<p>Teachers? Experiences in a Charter School With English Language Learners? Acquisition of Academic Literacy. Estella Stephens, 2018: Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. Keywords: charter schools, English language learners, literacy, phenomenon, qualitative research, teachers This qualitative applied dissertation was designed to investigate and give voice to the lived experiences of mainstream teachers at charter schools where the English language learner (ELL) population increased significantly. It replicated McCoy?s (2013) study. A phenomenological design was used to interview kindergarten-Grade 8 mainstream teachers in 3 charter schools. Interviews were conducted by a noninterested party due to the positionality status of the researcher. Interviews were transcribed, and the data analyzed and coded by the researcher. Teachers were asked about lived experiences with ELLs acquiring academic literacy, teachers? challenges and benefits in teaching academic literacy, changes that occurred in classrooms in their work with helping ELLs to attain grade-level academic literacy, and how they could be best prepared to help ELLs attain academic literacy based on Cummins (1973) language acquisition theory. Six themes emerged from the interviews relating teachers? experiences with ELLs? difficulty with mastering academic literacy in a charter school. The 6 themes that emerged included a large ELL percentage in the class, ELLs entering school behind grade level, cultural and language barriers, increased collaboration, greater emphasis on vocabulary, and increased professional development. The study found that teachers perceived that the influx of ELLs into mainstream classrooms and culture and native languages posed challenges to students? academic literacy achievement. Increased collaboration and a greater emphasis on teaching vocabulary proved to be helpful. The majority of teachers? requests for professional development targeted teaching ELLs to prepare teachers better to help students attain academic literacy. The results of the 3 major findings in McCoy?s (2013) research study were supported as principles of good teaching pedagogy. Implications, limitations, reflections, and recommendations for future research are reported.

<p> The increased number of English language learners (ELLs) presents a difficult task for middle school building principals. The challenge of ensuring the success of ELLs in future years will force schools to rethink educational practices. This study focused on how middle school building principals strategically planned, organized, and managed their schools to meet the needs of ELLs. The phenomenological study was based on the growing student population of English as a second language (ESL) in school districts in Eastern New York. Ten principals were interviewed and a triangulation of data was achieved through observation and collection of documents. The researcher found through bridging that middle school principals engaged in relationship building with parents, students, teachers, and community to create a sense of belonging in the school. As a result, principals are encouraged to provide professional opportunities for the faculty to become certified ESL teachers, accessible to community members, bilingual, and engaged in community building.</p>

<p> This study researched the preparedness of English as a Second Language directors in school corporations in Indiana to determine their background experiences, awareness of second language acquisition research, levels of qualification, attitudes towards English learners (ELs), efficacy for leading ESL programs, and to gain an understanding of how to provide guidance and support to this group of individuals. Furthermore, the study investigated relationships between these factors to gain insight into how they impact each other and program implementation. The study endeavored to provide useful information towards policy making and support of ESL leaders. The research was quantitative and utilized a tailored design Internet survey to collect data. Descriptive data was analyzed using analysis of frequency (distribution, central tendency and dispersion of individual variables), while relationships between elements were analyzed using a combination of ANOVA, and Pearson's Product Moment correlational analysis, followed by post hoc analysis and regression analysis. Findings indicated that having experience with English learners and teaching certification for working with English learners were significant factors in the areas of knowledge, attitude, and efficacy. An exploratory model of ESL program leadership, developed by the researcher, concluded that when EL directors are certified and bring experience of working with ELs to their positions, it is more likely that their programs will be successfully implemented. Finally, the interplay of variables showed that these directors' levels of knowledge of second language acquisition principles and efficacy for leading the ESL program had highly significant effects on attitude, program implementation and each other. The implications of this study include directions for policy, training programs, and further research.</p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative case study is to investigate the characteristics of a sustained dual language campus as well as the contributions made by the schools building principal. The exploration of the principals driving emphasis in the school may give insight into how to continue to sustain a progressive dual language program, and the understandings a principal must have when leading a dual language school. </p><p> In-depth interviews were conducted to collect data from various teachers of at least five years of experience at the dual language campus as well as the building principal of said campus. A total of six teachers and one principal were interviewed once individually, then the teachers were broken into two focus groups of three members. The questions for the interviews were framed under a culturally relevant pedagogy model, then the responses were analyzed to form a new model of sustainability.</p><p> The results of this study indicate that building principals must critically reflect on some cultural aspects of the school, specifically: a reflection of cultural consciousness, a belief that dual language education is an equitable practice, and advocacy for students and high achievement are necessary. Leaders of dual language campus&rsquo; must validate the student&rsquo;s cultural wealth; this includes their role in the school, community, home and how language plays an important role in the functioning of the sustainability. Finally, principals should understand that the process of reflection and re-evaluation is constant and should continue as such.</p><p>

