The North Carolina Public Schools, like other schools in the southeast, have experienced phenomenal growth in their ELL student populations in the last 15 years. This fairly recent influx of ELL students raises questions about the extent to which the schools, and more specifically, the teachers, are prepared to meet the needs of their linguistically diverse students. Unfortunately, few studies to date have investigated how teacher education programs (TEPs) and professional development opportunities are addressing this aspect of teacher preparation. This dissertation addresses the lack of current research as it pertains to both TEPs and professional development experiences of middle school working in the North Carolina Public Schools. Using a mixed methods design that combined survey research with open-ended interviews of focal participants, the author revealed that teachers had had limited preparation experiences at both the TEP and professional development levels. However, those who had had these experiences overall did exhibit some capacity to adapt instruction and relate to their ELLs in positive ways. The preparation, however, also lacked sociolinguistic awareness and awareness about the theoretical foundations that underlie these practices. The author concluded by relating the findings to the current research and discussed recommendations and implications for TEPs and professional development in North Carolina and the southern context.

A large body of research exists concerning teaching students of Mexican background whose primary language is not English, who I call Potentially Biliterate Students (PBLs) in this study. The focus of the research around these students often addresses bilingual education, academic achievement, the impact of language policy, and segregation, among other areas. Yet inequalities still prevail when educating this group of students. Language policies such as Proposition 203 and House Bill 2064 in Arizona, which are not research-based, target this particular population -perpetuating inequalities that have been visible since the Mexican-American War of 1848. This dissertation is informed by sociocultural (Vygotsky, 1978) and sociocultural-historical (Rogoff, 2003) perspectives. Theories of second language (Krashen, 1982; Cummins, 1991; Collier, 1995) and the interplay with mathematics education (Moschkovich, 2002, Khisty, 1995) are also important components that frame my study. This study took place in two different third-grade classrooms, a mainstream and an English Language Development/Structured English Immersion (ELD/SEI), in an English-only environment. The school is part of a school district in southern Arizona where most students are of Mexican background. I employed ethnographic tools to address my research questions. The data sources of this study come from field notes from participant observations, video-recorded sessions, interviews (video- and/or audio recorded) with both teachers and students, and teachers autobiographies regarding their language and mathematics learning experiences, offering a rich source for analysis of the resources and classroom practices in the teaching-learning environment. This data allowed me to develop in-depth case studies for both teachers based on the nature of their classrooms. Thought the two case studies presented, I document how the sociopolitical-historical context and the teachers' training and professional development shape their classroom practices, language ideology, attitudes towards the subjects they teach, as well as their perceptions about their students and families; in particular around students of Mexican background. Additional research is needed to connect results similar to this study with the impact on students' outcomes and behavior, as also the impact on participation of the different school members -parents and other community members.

Studiens syfte är att synliggöra hur andraspråkselever på högstadiet beskriver sin upplevelse och sin förståelse då de läser faktatexter i de praktisk-estetiska ämnena. För att undersöka detta, har följande frågeställningar valts: Vilka svårigheter beskriver andraspråkselever att de upplever i läsningen av och arbetet med faktatexter? Hur beskriver andraspråkselever att de går tillväga för att förstå faktatexter? Studien bygger på kvalitativa intervjuer med sju andraspråkselever i årskurserna 8 och 9. Intervjuerna har analyserats utifrån en sociokulturell ansats, vilken bl a poängterar vikten av social interaktion samt språkets betydelse för tänkande och lärande. Resultatet visar att informanternas erfarenheter av läsning av faktatexter främst kommer från de naturvetenskapliga och de samhällsvetenskapliga ämnena, samt matematik. Deras erfarenheter av läsning i de praktisk-estetiska ämnena förefaller begränsad, förutom i hem- och konsumentkunskap. Av resultatet framgår att ord- och begreppsförståelse, förförståelse samt explicit undervisning i hur man utvecklar och använder lässtrategier för att läsa och lära av faktatexter är områden som respektive ämneslärare behöver arbeta mer aktivt med. Studiens resultat stämmer i det avseendet väl med vad tidigare forskning har visat. Däremot sätter inte studiens informanter ord på vad olika textegenskaper kan ha för betydelse för deras läsförståelse. Denna studies viktigaste bidrag är dess fokus på andraspråkselevers läsning av faktatexter i de praktisk-estetiska ämnena. Såtillvida kan den utgöra en forskningsbaserad grund i arbetet med språkutvecklande ämnesundervisning på högstadiet. / The purpose of the study is to emphasize how senior level students with a second language are describing their experience and their understanding when they are reading expository texts in the aesthetic subjects. To examine this: following questions have been chosen: What difficulties do second language learners describe that they are experiencing when they are reading and working with expository texts? How do second language learners describe their procedure to understand expository texts? The study is based on qualitative interviews with seven second language learners who are between forteen and sixteen years old. The interviews have been analyzed based on a sociocultural perspective, which among other things are emphasizing the importance of social interaction and also the importance of the language for thinking and learning. The result is showing that the informants´experiences of reading expository texts are chiefly from the scientific and social science subjects and also mathematics. Their experiences of reading in connection with the aesthetic subjects seem to be limited, except in domestic science. From the result it is clear that understanding of words and concepts, background knowledge and also explicit teaching in how to develop and use reading strategies to read and learn from expository texts, are fields which each subject teacher need to work more active on. In this regard the study is corresponding well with what the earlier research has shown. The informants don´t mention whether they are able or not to benefit from the impact of connectives and lexical markers on their comprehension of expository texts. The most important contribution of this study is its focus on second language learners, and their reading of expository texts in the aesthetic subjects. In this respect it can form a researchbase for developing student´s language in subject teaching at the senior level of the nine year compulsory school.

