Digital Commons Network^™

Digital Literacies To Develop Biliteracy: A Case Study Of Latino Students Exploring Multimodal Writing In English And Spanish, Laura Berenice Ramos Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

Schools in the United States are witnessing a rich ethnic and linguistic diversity in their student corpus. Languages spoken by these children vary from state to state; however, Spanish is the second language most spoken after English (Office of English Language Acquisition, 2015). As a nation, there is a tremendous potential for these students to become biliterate or academically proficient in Spanish and English. Furthermore, with the advent of the 21st century, the educational setting is experiencing an increased interest in the integration of technology in education and students are prompted to become digitally literate.

The aim of this exploratory …

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 …

Aac Device Use In School-Aged Special Education Students, Vanessa Medina

Theses and Dissertations

This investigation analyzes how often AAC users typically utilize their devices throughout their day in their school setting. A survey method was implemented where elementary school educators were asked to report on their special education students use of their device during their school day. To identify special education educators' perceptions regarding the use of AAC devices in the public-school system, special education educators in the public-school system were contacted via email to conduct a survey in regard to current practice in their school setting regarding AAC use.

A letter of consent was obtained from the University of Texas Rio Grande …

En La Guarida/Where The Wolves Eat The Lion, Jose Rodriguez Ventura

Theses and Dissertations

En la Guarida/Where the Wolves Eat the Lion is a work in the tradition of Latin-American hybrid literature. It transitions between prose, poetry, and prose-poetry, as it details the family history of its narrator and traces the South-to-North crossing Mexican immigrants undertake in order to pursue a better life north of the Reynosa/Hidalgo border. The thesis details the difficult life mothers, daughters, and sons face as they try to assimilate into the first-world, whether linguistically, or culturally. It is concerned with the power dynamics between men and women, fathers and mothers, and daughters and sons in Mexican American Culture in …

On Not Taming The Wild Tongue: Challenges And Approaches To Institutional Translation In A University Serving A Historically Minoritized Population, Jose M. Davila-Montes, Gabriel Gonzalez Nunez, Francisco Guajardo

Writing and Language Studies Faculty Publications

A consequence of the development of modern states has been the concept of“minority” as used to refer to subsets of the population that are differentiated from that portion of the population which is seen as the “majority.” These minorities are at times distinguished from each other using terms such as national minorities and immigrant minorities. Some scholars have challenged the distinctions drawn by these constructs. An example of how such constructs are not always accurate can be found in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, where ethnic and linguistic, immigrant and national, minority and majority are not always clear cut. “The Valley,” …

Early Educator Awareness Of Autism Spectrum Disorder In Preschool Hispanic Populations, Karla Cecilia Vidaurri

Theses and Dissertations

Christensen et al. (2016) highlights how "there are disparities by race/ethnicity in estimated ASD prevalence, particularly for Hispanic children, as well as disparities in the age of earliest comprehensive evaluation and presence of a previous ASD diagnosis or classification, suggesting that access to treatment and services might be lacking or delayed for some children" With an increase in autism prevalence and Hispanic population, there's a crucial demand for effective servicing and referrals for early identification of Autism.

The aim of this study was to analyze how prepared early educators are in identifying children that fall under the category of autism …

Daoism And Dialogism: A Dialogue Between China And The West, Xiaodi Zhou

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

In this paper, I explore Chinese Daoist theoretical connections with modern conceptions of dialogue and Western theories of psychology (Murase, 2008). I investigate and compare these lines of Western thinking (Strang, 2004) with classical Chinese thought (Zhang & Chen, 2009), noting the complexities in each. I discuss and disseminate how the Daoist principle of yin yang may be related to the dialogic understandings of Bakhtin (1981, 1984a, 1986, 1990, 1993). I also contend that the Western field of psychology, particularly the work of Carl Jung (2014), has incorporated Daoist principles of yin yang in its conception and practice. I argue …

Encouraging Languages Other Than English In First-Year Writing Courses: Experiences From Linguistically Diverse Writers, Alyssa G. Cavazos

Writing and Language Studies Faculty Publications

First-Year Writing (fyw) courses are ideal writing spaces where students' diverse identities and language resources can flourish for specific rhetorical purposes. While research has focused on multilingual students' language and writing practices, little attention has focused on self-identified multilingual students' perceptions of language difference in fyw. Because fyw courses are an integral space in students' writing experiences and an ideal place to counter English-only ideologies, this article focuses on self-identified multilingual students' perceptions of how they negotiate language practices in academic contexts in higher education and how they perceive the role of languages other than English in fyw. Self-identified multilingual …

"What We Need Here Is Another Crystal City": The Mexican Civil Rights Movement In South Texas, 1963, Brent M. S. Campney

