Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Effects Of Positive Behavioral Supports On Disciplinary Practices In Schools And It's Potential To Mitigate Disproportionality In Disciplinary Outcomes For African American Students, E'Lexus Emily King

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Disproportionality in special education and school discipline in the U.S. Education system has been a crucial and complex issue. Research has shown that evidence-based interventions that lie within the positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) framework has been effective in improving educational outcomes for all students. In this study, the author investigated the impact of the School-Wide Benchmarks of Quality, a PBIS fidelity measure, on student disciplinary outcomes. 380 schools presented four years of disciplinary outcome data. Results showed that the PBIS fidelity measure had a modest effect on the overall student disciplinary outcomes but did not address the disproportionate …

Critical Pedagogy And Participatory Democracy: Creating Classroom Contexts That Challenge "Common Sense." A Response To "The Political Nuances Of Narratives And An Urban Educator's Response", Lilia D. Monzó, P. Zitlali Morales

Democracy & Education

In this response to “The Political Nuances of Narratives and an Urban Educator’s Response,” the authors applaud Pearman’s critical approach to deconstructing and challenging narratives of heroic figures who single-handedly change the world and agree with him that these narratives restrict the sense of agency that may propel citizens to become actively involved in social change efforts. We argue that it is important to question why these narratives exist and to understand them in light of the hegemonic capitalist structure that exploits the masses in service to the capitalist class. Although we agree with Pearman that democracy is best served …

Building The Dream: Transformational Resistance, Community-Based Organizations, And The Civic Engagement Of Latinos In The New South, Eleanor A. Petrone Dr

Democracy & Education

This article examines how a group of Latino youth living in the Southeast experienced, adapted to, and resisted oppressive social structures within their community through their involvement with youth media. Through the content analysis of a teen radio show produced by and for Latino youth, in conjunction with semistructured interviews and ethnographic field notes, the author investigates how five Mexican-born high school students confronted and attempted to transform the educational practices that served to keep them subordinate. The study posits the community organization that sponsored the radio show as a pedagogical site of resistance and transformation, which provided the students …

“I Didn’T See It As A Cultural Thing”: Supervisors Of Student Teachers Define And Describe Culturally Responsive Supervision, Linda B. Griffin, Dyan Watson, Tonda Liggett

Democracy & Education

Student teaching supervisors can play an integral role in teacher candidates’ ability to understand and enact culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP). However, supervisors may lack the awareness, knowledge, skill, or willingness to serve as culturally responsive supervisors. This paper reports the findings from a qualitative study to find out how supervisors described and supported CRP. We found that supervisors hold unsophisticated views of CRP and face the following challenges enacting culturally responsive supervision: feelings of inadequacy, difficulty talking about race, color-blind orientations, and a tendency to purposefully avoid race talk. We provide recommendations for professional development to address these challenges and …

Culturally Specific Bilingual Arts Integration, Danielle L. Malan

Student Research Symposium

Today's young people are a source of growing social and academic concern. Combined with economic, cultural and linguistic barriers, Latino students are an even greater concern. Studies have demonstrated qualitative improved learning with either arts integration or with bilingual education. After a literature review, there was no conclusive quantitative evidence done prior to this study in 2015, for the benefits of combining the two to use bilingual arts integration as a method for improved learning. Could bilingual arts education improve learning? The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of bilingual arts integration on learning, and the positive …

An Exploration Of Elementary Teachers' Views Of Informal Reading Inventories In Dual Language Bilingual Programs, Laura Ascenzi-Moreno

Publications and Research

This study examines how elementary teachers (grades three through five) in dual-language, bilingual programs (Spanish/English) view informal reading inventories (IRIs) to support their students’ reading growth. The research, conducted in an urban district in the Northeastern United States, draws on interviews with 20 teachers in these programs. One significant finding is that although teachers in the sample collected IRIs in the two languages of instruction, they did not examine English and Spanish reading assessment data side by side in order to construct a unified portrait of their students as bilingual readers. This study highlights the finding that IRIs are currently …

Separate But Not Equal: Questioning La Separacion De Idiomas Of Dual Language Instruction, Tess Leverenz

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This paper is separated into two parts: (1) an investigation and analysis of the separation of languages in dual language schools in the United States and (2) a guide for educators in developing translanguaging spaces within a Spanish/English dual language Unit of Study. The first part of this paper looks at the current popular trend of dual language instruction with the notion that bilingual programs are implemented to serve the interests of the dominant group in society; in this case, White families of privilege. Along this vein, a clear separation of languages in dual language instruction models is seen as …

High School Performance Of Cape Verdean Immigrant Students In New Bedford: A Linguistic Perspective, Mauro S. Dos Reis

