Math Fractions To English Learners, Emily Grove

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This capstone sought to research vocabulary instruction techniques and strategies in the upper elementary classroom. The need for specific instruction and activities was identified and described. Several relevant sources were cited including August, Calderòn and Beck, resources and techniques used traditionally in the language arts classroom were also applied to the mathematics classroom. A curriculum addendum was created and described in detail. This curriculum and approach to teaching mathematical vocabulary terms in the 4th grade fractions unit can be altered to different vocabulary terms for other units of instruction outside of the mathematics classroom. Strategies and techniques described include interactive …

Interactive Videos As A Vocabulary Pre-Teaching Tool In Middle School Science, Kimberly Severson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of interactive video instruction to teacher-led direct instruction for pre-teaching science vocabulary to newcomer middle school ELs. The second phase of the experiment utilized interactive videos to pre-teach science vocabulary in a flipped learning environment. This study was influenced by vocabulary experts Beck, McKeown, and Kucan, as well as R. E. Mayer, multimedia learning expert. Data collection included pre-tests and post-tests of expressive and receptive vocabulary knowledge, as well as a student survey to determine ease of use, students’ perceived learning and satisfaction with the type of instruction. Results from …

English Learners’ Oral Production Of Math Vocabulary In A Play-Infused Kindergarten Classroom, Meagan Reissy

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that ELs’ vocabulary knowledge is an important basis for building communication skills in a second language, as well as a strong predictor of later academic skills. High quality vocabulary instruction is crucial and the literature emphasizes direct instruction techniques with words that are intentionally selected (Anderson & Nagy, 1993; Christ, 2007; Silverman & Crandell, 2010). However, little research has been done in kindergarten classrooms that teach through a play-based curriculum which avoids extensive amounts of direct instruction. This qualitative casestudy of two ELs in a kindergarten classroom using the Angry Birds Playground (ABP) framework to guide curriculum and …

Teaching Listening For Prominence In Combination With Reading To Help Students Determine New Information, Margaret Genereux

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess whether teaching adult English Language Learners (ELLs) to listen for new information spoken with prominence on the target new information increased their ability to make inferences about meaning. Data collected included: a pre and post-test to assess students’ learning during the intervention; an uptake sheet to solicit students’ self-perception of their learning about pronunciation and placement of new information; and a Likert scale to elicit participants’ self-assessment of their ability to identify and use prominence. While results of the post-test on selecting the correct inference were inconclusive, quantitative and qualitative data indicated …

No.5, April 2017: The Latin@ Teacher Shortage: Learning From The Past To Inform The Future, Magaly Lavadenz Ph.D., Anaida Colón-Muñiz Ed.D.

Education and Policy Briefs

This policy brief explores trends in U.S. K-12 Hispanic student enrollment vs. the Hispanic teacher workforce as a way to call attention to the bilingual teacher shortage. Successful examples of past efforts to increase the number of Latino and bilingual teachers are reviewed and the following policy recommendations are made: 1) expand investment in grow your own initiatives that recruit students in middle and high school students and emerging educational paraprofessionals into the bilingual teacher pipeline; 2) establish regional teacher preparation and professional learning centers and consortia; 3) offer financial supports; and 4) enhance university-based credentialing routes, internship and residency …

Integrating Cultural Studies Into The Social Studies Curriculum In A First-Grade Chinese Immersion Classroom, Qiong Qin

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The capstone explores the question: “How can first-grade teachers integrate cultural studies into the Social Studies curriculum in a Chinese immersion classroom?” The author frames her study by first sharing her personal experience learning English as a foreign language. Until her American ESL teacher gave her the encouragement and passion to learn a new language in authentic and engaging ways, the author did not enjoy learning the English language. In chapter two, the author draws on research to explain how learning a new language and associated culture helps second-language students grow as learners, as well as increases their overall academic …

The Use Of Graphic Organizers When Writing With Dual Identified El And Ld Students, Katherine Corrigan

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study will focus on the growth and student attitudes and their perceptions of their own ability regarding argumentative and expository writing tasks, specifically in the area of organization and development for dual identified EL and LD Hispanic, middle school students. This study seeks to answer the following guiding questions: Can a graphic organizer help improve organization and development in an argumentative or expository writing task? and How does the explicit instruction and use of an intentionally designed graphic organizer improve student perception of their own abilities and attitudes towards completing an argumentative or expository writing task? The quantitative data …

Defining The Correlation Between Multicultural Training For Pre-Service Teachers And Their Effectiveness In Implementing A Multicultural Curriculum In The Classroom, Lynne Chung

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

As educators, we must hold each other accountable. It begins with how we are initially trained and the ideas we foster into actions that transcend textbooks and ultimately put into effective lessons. More often times than now, pre-service training reflects the values of the dominant society that may lead to perpetuating the status quo. This study aims to define the correlation between multicultural training for pre-service teachers and their

effectiveness in implementing a multicultural curriculum in the classroom. Through in- depth interviews with five practicing teachers in their first- through third-year of

teaching, the study documents their personal experiences with …

"Ewondo In The Classes, French For The Masses." Mother-Tongue Education In Yaoundé, Cameroon., Parker Henry

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Cameroon is home to over two hundred eighty native languages coming from three language families, making it one of the most linguistically diverse countries on Earth. Despite this, native languages hold very few domains in Cameroonian society. In recent years, several experimental programs have begun to implement native languages in schools citing that children learn best in their mother tongue. Among these include ELAN-Afrique, an initiative put forth by La Francophonie with the main aim of helping students better learn French by way of their mother tongue. This paper seeks to differentiate the benefits prescribed or expected by overhead actors …

Un Rescate Incompleto: Los Éxitos Y Limitaciones Del Programa De Educación Intercultural Bilingüe Como Un Proyecto Anticolonialista / An Incomplete Rescue: The Successes And Limitations Of The Bilingual Intercultural Education Program As An Anticolonialist Project, Aviva Thal

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project is an exploration of the Bilingual Intercultural Education Program (EIB) mandated in Chilean schools with a high density of indigenous students. It focusses on the implementation and impacts of EIB in Putre, a small town in the Arica and Parinacota region of Chile where the majority of the residents are Aymara. After gaining the region in the War of the Pacific at the end of the 19th century, the Chilean government waged a violent campaign of forced cultural assimilation known as “Chilenization” against the local Aymara people. The effects of the linguistic repression that occurred during this period …

Hispanic Students' Perceptions Of Success: A Phenomenological Study On The Impact On K-12 Academic Achievement, Rodney Stephens

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the impact of Hispanic learners’ perceptions of success on their completion of secondary/post-secondary studies. The following served as a guiding research question: How do the perceptions of success among male and female Hispanic high school completers/non-completers ages 18-29 impact their educational pursuits? This qualitative study examined the lived experiences of Hispanic participants through social/cultural contexts framed around Bronfenbrenner’s (1974) ecological systems theory, Vygotsky’s (1978) social learning theory, Rotter’s (1954) social learning, and Bandura’s (2002) social cognitive theory. Participants included 22 Hispanic high school completers/non-completers ages 18-29 who were clients or students …