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Thesis advisor: Jon Wargo / This research study investigates how young Brazilian immigrant students (ages 5-9) experience their education in a Two-Way Immersion (TWI) program (Portuguese-English) at one elementary school in the U.S. Northeast. TWI is a bilingual education model that has become popular in recent years but has also come under scrutiny with growing concerns for equity. This multi-year ethnographic study examined students’ roles as thinkers and knowers who contribute to the social world of schooling in a bilingual program that was originally envisioned to serve their needs. Data sources are: participant observations in classrooms and schoolwide and program-specific meetings; interviews with school staff members, children, and caregivers; and a collection of in-class assignments.Findings from this study point to the paradoxical relationship that the focal school had with young immigrant children. First, children of Brazilian descent contributed to the successful implementation and survival of the new bilingual strand in their school through daily language practices and by leveraging their lived experiences and memories during instruction. Second, Brazilian immigrant students carved out spaces in their TWI classrooms to deploy and co-construct subalternized knowledges based on their transborder experiences. At the same time, they faced conflicting orientations concerning their role and participation in the TWI program as well as dynamics of in/visibility. Third, following these students at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, during fully remote learning, revealed how the children negotiated compounded constraints. I show how young students humanized their virtual TWI classrooms, made space for playfulness, and centered their care-full lives in their formal schooling during remote learning. Investigating the educational realities of Brazilians, a rapidly growing but understudied segment of the U.S. Latinx population, not only sheds light on unique facets of their experience, but also generates insights as to how to (re)think educational models, programs, and responses to minoritized populations in the U.S. Precisely, together, the findings advocate for a holistic focus on childhoods, as opposed to the current emphasis on language-as-subject, in TWI education. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2023. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

Diverse student populations are increasing in local, state, and national settings. There are achievement gaps in college readiness which must be closed between various student demographic groups. It is important for schools to know what methods work best for language acquisition to close the gaps and open postsecondary opportunities for all students. The purpose of this sequential, explanatory, mixed-method, formative program evaluation study was to examine the effects of a dual language (DL) program on improving the college readiness of students. Guided by the framework of learning and second language acquisition, college readiness levels between DL and non-DL students were examined and the perceived effects of DL as described by parents, students, and teachers were explored. The quantitative portion of the study used descriptive statistics to examine various transcript academic measures between 11 DL and 11 English immersion students. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 2 DL students, 6 English Immersion and DL staff, and a DL parent. The English Leaner students in the DL program passed more Advanced Placement courses and took more Advanced Placement exams than the English Learner students in the English Immersion program. District stakeholders interviewed for the qualitative portion of the study reported positive effects of the DL program including high levels of college preparation and increased parent involvement for the DL program. The study includes a white paper with recommendations for improvement and expansion of the DL program. Positive social change can be created in school districts by implementing effective language programs to prepare all students for the increasing demands of universities and the workplace.

Two-Way Immersion (TWI) programs offer settings and goals that foster multilingual and multicultural communities; however, communities are complex and fluid, and have aspects that may or may not promote equitable education and learning. This research analyzes the actions and interactions of a group of first grade students to address how community develops during the first semester of implementation of a TWI program. Theoretical notions of figured worlds and communities of practice frame the analysis of ethnographic data to provide insight into the complex social and pedagogical dynamics of this setting 1) through conversations with teachers, 2) through observations of teacher-student interactions during teacher-centered activities, and 3) through observations of students interacting with less teacher presence. Findings describe the teachers’ discourses about their students, which centered on issues of equity and dismantling language status hierarchies. The findings also describe practices that the teachers themselves frame as promoting unified, equitable communities; however, analysis was mixed in finding that certain practices appeared to promote unity within the classroom and others appeared to reinforce divisions among students. Key findings also confirm the results of other researchers regarding the positioning of initially bilingual students in TWI as “dual language experts.” This study notes some ramifications of teaching practices and aspects of the specific 50-50 TWI model for the entire community of learners, which, while elevating balanced bilinguals may marginalize English learners and Spanish learners. / text