Master’s Theses and Projects

The English language (EL) has become the world’s lingua franca. It has entered a great number of countries’ educational systems and it has become a requirement to succeed academically and professionally. Cape Verde is one of the countries that have included EL in their school programs; the quality of the learning process in English is a permanent issue for Cape Verdean schools. In this project, Cape Verdean immigrant students in New Bedford, Massachusetts, who started their high school education in Cape Verde and continued in the New Bedford High Schools will be interviewed in order to explore their integration in …

Parent Motivation Regarding Dual Language Immersion Programs, Bryan W. Taylor

Education Dissertations and Projects

Some consider the current arrangement of public education to be counterproductive to change and improvement. There are those who call for more parental choice when it comes to education. One way to provide more choice is bilingual education, more specifically, dual language immersion.

This study sought to determine if dual language immersion programs are viable choice options. This study also investigated and analyzed motivating factors that led parents to enroll their children in dual language immersion programs. This study involved 91 families from three elementary schools in three North Carolina school districts. Participants were surveyed to determine what factors motivated …

Exploring Effective Reading Strategies That Promote Higher Level Thinking And Comprehension For A Chinese-Speaking College Student, Panyang Wu

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

The purpose of the case study was to explore some effective literacy strategies that prompt higher-level thinking abilities to help one Chinese English as Foreign Language (EFL) student who struggles with academic reading in college classes at a small, liberal arts college. Only one participant named Cathy was involved in the study. Cathy is a Chinese student who studied at college as a regular undergraduate student and had poor performance in her college level literacy class, as indicated by her professors and Cathy herself. Cathy was expected to improve reading comprehension by receiving an intensive one-month reading development intervention, which …

A Language Learning And Teaching Journey: Practicalities And Possibilities, Elizabeth Irene Abell

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Within this portfolio, the reader will find the work that the author has completed over the last two years in the Master of Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program at Utah State University and a demonstration of her professional growth as an instructor over this period of time. The first major part is the teaching philosophy, in which the author discusses: the experiences as a student that have shaped her as a teacher, the various teaching contexts in which she may work in the future, her personal philosophy of language teaching shaped by what she has learned in the MSLT program, …

Second Language Teaching In The Esl Classroom: The Role Of The Teacher, Ariel Serrell Finlinson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This portfolio covers what the author believes to be important teaching practices for a teacher in the English as a Second Language classroom, with a specific emphasis on the role of the teacher. The first section of the portfolio contains the author’s teaching philosophy which describes the author’s beliefs of what constitutes good teaching. The beliefs include the importance of using meaning-bearing and comprehensible input in the classroom, the use of task-based activities to facilitate language learning, and understanding the role of the teacher in the classroom. Following are three artifacts that the author wrote during her time in the …

Traditions And Proficiency Abroad - Spain (Tapas) Program: A High School Study Abroad Program For District 128, Michaela Kendzior

Capstone Collection

As colleges begin to internationalize campuses and global competencies continue to become a demand in the workforce, secondary schools should also aim to internationalize the curriculum and offer international education opportunities to their students. In an effort to do this, I have created the Traditions And Proficiency Abroad - Spain (TAPAS) Program for Community High School District 128 in Illinois. The TAPAS program is a 20-day summer intensive cultural and language immersion program created to maximize learning potential in D128 students. While the program’s focus is on Spanish language and culture education, the orientation and instructional activities have been designed …

¿Como Se Dice “Techie” En Español?: An English Language Development Curriculum To Prepare Latinx High School Students To Enter San Francisco’S Tech Workforce, Caitlin E. Martin

Master's Projects and Capstones

In the age of informational technology being, quite literally, at the touch of a button, the demand for adequate talent in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields is higher than ever, and those who are qualified to supply work in STEM fields are valued, both monetarily and socially, above other professions. In looking at San Francisco, California, a dynamic, diverse, and cutting edge city, on the pinpoint of what is being called the “tech boom”, one can see that technical careers are highly valued in comparison to alternate professions, technical workers are more significantly valued, and therefore, are paid …

Writing Their Way To The University: An Investigation Of Chinese High School Students' Preparation For Writing In English In High Schools, Cram Schools, And Online, Cong Zhang

Open Access Dissertations

In this dissertation, drawing from activity theory, I investigate how Chinese students prepared themselves for undergraduate studies in U.S. universities in terms of English writing from three perspectives: English writing instruction in high schools, private supplementary tutoring (PST) in English writing in cram schools, and experience with writing online and using online resources. On the basis of data from a questionnaire, interviews, classroom observations, and examinations of written materials and a forum, I provide a picture of the writing instruction experience and writing background that Chinese students bring to writing classrooms in U.S. universities. It was found that other than …

