Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons^™

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 …

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 …

Analyses Of Language And Culture Beliefs And Reported Practices Of Pre-Kindergarten And Kindergarten Teachers Working With Dual Language Learners, Giselle Sanchez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the underlying factors involved in the Language and Culture Questionnaire (LCQ), a measure of lead pre-kindergarten and kindergarten teachers' (n = 119) beliefs and best practices for working with dual language learners (DLLs). The LCQ was found to have suboptimal reliability and all results herein should be interpreted with caution. The exploratory factor analyses suggested the LCQ weakly captures two factors, beliefs and practices. Frequencies of teachers holding the appropriate beliefs and implementing best practices were reviewed. The beliefs and practices scores exhibited a degree of relationship between each other. Finally, multiple regression designs were utilized …

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 …

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 …

Recuerda Que Yo Estoy Aqui Tambien : A Bilingual Picture Book, Liliana Ivette Funes

Graduate Student Independent Studies

My independent study for my Integrative Masters consists of a bilingual (Spanish/English) picture book that is based on personal experience, and endeavors to describe the emotional distress and anxiety children can experience as second language learners entering a monolingual classroom for the first time. The book addresses not only the emotional and academic struggles of the child, but also the ways in which peers and teachers can intervene to ease the child's transition into English. Thus the book can serve as a resource to support monolingual classrooms. The study also includes a personal reflection of the process and journey, I …

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 …

Filipino American Educational Leaders In Northern California K-12 Public Schools: Challenges And Opportunities, Cynthia Manalo Rapaido

Doctoral Dissertations

The assumption that all Asians are model minorities is incorrect. The largest group of Asian American people is comprised of Filipino people followed closely by Chinese people; although Filipino people comprise the largest population, they lag behind Chinese and other Asian American groups with respect to academic achievement. Hence, Filipino American people are underrepresented as educational leaders in K–12 public schools in California.

Compared to other Asian ethnic groups, Filipino American people have (a) a lower achievement level for academic success, (b) a lower percentage enrolled in college in the United States, (c) a lower percentage 25–29 years of age …

Review Of "I Thought Pocahontas Was A Movie": Perspectives On Race/Culture Binaries In Education And Service Professions. Edited By Carol Schick And James Mcninch., Tracy L. Friedel

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

This edited volume argues that a race/culture binary lies at the heart of Canada's ongoing relationship with the descendants of the country's First Peoples. In looking at the service professions, editors Carol Schick and James McNinch trouble taken-for-granted assumptions based upon racial, cultural, and ethnic difference, arguing that representations of Indigenous peoples as culturally inferior, a trope that has replaced the idea of biological inferiority, is highly instrumental in the social positioning and unequal power relations that exists today in Canadian society. In turn, the editors tie this discussion back to Canada's colonial history and the social, material, and ideological …

Restoring Relationships: Indigenous Ways Of Knowing Meet Undergraduate Environmental Studies And Science, Nancy Leigh Rich

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

As places to engage with changing and complex ideas, institutions of higher education offer a logical site for bringing Indigenous ways of knowing together with environmental studies and science. However, profound differences between Indigenous and Western knowledges, as well as ongoing colonialism, cultural biases of science, and the nature of mainstream academia, have discouraged this endeavor. Recent developments in undergraduate pedagogy now point the way.

Using critical inquiry and qualitative methodology, this comparative study developed recommendations for practice based on current undergraduate teaching practices that bring Indigenous ways of knowing together with environmental studies and science across a diversity of …

Cross-Cultural Moral Explorations In Plagiarism, Bradley Baurain

Bradley Baurain

No abstract provided.

Morality, Relationality, And Listening Pedagogy In Language Education, Bradley Baurain

Bradley Baurain

Listening pedagogy in language education treats listening proficiency almost exclusively as a function or skill, the purpose of which is to generate products or outcomes desired by language users. Though listening is rhetorically acknowledged to be an active and complex process of making meanings within contexts and relationships, in practice teacher education and pedagogical discourse treat listening simply as a linguistic transaction and listening pedagogy as a technical and instrumental process of skill building, with the goal of enabling learners fluently to perform such transactions. Such a means-to-ends orientation, however, is inadequate or insufficient to encompass holistic moral and relational …

Being The Change We Want To See: Esl And Special Needs Teachers Author Their Past And Their Future, Susan Adams, Jamie Buffington-Adams

Susan Adams

Presentation at the 2011 Indiana Teachers of Writing Annual Conference.