History Faculty Publications

In May of 1963, a police officer in San Benito, Texas, arrested Antonio Mendoza, a Mexican American, for public drunkenness. After beating him, he placed the dazed prisoner in a jail cell. For more than seventeen hours, no one at the jail saw f it to tend to the prisoner’s wounds, provide food or water, or check on his overall well-being. By the time an official checked on him, Mendoza, overcome by fear, pain, or emotional distress—or by some combination of all three—had committed suicide. “The man was found the next morning hanging by a belt from a pipe in …

“Diabesity” Among Latinos: A Culturally Relevant Mathematics Activity By A Mathematics Teacher Candidate, Olga Ramirez, Cherie Mccollough

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper summarizes a culturally relevant mathematics project conducted by a mentored secondary-level Latino teacher candidate (TC) as a requirement for an undergraduate mathematics project course at a south Texas university. The culturally relevant math project involved four secondary Latino students and their parents. The topic was “diabesity”; that is, diabetes and obesity among Latinos southern region in the United States of America with an emphasis on body mass index, proper diet, and exercise. Remarks by the faculty mentor and a faculty consultant about the TC work and reflections regarding this project are also included and provide perspectives on how …

L2/Ln Sign Language Tests And Assessment Procedures And Evaluation, Rosemary L. Landa, M. Diane Clark

Communication Sciences & Disorders Faculty Publications

The purpose of this review is to investigate sign language assessments in use as a tool for evaluating the linguistic abilities for job related requirements for bilingual professionals. Each corresponding sign language assessment will be discussed in terms of its original purpose, content, how it is used today, followed by a discussion of its psychometric properties via strengths and weaknesses. In some cases, when available, a discussion of the background in regards to test development will be given. Psychometrically sound assessments will allow a more consistent evaluation of the professionals who support the Deaf community. In terms of research, having …

Visual Supports To Improve Outcomes For Culturally Diverse Students With Asd, Valeria Yllades, J. B. Ganz, Ching-Yi Liao

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Gilberto is a young immigrant child with autism spectrum disorder who is growing up in a Mexican household. He often has trouble understanding his peers and teachers who speak English. With the help of the school, he is adjusting to a new culture, learning a new language, and working on educational outcomes. The example stated above illustrate issues related to conflicting language and culture between school and home contexts. Practical supports and interventions to address language and cultural barriers, for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) whose families are English Language Learners (ELLs), will be discussed in this article.The purpose …

Book Review - The Latino American: Psychodynamic Perspectives On Culture And Mental Health Issues, Susan Stuntzner

Counseling Faculty Publications

Understanding and working with culturally diverse populations is an important component of counseling and allied helping professions. Many professionals receive some training as a part of their graduate programs on multiculturalism, but this is only the beginning and typically scratches the surface. From this point, professionals are expected to continue their awareness and learning about the needs and issues of the people they serve; for some this includes expanding their understanding of ethnically, linguistically, and culturally diverse individuals. Professionals wanting to better understand the experience, perspectives, and mental health concerns of Latino Americans may find this edited book informative and …

¡Oye, Oye!: A Manifesto For Listening To Latinx Theater, Patricia Herrera, Marci R. Mcmahon

Literatures and Cultural Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

White Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions And Their Development Of Culturally Relevant Literacy Practices, Lakia M. Scott, Elena M. Venegas

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

Existent literature purports that providing White teacher candidates with increased exposure to urban schools in order to create culturally competent educators has failed. These findings reflect the notion that teacher ideologies and overall perspectives about working with diverse student groups must be harnessed in a genuine ethic of care and intentionality for students of color. However, few studies have taken the approach of examining the development of culturally relevant pedagogy through context-specific field experiences using content-specific courses. This study examines the perspectives of twenty-five White pre-service teachers from a predominately White, private university regarding their initial perceptions and gained conceptual …

Lessons Learned: Teaching Latinx Teacher Candidates Through Digital Literacy And Community Service Learning, Kathy Bussert-Webb, Karin A. Lewis

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

The authors focus on digital literacy and community service learning (CSL) strategies from research of Latinx undergraduate teacher candidates (TCs) engaged with technology in CSL courses. The qualitative studies have taken place in a tutorial agency and university classrooms in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas, one of the most economically-strapped U.S. regions. The 60 participants were Bussert-Webb’s TCs in Summer 2016 and Summer 2017 (n=28) and Lewis’s TCs in Fall 2018 and Spring 2019 courses (n=32). Data sources include participant observations, surveys, focus groups, lessons, and reflections. Using social justice and New Literacies frameworks and thematic data analysis, the authors …

Magnifying English Language Learners' Success Through Culturally Relevant Teaching And Learning Frameworks: Acknowledging The Multidimensional Implications On Language, Literacy, And Learning, Isela Almaguer

