Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons^™

Afakasi: An Ambiguous Space In A Monolithic Education System, Jacqueline F. Buckley

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

Throughout American history, examinations of ethnicity have mainly focused on a binary of Black and White (White, 2007, p. 339). Little study has been conducted on the nation's ethnic minorities, including Arabs, Jews, Asians, Micronesians, Melanesians, and Polynesians. The White race has effectively become the nation's default race (Khoshneviss, 2018, p. 19). Furthermore, research on the experiences of individuals of mixed ethnicity, particularly in education, remains limited. This study will uncover the mixed-ethnic Afakasi (half Samoan and half White) experience of myself as an educator who lived through and taught within the American K-12 system, experiencing the status quo curriculum …

Dismantling Future Writing Teachers’ English-Only Assumptions: Composing Videos To Learn The Value Of Linguistic And Cultural Inclusion, Ann N. Amicucci

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

This article presents the results of a study of 12 students’ video composing assignments and accompanying reflections in which students, all of whom were future writing teachers enrolled in an undergraduate TESOL course, examined how well public spaces acknowledged and included multilingual individuals. Students’ videos and reflections demonstrated that the assignment dismantled these future writing teachers’ assumptions that multilingual writers learn best in an English-only environment but perpetuated perceptions of languages as discrete rather than intertwined. Findings are discussed within the context of scholarship on writing teacher education and English-only policy and practice in the U.S.

Voces Rurales: Understanding The Latina Rural College Student Experience, April Mazón

The Rural Educator

This article integrates research with lived experiences to explore the educational and career transitions of Latina rural college students and the unique challenges they encounter in navigating higher education and the workforce. Drawing on the phenomenological study “Voces Rurales: Examining Latina Rural College Student Experiences in Navigating Transitions from College to Career or Post-Baccalaureate Studies,” which coupled semi-structured interviews and photo elicitation methodology, this article highlights the critical intersection of rurality, gender, and ethnicity in higher education. The study focused on Latina undergraduate students in a rural border county with two institutions of higher education: a community college and a …

Aligning Perspectives: Exploring Parent-Youth Agreement On Well-Being And The Impact Of Positive Psychology On Communication & Relationship Habits, Daijah N. Hines

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As research calls for best practices in assessment of psychological constructs from multiple informants, more information is needed for secondary reports of subjective experiences such as perceptions of life satisfaction. Adolescence is a vital period for intervention and assessment supports to promote well-being, yet there is a gap in the research on how to interpret multi-informant data for mental health constructs such as subjective well-being especially within this population. Research has shown support for and validated the use of parents/caregivers as secondary informants (Dew & Huebner, 1994; Hines et al., 2023; Shoshani & Slone, 2017) yet there is still vague …

Metacognition As Disciplinary Infrastructure In Ai-Mediated Learning, Tina R. Austin, Jason Gulya, Nick Potkalitsky

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

Metacognition is often presented as a response to generative AI’s disruption of teaching and learning, yet the term has become too generalized to guide practice. In AI-mediated environments, asking students merely to “reflect on your thinking” is insufficient. Because AI tools can redistribute cognitive labor, their educational value depends on how students use them and whether that use supports disciplinary forms of reasoning. This essay argues that metacognition must be understood as disciplinary infrastructure: students cannot effectively monitor their thinking without understanding the epistemological and ontological demands of the field in which they are working. Classrooms therefore become sites where …

English For Speakers Of Other Languages Program: Compliance Vs Realities Of Practice, Ana Sofia Rodriguez-Oronoz

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

This research study examined the misalignment between policy compliance and instructional practice within English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) programs in K–12 public education. Although federal and state mandates require equitable access and services for English language learners (ELLs), compliance with these requirements has not consistently resulted in effective classroom practice. The problem of practice focused on how educators interpreted and enacted ESOL policies and the extent to which these practices aligned with the intent of the Multicultural Education, Training, and Advocacy (META) Consent Decree and related accountability frameworks.

A qualitative research design was used to explore educators’ perceptions …

Namaste, Kem Chho, Jason Nguyen

be Still

No abstract provided.