The Implied Reader Of The Translation: Picture Books And ‘Normal Children’ Translated From One Language/Culture To Another, Petros Panaou, Tasoula Tsilimeni

Petros Panaou

In this chapter, Petros Panaou and Tasoula Tsilimeni approach the translation of children’s literature from a different perspective than that of the more academic arguments critiqued by Maria Nikolajeva in the previous chapter. By combining insights from narratology with translation theory and practice, they discuss how translators, when they move from source texts to target texts, translate cultural expectations and ideologies regarding childhood along with the actual words, sometimes distorting the originals and seeking to remove the “foreign” elements that make translated literature so valuable for children in their quest to understand cultural difference.

Voices, Identities, Negotiations, And Conflicts: Writing Academic English Across Cultures, Bradley Baurain, Ha Phan

Bradley Baurain

No abstract provided.

Calo Of A Chicano From "Carlos-Malo, Califas", Refugio I. Rochin

Refugio I. Rochin

Caló is the language used in Chicano neighborhoods; a source of identity and intimacy among English Language Learners with Spanish roots. Caló shapes character and lives of many who cross-communicate within the US and abroad. This is a story of my life with Caló - as a global consultant and academic with experiences in several different communities and countries, from the 1960s to 2012.

Education For Sustainable Development In The Pacific, Cresantia Frances Koya Vaka'uta

Cresantia Frances Koya Vaka'uta

No abstract provided.

Beyond Tolerance: Consciously Using Universal Energy Laws, Discernment, And Harmonious Relationship Principles, Carroy U. Ferguson

Carroy U "Cuf" Ferguson, Ph.D.

Every day we, as human beings, maneuver through a myriad of circumstances in our individual and collective life spaces. Central to our experiences is the nature, kind, and quality of our relationships. When we encounter differences (racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, economic, sexual orientation, the mentally and physically challenged), a common issue that often emerges in our experiences is the extent to which we use tolerance in relating to other people and circumstances. For this reason, I want to discuss the nature of tolerance and its limitations, and how to move beyond tolerance by consciously using Universal Energy Laws, discernment, and …

Teaching Spanish To Beginning Spanish Students, Amy Baldini

World Languages and Cultures

During my time in college and studying abroad, I have developed a passion for languages. As a result, I plan on teaching Spanish in High School. Therefore, my senior project will involve tutoring beginning-level Cal Poly students in Spanish and evaluating the difficulties that students encounter while learning a second language. I will tutor for a minimum of 30 hours and complete a write-up which summarizes my experience. In this write up, I discuss the tutoring sessions and the different obstacles and successes I encounter. I will also discuss what tutors must consider when tutoring students. I will outline my …

Sms : Sortez Vos Téléphones Portable, Véronique Olivier

World Languages and Cultures Faculty Articles and Research

Mobile phones and SMS technology can be a tool to help students learn French in class, through the use of some creative teaching strategies.

Un Análisis Componencial Del Verbo “Correr” En El Contexto De Chile, Kerwin A. Livingstone

Kerwin A. Livingstone

Esta presente labor tiene como finalidad hacer un análisis componencial del verbo “Correr” en español, que significa en inglés “to run”, en el contexto de Chile o más bien, en Concepción que es la ciudad capital de la XVIII Región de Chile, lugar en donde se llevó a cabo este estudio. Se presenta un marco teórico de la semántica, tomando en consideración su relevancia a este trabajo. Se da el planteamiento del estudio y los objetivos correspondientes que se esperan lograr. Luego, se delimitan las hipótesis del estudio tanto como los procesos metodológicos que se realizaron con el fin de …

El Diseño De Cursos De Lenguas Basados En Tareas, Kerwin A. Livingstone

Kerwin A. Livingstone

Este presente trabajo pone énfasis en el diseño de cursos de lenguas basados en tareas respecto a la enseñanza del español como lengua extranjera (LE) o segunda lengua (L2). Se hace mención respecto de los orígenes del Enfoque por Tareas (Enseñanza-Aprendizaje de Lenguas Mediante Tareas) y su necesidad para que los aprendices logren la competencia comunicativa y lingüística en la lengua que están aprendiendo. Se discute sobre la justificación para un plan de estudios y cursos basados en tareas y las razones por las cuales se prefiere un plan de estudios basado en tareas en vez de un plan de …