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

There is a need to amplify the voices of English language learners through authentic language and literacy learning using a multifaceted culturally relevant and responsive teaching and learning framework that encompasses social justice. Specifically, framing the chapter through the lens of the sociocultural theory to better recognize, acknowledge, and understand the influence of culturally relevant learning. Culture plays a crucial role in forming identity and agency, so we must rethink the effect of culturally relevant pedagogy by linking principles of learning to the cultural realities of children, families, and communities on literacy. English language learners require more empowering and engaging …

Empirical Evidence On Labor Profile Competencies Of Mexican Immigrants To The United States Of America, Azucena Leticia Herrera Aguado, Jorge A. Gonzalez

Management Faculty Publications

The immigration of Mexicans to the United States of America (USA) has led to migration policy problems in both countries, with ethical, social, human, health and labor implications. For this and other reasons, bilateral relations between these countries have long-standing legal needs. There is a need to find formulas and solutions to confront multiple challenges and opportunities. This research examines the professional profile of Mexican immigrants to the USA. We describe the qualitative, quantitative, exploratory and descriptive case method we employed in a pilot survey we applied in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) of Texas and on a study of …

Evaluación De Programas De Lengua: Perspectivas Profesionales E Investigadoras, Julio Ciller, Ramsés Ortín

Writing and Language Studies Faculty Publications

The purpose of this article is to advocate for the use of ongoing evaluative processes at the programmatic level in order to ensure language program quality and worth. After a thorough review of the field of language program evaluation, we argue that the benefits of evaluation cannot but strengthen the relationship between an academic program and stakeholders’ needs (students, teachers, community). We propose the use of the CEA standards as a guide for any evaluative effort in foreign language programs while designing context-specific tools to address the needs of each program. Finally, we aim to promote the development and dissemination …

Rape Narratives & Survival Within Counter-Geographies: (Dis)Pleasure In Disrupting Globalized Universals, Monica Reyes

Writing and Language Studies Faculty Publications

There is already significant scholarship (Heaton; Hesford, Huggan, Powell) which demonstrates that metanarratives, largely produced and consumed by Western audiences contribute to the rhetorical choices of the subaltern’s stories as well as listeners’ interpretation/ validation of place-based experiences. This paper further contributes to this work by examining how humanitarian narratives which utilize rape as a means of rhetorical agency within counter-geographies (Sassen) is a starting place for postcolonial conversations about pathways for mindful, global intervention within local contexts. I briefly examine two cultural representations of humanitarian rape narratives (human interest news story and fiction) to illustrate the complex rhetorics of …

The Positive Predictive Value Of The Phq-2 As A Screener For Depression In Spanish-Speaking Latinx, English-Speaking Latinx, And Non-Latinx White Primary Care Patients., Ana J. Bridges, Aubrey R. Dueweke, Elizabeth A. Anastasia, Juventino Hernandez Rodriguez

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Although the Patient Health Questionnaire 2 (PHQ-2) is frequently used to screen for depressive disorders in primary care patients, there is little information about its psychometric properties in diverse populations. The present study evaluated the positive predictive value (PPV) of the PHQ-2 in three groups of primary care patients at a federally qualified health center (78% female, M age = 42.73 years, range 18–78): Spanish-speaking Latinxs (n = 490), English-speaking Latinxs (n = 134), and non-Latinx Whites (n = 690). Universal screening with the PHQ-2 of consecutive adult primary care patients took place during a 5-month period. Any “yes” response …

El Francés Como Desafío Plurilingüistico En El Contexto Educativo De México, Khalid Aada

Writing and Language Studies Faculty Publications

Las políticas lingüísticas en México– tanto a nivel regional como nacional – carecen de claridad suficiente, y el francés ocupa un lugar insignificante o incluso inexistente debido a que cada Estado de la República adopta sus propias iniciativas de política lingüística, y donde la decisión sobre el aprendizaje del idioma extranjero se deja a cargo de cada institución, que tiende a tomar decisiones basadas sobre las demandas de su entorno y no sobre los principios del plurilingüismo y el pluriculturalismo (Silva, 2011)

Project Access: High School Student Learning Of Academic Vocabulary In The Rio Grande Valley, Angela M. Chapman

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

Academic language can be a major obstacle to students’ learning in science and math. For English Language Learners this challenge can be even greater. One reason this challenge prevails is the persistent deficit perspective toward students whose native language is Spanish. One way to address this issue is to leverage students’ knowledge of Spanish and personal culture to develop a deeper understanding of academic vocabulary in high school math and science courses. Project ACCESS (Acquisition of Curricular Content for Exceptional Success in STEM) seeks to challenge the assumptions and biases toward students in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) who have …