Exploring Attitude Transformation: A Grounded Theory Study Of Romanian Teachers Of Roma Students, Laura Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this systematic grounded theory study was to explore the process of change in teacher attitudes toward including Roma (“Gypsy”) students in non-segregated schools in Romania. The theories guiding this study included Mezirow’s (1991, 2000) theory of transformation, Gay’s (2002, 2013) theory of culturally responsive teaching, and Bandura’s (1977, 1997) theory of self-efficacy. These three theories guided this research inquiry into how attitudes change, how teacher attitudes affect beliefs and actions, and how self-efficacy affects teacher attitudes. This study sought to answer the following questions: What is the process of transforming Romanian teacher attitudes toward including Roma students? …

The Importance Of Linguistic Diversity Instruction Within Teacher Education Programs, Rhiannon L. Finney

Honors College Theses

The United States is continuously growing, and as it grows it has become more and more diverse. As diversity increases, awareness of culture becomes a more pressing and important manner. So, while schools have often worked to include and encourage multiculturalism and diversity within their boundaries, one major section has been left out of the equation. The importance of linguistic diversity is vastly misunderstood and left out of teacher education programs, negatively impacting young students, particularly those of traditionally marginalized groups. In order to better prepare prospective teachers and to help provide a real social change in an inherently racialized …

Effects Of An Educational Intervention On Exclusive Breastfeeding Rates In Marshallese Mothers Residing In The U.S., Bentley S. Snider

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Background: The Marshallese are one of the fastest growing migrant populations in the U.S. They have considerable health disparities despite their increasing access to health care. The Marshallese women in this population prefer to breastfeed, but have encountered many cultural barriers that have deterred them from exclusively breastfeeding for a significant amount of time. Breastfeeding is linked to many protective benefits for children’s health, such as decreasing the likelihood of obesity, even into the adult years.

Objective: The purpose was to evaluate the impact on breastfeeding rates through implementation of a culturally significant educational intervention for the …

Guiding Sixth Grade Language Development In Mathematical Content Acquisition Through Student Centered Siop Instruction, Leah Callister

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Mathematics is considered a universal language for students. However, now common core standards require students to explain their conceptual understanding through words, numbers, and verbal explanations. Student proficiency in the universal language is impeded when they do not speak the primary language. It is difficult for the teacher to teach both the academic language and mathematical concepts, when the vocabulary is not accessible to all students. Conversely it is difficult for students to follow the pacing of the class while having to translate and gain a conceptual understanding of the subject. The purpose of this study is to increase student …

The Effects Of Project-Based Learning On The Academic And Linguistic Achievement Of Emergent Bilingual Learners: A Mixed Methods Approach, Melinda Hardy

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods study examined the academic and linguistic impact of teaching emergent bilingual leaners through robotics project-based learning aligned to state standards. Two hundred ten middle school students attending a public charter school in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas participated in the study. Twenty percent of the students were emergent bilingual learners. Qualitative observation notes recorded students’ learning process as they completed an adapted Khan Academy robotics project. The students also completed pre- and post-assessments that quantitatively measured academic and linguistic gains. Emergent bilingual learners grew 20.1% points in academic content and 28.6% points in language development (p …

Student Achievement In Response To Intervention Groups, Allison L. Gardenhour

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify components of Response to Intervention (RTI) groups associated with increased student growth on progress monitoring tests. The relationship between student growth scores and fidelity of implementation scores, types of groups, types of interventionists, group setting, group time, and various demographic groups were examined. Seven hundred fifteen students enrolled in reading and math groups in an RTI program at 8 schools in an Upper East Tennessee school system participated in this study. Ten research questions and null hypotheses were analyzed using Pearson correlations, independent t tests, and one-way Analyses of Variance. Results indicated …

Vocabulary And Sentence Structure In Emergent Spanish Reading, Allison Briceño

Faculty Publications

Dual language and bilingual education programs are increasing in number and popularity across the country. However, little information is available on how to teach children to read and write in Spanish. This article explores some of the similarities and differences in vocabulary and sentence structure in Spanish and English and considers the resulting implications for teaching emergent Spanish literacy. Understanding linguistic aspects of both languages enables teachers to better support the development of biliteracy and bilingualism.

