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A growing number of studies has shown that collaborative writing tasks facilitate second language (L2) development by providing learners with opportunities to focus their attention on language and to collaborate in the solution of their language-related problems (e.g., Choi & Iwashita, 2016; Storch, 2013; Swain & Lapkin, 1998; Williams, 2012). However, most of these studies have focused almost exclusively on L2 learners, and particularly on English as a second language learners. In an effort to address this gap and drawing from a sociocultural framework, this study investigated the interactions of Spanish heritage language (HL) learners and Spanish L2 learners enrolled in the same class. Twenty-four intermediate-level learners of Spanish, organized in four HL-HL, four HL-L2, and four L2-L2 dyads, participated in the study. As part of their regular class work, they completed four collaborative writing tasks in pairs. Participants were also asked to individually complete a pretest and two posttests. The tasks and tests were intended to elicit the present subjunctive in nominal and adjectival clauses. The interactions between each pair were recorded and coded for the nature of the relationships the learners formed (Storch, 2002) and the quantity and quality of learners’ deliberations about language choice, using Language Related Episodes (LREs) (Swain & Lapkin, 1998) as units of analysis. Results showed that the most common type of patterns of interaction the learners developed was collaboration. Moreover, three pairs displayed a dominant/passive pattern of interaction and two pairs an expert/novice pattern. Results also indicated that overall, participants produced slightly more LREs focused on form than LREs focused on lexis. Furthermore, results showed that whereas all pairs produced morphosyntactic LREs, they were more frequent in HL-L2 dyads. Lexical LREs occurred more often in L2-L2 dyads, and orthographic LREs occurred only in HL-HL dyads. With regards to learning gains, results revealed that six participants obtained high scores in all tests and did not show a score change from pretest to delayed posttest. Five of these participants were identified as HL learners. However, data also showed that 16 participants scored higher on their delayed posttest than they did on their pretest. Overall, considering that most dyads developed a collaborative pattern of interaction and achieved learning gains after task-based interaction, the data suggest that despite the differences in linguistic and cultural backgrounds, learners in mixed and matched pairs provided assistance to one another and produced LREs associated with the target structure. These findings have important pedagogical implications and thus, future studies need to investigate the best practices for teaching HL and L2 learners simultaneously and the types of tasks that encourage collaboration. / Spanish

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to analyze the impact of the policies of the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) on the teaching and learning of 10 Latino English language learners (ELLs) in an urban high school in Virginia. Using ethnographic methodology, the researcher examined the nexus of the policy of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) (2001) with the pedagogy of the English as a Second Language (ESL) and content area teachers, and the practices employed by teachers to enable students to acquire a second language in an academic setting. This enabled the researcher to examine the contextual framework of a large urban school and factors converging to help Latino ELLs learn academic English to succeed in high school. By reviewing the policy, pedagogy, and practices used in this school, I observed the connectedness of an entire school and the relationships fostered by students and faculty to support a learning climate for ELLs. The findings of this study show that the sociocultural environment and the educational experiences play a significant role in the adaptive process of learning a second language for Latino English language learners. Pedagogy that was built on respect for the Latino English language learners' cultural identity, linguistic abilities, and critical thinking skills helped learners become actively engaged, and facilitated learning in the second language that was academically rigorous. The practices of caring teachers enabled them to serve as advocates for ELLs, helped forge relationships of respect and trust, and encouraged Latino ELLs to succeed academically as they navigated the high school environment. / Ph. D.

