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Factors Influencing Multilingual Families’ Decisions to Accept or Waive English Language Services
Get PDFThis study examined the factors influencing multilingual families’ decisions to accept or waive English language (EL) services. The number of multilingual learners in the United States has increased by half a million over the past ten years (National Center for Education Statistics, 2021). This growing population of students requires teachers with specialized knowledge and training in specific areas of second language acquisition, culturally relevant teaching practices, and targeted language instruction to participate fully in classroom content (Cadiero-Kaplan, 2010; Olsen, 2010). However, not all multilingual families choose for their children to receive targeted language instruction and decide to waive English language services. Previous research has reported that multilingual students who have had services waived may experience academic difficulties and are at a higher risk of dropping out of school (Waters, 2001; Thomas & Collier, 2002; Cummins, 2008; Honigsfeld, 2009; Gandara & Hopkins, 2010). A case study approach was used to collect data. Data were collected through surveys and interviews and analyzed using the Decision-Making Factors (DMF) Framework, which asserts that a person’s values, knowledge, and experiences influence their decisions. Findings were organized according to each decision-making factor. They revealed that values influencing a multilingual family’s decision to accept or waive EL services include the value of English language acquisition, educational advancement, embracing and leveraging available opportunities, and societal integration. The findings also revealed that the knowledge of their children’s English abilities, knowledge regarding the specifics of EL program models, the knowledge of the status English holds in society, and the knowledge of systems influence a multilingual family’s decisions regarding EL services. Last, experiences such as personal history with language learning and observations of others navigating English language services were shown to influence families’ decisions
Principals Who Lead Elementary Schools with Minimal Out-of-School Suspensions
Get PDFMixed-methods research was conducted in order to understand the principals of Minnesota elementary schools where no more than one out-of-school suspensions had been assigned annually from 2017 to 2022. The study consisted of a survey, document analysis, and qualitative interviews. While the findings did reveal commonalities amongst the participants that provided insight into the implementation of nonexclusionary discipline, the picture could not be deemed complete as the identified schools were predominantly White and affluent. There continues to be a great need to study leaders of schools where OSS is not statistically predictable by the school’s student population in regard to race and eligibility for free-reduced priced meals
Second Language Acquisition for General Educators: An Accessible Professional Development Course
Get PDFThis capstone project was built in response to the research question “How can general education educators learn the process of language acquisition in an accessible way?” With the population of multilingual learners (MLs) in public schools steadily increasing and teacher preparation programs often not preparing teachers for these students, many general education teachers are looking for professional development (PD) on best practices for teaching MLs. Thus the idea for developing a free, asynchronous website professional development course that instructs general educators on the process of second language acquisition (SLA) was born. The literature review explores the theories and processes that contributed to the field of teaching language acquisition including social and academic language, the step by step process of language acquisition and strategies for teaching language within the classroom. This paper also describes the development of creating a website that explains second language acquisition and the steps that teachers can take to improve academic language outcomes for MLs. This project is designed to be the first steps toward general educators becoming more competent and confident in their teaching practices for MLs
Multilingual Learners’ Perceptions of their Home Languages Using Ruíz’s Language Orientations
Get PDFAs the number of multilingual students in classrooms grows, research suggests the positive effects of encouraging growth in both English and students’ home language(s). Many researchers have addressed how multilingualism is perceived in the classroom from the perspective of teachers and administrators, however there is a lack of information from the student perspective. This research aims to address this gap through discussing multilingual students’ perceptions of their home languages using Ruíz’s (1984) language orientations. Participants for this study included 14 English learners in ninth grade at an urban high school. Two data points were collected and analyzed, student journals and student interviews. Both discussed students’ perceptions of their home languages in the school setting through prompted conversation about language-as-a-right, language-as-a-problem, and language-as-a-resource orientations. Research found that students viewed language-as-a-right when their families were not communicated with in their home language(s). Students viewed language-as-a-problem when they experienced pressure to speak English. Students viewed language-as-a-resource when they used their multilingualism to support peers. Using these findings, recommendations were given to teachers, families and administrators as to how to create an environment which encourages multilingualism