<p> In education today, Latino populations are growing, but Telles and Ortiz (2013) claim they account for the lowest academic levels and the highest levels of dropouts. Latino <i>transfronterizo</i> (literally border crossing) students and their parents in this study have high academic aspirations in spite of challenges of poverty, second language acquisition, and other difficulties which arise from U.S.-Mexico border contexts. Through dissecting the events of the 1990s and early 2000s, the progression of northern migration from Mexico and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 influenced anti-immigrant sentiment along the border and enactment of laws and policies to limit circumnavigating the international line. Misidentification as illegal immigrants creates borderland perceptions that Latinos are suspects and often results in discriminatory treatment from postcolonial dominant culture. This culture is reflected and perpetuated in schools where home language surveys identify native Spanish speakers to segregate them into Structured English Immersion programs for students with Limited English Proficiency. Ethnographic research from January of 2013 to August of 2015 included over 300 observations and 14 semi-structured interviews with seven <i>transfronterizo</i> students and nine parents revealed language disconnects between school and home. Relationships between teachers and students/parents did not exist and trust was lacking. Latino parents wanted to help students with school, but English only requirements limited their assistance. Through the use of Furman&rsquo;s ethic of community and Yosso&rsquo;s community cultural wealth, educational leaders could create communal process at schools to build the capacity of teachers and parents to create relationships and shared cultural competencies. </p>

<p> This qualitative interpretive study explored how former newcomer English Language Learners (ELLs) in Boston Public Schools (BPS) made sense of their transmigration experiences through a digital storytelling project. The study fills a gap on transmigration experiences in the context of English-only learning environments, with a particular orientation toward the value of students&rsquo; home languages, and in turn, cultures within an urban school setting. The immigrant student population in BPS continues to increase and teachers must be able to understand and plan for newcomers&rsquo; specific needs. To this end, my conceptual framework drew on four areas: general educators and their urban students, with sections on teachers&rsquo; habitus and the hidden curriculum; cultural relevance in urban education; identity, including social identity theory and transnational identity; and school adjustment, with sections on student voice and social integration. Set in a community center in Boston and drawing on ethnographic methods, the study explored participants&rsquo; unique educational experiences in moving from Haiti to different academic programs in BPS. </p><p> The overarching research question was: How do former newcomer ELLs make sense of their transmigration experiences through a digital storytelling project? I used a combination of methods&mdash;interviews, participant observations, photography, and digital storytelling&mdash;to gather and analyze artifacts. Data analysis highlighted issues related to the process of conducting the digital storytelling project, as well as issues emerging from the participants&rsquo; narratives of transmigration. Analysis of the research process revealed a distinction between how teacher preparation and teacher preparedness might be understood for educators working with newcomer ELLs. Analysis of participant narratives suggests that language holds central importance to the transmigration and social integration experiences of newcomers. Furthermore, digital storytelling, as a pedagogical process, may serve as an effective tool for working with newcomer ELLs, both as a means to facilitate meaning making and to give significance to their transmigration experiences. It may also serve as an effective means to support language development. Adding to the body of immigration literature on how newcomers fare, the study&rsquo;s implications include the role of language in social integration, ways of understanding teacher preparation and preparedness, and the utility of digital storytelling.</p>

<p> English Learners (ELs) are one of the fastest growing student populations across the country and in the State of Maryland. In tandem with the growth of this diverse student group has been increasing accountability for public schools to ensure academic success for all students. Annual reports of school progress reveal persistent achievement gaps between English speaking students and ELs. This study investigated the relationship between the beliefs and expectations of school leaders and the academic success of English Learners. </p><p> A correlational causal comparative, quantitative study was conducted using principal perception survey data and Maryland State assessment data. Principals' perceptions were not found to be good predictors in reducing the achievement gap between English Learners and English proficient students on state assessments. However, a statistically significant relationship was found between school practices and a change in the mathematics achievement gap. Also, principal training was found to have a significant positive relationship to school practices. </p><p> These findings, along with survey perception data, underscore the need for targeted professional development for school leaders to combat systemic practices and beliefs that may contribute to the achievement gap between language minorities and their monolingual counterparts. The results may be useful to State leaders as they consider certification requirements for school administrators. </p><p> District policies that restrict research and suppressed assessment data served as limitations to this study. Further investigation into principals' perceptions and an assessment of principal adequacy to close the achievement gap is warranted by State education leaders.</p><p>