Syftet med den här studien är att undersöka rektorers motiv i val av organisationsmodell för undervisning av nyanlända elever i årskurs 1–6. Fokus har varit organisationsmodellerna direktintegrering och förberedelseklass. Frågeställningarna kopplar till i vad mån styrdokument och forskning ligger till grund för beslut gällande organisationsmodell. Vilka tolkningar gör rektorerna rörande utbildning av andraspråkselever utifrån huvudmannens policy. Viktigt har även varit vilka erfarenheter som finns ute på skolenheterna för valet av organisationsmodell. Jag har valt att genomföra semistrukturerade intervjuer som metod för studien. Fem rektorer från olika delar av Sverige har intervjuats. Resultatet pekar på att styrdokumenten inte ligger till grund för valet av organisationsmodell. Däremot verkar den nya läroplanen skapat organisatoriska tankar om och förändringar av former för ökad undervisning i svenska som andraspråk. Delaktighet när det gäller forskning indikerar positiva effekter ute på skolenheterna. Huvudmannens stöd och brister i den samma blir påtagliga i denna studie. En aktiv huvudman med både kunskap om nyanländas lärande och även delaktighet i forskning är delar som lyfts som positiva. Bristerna handlar om uppföljning och säkerställd likvärdighet. Arbetet med att skapa språkgrupper, med elever som talar samma språk, är en av erfarenheterna som lyfts som språkutvecklande på andraspråket. Resultatet verkar också visa på att rektorerna ser elevbehovet som centralt med flexibla organisationer som stödjer behovet. Även ett interkulturellt ledarskap framträder. Det finns lite forskning när det gäller nyanlända elever i de lägre åldrarna och studien har bidragit med att fördjupa kunskaperna om rektorers tankar och beslut gällande organisationsmodell. Det förordas dock mer forskning på området där även skolor i andra typer av språkliga- och sociala kontexter ställs mot varandra.

Over 20,000 Swedish lower high school students are currently learning mathematics in English but little research has been conducted in this area. This study looks into the question of how much second language learner training teachers teaching mathematics in English to Swedish speaking students have acquired and how many of those teachers are using effective teaching practices for second language learners. The study confirms earlier findings that report few teachers receive training in second language learning but indicates that some of the teaching practices shown to be effective with second language learners are being used in some Swedish schools / Mer än 20 000 högstadiet elever i Sverige har valt att lära sig matematik på engelska, men det finns väldigt lite forskning inom området. Detta arbete granskar hur mycket utbildning i andraspråksinlärning har lärare som undervisar matematik på engelska till svensktalande elever och hur många av de undervisnings-strategier som tidigare forskning har visat att vara effektiva används numera under matematiklektionerna på engelska? Arbetet bekräftar tidigare forskning, som visar att få lärare som undervisar matematik på engelska till svensktalande elever har fått utbildning i andraspråksinlärning, men den här forskningen visar att några av de effektiva strategierna numera används under matematiklektioner i vissa skolor. / <p>Matematik</p>