Social Identity And Language Learning/Teaching Trajectories: Egyptian English Teachers’ Reflections On Being Taught By Native English- Speaking Instructors, Asmaa Mohamed Badawy

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores how teacher social identity is shaped by Egyptian English teachers’ past learning experiences, particularly in relation to native and non-native English-speaking teachers. It seeks to understand how these experiences influence teachers’ perceptions of themselves within English-speaking contexts and how they make sense of dominant language ideologies surrounding nativeness. The study is guided by the following research questions: how participants perceive their sense of social belonging within English-speaking contexts; how ‘native’ and ‘non-native’ English teachers understand and interpret nativeness; and how past educational and social experiences shape teachers’ sense of ownership and legitimacy. Situated within the framework of …

The Tagamo3 Accent: Linguistic Stylization, Enregisterment, And Social Meaning In Egyptian Digital Discourse, Jannah M. Abdelaziz

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the Tagamo3 Accent (TA), a socially recognizable speech style associated with elite urban Egyptian identity, through a qualitative multimodal discourse analysis of twelve Egyptian TikTok videos, including both naturally occurring lifestyle and influencer content as well as parody and commentary videos that explicitly imitate, discuss, or evaluate the accent. Drawing on theories of enregisterment (Agha, 2003), stylization (Coupland, 2007), and indexicality (Silverstein, 2003; Eckert, 2008), the study examines how TA is linguistically performed, socially recognized, and ideologically circulated within Egyptian digital spaces. The findings suggest that TA does not function as a structurally bounded dialect or geographically …

Emotional Intelligence Documentary - The Art Of Compassion: Learning From Spain, Poetry, And Medicine, Emily E. Morin

Cultivating Emotional Intelligence through the Humanities in Spain

The Art of Compassion: Learning from Spain, Poetry, and Medicine explores how art, literature, and cultural experiences can deepen compassion and inform more human-centered healthcare. Drawing on works encountered during a Medical Humanities study abroad program in Spain, the documentary examines compassion as a skill that can be cultivated through self-reflection, recognition of shared vulnerability, and appreciation of multiple perspectives. Through analysis of poetry by Lope de Vega, Jaime Sabines, and Yehuda Halevi, alongside artworks by Diego Velázquez, Francisco Goya, and Pablo Picasso, the film connects themes of empathy, suffering, identity, and healing to contemporary clinical practice. The documentary also …

"It Comes Back To My Identity, It's Who I Am": Sustaining Mid-Career Latine Bilingual Teachers, Soarlyn Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explores the factors motivating mid-career (4–15 years) in New York City (NYC) to stay in the profession beyond the novice years (1–3 years), as well as the challenges they face. Utilizing self-determination theory and language ideologies as theoretical frameworks, this study captures the motivating factors and challenges of 15 mid-career bilingual teachers across NYC. Findings indicated that relationships with students and colleagues, professional growth, supportive administrators, and alignment between language ideologies and program structures served as motivating factors to remain in the profession by reinforcing teachers’ sense of relatedness, competence, and autonomy. Motivating factors that supported …

Stories Of Social Transformation And Resistance: A Narrative Inquiry Into The Culturally Sustaining Practices Of Teachers Of Color, Daniel E. Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, persistent inequities in schooling have intensified the need for asset-based  frameworks, such as culturally sustaining pedagogies (CSP), to support students from  communities that have been historically racialized and minoritized. At the same time, growing  political and social resistance to practices of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has created  barriers for schools and teachers seeking to implement culturally responsive approaches to  teaching and learning. Using narrative inquiry, this dissertation explores the stories of three culturally  sustaining teachers of color to understand how they enact resistance and pursue social  transformation in their classrooms and schools. Through an examination …

Returning With The Elixir: Transformation In Two Young Adult Novels, April Vázquez

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

The narrative structure of the Hero’s Journey, first elaborated by Joseph Campbell in 1949, is employed in Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani and Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay. In these two works for young people, the protagonists travel to their parents’ native countries, encountering systems of oppression that fundamentally transform their perspectives and alter the trajectories of their lives. Each character follows the same narrative pattern: before the Hero’s Journey, they have led mostly unremarkable lives, have an encounter with the supernatural or the divine, confront systemic oppression in their parents’ native countries on a scale beyond what they …

Empowering International Students For Positive Social Risk-Taking In U.S. Higher Education, Maha Azzazi

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

During the acculturation process to their new life in the United States, international students can face challenges in building meaningful connections with their campus community due to difficulties in social integration. There has been limited research on finding effective ways to help international students overcome these challenges, despite numerous studies exploring the factors contributing to international students' disengagement, such as cultural and linguistic barriers and financial difficulties. To address this gap, this phenomenological qualitative study examines the experiences of eight international students at a US university. Among the themes that emerge from preliminary results are familiar challenges faced by students, …