This study involved surveying 649 families in Livingston Union School District in Livingston, California, to ascertain parents' motivating factors which led them to enroll their children in a dual-language program at school and to see if there are different motivating factors for English-speaking parents and Spanish-speaking parents. A dual-language program involves integrating students who speak two different languages into a class or program where students learn in both languages. The survey return rate was 41.2%. Of the 268 respondents, 52.9% indicated that they spoke to their children at home in Spanish, 41.4% indicated that they spoke to their children at home in English, 2.6% spoke to their children in Punjabi, 0.3% said they spoke to their children in Urdu, and 2.6% of the respondents declined to answer this question. When asked what motivated the parent to enroll their child in a dual-langauge program, the responses from Spanish-dominant parents were as follows: 90.11% of the respondents enrolled the child in the program because they wanted their child to be able to speak, read, and write in two languages, 67.10% enrolled because they wanted their child to be successful in a global economy, 62% said they enrolled because they wanted their child to be more successful in school, 59.60% said they wanted their child to be comfortable relating to different people and cultures, 57.70% said they wanted their child to be able to relate to his/her heritage, 36.30% enrolled their child because they wanted the child to be with teachers that spoke their language. Approximately 11% wrote in other reasons for enrolling their child in a dual-language program. English-speaking parents chose their reasons for enrolling their child in a dual-language program in almost the same order as the Spanish-speaking parents. However, there are significant differences in the percentage of parents that chose those answers. For example, though the desire to see their child speak, read, and write in two languages was the top choice of both sets of parents, 94.5% of the English-speaking parents chose this answer while only 86.60% of Spanish-speaking parents chose this as their top answer. In addition, there was a significant difference between the two sets of parents when analyzing the choice of wanting their child to be comfortable relating to different people and cultures (English-speaking at 54.90% and Spanish-speaking at 63.3%) and the choice of wanting their child to be with teachers that spoke the same language (English-speaking at 25.20% and Spanish-speaking at 45%). The study ends with recommendation for practice and recommendations for further studies.

La Filière Bilingue (FiBi), une école publique dont le concept repose sur l’enseignement par immersion réciproque, se trouve à la frontière linguistique, à Biel/Bienne. L’enseignement y est dispensé à parts égales en (suisse-) allemand et en français (Modèle 50/50) par des enseignant-e-s locutrices/locuteurs natives/natifs. Cette école, qui offre une alternative aux écoles avec une seule langue de scolarisation, promeut l’intégration des élèves francophones et germanophones, mais aussi d’enfants allophones ne partageant pas les deux langues de scolarisation. Elle favorise ainsi «le développement du bilinguisme et de la bi-littératie, en plus du niveau requis des savoirs disciplinaires et des compétences interculturelles de tous les élèves» (Christian 1994: 1). La présence d’élèves francophones, germanophones et allophones dans la même classe permet à ces apprenant-e-s, plurilingues en devenir, l’acquisition des deux langues de scolarisation en communiquant avec des locutrices/locuteurs natives/natifs et en valorisant leurs cultures respectives.Cette thèse se propose de documenter le développement des deux langues de scolarisation (français et (suisse-)allemand). La première partie de ce travail présente le cadre théorique. Après avoir donné la définition de quelques notions clés comme «langue», «bilinguisme vs. SLA», «plurilinguisme», «immersion (réciproque)» et «translanguaging», nous adopterons une perspective qui montre comment les plurilingues en devenir utilisent leur deux langues de scolarisation afin de communiquer de façon efficace. En faisant référence à une idéologie hétéroglossique, cette perspective plus holistique permettra d'analyser l'apprentissage des langues en tenant compte de l’interdépendance fonctionnelle des deux langues. Ceci constituera la base à travers laquelle nous analyserons les pratiques langagières des apprenant-e-s et les résultats d’interviews semi-dirigées et axées sur la performance conduites dans les deux langues de scolarisation (dix interviews au total).Dans la deuxième partie de notre travail, nous présenterons les données empiriques qui constituent notre corpus de référence et en proposerons une analyse. En ce qui concerne les données, notre choix s’est porté sur un corpus longitudinal qui a été récolté pendant quatre ans. Ce choix nous a paru le meilleur moyen pour décrire le processus dynamique de l’acquisition des deux