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<p> The purpose of this qualitative narrative study was to explore the stories of ELL leaders and how they negotiated local conditions of power, positioned themselves within leadership structures, and formed their identities. Using critical theory, critical race theory, and feminism as interpretive frames, this study addressed the marginalized status of ELL leaders and the gap in the research related to ELL leadership. </p><p> Findings suggest that governmental agencies impacted the institutionalization of ELL programs, along with the pre-existing operational orders of school districts. The history of racial desegregation orders and decrees surfaced the impact of the interpretive framework that defined students within a Black/White racial paradigm where the intersecting identities of language background, national origin and races other than Black or White of ELL students and leaders were dismissed. Further, school districts had a static method of addressing respective federal and state reforms, which included ELLs, but did not provide specificity about their inclusion, leading to their relative exclusion. Resisting these fixed logics and the nuanced exclusion of ELL students, ELL leaders worked on the periphery with teachers, secretaries and principals to acquire resources and social capital for ELL students and families. </p><p> This comprehensive collection of narratives from ELL leaders demonstrated that stories are shared and experienced circuitously with repeating themes and cycles. These repetitions created a habitus of identity for reflective, purposeful and conscious leadership. Within this habitus of recycling, considerations of differing leadership praxis was realized.</p>

<p> A deficit orientation of English Language Leamer (ELL) Latino students permeates the climate at many schools across the state of California. School efforts to address the academic needs of ELL students emphasize disadvantages, and focus primarily on language remediation approaches. In turn, ELL students are submerged into a substandard curriculum that fails to capitalize on, and denies students access to, their cultural and linguistic strengths. In the Los Angeles schools, only 27% of EL students who began the ninth grade were eligible to graduate four years later. Latino ELL students are significantly academically challenged and struggle to meet high school graduation requirements; these students, by default, are not prepared for college. Reversing the desolate academic trajectories of Latino ELL students by validating and promoting their strengths as a foundation for learning was the impetus for this study. </p><p> This study documents student and staff perceptions of the implementation of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Seal ofBiliteracy Awards Program at one high school with a predominantly Latino student population. Guided by a conceptual framework utilizing the concepts of empowerment of minority students, community cultural wealth, funds of knowledge, and subtractive schooling, this qualitative case study examined the narratives of Latino ELL students and staff participants to gain an understanding oftheir perceptions about college access, the process of implementing the LAUSD Seal ofBiliteracy Awards program, and the purpose, value, and impact of the program on student achievement. The study included focus group interviews with 26 high school student participants, primarily female and mostly in the 12th grade, and individual interviews with six staff participants in various capacities with an educational experience ranging from five to 15 years. </p><p> The findings indicate that the LAUSD Seal ofBiliteracy Awards Program is active at the research site and is producing positive student social and academic impacts. School level impacts include an improved academic school climate and increased parent presence at school functions. In order to shift practice towards an "assets" schooling orientation, recommendations of this study call for a change in policy, converting a voluntary program into a mandatory program. Recommendations of this study urge educators to change current practices to ethically address the issue of evaluation of "transcripts" from foreign countries and to work with teachers to build capacity for additive schooling approaches. Furthermore, recommendations for practice suggest schools must provide all students equitable access to college information by establishing a college and career readiness pathways course that is also a graduation requirement. </p>

<p> This study investigated the barriers and facilitators to general teacher implementation of Project GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design) through the framework of expectancy-value theory. This research was a modified replication of a study by Foley (2011) which investigated the factors that impeded or supported teacher implementation of a different instructional innovation using expectancy-value theory as the theoretical framework. Quantitative data was gathered for this study through an online survey emailed to grade PreK-12 teachers throughout the United States that were trained in Project GLAD. Valid responses to the survey were provided by 173 teachers. The scaled independent variables studied were teacher self-reported perceptions of expectancy, value, cost, and certain types of support surrounding their use of Project GLAD. As in the study by Foley (2011) additional demographic and training independent variables were studied from teacher self-reported data on the survey including the level of Project GLAD training, the recency of Project GLAD training, current grade level taught, years teaching at current grade level, and old degree versus recent degree. The scaled dependent variable studied was teacher general implementation of Project GLAD in their instruction. Data from survey responses was analyzed using descriptive, linear, and multiple linear regression methodology. Teacher levels of expectancy, value and training were found significant positive predictors of general teacher implementation of Project GLAD. Similar to the study by Foley (2011), the findings indicate that increasing the level of particular types of school support to teachers, including coaching and earning higher certifications in Project GLAD will increase their levels of Project GLAD implementation. Areas recommended for further research include teacher implementation of specific Project GLAD strategies, the particular types of support that facilitate implementation, and specific barriers and facilitators to implementation at the secondary grade levels. The use of observational and qualitative methodologies to confirm and expand the findings of this study is also recommended.</p>