Enhancing The Metacognitive Thinking Of Middle-Grade Multilingual Learners: A Design-Based Research Study Leveraging Dialogic Teaching, Renee R. Burns

Dissertations

This study explores how dialogic teaching can enhance metacognition and self-efficacy among middle school multilingual learners (MLs) who face challenges with the academic language demands of literacy tasks. Using a design-based research (DBR) methodology, specifically formative experiment, the Metacognitive Dialogic Teaching Protocol (MDTP) was implemented over seven iterative cycles. The research questions were as follows: How do dialogic interactions impact metacognition in middle-grade MLs? How does Metacognitive Dialogic Teaching affect comprehension development in these students? And how does it influence their self-efficacy? The participants included six middle-grade MLs engaged in a Tier 2 literacy intervention who initially exhibited fake reading …

Lesson Plan: Sr. Levadura (Mr. Yeast), Kali Elise Rye

World Languages and Cultures

This project addresses critical microbiology misconceptions concerning microbes and fermentation. Alongside Nuestra Ciencia’s lesson development team, this activity was researched and tested to demonstrate ideal fermentation conditions for yeast. In addition to the hands-on experiment, this project also required an interactive worksheet to be completed alongside the activity. With feedback from undergraduate students, researchers, and professors, the content was shaped to create an engaging, easily comprehensible activity that introduces microbiological concepts to students. As it has progressed, the Sr. Levadura (Mr. Yeast) activity has been implemented in two quarters of SCM 302 (Learn by Doing Lab) where over 400 elementary …

Black Language Matters: Capitalizing On Black English For Educational Success Through Linguistic And Cultural Competence Training, Fritz Lauriston

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

This dissertation explores the impact of culturally responsive professional development on K–12 educators’ perceptions and understanding of Black English, also known as African American Vernacular English (AAVE). The study responds to the longstanding marginalization of Black English in educational environments and its implications for academic equity, cultural identity, and student performance—particularly among African American learners. The central intervention, titled “Do You Understand Me? Linguistic and Cultural Competence Black English Professional Development,” was designed to increase teachers’ linguistic awareness, dismantle deficit perspectives, and promote inclusive instructional practices that validate students’ home language.

Using a mixed-method design, 59 certified educators participated in …

Exploring The Effect Of Babble Background Noise On Learning New Patterns In An Artificial Accent Of English In Monolingual And Bilingual Young Adults, Mariana Vasilita

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The current study examined how background noise affects the learning of novel phonetic and phonological patterns in speech. While prior research has shown that bilingual participants may learn new phonetic patterns more successfully than monolingual participants under quiet conditions, it remains unclear whether this advantage persists in more ecologically valid listening environments.

We investigated phonetic learning skills in monolingual English speakers (n = 13) and early bilingual speakers (n = 13). Participants were trained and tested on an artificial English accent presented in the presence of 12-talker babble noise (+10 dB SNR). A digit span task was also administered to …

Unfreezing Language: A Decolonial Reframing Of Translanguaging Pedagogies In English As A New Language & Dual Language Bilingual Education Settings, Cristian R. Solorza

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This qualitative multi-case study examines how elementary teachers in English as a New Language (ENL) and Dual Language Bilingual Education (DLBE) settings conceptualize, implement, and reflect upon translanguaging pedagogies, with particular attention to translanguaging rings as tools for language differentiation. Grounded in a rearticulation of language as a dynamic, socially, politically, and historically constructed subject and object, this study challenges monoglossic ideologies that position named languages as bounded systems at the center of language education. Instead, it centers students’ lived, embodied, and agentive language practices as foundational to language learning and to their participation as knowledge producers in ENL and …

Camp Hope Professional Development, Jennifer J. Lesh, Antonella Regueiro

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

Dr. Jennifer J. Lesh, Exceptional Student Education Coordinator and Associate Professor, and Dr. Antonella Regueiro, Director, Center for Leadership and Social Impact, along with seven (7) Lynn University students, presented special education best practices to Lynn Study Abroad collaborative partner, Camp Hope staff, on June 1, 2026 in Quito, Ecuador. Dr. Lesh and Dr. Regueiro were in Quito to lead an innovative Exceptional Student Education (ESE) study abroad internship and research practicum.

The program combined coursework, field experiences, and service-learning through a collaborative partnership with Camp Hope School, which serves students with disabilities.