<p> This study defines and analyzes the successful leadership practice of a principal of an urban K-8 school serving English Language Learners in the western United States during the 2012-2013 academic year. Focusing on the self-identified leadership practice of a school leader evidenced to positively affect student learning, this study seeks to extend knowledge about what principals actually do to within the context of their schools to improve academic achievement for students. A definition of an applied leadership practice is constructed based on a review of relevant literature and evidence gathered in this study. The successful principal was measured via the VAL-ED Assessment in Education in order to validate the strongest components and processes of that leader's leadership practice. Then, two principal interviews were conducted and coded to show alignments of the described leadership practices with two evidenced based frameworks; the VAL-ED Matrix and the Essential Supports and Indicators Framework. The first interview detailed the principal's leadership practice as they conceived it and experienced it. The second interview was a narrative reflection of how critical work and life incidents were perceived to have shaped the principal's leadership practices, and why these leadership practices emerged and flourished within their particular school and community context. Findings from other schools involved in this research were investigated to ascertain which Essential Supports and Indicators specifically connected to success or failure in mathematics are found in other schools conducting this research. The results of this research provide a more complete description of a successful leadership practice as it exists in practice in the described context.</p>

<p> From a critical race theory perspective, this study examined how leaders in a California public school district support English language learners (ELLS) while implementing Proposition 227, a policy that strengthened the structures of inequality by imposing English as the language of instruction. The problem this study addressed was the effect Proposition 227 has had on school leaders' capacity to support the needs of ELLs. A qualitative multiple-case study, this study examined inconsistencies among tiers of leadership with regard to support systems for ELLs, irregular monitoring practices, and a lack of language resources. These findings also reveal a focus on oral and academic language development and outline professional development and review of ELLS' data as best practices.</p><p> This study employed nine semistructured interviews. Analysis is presented through a tiered leadership model that includes perceptions from board members, district administrators, and school principals. This study is vital to informing the literature on how leaders understand instruction for ELLs and implement support services in public schools.</p>

<p> Little is known about how engaging in the learning-oriented leadership model (Drago-Severson, 2004b, 2009, 2012a) can support educators to address the adaptive challenges they encounter in their day-to-day work teaching English learners. My qualitative study examined how 11 educators whose school leaders implement the learning-oriented leadership model described and understood the adaptive challenges they encountered teaching English learners; how they described and understood their experiences engaging in the pillar practices (i.e., teaming, assuming leadership roles, collegial inquiry, mentoring) of the learning-oriented leadership model; and in what ways, if any, these educators described and understood those experiences within the pillar practices as supportive to their efforts to meet their adaptive challenges. </p><p> I conducted three one-hour interviews with each of 11 participants (teachers and specialists) from a public elementary school (n=7) and a public charter elementary school (n=4). I selected sites based on the school leader's experience with and implementation of Drago-Severson's learning-oriented leadership model and the number of educators who taught English learners. Data analysis included: 1) writing analytic memos, 2) transcribing interviews verbatim, 3) coding, 4) crafting profiles, 5) categorization, 6) within-case and cross-case analysis, and 7) creating matrices. </p><p> I found that participants understood cultural proficiency, partnering with families, and English learner programming as adaptive challenges they encountered teaching English learners. Furthermore, all participants understood adaptive challenges involving English learners as opportunities for growth and development. The overwhelming majority of participants experienced the pillar practices as a holding environment for their growth and understood that building-level and district-level leaders played a pivotal role in creating an infrastructure for the pillar practices to support their growth. Key features of the holding environment participants described included: provision of information and access to expertise; time and space for reflective discussion and/or collaborative problem solving; and opportunities to pose questions, consider others' perspectives, and offer alternative perspectives. </p><p> Recommendations for principals, superintendents, and policymakers include: employing the pillar practices of the learning-oriented leadership model to support educators in their work with diverse learners, specifically English learners and providing financial and human resources to support educators and principals to gain expertise relating to English learners.</p>