Digital Commons Network^™

The Efficacy Of Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (Siop) In Mathematics Instruction On English Language Learner Students, Jose L. Vidot

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies by the National Association for Educational Progress found that English Language Learner (ELL) students perform poorly compared to other students on standardized mathematics exams. The research problem addressed how Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) affected the instructional practices of high school mathematics teachers. The purpose of this evaluative case study approach was to explore the extent to which the implementation of SIOP influenced mathematics instruction in a mid-sized rural high school. The conceptual framework for this study was formed by combining Krashen's i+1 nativist theory for language acquisition through comprehensible input, Long's interactionist theory for acquisition of knowledge and …

Influential Factors That Affect Retention And Language Acquisition In Beginning Esl Adults Students, Luis Manuel Rodriguez-Garcia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the problem of student attrition in beginning courses of an Intensive English Program (IEP) that may affect the sustainability of the IEP. The purpose of the study was to understand the perceptions of continuing students and the factors that influenced their motivation and engagement to persist studying in the IEP. Constructivism and behavioral social learning theory guided this study. The research problem addressed the need for students to remain in IEPs and achieve second language acquisition. The research questions were designed to learn what instructional approaches motivated and engaged participants to persist in successive introductory courses. A …

The Role Of In-Service Teachers In Pre-Service Teacher Preparation For Multicultural Education, Diane Smith Grych

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. population is rapidly diversifying, with the expectation that culturally diverse groups---including students---will outnumber European Americans by the year 2050. In contrast, public school teachers are expected to remain largely middle class, female, and Caucasian. Most multicultural education research has focused on cultural diversity in urban education settings. However, a gap in the literature has existed regarding student diversity and teachers' culturally responsive teaching in predominantly rural areas. In this study, Appalachian elementary school teachers shared their perspectives and experiences on effective multicultural teaching. An important gap has been bridged by using a 3-part theoretical framework, based on critical …

Perceptions Of Access To Education: Inclusion And Exclusion For Non-Karen Refugees In Mae La Camp, Matthew Gross

Capstone Collection

Mae La refugee camp on the Thai/Burma border is the largest of the seven “Karen” refugee camps in the area and is considered the center of education for refugees. Continued fighting inside Burma between the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and the ethnic armies as well as the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis in 2008 have greatly altered the demographics in Mae La refugee camp. Perceptions of Access to Education: Inclusion and Exclusion for Non-Karen Refugees in Mae La Camp attempts to understand, through qualitative data, how non-Karen speaking refugees perceive their access to education. Is education in Mae …

Multilingual Education In South Africa: The Role Of Publishers, Viv Edwards, Jacob Marriote Ngwaru

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

The South African constitution and related legislative tools provide a supportive framework for multilingual education. Successful implementation, however, requires appropriate learning materials and questions remain as to the vision and commitment of publishers to producing them. Based on an analysis of currently available books for children and interviews with publishers and key figures in the book value chain, this paper explores both the educational rationale for African language publishing and the issues that constrain expansion. These issues include the heavy dependence on the schools market in a society where the majority of the population cannot or do not buy books, …

A Study Of Turkish And English Refusal Speech Acts With A Secondary Examination For Bi-Directional Language Transferrals, Morgan Jerome Moody

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

It has been found that when students learn new languages, certain aspects of their native language can transfer to their L2 in usage and the L2 may alter the usage of the native language. One method used to examine the possibility of transfers between languages, or compare languages, is the discourse completion task (DCT). The present study examines the linguistic past of Turkey. The current study had monolingual Turkish speakers, monolingual English speakers of North America and bilingual Turkish/English individuals in Turkey as participants. The results of the present study show differences as well as similarities in the way that …

Exploring Call Options For Teaching Efl In Vietnam, Nhon Thanh Dang

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Research has demonstrated that computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has the capacity to enhance second language learning. Therefore, in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts like Vietnam, the government has invested in computers in schools as a way to address the lack of quality in education. However, Vietnamese EFL teachers have made little or no use of these computers. The purpose of this Alternate Plan Paper (APP) is to assist Vietnamese ESL teachers in choosing appropriate CALL programs. I select some of the most effective, user-friendly, and cost-effective CALL options for language areas and language skills. The options are selected …

What Is The Level Of Investment By International Students In The Us In English Language Learning Outside The Classroom? What Are The Factors That Affect Their Investment?, Youssouf Magassouba