Students participated in classroom observations, collaborative teaching, …

Analysis Of The Use Chatgpt Among Students Of The Arabic Language Education Department, North Sumatera State Islamic University, Medan, Ainun Salida, Akmal Walad Ahkas, Majid Dakhil Al-Anazy

Al-Arabi: Journal of Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language

Students of the Arabic language education study program State Islamic University of North Sumatra, Medan use ChatGPT a lot to add insight, study materials and can even help ease lecture assignments. The purpose of this study was to find out how far students use ChatGPT to help them learn Arabic. This research uses a type of field research using qualitative approaches and data collection techniques through observation, interviews, and documentation. The results of this study say that students of the Arabic language education study program state Islamic University of North Sumatra, Medan have not been able to maximize the use …

Contrastive Analysis Of Interrogative Words Between The Arabic And Indonesian Languages And Its Contribution To Teaching Arabic Grammar For Non-Native Speakers, Muh Sabilar Rosyad, Aulia Habibah, Muhammad Afthon Ulin Nuha

Al-Arabi: Journal of Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language

Every language has a style of speech that differs from one language to another, as well as question words in Arabic and Indonesian which have similarities and differences. The differences between the two can hinder the learning process and make students feel difficult because they transfer the forms and meanings of their language and culture into the language and culture they learn. This process is called linguistic overlap, and to address this problem requires a contrastive analysis. This study aims to find out the question words in Arabic and Indonesian and to describe the differences and similarities between the two. …

Idraj Al-Qiyam An-Niswiyyah Fi Kitab Ta'lim Al-Lughah Al-'Arabiyyah: Ibtikar Ta'limi Li Ta'ziz Al-Musawah Baina Al-Jinsain, Gesta -. Lestari, R. Taufiqurrochman, Rizky Ilham Ramadhani

Al-Arabi: Journal of Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language

The background of the research was the large number of Arabic language books that contain gender bias. This affects students' proficiency in speaking Arabic. Most students change feminine to masculine because the Arabic language books they learn contain more masculine words or sentences. This research aims to describe the process of incorporating feminist values into Arabic language teaching textbooks and to analyze the impact of Arabic language teaching innovation on students’ understanding and attitudes towards gender equality. This research is a qualitative and descriptive research. The methods used to collect data are interviews, observation, and documentation. The research group is …

Ta’Tsīr Istikhdām Wasīlah Bithaqah Al-Rubā‘Iyyah ‘Alā Natījati At-Ta‘Allum Limādah Qawā‘Id Al-Mubtada’ Wa Al-Khabar (Al-Baḥṡ Al-Tajrībī Fī Mtsn 25 Jākartā), Amanda Firda Razak, Raden Ahmad Barnabas, Ahmad Marzuq

Al-Arabi: Journal of Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language

يهدف هذا البحث إلى معرفة أثر استخدام وسيلة بطاقة الرباعية المبتدأ والخبر في نتيجة التعلّم لمادّة القواعد (قواعد المبتدأ والخبر) لدى طلبة الفصل الثامن في المدرسة المتوسّطة الإسلامية الحكومية الخامسة والعشرين بجاكرتا. استخدم هذا البحث المنهج الكمّي بطريقة البحث التجريبي، بمشاركة مجموعتين من العيّنة: الفصل التجريبي الذي تعلّم باستخدام وسيلة بطاقة الرباعية، والفصل الضابط الذي لم يحصل على المعالجة نفسها. تكوّن كل فصل من ثلاثين طالباً تمّ اختيارهم بطريقة العَيِّنة الهادفة .(Purposive Sampling) جُمعت البيانات بواسطة اختبارين قبلي وبعدي لقياس نتيجة التعلّم قبل المعالجة وبعدها. تمّ تحليل البيانات من خلال اختبارات الصدق والثبات والطبيعية والتجانس، بالإضافة إلى اختبار الفرضيّة باستخدام …

Tathwir Al-Wasilah “Qissatoon” ‘Ala Asas Qishshah Mushawwarah Li-Ta’Allum Maharat Al-Lughah Al-‘Arabiyyah Lada Thalabah Al-Madrasah Ats-Tsanawiyyah Al-Islamiyyah Al-Hukumiyyah Ats-Tsaniyah Bi-Madinah Malang, Ilvina Maulidiyah Mahmudah, Kholisin Kholisin, Muhammad Alfan, Abd Rauf Hassan

Al-Arabi: Journal of Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language