“It’S Making Me A Better Teacher.” Transforming Latinx Teacher Candidates Clinical Field Experiences In A Hispanic Serving Institution, Sandra I. Musanti, Alma D. Rodríguez, Patricia Alvarez Mchatton

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

This manuscript explores the outcomes of a university-district partnership that provides Latinx teacher candidates with a yearlong clinical experience as the culmination of their teacher preparation. Qualitative data collected as part of a mixed methods study were analyzed to determine how Latinx teacher candidates and cooperating teachers understand learning to teach, and perceptions of the partnership. Results show an emphasis on mastering routines, learning to teach through observation, and reciprocal growth derived from their mentoring relationship. Salient is the tendency to homogenize Latinx students and a reductionist vision of diversity. The authors explore the positionality of culture and language in …

Understanding Diverse Bilingual Learners: The Need For A Transdisciplinary Lens, Amy Weimer, Mario Gil, J. Joy Esquierdo

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

The chapter synthesizes findings from diverse disciplinary perspectives to make the case that we need a new lens to better serve the diversity of bilingual learners. Drawing upon theories and findings from studies by educators, child developmentalists, and neuroscientists, but moving beyond any one disciplinary perspective, the authors aim to create a unity of new knowledge developed of theories from across disciplines. This approach is exactly what is needed to address the complexity of factors surrounding bilingual learners. Taking a transdisciplinary approach will allow us to move closer toward an understanding of the many factors affecting bilingual children and families, …

Teacher Candidate Immersion Into Bilingual/ Dual Language Classrooms In Largest Urban District In Texas, Bobbette M. Morgan, Criselda Garcia, John Jauregui

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

Prevailing teacher education reform initiatives call for preservice preparation to be "clinically rich" shifting the primary locus, and therefore location, of learning from within university walls to schools (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, 2010; New York State Department of Education, 2011; U. S. Department of Education, 2009, 2011). In an effort of the largest school district in Texas to recruit our bilingual preservice teachers and for us to expose our students from the Rio Grande Valley to a highly populated urban setting, our students are invited to spend one week with host families and shadow an experienced teacher …

Determinants Of Self-Efficacy Among Individuals Who Are Hard-Of-Hearing, Sergio Cuevas, Roy K. Chen, Chia Vang, Shawn P. Saladin

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications

Self-efficacy plays an important role in their lives of the estimated 48 million Americans who report having some degree of hearing impairment, helping them navigate through a myriad of communication challenges. The purpose of the present study was to assess the levels of self-efficacy in this disability group by examining an array of social, psychological, spiritual, disability, and demographic variables. A total of 114 persons who identified as hard-of-hearing took part in an online survey. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed to answer the research question. The proposed regression model explained 24.7% of variance in self-efficacy among individuals who …

Coming Of Age In The Rio Grande Valley: Race, Class, Gender, And Generations In Narco Culture, Rosalynn A. Vega

Anthropology Faculty Publications

Based on ethnographic observations in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, this article examines the multiple, overlapping, criss-crossing axes of inequality that both shape and fracture the experiences of individual borderland residents. Instead of focusing on the national border, this article analyzes intersecting axes of social inequality and uses ethnographic data to describe social borders that divide and separate those living in the borderlands. Using ethnographic data culled from 133 young adults in focus group settings, this article merges the theory of intersectionality with border studies scholarship in order to analyze how socio-economic stratification, gender inequality, histories of racial …

Pass The "Idea": Following Bilingual Mathematics Discussions [Pásame La "Idea": Siguiendo Discusiones Matemáticas Bilingües], Gladys Krause, Melissa Adams Corral, Luz A. Maldonado

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

In this study we document how a mathematical idea, shared by a student, changes the development of the class discussion. Our work characterizes the flexible and open dynamics in mathematics instruction that a teacher adopts to give her students control of their own mathematical ideas. Our work argues that this flexibility is necessary for teachers to engage in instructional practices that respond to students' mathematical thinking. To demonstrate the teacher's flexibility we use the analogy of soccer, relying on the literature of Game Sense coaching approach, which suggests that the coach (the teacher in our context) is positioned to manipulate …

Higher Education Social Responsibility: An Empirical Analysis And Assessment Of A Hispanic-Serving Institution's Commitment To Community-Engaged Scholarship, Student Integration And Sense Of Belonging, Juan Salinas Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Current efforts in higher education institutions to increase persistence and success among Hispanic students continue to be ineffective and thus new conceptual frameworks need to be explored. Data from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities asserts that increasing the number of Hispanics that graduate is vital for our country’s future. In turn, Hispanic-Serving Institutions need to nourish and nurture their students to ensure that they graduate and institutional frameworks would benefit from cultural and epistemological congruence with Hispanic students, their families, and their communities.

Educational leaders have urged educators to take on the responsibility and commitment to students’ success …