¿Pueden Los Computadores Corregir Errores De La Lengua?, Kerwin A. Livingstone

Kerwin A. Livingstone

Este artículo es un intento de contestar la pregunta si los computadores pueden corregir errores de la lengua, sobre todo aquellos cometidos por los alumnos de segundas lenguas (L2). Por esta razón se examinará el tratamiento de tales errores propuestos en la literatura de la adquisición de L2. Posteriormente se examinarán las tecnologías capaces de evaluar el input del estudiante y de identificar y corregir errores del hablante no nativo. Aunque se hará bastante claro que el ordenador no puede sustituir a un ser humano en el procesamiento total del lenguaje , se indicarán algunas fuerzas de la inteligencia artificial …

Women Of African Descent: Persistence In Completing A Doctorate, Vannetta L. Bailey-Iddrisu

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the educational persistence of women of African descent (WOAD) in pursuit of a doctorate degree at universities in the southeastern United States. WOAD are women of African ancestry born outside the African continent. These women are heirs to an inner dogged determination and spirit to survive despite all odds (Pulliam, 2003, p. 337).This study used Ellis’s (1997) Three Stages for Graduate Student Development as the conceptual framework to examine the persistent strategies used by these women to persist to the completion of their studies.

Spiritually Integrative Archetypal Energies And Glimpes Into Soul Consciousness, Carroy U. Ferguson

Carroy U "Cuf" Ferguson, Ph.D.

In other writings I have described Archetypal Energies as Higher Vibrational Energies that have their own transcendent value, purpose, quality, and “voice” unique to the individual that operate deep within our psyches, at both individual and collective levels. We tend to experience them as “creative urges” to move us toward our Highest Good or Optimal Realities. I use easily recognized terms to evoke a common sense of these Archetypal Energies (e.g., Love, Acceptance, Inclusion, Harmony, Peace). Here, I want to discuss Spiritually Integrative Archetypal Energies and how they can assist us in gaining glimpses into the nature of our unique …

“Better Multiculturalism” Through Technology: Dora The Explorer And The Training Of The Preschool Viewer(S), Drew Chappell

Theatre Faculty Articles and Research

No abstract provided.

Los Procesos Metodológicos De La Enseñanza-Aprendizaje De Lenguas Mediante Tareas, Kerwin A. Livingstone

Kerwin A. Livingstone

Este presente trabajo pone énfasis en los procesos metodológicos involucrados en la construcción de cursos de lenguas basados en tareas respecto a la enseñanza-aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras (LE) y segundas lenguas (L2). La primera parte de este trabajo hace hincapié tanto en el diseño de la lección didáctica como en las distintas fases del diseño de tareas tales como la fase de pre-tarea, de la ejecución de la tarea, y la de post-tarea. Se va a prestar especial atención a las diferencias significativas entre la metodología de la enseñanza tradicional tanto como la metodología de la didáctica moderna. La segunda …

Educational Outcomes Of English Language Learners In Massachusetts: A Focus On Latino/A Students, Faye Karp, Miren Uriarte

Gastón Institute Publications

This report analyzes trends in enrollment and outcomes for English Language Learner stu- dents (ELLs), a growing population in Massachusetts, in the post–Question 2 policy envi- ronment. Where possible, the report presents data on Latino students of Limited English Proficiency (LEP).

Few LEP students, and few of the native Spanish speakers among them, reach the highest level of English language proficiency as measured by the Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment (MEPA).Though some improvements have been seen in terms of Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) performance and graduation rates, the rates remain low and the persistence of large gaps between LEPs and …

The State Of Latinos And Education In Massachusetts: 2010, Billie Gastic, Melissa Colón, Andrew Flannery Aguilar

Gastón Institute Publications

Schools are critical public institutions for Latino youth in the Commonwealth, who make up 15% of the public school enrollment in the state. Sadly, despite leading the nation in student achievement, Massachusetts is still leaving its Latino students behind. This is evident from several indicators of Latino students’ academic success. School attendance is a significant concern since Latino students lose an average of more than two and a half weeks of school each year due to absences. Latino students are also frequently disciplined for behavioral is- sues at school. Latinos account for 23% of the incidents that result in disciplinary …

Navigating Tensions In The Process Of Change: An English Educator’S Dilemma Management In The Revision And Implementation Of A Diversity-Infused Methods Course, Mileidis Gort, Wendy J. Glenn

Teaching and Learning Articles and Papers

In response to growing concerns among faculty regarding the lack of attention to the bilingual student population in our pre-service teacher education program, the authors engaged in a shared self-study of the process of revising and implementing a secondary English methods course with explicit attention to the special needs of bilingual/bicultural learners. The paper describes how the second author, an English educator, with support from the first author, a mentor/colleague in bilingual education, identified and negotiated tensions and dilemmas that arose in a process of curricular transformation toward culturally and linguistically responsive teacher education practice. The study highlights several points …