ينطلق هذا البحث من الحاجة إلى وسائل تعليم اللغة العربية التي تعزز مشاركة الطلبة بشكل نشط وتدعم التكامل بين المهارات اللغوية الأربع. يهدف هذا البحث إلى تطوير الوسيلة التعليمية التفاعلية قائمة على القصة المصورة لتعلّم مهارات اللغة العربية، ودراسة مستوى صلاحيتها للاستخدام في العملية التعليمية. استخدم البحث منهج البحث والتطوير من خلال نموذج ADDIE الذي يتضمن مراحل التحليل والتصميم والتطوير والتنفيذ والتقييم. تم تقويم صلاحية الوسيلة التعليمية من خلال تحكيم خبير المادة وخبير الوسيلة التعليمية، إضافة إلى استجابات المستخدمين. وجُمعت البيانات باستخدام أساليب الملاحظة والمقابلة والاستبانة والتوثيق. تم تحليل البيانات باستخدام المنهجين الوصفي الكمي والنوعي. أنتج هذا البحث الوسيلة التعليمية …

Hots Based Innovative Assessment Of Listening Skills In The 2020 Arabic Textbook For Grade X Madrasah Aliyah, Yanda Rismawati, R Umi Baroroh

Al-Arabi: Journal of Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language

This study analyzes the distribution of cognitive levels in listening (istima’) questions and identifies which language skill demonstrates the least integration of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). Employing a qualitative content analysis approach within a library research design, the primary data source is the 2020 Arabic Language Textbook for Grade X published by the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs (KEMENAG). Secondary data include theoretical and empirical literature on HOTS-based assessment and Arabic language pedagogy. The findings indicate that listening (istima’) is the skill with the lowest representation of HOTS-oriented items. Out of 79 questions examined, most fall into the LOTS …

Voices Of The Young: Exploring Child Agency In Heritage Language Socialization In Chinese American Families, Yiyang Guan

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how young children in Chinese‑heritage families participate in heritage language development and maintenance (HLDM) in everyday family life. It asks four questions: what agentic behaviors young children display in heritage language socialization (HLS) and family language policy (FLP) co-construction; how they conceptualize language ideologies; what attitudes they hold toward HLDM; and whether differences in agency, ideologies, and attitudes relate to socioeconomic background.

Using a qualitative multiple‑case design, the dissertation focuses on seven families in the San Francisco Bay Area. Data includes parent and child interviews, child language portraits, child audio diaries, parent‑recorded natural conversations, and family background …

"It's Such A Natural Fit": Integrating Reggio Emilia And Head Start For Emergent Multilinguals, Christina Bohr

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Early childhood education classrooms reflect the increasing cultural and linguistic diversity of the United States where many children are raised speaking more than one language. Teachers in the early education field play a critical role in supporting children’s development of language and identity. Head Start, who serves a large population of emergent multilinguals (mls), plays an essential role in offering learning environments that foster language development in both English and their home language, among many other critical skills. The Reggio Emilia philosophy is a child-centered and community-oriented approach that promotes children’s independence, exploration, and intellectual development, and is frequently integrated …

Talk To Me: Exploring The Sociocultural Ecology Of Home Language And Literacy Practices Of Families In India, Surbhi Puri

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Existing research highlights the role of home language and literacy environments (HLLE) in shaping early language and literacy development, yet few studies have examined the practices of multilingual families in India. While home environments offer rich learning opportunities, broader sociocultural and policy contexts influence how families support literacy and language development. Families’ insights into home language use, literacy routines, and cultural practices remain underexplored in early childhood education research.

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the HLLE of preschool-aged children in India and examine how families support early language and literacy development within multilingual home …

Whose Knowledge Is Sustained?: Dominican Students’ Cultural And Linguistic Experiences Navigating White, Female, And Monolingual Pedagogical Spaces, Carminia Lissette Castillo

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how Dominican newcomer youth experience schooling in U.S. secondary schools, with emphasis on language, curriculum, identity, belonging, and students’ visions for more humanizing educational environments. Grounded in student testimonios, the study explored how school structures, pedagogical practices, and teacher–student relationships shape students’ academic engagement, emotional well-being, and sense of recognition as they navigate migration, language transition, and racialized identity formation. Informed by raciolinguistic, culturally sustaining, and critical interpretive frameworks, this study centered Dominican students’ voices as sources of knowledge about schooling, exclusion, and possibility. The findings comprise three central themes. First, students described raciolinguistic schooling …