The current study examined the reading strategies of 19 bilingual undergraduate students who varied in reading proficiency (good or average) and language background (Chinese or Spanish). Using the think-aloud method, students’ reading strategies were measured and compared to determine whether strategy use differed as a function of reading proficiency, language background, and/or text level. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted to corroborate the findings obtained from the think-aloud protocols. Results from this study suggest that reading proficiency affects strategy use at the syntactic level, whereas language background affects strategy use at the vocabulary level. These findings have significant implications in education, particularly in the area of English language teaching. Students should be encouraged to use their first language reading skills when reading English text, as it facilitates their comprehension and improves their English literacy development.

The purpose of the study was to describe a family literacy program attempting to teach adult English language learners (ELL) the knowledge and skills that would allow them to support their children's learning at home. The methodology employed was a multi-case study. Fourteen adult participants were interviewed to gather information regarding the factors that influenced the adult participant's ability to support their child's learning prior to participation in the family literacy program. The study focused on the knowledge, skills and attitudes acquired in the literacy program and used to support their child's learning at home and the curriculum and instruction that the participants used to influence their child's learning. The methodology used to gather information included adult English language learner interviews, field observations, and contact analysis of lesson plans. The following conclusions were derived based on analysis of the data: 1. In the family literacy program that was studied, the only prior factor that appeared to influence the parent's ability to support their child's learning was the education level of the participant. 2. Pronunciation, conversation, listening, grammar and writing are are essential skills that ELL parents use to support their child's learning. Attitudes were directly affected by the participants' ability to master the English language in order to be able to guide their children through the U.S. educational system. 3. The curriculum supported the learning; however the instruction was vital to modeling the procedures for learning that the participants used to support their children's success in school. 4. Regardless of other factors such as marital status, occupation, and other variations in family background, all participants based their ability to support their child's learning on their own ability to master the English language.

Antalet andraspråkselever i den svenska skolan har idag ökat, vilket innebär att undervisningen behöver anpassas till de nya förutsättningarna. Den här litteraturstudiens syfte är att undersöka andraspråkselevers läs- och skrivutveckling och hur lärare genom multimodala arbetssätt kan stötta denna i ämnet svenska i årskurs 1 – 3. Resultatet i den här studien visar att lärarens stöttning har en avgörande betydelse vid andraspråkselevers utveckling och att det är viktigt att lärare har kunskaper om hur andraspråkselever lär. I studien redovisas även framgångsrika exempel på hur lärare kan stötta andraspråkselever genom att arbeta multimodalt. / <p>Svenska</p>

Although awareness of cultural diversity is slowly occurring, the need for multicultural curricula is increasing more each day as even more ethnically and linguistically diverse students enter into United States classrooms. The education of English Language Learners is a controversial topic due to people's mixed beliefs on the amount of English and primary language instruction needed to aid students' English language development. Due to the shortage of bilingual teachers many English Language Learners in the Unites States are learning English through the regular education classroom instructed by monolingual English-speaking teachers. This case study implemented qualitative research methods in order to extend understanding of how a monolingual English speaking teacher can strategically incorporate Hispanic English Language Learner's primary language into the classroom setting and the teacher's experiences throughout this process. This case study will introduce a monolingual English speaking teacher to interventions that can foster the use of Hispanic English Language Learners' primary language in the classroom setting. The findings of this study include the experiences the participating teacher encounters throughout the intervention process. These findings include: heightened awareness, challenges, changes to interventions and enjoyment.

