Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons^™

Predictors Of The Use Of English Language Assistance Services By English Language Learners In Elementary Schools, Juanita Hosch-Martin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The number of English language learners (ELLs) in the American classrooms is growing at a rapid rate. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine whether there was a statistically significant relationship between the need for English language assistance services predicted using a combination of a student’s home language, student’s first language, student’s language used most, and W-APT scores for elementary school students in a southeastern state. The instrumentation for this study consisted of the Home Language Survey and W-APT scores. With the approval of the IRB and a southern state school district, the research was conducted using a …

The Lived Experiences Of Christian Missionaries Who Need To Learn A Foreign Language To Fulfill A Call To Serve In Immersed Settings: A Phenomenological Study, Stephanie Blankenship

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

he purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of Christian missionaries living immersed cross-culturally who need to learn a foreign language in order to fulfill a Christian vocational calling. The theories guiding this study were Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory and Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive theory as pertains to the social aspects and interactions of immersion in second language acquisition. This study was important in offering support and guidance in the ongoing understanding of second language acquisition, in particular to individuals who have answered the Christian call to missions (Dixon et al., 2012; Price, 2013). This study …

The Effects Of Explicit And Systematic Phonemic Awareness Instruction On Reading For English Language Learners, Annette Freeman

College of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to find effective phonological instruction for improving reading comprehension and oral language proficiency of ELLs. In addition, this study was conducted to inform school administrators without ESL certification about best practices in ELL education so they could make informed, school-wide decisions for better serving ELLs before entry into secondary schools.

The sample included first and second-grade students identified as ELLs in two Northwest Arkansas elementary schools. The two schools were selected based on their similar student demographics of grade configuration, ethnicity, and poverty rate. All students selected for the study were identified as ELLs …

Evaluating Intercultural Communicative Competence Using Mediated Self-Reflection In Teaching English To Speakers Of Other Languages, Hessah Khaled Alzimami

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In a globalized world, teaching English as a second language (ESL) or English as a foreign language (EFL) requires mastery of intercultural communicative competence (ICC). Deploying ICC has many benefits, especially with teaching and learning English, because it is a preeminent necessity for intercultural communication today. In ESL and EFL contexts at college and university levels, learners and instructors interface with other learners and instructors who have various languages and cultures, so there is a need for implementing ICC, because it encourages instructors and learners to communicate effectively with others using both their native and target languages, as well as …

Dr. Thelma Moore-Steward, 1948-2016, John M. Winslade

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

This is an obituary for Dr. Thelma Moore-Steward, professor of education at California State University San Bernardino who died in March 2016.

"Let Me Tell You What I See" Creating A Culturally Relevant Arts Based Education Through The Use Of Photography And Storytelling, William Tran

Master's Projects and Capstones

There are many constructs that can hinder the ability of students of color to succeed in a classroom environment. Factors such as the construct of whiteness, microaggressions, the banking method, as well as cuts in arts based classes create a learning environment where oppression occurs on multiple levels. The construct of whiteness creates an environment in which only the ideas, values, lived experiences, and knowledge of whites are considered valid. Microaggressions uphold the construct of whiteness by insulting and invalidating any ideas, values, lived experiences, languages, and knowledge that are outside the construct of whiteness. The constructs of whiteness as …

Lotuses Rising: Fostering Southeast Asian Community Cultural Wealth Through Arts Based Culturally Specific Programming, Rhummanee Hang

Master's Projects and Capstones

This project explores how Banteay Srei, a community organization in Oakland, California, works with young Southeast Asian American women using arts based and culturally specific programming to make visible the community cultural wealth that exists in this community. Through cooking and telling stories about their elders' refuge and resettlement experiences, the young women gain a better sense of their own history, culture, and identity. This intergenerational project allows participants to learn, feel empowered, and begin to heal. The result is a cookbook for the young women of the organization. While this project and program is not meant to be replicated …

Developing Academic Literacy: What Novice Teachers Can Learn From The Case Of Teaching Latino/Bilingual Learners Science And Mathematics, Sandra I. Musanti, Sandra Mercuri

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Finding Our Way: Female Students At Oakland International High School, Nicole M. Germanov

Master's Theses

This thesis seeks to understand the experiences of the female students at Oakland International High School (OIHS). OIHS is a unique public school within the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) that serves entirely low-income, English Language Learner (ELL) populations. A quarter of the school’s 376 students are refugees or asylees who have fled their country due to persecution based on their race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group; additionally, 30% are undocumented, 24% are unaccompanied minors, and 47% are considered SIFE (students with interrupted formal education). However, one of the most outwardly noticeable things on …

Introduction To New Work On Immigration And Identity In Contemporary France, Québec, And Ireland, Dervila Cooke

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

No abstract provided for the introduction.