Thesis (DPhil (General Linguistics))—University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Addressing the low literacy rates in South Africa poses a mountainous challenge. However, identifying children at risk for reading difficulties and providing timely and preventative intervention might be a good starting point to addressing this challenge. This study aimed at making a contribution to the existing body of literature on emergent literacy skills of learners who are educated in a second or additional language. The study investigated English Language Learners’ (ELLs) emergent literacy skills prior to entering Grade 1 and evaluated the effectiveness of an evidence-based stimulation program in the South African context. The main research question this study attempted to answer was: “What is the effect of a stimulation program for emergent literacy skills in Grade R on the development of literacy of English Language Learners in Grade 1?” In a quasiexperimental design, ELLs’ emergent literacy skills were assessed with an adapted version of the Emergent Literacy Assessment battery (Willenberg 2004) and were compared to those of English first language (L1) and of ELL control groups, both prior to and after an 8-week purpose-designed stimulation program. Results indicated that while learners showed significant improvement on six out of the eight subtests, the particular intervention program did not significantly improve ELLs’ emergent literacy skills (those pertaining to alphabet knowledge, phoneme awareness, print awareness and oral language skills, amongst others) when compared to learners in the respective control groups. When controlling for receptive language abilities, English L1 learners did not perform any better than their L2 peers on any of the eight measures of emergent literacy prior to intervention. Furthermore, upon entering Grade 1, there was no statistical significant difference in the performance of the English L1 learners and ELLs on any of the eight subtests after intervention. Possible independent variables contributing to the dearth of intervention effect included socio-economic status, learners’ L1, and teacher and classroom specific characteristics. These variables were addressed, and clinical implications for speech-language therapists with regards to assessment, intervention, service delivery and outcome measures were highlighted. / AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Die aanspreek van Suid-Afrika se geletterdheidsvraagstuk is ‘n reuse uitdaging. Die vroeë identifisering van kinders met ‘n hoë risiko vir leesprobleme en die verskaffing van tydige en voorkomende intervensie mag egter ‘n goeie beginpunt wees in die aanspreek van hierdie uitdaging. Hierdie studie het gepoog om ‘n bydrae te lewer tot die bestaande literatuur oor ontluikende geletterdheidsvaardighede van kinders wat in ‘n tweede of addisionele taal onderrig word. Die studie het die ontluikende geletterheidsvaardighede ondersoek van Graad R-leerders wat in Engels onderrig word, maar vir wie Engels nie hul eerste taal is nie, asook die effektiwiteit van ‘n navorsingsgebaseerde stimulasieprogram binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. Die hoof navorsingsvraag van die studie was: “Wat is die effek van ‘n stimulasieprogram vir ontluikende geletterheidsvaardighede in Graad R op die ontwikkeling van geletterdheid van Engels tweede taal (T2)-leerders in Graad 1?” In ‘n kwasieksperimentele ontwerp is Engels T2-leerders se ontluikende geletterheidsvaardighede met ‘n aangepaste weergawe van die Emergent Literacy Assessment Battery (Willenberg 2004) geëvalueer, en voor en na ‘n 8-week doelgerigte stimulasieprogram vergelyk met die vaardighede van kontrolegroepe wat bestaan het uit Engels eerste taal (T1)-leerders en Engels T2-leerders onderskeidelik. Alhoewel leerders ‘n beduidende verbetering in ses van die agt subtoetse getoon het, het die spesifieke intervensieprogram nie T2-leerders in die eksperimentele groepe se ontluikende geletterdheidsvaardighede beduidend verbeter in vergelyking met leerders in die twee kontrole groepe nie (dit sluit in onder andere alfabetkennis, foneembewustheid, drukbewustheid en orale taalvaardighede). Wanneer daar vir reseptiewe taalvaardighede gekontroleer is, het die T1-leerders nie beduidend beter gevaar as hul T2-portuurgroep op enige van die agt subtoetse van ontluikende geletterdheid nie, en met toetrede tot Graad 1 was daar gevolglik geen statisties beduidende verskil tussen die T1- en T2-groepe ten opsigte van enige van die agt subtoetse nie. Moontlike onafhanklike veranderlikes wat tot hierdie gebrek aan intervensie-effek kon bydra, sluit sosio-ekonomiese status, leerders se T1 en onderwyseren klaskamer-spesifieke eienskappe in. Hierdie veranderlikes is aangespreek, en die kliniese implikasies vir spraak-taalterapeute met betrekking tot evaluasie, intervensie, dienslewering en die noukeurige meting van uitkomste is toegelig.

The past decade has seen a significant increase in the emergence of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the United States. Nationally, a disparity in achievement exists between ELLs and non-ELLs. Relatedly, this problem was evident in a northeastern school district, where ELLs had not made Adequate Yearly Progress 2 years in a row. The purpose of this study was to examine how much time English as Second Language (ESL) teachers spend on a variety of best instructional practices. Constructivism, Vygotsky's zone of proximal development, and Tomilinson's differentiated instruction were the frameworks used to guide this research. A within-group design was utilized to identify how much time 25 ESL educators spent on 5 types of instructional practices. The Survey of Instructional Practices for ESL/ELD Teachers for Grades K-12 was used to collect data. A 1-way analysis of variance revealed statistically significant differences between the amounts of time ESL teachers spent on the 5 instructional practices. The greatest time was spent on individualized instructional activities and a variety of educational tasks. Less time was spent on small group activities, and the least amount of time was spent on inquiry-based activities and technology activities. Findings supported the creation of a professional development for ESL teachers at the local site focusing on (a) best instructional practices for teaching ESL students, (b) professional learning community network of support, and (c) resources to support educators in their lesson planning of instructional activities. The study findings and culminating project may positively affect social change by improving ESL instruction at the local site and ultimately decreasing the disparity in achievement between ELL and non-ELL students.