Thesis advisor: Maria E. Brisk / This dissertation analyzed how exemplary mainstream teachers of English Language Learners (ELLs) taught these students across contexts--English monolingual immersion and bilingual. The research for this study was grounded directly in the teaching practices of exemplary teachers for English Language Learners (ELLs). Teacher participants undertook inquiry into their own practices to provide the knowledge and information needed to assist other teachers in improving their practices with ELLs. The research in this case drew upon previous research in the area of professional knowledge and expertise. The major goal was to understand from a holistic viewpoint the successful teacher of ELLs--their backgrounds, knowledge and practices, and how these were mediated by teaching contexts--English monolingual immersion and bilingual. Using a constructivist grounded-theory design, four descriptive case studies were the focus of the dissertation. Using interviews, observations, recall sessions, and a focus group, each teacher was studied to determine their backgrounds both personally and professionally, teaching practices, and attitudes towards ELL students, in order to create a theory of what it takes to be an effective teacher of ELL students. The results suggest that certain background experiences can positively impact the teaching of ELL students: learning a second language, being immersed in a culture different from one's own, and an understanding of second language development. The results also indicated common patterns among the teachers' planning and preparation, teaching practices, and attitudes towards their ELL students. Commonalities in teachers' planning and preparation included the use of themes and units, language goals for their ELL students, knowledge of students' backgrounds, and preparation of exemplars and models. Commonalities in classroom practices included repetition of key vocabulary and phrases, prompting and coaching ELL students, thoughtful grouping and pairing, frequent check-ins with ELL students, and, in the bilingual context, use of the students' first language for learning and instruction. Finally, all of the teachers demonstrated common observable attitudes towards their ELL students such as kindness, sensitivity, and encouragement. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2008. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Curriculum and Instruction.

Thesis advisor: Mariela Páez / One third of young children in the United States are Dual Language Learners (DLLs), or children who are learning more than one language in their early years (Child Trends, 2014). An increase in the DLL population and a changing sociopolitical context in early childhood education, including an expansion of services for diverse families, has led to a critical need for early childhood educators to understand how to best serve DLL children and their families (McCabe et al., 2013). Previous research has identified promising practices for teaching young DLLs (e.g. Castro, Espinosa, & Páez, 2011; Tabors, 2008), but additional investigations are needed to better understand and elaborate culturally and linguistically responsive approaches. In particular, more information is needed about how teachers support DLL children in English-dominant classroom contexts, and how practices may vary across different types of preschool programs. The present study investigated specific teaching practices for DLLs in six community-nominated exemplary preschool classrooms across three program types (Head Start, public Pre-K, and private university-affiliated preschool programs) in an urban area of Massachusetts. Grounded in theoretical orientations of knowledge-of-practice (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1999) and a critical ecology of the early childhood profession (Miller, Dalli & Urban, 2012), the aim of this qualitative multiple-case study was to learn from community-nominated exemplary teachers about their beliefs and practices for teaching young DLL children. Data collection sources included: interviews with teachers, program directors, and parents; classroom observations and videos; and classroom artifacts. Findings from the study demonstrate that exemplary teachers hold asset-oriented beliefs about bilingualism and diversity, viewing DLL children and families as knowledgeable resources to the community. With these beliefs as a foundation, teachers enact a wide repertoire of practices tailored for DLL children, including: fostering relationships and belonging through embedding home languages and cultural practices in the classroom; emphasizing guided play, co-constructed curriculum, and ongoing observational assessment; and focusing on scaffolding and teaching the English language. Implications for teachers, teacher educators, and policymakers are also discussed.

This study explores whether and how the deliberate use of multiple languages can support or constrain the development of learners’ mathematics proficiency in a multilingual mathematics classroom. The study is an action research in which I transform my teaching, by exploring a new teaching strategy. In the study, learners’ home languages, in addition to English (LoLT), are used in a planned and proactive manner, where a well-selected high cognitive demand task set in multiple languages is used for teaching and learning. The study is done in a grade 11 multilingual mathematics class, at a school where I teach. Findings of the study indicate that Kilpatrick et al’s (2001) five strands of mathematical proficiency prevail across all lessons, that the use of English by both learners and I dominates, and that utterances are mostly conceptual. It is also shown by the findings of the study that using the learners’ home languages in presentation of the mathematical task, and the nature of the task used, supports the learners in the comprehension of the mathematical task, and encourages them to participate more effectively during lessons.