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Upon their arrival in the United States, International students' interactions with the target language group outside classroom situation constitute one of their biggest social experiences. Their adjustment to their new environment creates some problems. Their experience of adjustment is manifested differently as some may suffer from differences in cultures in relation to the American cultural values, while some may just feel homesick and become lonely. Other may suffer from the loss of their status back home and may not regarded by their American peers as they should be. The paper seeks to understand the complex nature of international students' exposure …

Implementing Computer-Assisted Language Learning In The Teaching Of Second Language Listening Skills, Jesse Gene Greenleaf

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

With the advent of new technology, more programs become available for the integration of technology inside second language classrooms. Especially exciting, is the enhancement that such tools allow in the skill of listening. For years, listening comprehension has been taught through the use of audio cassette tapes that do not provide an authentic setting for adequate acquisition. To help develop an effective way to teach listening to second language students, this paper researched how computer-assisted language learning (CALL) could be used in listening instruction in order to enhance outcomes. To research this, a qualitative study that included the observations of …

Implementing A Sheltered Science Course In An Iowa High School, Erin Holt Johnson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

English Learners (ELs) entering U.S. schools at the high school level face the enormous challenge of acquiring academic literacy as well as secondary-level content in a relatively short period of time. This difficulty is compounded by the fact that a significant number of the ELs entering at the secondary level are students with limited or interrupted formal educations as a result of family migrations, unequal schooling in their home countries, political unrest or even war. In response to this pressing need to teach language and content simultaneously, many school districts are adopting the sheltered instruction (SI) model. This paper will …

Best Practices For Collaboration Between Esl And General Education Teachers, Mike Burgess

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The research begins with a historical overview of ESL service models and explores how different types of collaboration between ESL and general education teachers impact student learning. The historical overview section delves into the origins of ESL and how ESL has evolved since its inception. Also included is information about how ESL programming has changed in response to the type of English Language Learners it serves. The next focus is on the recent trend toward close collaboration between ESL and general education teachers in terms of program effectiveness and the overall strengths and weaknesses of different models.The paper closes with …

An Evaluation Of Writing Samples By English Learners In Special Education, Brett Patrick Frayseth

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate if there was any pattern in the types or frequencies of errors made within writing samples produced by English Learners (ELs) in special education and whether those patterns differentiated them from ELs not in special education or whether there was commonality between the types or frequencies of errors made by ELs in special education and native-English speakers in special education. The intent is that once a pattern is recognized that the written work of ELs can help aid in determining placement in special education. The quantitative method was applied in this study. …

Beginning With El Barrio: Learning From Exemplary Teachers Of Latino Students, Jason G. Irizarry, John Raible

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

This study draws from data collected through phenomenological interviews with a group of urban teachers identified as “exemplary” by Latino students, parents, and community members. The authors critically examine the participants’ biographies and document factors they cited as most germane and influential to informing their practice with Latino students. The article concludes with a discussion of barrio-based epistemologies and ontologies, or ways of being and knowing that are informed by extended immersion in and connection to Latino cultural and linguistic communities, particularly as they are developed explicitly and leveraged to improve educational experiences and outcomes for Latino youth.

Navigating The Waves Of Social And Political Capriciousness: Inspiring Perspectives From Dream-Eligible Immigrant Students, Amanda Morales, Socorro Herrera, Kevin Murry

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

This article examines the psychological and sociological impacts of the proposed Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act and instate tuition legislation on DREAM-eligible students in the Midwestern United States. The researchers sought to capture the lived experiences of undocumented immigrant students through their rich interpretations of current immigration policy and how participants described their situation, their identity, and their dreams in relation to the volatility of their external environment.

Resumen: Este manuscrito examina el impacto psicológico y sociológico del propuesto Acto de Desarrollo, Asistencia, y Educación para Menores Extranjeros (DREAM) y la ley de educación para …

Selecting Ell Textbooks: A Content Analysis Of Language-Teaching Models, Jeffrey Labelle

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

Many middle school teachers lack adequate criteria to critically select materials that represent a variety of L2 teaching models. This study analyzes the illustrated and written content of 33 ELL textbooks to determine the range of L2 teaching models represented. The researchers asked to what extent do middle school ELL texts depict frequency and variation of language-teaching models in illustrations and written texts. Using content analysis, they measured the range of depiction of the 4 language-teaching models and concluded that 4 of the 33 textbooks had considerable to extensive frequency and variation of L2 teaching models

Schooling And The Everyday Ruptures Transnational Children Encounter In The United States And Mexico, Edmund T. Hamann, Víctor Zúñiga

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Using examples of students in Mexico who used to attend US schools and examples from Georgia of students who used to and might again attend Mexican schools, this chapter considers how an unremarkable, quotidian activity—the act of attending school—can become means for transnationally mobile children to experience shock, disconnection, and a reiterated sense of dislocation if schools are incompletely responsive to learners' biographies.