<p> In this qualitative explanatory single case study, community of practice and positioning theory were used to examine the perceptions of Chinese English teachers (CETs) concerning foreign English teachers (FETs) in a bilingual primary school in an urban environment in East China. The problem in this study was the difficulty of CETs and FETs to work harmoniously to teach English in Chinese primary schools. Specifically, the research questions were a) what are the Chinese English teachers&rsquo; perceptions of barriers to collaborating with foreign English teachers? and b) What are the Chinese English teachers&rsquo; perceptions regarding the contributions of the foreign English teachers in relation to English language teaching? At this school, each Chinese teacher was paired up with a foreign teacher as co-teaching dyad with shared responsibility. After conducting interviews with seven Chinese English teachers at the school, the interview transcripts were coded using values coding methods and descriptive coding. After compiling the data, six themes emerged relative to the research questions. Concerning barriers to collaboration, the Chinese English teachers mentioned noticeable differences in the dedication to teaching, a lack of solidarity between the two groups, and problems with the administration of the school. Contributions of the foreign teachers were providing cultural context, different approaches in teaching and working with the students, and native speaker model. From these results, it was recommended that foreign teachers need to demonstrate their desire to teach in better ways to their Chinese coworkers. Additionally, school administration must provide more direct leadership so that teachers can know what is expected of them concerning how to work together with the other teachers.</p><p>

<p> Schools in the United States have more students who are English learners (ELs) than at any point in recent decades. Academic performance for these students, as measured by standardized tests, falls below that of their native English-speaking peers and, on some measures, is not making the sorts of gains that other groups appear to be making. Of the various program delivery models for ELs found in schools in the U.S., dual language has received a great deal of attention and interest in recent years due to some impressive long-term student achievement results. There is a great deal of research regarding the effectiveness of dual language and practices that have been shown to support that effectiveness. However, there is little in the research focusing on the perspective of dual language principals and listening to their voices. </p><p> This qualitative study involving interviews of 15 elementary principals of dual language schools in the Eastern United States region was focused on understanding their experience as they contextualized best practices to meet the needs of their specific student population. The study drew on conceptual frameworks of transformative leadership theory, Fowler&rsquo;s initiative implementation, and Cummins&rsquo;s interdependence hypothesis. </p><p> Analysis of the interview data revealed that dual language principals frequently found themselves playing a balancing act between two groups of people within their school. Another finding was that the dual language principal&rsquo;s responsibilities are more complex than those of their colleagues in more traditional elementary schools. It was also learned that dual language best practices are generally followed faithfully. The final finding was that, despite the extra complications, dual language principals find the rewards to be worth the extra effort. The study reveals that dual language programs offer a powerful vehicle for transformative leaders to build community across language and culture. </p><p> Implications for policy include recommendations for school systems to coordinate efforts to find qualified bilingual staff and appropriate bilingual materials. Future research is suggested to explore the perceptions that different language and cultural parent groups have about dual language. Several implications are outlined for practice, including creating meaningful and purposeful cross-cultural experiences for students and parents.</p><p>

<p> The Spanish-speaking population in North Carolina has grown exponentially, and education professionals are implementing dual language strategies to promote greater academic proficiency for these English language learners (ELLs) in their schools. Focusing on two-way immersion (TWI) programs in public schools across the state with noted success (Thomas &amp; Collier, 2011), specific practices and strategies being used to accomplish increased literacy proficiency for Spanish-speaking limited-English proficient students (SSLEPs) were identified. This mixed-method study focused on &lsquo;how&rsquo; and &lsquo;what&rsquo; these programs were doing to promote students&rsquo; literacy proficiency. A conceptual framework was used to analyze data focused on socially just education and Latino Critical theory. Four practices for dual language education found in current literature and two emergent instructional strategies were reported to have a high impact on promoting SSLEPs' success in literacy proficiency for this subgroup. Comparisons of Reading EOG assessment scores were conducted for SSLEPs enrolled in TWI to those not enrolled in TWI, and statistically significant increases in score means and proficiency were discovered for the dual language students in two out of three districts. Exit rates for LEP students were likewise higher in one district and significantly higher in the second district. A strong, positive relationship was found between the use of TWI pedagogy and increased literacy proficiency for SSLEPs.</p><p>