Self-Regulated Learning for English Language Learners in Asynchronous Online Community College Courses
Get PDFThe number of students who take asynchronous online courses has soared, notably since the onset of COVID in 2020. Success in these courses requires a significant amount of self-discipline. Students who struggle in this context have cited a lack of support, feelings of isolation, and difficulties regulating their learning. For adult English language learners, (ELLs) this is an additional burden because they are taking post-secondary education courses in a language that is not their first language. There is a positive correlation between the use of self-regulated learning (SRL) and academic performance. The ability of students to self-regulate accounts for a significant part of the observed difference in performance between high and low achievement. The implementation of SRL instruction has shown to be beneficial in face-to-face learning environments; because of this, there is promise of the successful implementation of SRL instruction in an asynchronous context. This capstone project was influenced by frameworks introduced by Zimmerman (2013) and Gaumer Erickson and Noonan (2015). The project is a half-day professional development (PD) workshop for asynchronous online community college instructors. The design of the PD was based on the seven key features of effective PD outlined by Darling-Hammond et al. (2017). The goal of the project is to provide a working opportunity for participants to reflect on their teaching context and to take first steps on the implementation of SRLS in their online courses in order to assist ELLs
Components of Successful Distance Learning Programs for Adult English Language Learners
Get PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic forced many Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs in the United States to quickly pivot from traditional in-person classes to Distance Learning (DL). After the end of the pandemic, many ABE programs continue to provide flexible and accessible DL options to meet their learners’ needs. This project sought to research different components of DL programming for adult English Language Learners (ELLs) and to look at the indicators of success of those components. Important programmatic considerations are looked at such as technology, instruction, learner onboarding and orientation, and teacher and staff support. This project consists of web pages and digital tools to support adult ELLs and their DL instructors, including virtual teacher observation and co-teaching guides, a digital student handbook, and a web page to connect learners to technology resources
Engaging Social Studies Student Through a Culturally Relevant Student Centered Lesson Plan
Get PDFStudent learning and engagement with curriculum has greatly decreased as schools transition back from online education to in person instruction. The COVID-19 global pandemic, increased use of technology, and personal electronic devices are all contributors to student disengagement, however research has shown that student centered approaches and culturally relevant approaches to teaching can positively impact student engagement. Investigating the research question: How can understanding and implementing students’ cultural narratives and identities impact student engagement in the classroom?, this capstone project reviews four themes through its literature review: culturally relevant teaching (CRT), student motivation, student diversity in education, and student identity development. Through her extensive research, Gloria Ladson-Billings provides three key tenets to CRT: a need for students to feel academic success, development of cultural competence for students, and opportunities for students to develop critical consciousness. Project based approaches, differentiation, and challenges were discussed as methods to increase and retain student motivation. Student diversity in education was discussed in the context of the student school safety and their feelings of being represented in schools. Concepts of student identity development were gained from Evans et al. and discussed the identity formation for African American, Asian American, Native American, Latinx, LGBTQ, and students with learning needs. The literature review assisted in the creation of a capstone lesson unit centered on highlighting student narratives and their cultural perspective within a U.S. historical perspective
Women with Administrative Licensure: Their Journey Outside the Principalship
Get PDFWomen have been a major part of education throughout history. While women have long been the majority in the classroom the same cannot be said for the principalship. Some may think that women do not get their principal license; however, this is untrue. Women obtain their licenses and then do not become principals. This phenomenological research study worked to understand what women do with their principal license. Through surveys and interviews of women in the state of Minnesota who are licensed as principals but not working as principals conclusions were able to be drawn about why women obtain their licenses, why they choose not to work as principals as well as what they are currently doing with their licenses. The research built upon the work around women in the principalship and attempted to fill the gap between when women move from the classroom to the principalship. There were four major findings for this research. Women obtain their license, women obtain their license for personal reasons, women face barriers and support. The final finding was that women often make the choice not to become a principal