The World Englishes Paradigm And Its Implications For International Students' Acquisition Of Standard American English For University-Level Studies In The United States, Karen Applequist Clement

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Because English, as the predominant international language, is now used in many different forms and contexts globally, attitudes are changing towards variety in English, the construct of English proficiency tests, and methods of teaching English. This paper addresses the fact that many students of English are exposed to non-standard indigenized or lingua franca Englishes, thus potentially marginalizing them in their efforts to succeed on international tests of English based on standard American or British conventions. It examines non-standard grammatical features of world Englishes, summarizes the results of studies on bias in English proficiency tests, and details suggestions for best teaching …

Scaffolding English Language Learners' Reading Performance, Lolita D. Mckenzie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

English language learners (ELLs) spend a majority of their instructional time in mainstream classrooms with mainstream teachers. Reading is an area with which many ELLs are challenged when placed within mainstream classrooms. Scaffolding has been identified as one of the best teaching practices for helping students read. ELL students in a local elementary school were struggling, and school personnel implemented scaffolding in an effort to address student needs. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine how personnel in one diversely populated school employed scaffolding to accommodate ELLs. Vygotsky's social constructivist theory informed the study. Research questions were …

Improving K-12 Ell Students' Comprehension Of Academic Text, Peggy Lynn Linsmeier

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Successful acquisition of academic English is dependent upon a multitude of cognitive, linguistic, and educational variables, all based on the socio-cultural perspectives and powers that regulate what occurs in the classroom. The function and meaning of academic texts may be lost on the student with limited knowledge and experience with academic social contexts. The teacher must work within the confines of societal and educational boundaries. The provision of experience, motivation, and opportunities for interaction is highly beneficial, in addition to explicitly teaching vocabulary and learning strategies. A functional linguistics approach, delivered through Readers' Workshop, based on the work of Aguirre-Munoz …

Building A Learning Community Within The Constraints Of Open Enrollment, Megan Pugh

MA TESOL Collection

            This paper introduces the ways in which the challenges of open enrollment ESL programs affect both students and teachers and the importance of group cohesion in adult learning.  The effects caused by open enrollment can be abated by building a strong community of learners through involving new students to build a sense of belonging to the class, meeting the needs of individuals within the group, having a supportive learning environment, and using selected best teaching practices to build community.  With the solutions proposed in this paper, teachers can meet student needs and the negative effects of open enrollment will be …

Developing Culturally Responsive Preservice Teacher Candidates: Implications For Teacher Education Programs, Rose Gilmore Skepple

Online Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to examine how the teacher education program impacts preservice teacher candidates' knowledge of culturally responsive teaching and the implementation of these practices in their classroom. For the purposes of this study, a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach was utilized to collect and analyze data through semi-structured interviews, focus groups and surveys. The participants in this study were (n=82) elementary preservice teachers and (n=11) teacher educators who taught a professional education course or supervised field or clinical experiences. This mixed method study was fourfold. First, this study sought to examine preservice teacher candidates' perceptions of the teacher …

Essential Elements Of Effective Practices For English Learners, Karen Cadiero Kaplan, Ph.D., Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D., Elvira G. Armas, Ed.D.

Education and Policy Briefs

One of the most powerful variables for English Learner success is the quality of their teachers. This policy brief published by Californians Together (1) provides a synthesis of effective practices for instructing ELs; (2) presents four research-based essential elements critical for EL program implementation, teacher reflection, and monitoring of teacher effectiveness; and (3) concludes with program and policy recommendations. Three key areas for policy action are prioritized: (1) District and state level policies must require that local and state leadership support the implementation of these essential elements; (2) Alignment of fiscal and human resources must be targeted to ensure that …