<p>Migrant families have long been victims of their unusual lifestyle. High poverty conditions combined with constant mobility in search for agricultural work have contributed to their challenging lifestyle. As a result, Latino migrant students are among the least likely to graduate from high school and pursue a college degree. However, in spite of such challenges faced by Latino migrant families, a small percentage of Latino migrant students graduate from high school and enroll in an institution of higher learning. The purpose of this research was to identify strategies employed by Latino migrant parents to assist their children in graduating from high school and enrolling in an institution of higher education. The study specifically focused on the role Latino migrant parents play in supporting and guiding their children into higher education. The following three questions guided this study: (a) How is parent involvement perceived and defined by Latino migrant parents of students enrolled in higher education?; (b) What barriers and support systems were present that impeded or supported their children's pursuit of higher education?; and, (c) What educational strategies are present in migrant families that have children in higher education? </p><p> Guided by a critical race theorist approach, individual interviews and focus group interviews. five themes emerged from the findings: (a) Success as Defined by Migrant Families; (b) Reinforcing the Value of Hard Work: (c) Notable Barriers and Obstacles in the Latino Migrant Community; (d) Strategies to Succeed Academically; and (e) The Impact of the Migrant Education Program. </p><p> One important and notable limitation of the study was the sample size. It is possible that a larger size would have resulted in more divergent findings and would have yielded broader recommendations. Furthermore, it is probable that only utilizing interviews as the primary information source has limited the findings. </p>

<p> This research investigates grades kindergarten - 5 English as a Second Language (ESL) and General Education (GE) co-teachers' perceptions of one another's roles, strengths, and areas for improvement in co-teaching academic language and content to English language learners (ELLs) in the GE classroom. Theories of social constructivism and cooperative learning guide this study, which approaches co-teachers' perceptions as a function of how they make meaning of their social interaction and experiences (Vyogotsky, 1978; Villa, Thousand, &amp; Nevin, 2004). Using QUAN-qual sequential explanatory design, this descriptive study uses survey methodology and small-scale follow-up interviews to create an illustrative, descriptive portrait of ESL and GE teachers' perceptions of one another's roles and professional development needs. Quantitative and qualitative survey results are triangulated with qualitative interview findings. </p><p> The integrated findings illuminate the areas of convergence and divergence in ESL and GE teachers' perceptions as co-teachers of ELLs in the GE classroom. The main conclusions are discussed with regard to existing literature on co-teaching. Overall, ESL and GE teachers appeared to have a general understanding of one another's roles, yet some perceptions diverged with regard to sharing responsibilities and whether the GE teacher was the "primary instructor". In addition, this study concludes that despite availability of some common planning time, co-teachers frequently desired to improve the quality and quantity of their co-planning, co-teaching, and reflection on students' needs. Co-teaching strengths that were identified include openness, flexibility, and the ability to differentiate instruction. However, in order to improve co-teaching, both ESL and GE teachers perceive the need to gain skills and knowledge in one another's areas of expertise. Data analysis shows that co-teachers' desired professional development topics and types of offerings interrelate thematically with perceived strengths and areas for improvement. </p><p> The study concludes with a discussion of implications for school administrators and teacher educators, including pre-service teacher educators, who want to support ESL and GE co-teachers. The discussion also addresses the implications for ESL and GE teachers whose co-teaching practice may benefit from reflection on the findings of the study. Finally, directions for future research emanating from this study are offered.</p>

<p> The present study sought to examine institutional and personal factors that affect the sense of belonging of adult immigrant English-learners in a community college. Specifically, this qualitative study analyzed the lived experiences of twenty-one adult English-learners currently enrolled in a large California community college. Language and Critical Race theory was used a theoretical lens to help understand how language proficiency, instructional policies and practices and social factors affect the extent to which this population feels included and as part of the greater campus community. The study found that proficiency in English was the most salient factor in both enhancing the level of connectedness to campus life and hindrance in accessing linguistic and academic resources. Also, the study revealed that the most effective approach to fostering a greater sense of belonging for adult English-learners was providing high-touch experiences through a robust peer mentorship program. Thus, the findings suggest institutionalizing targeted student support services and professional development that will assist educational practitioners to better support adult English-learners to college completion.</p><p>