Young People's Literature Of Algerian Immigration In France, Anne Schneider

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

In her article "Young People's Literature of Algerian Immigration in France" Anne Schneider discusses questions of language, hybridity, and heritage in some works for young people published in France about Algeria and/or Algerian-French identity, by Leïla Sebbar, Jean-Paul Nozière, Azouz Begag, and Michel Piquemal. She argues for the need for an intercultural education at primary school that uses literature about immigration to highlight questions of place, belonging, exile and language. Schneider's focus is on Begag's Un train pour chez nous (2001) and Piquemal's Mon miel, ma douceur (2004). These texts use linguistic hybridity and an emphasis on common human experiences …

First-Generation Latino College Students: Institutional Practices That Support Four-Year College Degree Completion, Elizabeth Gil

GSE Faculty Publications

Although college enrollment of Latino students has increased over the last decade, this group still lags in attainment of 4-year college degrees. Only 14.5% of Latinos aged and 25 and older had earned a bachelor's degree in 2012 (Lopez & Fry, 2013). Greater educational attainment for Latinos is of significance as levels of educational attainment are associated with quality of life, lifetime earnings, and the country's economy in terms of the overall capacity of its workforce. This brief, based on literature about Latino college success and Latino college student retention, finds that four-year institutions that make a commitment to retaining …

‘When I Am Being Rushed It Slows Down My Brain’: Constructing Self-Understandings As A Mathematics Learner, Rachel Lambert

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Understanding learning disabilities (LDs) as constructed through multiple cultural practices including discourse, this paper focuses on a Latino middle school student with a LD named Elijah. This study documents both the discourses and practices used to position Elijah as a mathematics learner, as well as his use of similar discourses as he constructs a complex set of self-understandings as a mathematics learner. Elijah is positioned by discourses that prioritise speed as an indicator of mathematical ability, as well as discourses that construct students with LD as having both intelligence and differences such as processing speed. An analysis of interview and …

A Case Study Of Non-Native English-Speaking International University Students Participating In A Community Of Practice, Linka G. Crosby

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

The social identity construction of international students studying in the United States is important to the field of second language learning and the study of identity. A Social Identity and Communities of Practice (CoP) framework were used to understand how participation in a CoP informed the identity of non-native speaking university international students studying in the U.S. The focus of this study was to investigate how participation in a CoP informed the identity of non-native speaking international university students studying in the U.S. I proposed that these frameworks provided a foundation for understanding how participation in a CoP for non-native …

Black Women's Search For Meaning: An Existential Portraiture Study On How Black Women Experience The 4 Existential Givens, Tamiko Lemberger-Truelove

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

The purpose of the phenomenological, qualitative study was to explore how select Black women experience the four ultimate concerns of existence, including freedom, isolation, meaninglessness, and death. Existential psychology, from which the four existential givens emerge, is deeply grounded in existential philosophy, which rarely connects key principles and tenets of existentialism to the experiences of Black women. The existential givens have been posited as a universal framework and yet because Black women are faced with multiple forms of marginalization the current study operates from the assumption that universal experiences are filtered through patently Black experiences. To explore how the existential …

Deliberative Democracy: A Contested Interactive Space. A Response To "Deliberative Democracy In English Language Education: Cultural And Linguistic Inclusion In The School Community", Esperanza De La Vega

Democracy & Education

This is a response to Liggett’s (2014) call to implement “deliberate democracy” in English language education classrooms. While the concept of participating in deliberate democracy is a solid ideal and worthy of pursuit, I present questions and scenarios that illustrate the complicated nature of the tasks. By sharing my testimonio along with the research, I propose that in order for teachers to guide their students' participation in deliberate democratic activities, they must step back and understand the context of the sociocultural interactive space created in the classroom and whether ELL students are able to and/or prepared to speak in an …

