Using data on all Hispanic high school students in Central and Southern Florida, this study examines Cummins’ Linguistic Interdependence concept by studying how the availability and English Language Learners (ELL) student participation in Spanish for Native Speakers (SNS) programs in Florida high schools is associated with Hispanic academic achievement. The availability of SNS programs was studied using data provided by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) on all high schools in Florida for 2009-2010. The study used individual level data on all Hispanic ELL students in Central and Southeast counties who attended 12th grade during each year from 2006/2007 through 2009/2010, and then tracked the students’ entire high school experience from 9th to 12th grade. Student Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) scores were used as the dependent variable. Testing for differences in means and linear and logistic regression analysis were used to examine these questions. The results showed that SNS tend to be offered in large high schools, with a large Hispanic student and teacher population, which have lower average FCAT scores, and are located in counties that tend to vote Democratic. The results found indicate that student participation in SNS program does not affect students’ overall FCAT scores. However, students who participate in SNS courses tend to perform better in Math FCAT, but not in Reading FCAT, when compared to their peers of similar Hispanic background that did not participate in SNS courses. The results supported Cummins’ Linguistic Interdependence concept, as First Language (L1) maintenance may promote academic achievement, depending on the academic subject. The most important attribute of these results was the association found between L1 maintenance and academic skills in Math. The study argues for the possibility of cognitive development occurring at deeper levels due to L1 maintenance, and expressed through abstract and logical thought such as Mathematical iv proficiency. Future studies may benefit by approaching this subject in a longitudinal manner and examine how student participation in SNS is associated with educational attainment, including high school graduation, college enrollment and graduation, job prospects and social mobility. The results also suggest that there is a higher probability that SNS curriculum is offered in high schools located in counties that tend to vote Democratic, indicating that location is intrinsically dependent on stakeholders’ political views on the education of minority students. Therefore, future studies may examine stakeholders’ involvement in the decision making process of curriculum at the county, school, and classroom level, in order to find out what are the driving forces making possible or not the availability of SNS curriculum in the state of Florida.

In South Africa learners do not achieve as well as their international counterparts on tests of literacy, and language proficiency is often blamed for their poor academic performance. In this study, the relationship between English language proficiency, reading ability and the academic performance of Grade 7 students in submersion contexts was investigated using quantitative methods. The participants of the study were Grade 7 students based in a former Model C school in the South African city of Johannesburg. Their English language proficiency and reading ability were measured by means of The Proficiency test English Second Language: Intermediate level and the Neale Analysis of Reading Ability tests respectively. The students’ performance on these tests was correlated with the students’ average summative assessment results using the Pearson-product moment correlation. Results showed that both English language proficiency and reading ability were significantly correlated with academic performance, with language proficiency having the most robust correlation. These findings indicate that teachers should aim at improving language proficiency by using multilingual teaching strategies that support home language as a cognitive tool. / English Studies / M.A. (TESOL)

In South Africa learners do not achieve as well as their international counterparts on tests of literacy, and language proficiency is often blamed for their poor academic performance. In this study, the relationship between English language proficiency, reading ability and the academic performance of Grade 7 students in submersion contexts was investigated using quantitative methods. The participants of the study were Grade 7 students based in a former Model C school in the South African city of Johannesburg. Their English language proficiency and reading ability were measured by means of The Proficiency test English Second Language: Intermediate level and the Neale Analysis of Reading Ability tests respectively. The students’ performance on these tests was correlated with the students’ average summative assessment results using the Pearson-product moment correlation. Results showed that both English language proficiency and reading ability were significantly correlated with academic performance, with language proficiency having the most robust correlation. These findings indicate that teachers should aim at improving language proficiency by using multilingual teaching strategies that support home language as a cognitive tool. / English Studies / M. A. (TESOL)

The purpose of the study was to develop a wellness model for teachers in addressing learning barriers for learners with hearing impairment. The study is underpinned by three theories, namely, the Linguistic Interdependence Theory, the Universal Design for Learning and the Wellness Theory to generate understanding of how learners with hearing impairment learn. Ethical standards were adhered to in terms of gaining permission for access, issues of informed consent, voluntary participation, and confidentiality. The study is premised on the pragmatism philosophy that favours a mixed method approach, using both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis and interpretation of data. The mixed method is a multi-method, ensuring multiple angles in data collection, interpretation and analysis. Data collection and analysis were concurrent because data were collected and analysed as soon as the data were available. The study used a purposive sampling approach to select samples of educators who responded to the questionnaires and those who participated in the interviews. Three provinces and 11 schools were purposively selected because of their history of providing quality education to learners with hearing impairment. The researcher knew all the schools. One hundred deaf educators (86 female and 14 male) participated in answering a semi-structured, self-completion questionnaire. All respondents were school-based teachers of the deaf, teaching Grade R to seven. Eleven primary school educators were interviewed, consisting of eight women and three men. Concurrent data analysis was used to compare quantitative and qualitative data, which revealed that learners faced several wellness challenges. Most of the learners faced literacy challenges in reading, communication with the hearing and limited academic, social and career dimensions. Some positive strides were showing in the physical and spiritual wellness through health promotion and moral education. The study proposed an integrated wellness model integrating the three lenses. The following four themes emerged from the study. The first theme is that academic challenges are major barriers faced by learners with hearing impairments. The second theme noted that deaf learners faced communication challenges. The third theme indicated curriculum, adaptation, and multidisciplinary teams as factor where hearing-impaired needed support to address barriers to learning. The last theme called for more programmes to be introduced to address academic, career, and spiritual wellness. A wellness model was proposed to assist educators to address the academic, social, career, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness of the hearing-impaired learners / Inclusive Education / D. Ed. (Inclusive Education)