A Case Study Analysis Of Career And Technical Instructors' Development Of Multicultural Self-Awareness Through A Transformative Learning Experience, Cynthia Bezard

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

As U.S. population becomes increasingly diverse, preparing 21st century educators to teach children of diverse racial, ethnic, social class, and language backgrounds is a critical issue in teacher education. This study focused on career and technical education instructors with a business and industry teaching license and minimal or no previous exposure to multicultural education. As career and technical education is at the front line of preparing youth and adults to succeed in today’s workforce it is imperative that career and technical education instructors meet the needs of the diverse student population. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to …

Culturally Responsive Policy In An Urban Headstart Program, Tanya M. Johnson

Dissertations

The purpose of this Culturally Responsive policy is to provide a framework for implementing and enhancing cultural responsiveness in an urban Head Start program. By increasing awareness of culturally responsiveness and providing on-going professional development and resources, the policy will have a significant impact on ensuring that staff are prepared and supported in the implementation of culturally responsive best practices. The policy maintains that culturally responsive pedagogy facilitates and supports the achievement of all students. Teachers must create a culture where all students regardless of their cultural background are welcomed and provided with the best opportunity to learn.

Effects Of Watching Feature Films In English Learning For Chinese College Students, Chun Wang

Multidisciplinary Studies Theses

As the world is experiencing language globalization, English has been playing an important role in this transition. It is important to master English as a language skill in many non- English speaking countries. These learners, have limited authentic English language environment, and Chinese learners face particular challenges because of the differences of cultural and thinking modes. Feature films have been used to help English Language learners to get the opportunities into authentic English environment. This study aims to investigate how watching English feature films impact Chinese college students’ perception on English language learning. 131 Chinese college students from different majors …

Palatalizacion Del Fonema /D/ Ante Vocal Anterior En El Español Como Segunda Lengua De Los Brasileños En El Sur De Texas, Carlos Cornejo

Theses and Dissertations

Este trabajo de investigación se enfocará en la palatalización del fonema dental /d/ antes de las vocales /i/y /e/, por personas de origen brasileño que hablan español en el área del sur de Texas. El estudio se realizará a nueve participantes de origen brasileño, que hablan como L2 el español a los cuales se les hará una entrevista con duración de más de 30 minutos. Los participantes aprendieron el español de diferentes maneras, ya sea de forma académica o de manera independiente. Considerando una transferencia de L1 en la producción del español por lo parecido de estas dos lenguas.

Alzamiento De Vocales Medias En El Español Como L2 De Brasileños En El Sur De Texas, Estela Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

En este trabajo examinaré el alzamiento de vocales en el español como L2 de brasileños en el sur de Texas. Analizaré este fenómeno desde un punto sociolingüístico variacionista. Propongo que el alzamiento de vocales medias en posición átona entre los participantes es afectado por factores lingüísticos y sociolingüísticos. Algunos de los factores lingüísticos que se estudiarán son; posición de vocal, número de sílabas, sonido previo y sonido posterior. Los factores sociolingüísticos que se verán son tiempo viviendo en un país hispanohablante, años de educación formal en español, y primera lengua de pareja. Los resultados serán analizados en el programa estadístico …

Virtual Communities Of Practice For Non-Native K-12 Spanish Educators As Professional Development, Javier Gerardo Gómez

Dissertations

Many world language and culture educators are non-native speakers of the language they teach. Although the current face-to-face professional development sessions do a good job in helping educators acquire technology tools to implement in their world language classrooms, professional development lacks in target language enrichment and providing ongoing collaboration among world language educators who are geographically dispersed. Additionally, the cost of attending state-wide, regional, and national world language professional development is very expensive and thus many world language educators cannot take part in these trainings. Consequently, many world language educators do not have the professional training they need to improve …

An Investigation Of How Districts In One State Identify And Serve Gifted And Talented English Language Learners, Caitlin S. Allison

Curriculum and Instruction Undergraduate Honors Theses

School administrators are constantly looking for ways to make learning accessible for all students, and gifted education is no different. The process of identifying a gifted student is a difficult one at best, only made more difficult with language barriers. However, inattention to gifted English Language Learners can have detrimental effects as feelings of culture shock and homesickness combine with feeling intellectually different than one’s peers. This study investigates the current procedures for identifying and providing for all gifted learners to determine if eligibility and participation is dependent on linguistic ability. The study consisted of interviewing three District Coordinators of …

Teachers' Beliefs And Practices About Grammar Teaching In Public High Schools In Kosovo, Marigona Morina

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many linguists have tried to answer when and how to teach grammar based on research, as well as whether to teach grammar at all. On the other hand, for many teachers, grammar is the backbone of language learning (Sitorus, 2012). This paper analyzes teachers’ beliefs and practices and their relationship regarding grammar teaching in Kosovo’s public high schools. Teachers’ beliefs are resistant to change (Williams & Burden, 1997); knowing what the majority of teachers in Kosovo believe to be true regarding grammar and language teaching can lead to an update on the curriculum of English Language Teaching programs in order …