How Do Latino Students Fare In Massachusetts Charter Schools?: An Analysis Of Student Outcomes, Enrollment, Teacher Preparation, And Discipline Across 10 Districts, Michael Berardino, Lorna Rivera, Trevor Mattos

Gastón Institute Publications

The objective of the research was to better understand the experiences and outcomes of Latino students in Massachusetts charter schools. To reflect the diversity of the Latino population in Massachusetts, this research is built on comparisons of demographics and student outcomes between traditional public school districts and the charter schools that serve each school district.

Ii International Colloquium On Languages, Cultures, Identity, In School And Society, International Colloquium

Proceedings of the International Colloquium on Languages, Cultures, Identity in School and Society

The influx of immigrants in countries worldwide, coupled with the challenges associated to the schooling of their children in host countries' schools, makes it more necessary than ever to broaden our knowledge of the linguistic, ethnic, and cultural realities derived from this phenomenon. This is the rationale for the present Colloquium, which revolves around the following topics:

• Individual, school, and societal bilingualism/multilingualism-related issues
• Multi/Transculturalism-related issues in families, schools, and society
• Impact of bi/multilingualism on individuals' and societies' language, culture, and identity
• Impact of multi/transculturalism on individuals' and societies' language, culture, and identity
• Language ideologies, policies, and practices
• Promotion, maintenance, and …

An Examination Of How Adult English Second Language Learners Learn Pronunciation Skills, Joni Pagnotta

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study examined research questions regarding differences in intelligibility levels of spoken English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and the use of pronunciation drills between two groups: control and treatment. The goal of this study was to discover if even short-term use of dedicated pronunciation drills (simple tongue twisters and voice exercises) in the EFL classroom was sufficient to significantly improve pronunciation in the target language. This study also examined some of the historical pedagogies and methodologies used in pronunciation teaching. Lastly, this research investigated whether or not there were any correlations between the use of and non-use of dedicated …

Reading The World, John M. Winslade

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

This is a review of: Ajayi, Lasisi & Collins-Parks, Tamara (2016). Teaching literacy across content areas: Effective strategies that reach all K-12 students in the era of the common core state standards. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Press.

Perceptions Of Educator Preparation In The Field Of English Language Learners, Vivian R. Fry

Selected Honors Theses

This study investigated how well pre-service teachers felt prepared to teach English Language Learners in the areas of second language (L2) acquisition and culture. 62 preservice teachers responded to a survey sent out to education majors at Southeastern University. Majority of the participants in the study indicated that they had less than adequate knowledge in the area of L2 acquisition and were less than adequately prepared to educate ELLs in the area of L2 acquisition. The participants indicated that they wanted professional development opportunities that focused on pedagogy for the specific stages of L2 acquisition. Regarding culture, a little more …

Betla Teacher Leaders: An Unselfish Sense Of Purpose, Lillian Hernandez, Christian Solorza

Occasional Paper Series

Recognizing that much of the leadership in resolving the issues of quality and equity for English Language Learners (ELLs) will fall to teachers themselves, Bank Street's Bilingual/ESL Teacher Leadership Academy (BETLA) has taken on the mission of preparing teachers of ELLs for the intense and unique leadership challenges they will face. Our study of the narrative accounts of nine BETLA teacher leaders was designed to give voice to teachers who have often been silenced and to speak to the positive relevance of teacher leaders in today's schools.

Into The Field: Learning About English Language Learners In Newcomer Programs, Cecila Silva Dr., Stephen B. Kucer Dr.

Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education

This research examines the impact of field experiences with English language learners on the conceptual and emotional development of preservice disciplinary students. For one semester, preservice university students worked with English language learners enrolled in middle and high school Newcomer Programs. During this time the university students wrote reflection papers and grand learnings/lingering questions essays linking the field experiences with course readings and in-class activities. A qualitative analysis of these reflections found four critical content-based learnings related to English Language Learners emerged from these field experiences: (1) the distinction between content, language, and activity challenges, (2) conversational versus academic language, …

Amazing Grace, How Sweet The Sound: A Journey In Four Verses, Anita L. Bright

The Journal of Faith, Education, and Community

Although for some people, faith or membership in a faith community is a life-long, unwavering endeavor, for others, such as this author, initial belief systems can crack and crumble into dust, leaving behind complicated memories that are overlaid with what feel like clearer and more real, contemporary understandings, although at times threaded with sorrow at loss of affiliation (Smith, 2011). This shift from believer to non-believer is nuanced and disquieting, and in many settings, may leave the new non-believer in a dangerous or vulnerable position (Berger, 2013) as an apostate. Informed by an unintentional, un-sought-after outsider, non-believer status, this autoethnographic …

An Investigation Into English Language Instructors' And Students’ Intercultural Awareness, Burcu Yılmaz, Yonca Özkan

The Qualitative Report

The role of English as a global language has been increasing greatly in importance for the past few decades, giving rise to different varieties of English spoken by native and non-native English speakers all around the world. It has pointed to the need to raise intercultural awareness in English language classes. This study aims to reveal teacher and student perspectives of intercultural awareness regarding ownership of English and cultural integration in English language classes in Turkey. A mixed method research investigation was used in this descriptive case study. Questionnaires were employed to collect data from 45 English language instructors and …

"I Had To Discard Initial Assumptions": Equipping Writing Center Tutors With Expertise In Second Language Writing, Vicki Kennell

Purdue Writing Lab/Purdue OWL Presentations

As writing center use by L2 writers increases, writing center directors face the need to help tutors work successfully with this population that has the same needs as native-English-speaking writers plus additional needs for language- and sentence-level help. Supported with data from an IRB-approved study and using examples from a case study of the Purdue Writing Lab, this presentation offers guidance on creating training to help equip tutors with L2 expertise.

Training Tutors To Work With L2 Writers: Methods & Materials, Principles & Practices, Vicki Kennell, Amy Elliot

Purdue Writing Lab/Purdue OWL Presentations

As international enrollment at universities increases, writing centers may see increased visits from second language writers looking for help with vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure as well as for help with global concerns. This workshop presentation provides information about creating a homegrown program for training tutors to work successfully with L2 writers. Included in the presentation are sample activities that illustrate some aspects directors may want to consider as they develop their own tutor training.

The Disconnect Between General Classroom Teaching Techniques And English Language Learner Needs, Marliese Belt

Honors College Theses

This project will seek to identify gaps in pre-service teacher education as it relates to appropriate instructional strategies for English Language Learners (ELLs). First, public and private liberal arts schools of higher education in Kentucky will be analyzed for relevant programs and courses addressing the needs of ELLs and research-driven instructional techniques used to educate them. It will be determined that many of the schools offer undergraduate or graduate level endorsements and certificate programs, but only one, Murray State University, offers an undergraduate degree-bearing program. Next, ELLs, their characteristics, and unique needs will be defined to ensure that all stakeholders …

Assessing Feasibility And Readiness To Address Obesity Through Policy In American Indian Reservations, Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan, Gail Boe, Carolyn Noonan, Leslie Carroll, Dedra Buchwald

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The Institute of Medicine and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified policy and environmental strategies as critical to the prevention and control of obesity. However such strategies are rare in American Indian communities despite significant obesity-related disparities. Tribal policymaking processes differ by tribal nation and are often poorly understood by researchers and public health practitioners, hindering the dissemination, implementation, and successful scale-up of evidence-base obesity strategies in tribal communities. To address these gaps in knowledge we surveyed 138 diverse stakeholders in two American Indian reservations to assess the feasibility of and readiness to implement CDC-recommended obesity policy …

An Examination Of Cultural Competence Training In Us Medical Education Guided By The Tool For Assessing Cultural Competence Training, Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

In the United States, medical students must demonstrate a standard level of “cultural competence,” upon graduation. Cultural competence is most often defined as a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in systems, organizations, and among professionals to enable effective work in cross-cultural situations. The Association of American Medical Colleges developed the Tool for Assessing Cultural Competence Training (TACCT) to assist schools in developing and evaluating cultural competence curricula to meet these requirements. This review uses the TACCT as a guideline to describe and assess pedagogical approaches to cultural competence training in US medical education and identify …