Using Peer Review To Promote Writing Development In Esl Classes, Dira Thokwane

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The aim of this Alternate Plan Paper was to explore whether peer review promote writing development in ESL classes. Recent literature on peer review presented conflicting results in relation to its use in ESL writing classes. Some studies reported that peer review had positive effect on students' academic performance; others argued that peer review could not be trusted as teaching technique. However, most of the reviewed literature argued in favor of peer review. Carr (2008) stated that peer review is an important teaching strategy in which students read and make comments about their peers' written work. Carr (2008) also stated …

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words: Integrating Sequential Narratives Into An English Language Learner's Curriculum, Cira Michelle Montoya

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The following thesis aims to explore the subject of using comics in the classroom, particularly with English Language Learner (ELL) students. Do the images, vocabulary, and contextual cues found within comics and graphic novels positively affect language comprehension and writing skills of ELL students when these texts are integrated into a tailored curriculum? Within my research I have composed an extensive literature review comprised of two major sections. The first section aims to highlight the use of comics to assist struggling readers, again focusing on ELL students. The second section compiles a list of comics and graphic novels I reviewed …

Dual Language Programs And Reforming Education In The El Paso Independent School District, Richard Varela

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

My thesis is a work dealing with dual language education and the current bilingual programs that are ineffectively currently implemented throughout the El Paso Independent School District (EPISD). My work calls for the reforming of bilingual education and equity in curriculum, effective programs and equity in usage of primary language.

Multilingual Theatre: Community Value And Future Education Necessity, Diana Milree Garles

Honors Program Theses

This project is the culmination of my two passions: theatre and language. For me, these two things are priceless pieces of human identity, whether used consciously or not. I imagine there are very few people who have never played a role, or portrayed a certain character to embody a facet of their personality. I believe this research presents a natural, practical option for community and educational development through the use of theatre techniques. Language is a supporting element in theatre, and theatre can use language as an educational tool for exposure and for further understanding of many different cultures and …

Perspective Shifting In Relative Clauses By Elementary-Aged Spanish-English Bilinguals: A Cross-Linguistic Study, Xigrid Tayri Soto

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Language-specific theories of sentence processing suggest that individuals interpret sentences based on the characteristics of their native language (e.g., Bates & MacWhinney, 1989). As such, competing linguistic cues are taken into account (including word order, morphology, and animacy) and the cue selected is most likely to yield a correct interpretation in the native language. However, research in this area has produced conflicting results. MacWhinney (2005) has proposed that examining the role of perspective shifting in sentence comprehension may demonstrate how cognitive and syntactic factors work together to facilitate sentence comprehension. The aim of the current study is to investigate the …

Middle School Transition: How It Affects The Achievement Of Hispanic Students Relative To Ell Status, Socioeconomic Status, Gender, And Previous Test Scores, Kevin D. Gordon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the phenomena of middle school transition and achievement as it relates to Hispanic students. According to the 2000 U.S. census, there are more than 35 million registered Hispanic citizens. Of those, 3.6 million are public school students. The literature indicated that there was a marked regression in student achievement during the transition to middle school.

Through the use of descriptive statistics and regression analysis, sixth grade Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) reading and math developmental scale scores (DSS) were analyzed to determine if the mean achievement improved or declined after the transition …

Descriptive Representation, Representative Bureaucracy And Bilingual Education Policy: Examining Implementation, Victoria Marie Ibáñez

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

In this study, I examine the factors that influence school districts’ commitment to implement ESL (English as a Second Language) education in compliance with the federal Bilingual Education Act of 1968. To explain variation in implementation effort, I focus on several features of the local implementation environment, including the role of Latino descriptive representation. Utilizing data on all public school districts in Texas, I employ a Heckman two-stage estimation procedure that accounts for factors that influence school districts’ decisions to implement bilingual education programs as well as factors that affect the amount of resources school districts are willing to allocate …

Being And Becoming Public School Teachers: Career Mobility Of Chinese Overseas-Trained Teachers In The San Francisco Bay Area, Lily L. Chow

Doctoral Dissertations

Teacher shortage and retention has persisted in the United States for decades. Ethnic minority teachers are underrepresented in public K-12 schools as well as teachers for English learners. Untapped pools of overseas-trained teachers who are lawful permanent residents exist but are unemployed, underemployed, or working in other fields. To earn a local teaching credential, the immigrant bears the burden of proving equivalent knowledge and skills to re-enter her or his profession in the United States. At the time of this study, there was no research about overseas-trained immigrant teachers entering the teaching profession for primary and secondary public school students …