The purpose of this study was to examine 9th and 10th grade ELL students’ science class placement - sheltered ESL class or non-sheltered mainstream class - and determine if there was a difference in their levels of achievement based on placement. Unlike other academic courses, science incorporates its own terminology that can be difficult for even mainstream non-ELLs to understand. With the goal for English Language Learners to develop scientific proficiency, ELLs must gain an understanding of science substance and practice exploratory propensities for the brain. This is unthinkable without an understanding of science vocabulary. The researcher examined the following variables as they related to ELL student achievement in science: Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP), attendance, class size, teacher-student relationship, teacher competency in ELL strategies, instructional strategies, parental involvement, study habits, immigration requirements, age (demographic variable), and gender (demographic variable). Data were gathered using observations, face-to-face teacher and administrator interviews, document analyses of teacher lesson plans, a student survey, and a student focus group. The sample of students consisted of 30 students - 9 students in mainstream science classes and 21 students in sheltered ESL science classes. Students were chosen to participate in the study based on their Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State (ACCESS) scores. Study participants had a composite score of between 3.0 and 4.9 on the ACCESS test. Study participants’ nine weeks grades, along with other data, were compared to determine if class placement made a significant difference in ELL student achievement in science. The results revealed that students in sheltered ESL science classes achieve at higher levels than those in mainstream classes. While all except two study participants in sheltered science classes met or exceeded proficient as defined by this study (75% or higher), only three study participants in mainstream science classes met or exceeded proficient. An analysis of students’ overall nine weeks grades in biology and physical science revealed that ELLs in a sheltered setting average a 45% higher grade than those in a mainstream setting in biology and a 14% higher grade than those in a mainstream setting in physical science.

Rather limited research and few significant field studies have been done on recent immigrant students particularly from the Muslim societies of the Horn of Africa and the Middle East in the American high school context regarding their linguistic, cultural and religious needs. Most research studies suggest that immigrant students receive insufficient provision. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role high schools play in provision addressing the following questions: (1) What kinds of provision have been implemented to support a culturally sensitive education in public high schools in the U.S., and how effective have they been? (2) If any, what was the effect of the reform paper No Child Left Behind? (3) How could the role of teachers as culturally responsive educators be further enhanced regarding first/heritage language and cultural heritage maintenance? (4) Which steps would have to be taken in order to move towards a culturally responsive system? Peterson’s iceberg theory regarding cultures was the guiding theoretical approach which emphasizes the fact that in order to get to know each other’s cultures, one has to closely examine the underlying issues that belong to them as the information available on the surface is simply not sufficient. Qualitative case studies were conducted based on survey questionnaires and interviews among students, parents, ESOL/ELL teachers and mainstream teachers from 6 different high schools. This study has demonstrated that high schools can, in fact, be inviting, well-equipped with adequate ESOL/ELL programs. Findings from field work carried out in Loudoun and Fairfax County public schools in Virginia in 2011, indicate that there is a need to address misconceptions among ESOL/ELL students, their teachers and their parents as to what constitutes as multicultural education environment, and first language maintenance. It is explained how the role of culture-based after school extracurricular clubs like the Muslim Students Association can serve as a bridge between the culture of one’s origin and the host society. While teachers could serve as facilitators, students can become researchers and see relevance of their culture. The result from this investigation through existing literature, stories of individuals and institutions will add to current knowledge on ESOL/ELL provision and offer a deeper understanding of needs from both parties.

xvi, 225 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / This study investigated the effectiveness of function-based academic and behavior intervention on behavior and reading improvement for five English language learners who exhibited escape-maintained problem behaviors and academic reading difficulties. The study sought to document the effect of a function-based approach on students with highly diverse cultural backgrounds in an international school in Thailand. The intervention emphasized (a) the functional behavior assessment (FBA) strategies to identify the function of the target behavior, (b) evidence-based effective reading instructional approaches, and (c) responsiveness to cultural perspectives of teachers and students. A combined single-subject research methodology documented a functional relationship between implementation of the function-based intervention and decreased problem behaviors. The findings revealed the potential to increase academic engagement and reading performance for the students by following a behavior support plan based on effective reading instruction and tasks modified to accommodate students' academic needs. The study emphasized cultural responsiveness of the intervention plan and implementation. Despite several limitations, this experimental research incorporated culture into behavior and academic support as well as into the research designs. In future application, cultural responsiveness among professionals will be a key element to ensure that future intervention support will meaningfully change the lives of students and will be sustained over time. / Adviser: Robert Homer