langues (français et (suisse-) allemand). Quant à l’analyse des données, nous avons décidé de combiner deux approches complémentaires : l’analyse qualitative permettra de décrire de manière détaillée les stratégies du «translanguaging» (García, 2009) utilisées par les élèves, alors que l’analyse quantitative s’attachera à évaluer la capacité des apprenant-e-s «à utiliser la langue de façon communicative» (Bachman et Palmer, 2010) à différents moments de leur apprentissage.Dans la troisième et dernière partie, nous nous attacherons aux implications pédagogiques que ce type d’immersion suppose et que notre étude essaie de modéliser. En effet, il importe que les (futur-e-s) enseignant-e-s œuvrant dans ces écoles devraient bénéficient d’une formation adéquate se basant sur la professionnalisation de l’enseignement par immersion, autrement dit fondée sur la recherche et adaptée à la pratique. Le but sera de former des enseignant-e-s capables de soutenir le plus efficacement possible leurs élèves dans le processus de l’apprentissage intégré des savoirs discipinaires et linguistiques. Nous conclurons ce travail par une synthèse de l'étude et de ses principaux résultats et nous efforcerons de dégager des pistes intéressantes pour des projets de recherche ultérieurs. / The two-way immersion program Filière Bilingue (FiBi) is a choice-based educational alternative in a Swiss public school situated on the language border in Biel/Bienne. This two-way immersion program integrates French-speaking and German-speaking students and «strives to promote bilingualism and biliteracy in addition to grade-level academic achievement for all students» (Christian 1994: 1). The presence of approximately equal numbers of native speakers of both languages in the same class provides opportunities for students to communicate with native-speaker peers, creating linguistic and intercultural benefits for both groups. Moreover, each class is composed of one third of allophone students having neither French, nor (Swiss) German as an L1 (or L1s). The amount of instructional time is equal in the two languages of schooling at all grade levels (50/50 program model). The focus of this thesis is the emergent multilinguals’ development in their two languages of schooling (French and (Swiss) German). The first part is theory-driven and defines some basic notions such as «language», «bilingualism vs. SLA», «multilingualism», «(two-way) immersion» and «translanguaging», resulting in the proposition to approach the emergent multilinguals’ proficiency outcomes from the perspective of what speakers do with the two languages of schooling in order to communicate efficiently and effectively. Considering multiple language practices in functional interrelationship can be referred to as a heteroglossic language ideology. Adopting thus a more holistic view on multilingual development forms the basis for the analysis of the outcomes of semi-structured and performance-oriented interviews – conducted with the emergent multilinguals in their two languages of schooling at five points in time (ten interviews in total).In the second part, an empirical study with data from our corpus – collected over a period of four years - is presented. Two approaches are combined for the analysis of data: whereas the qualitative analysis shows some illustrative examples of the learners’ translanguaging strategies (García, 2009), the quantitative analysis focuses on the measurement of their ability «to use language communicatively» (Bachman and Palmer, 2010). In lieu of measuring a current level of achievement in the learners’ two languages of schooling, process measures provide a broader picture, including variations in performance from a longitudinal perspective and documenting the emergent multilinguals’ dynamic process of becoming proficient in their two languages of schooling. In part three, major findings and limitations of the study are presented, including pedagogical implications resulting from the outcomes of this study. We conclude that practicing and future teachers of immersion schools need an appropriate teacher education with focus on the professionalization of two-way immersion education. This research-based and practitioner-informed teacher training should aim to train teachers who are able to best support emergent multilinguals in their process to learn content by means of two languages of schooling.The conclusion presents a summary of our study and suggests further possible research projects. / Die Filière Bilingue (FiBi) ist eine öffentliche Schule. Deren Konzept basiert auf dem Prinzipder reziproken Immersion. Sie befindet sich an der Sprachgrenze in Biel/Bienne. Diese Schule – eineAlternative zu Schulen mit einer Schulsprache - fördert die Integration von deutschsprachigen undfranzösischsprachigen Lernenden und «fördert die Zweisprachigkeit sowie die Lese- undSchreibfähigkeit in beiden Zielsprachen und das Erreichen der Lernziele in allen Schulfächern vonallen Lernenden» (Christian 1994: 1). Ausserdem besteht ein Drittel jeder Klasse aus allophonenKindern, die weder Deutsch noch Französisch als Erstsprache(n) haben. Der Unterricht erfolgt je zurHälfte auf Französisch und Deutsch (50/50-Modell). Da die Klassen je hälftig aus deutsch- undfranzösischsprachigen Kindern zusammengesetzt werden, ermöglicht dies den Lernenden mitMuttersprachlern der «anderen» Schulsprache zu kommunizieren und interkulturelle Kompetenzen zuerwerben.Diese Arbeit dokumentiert die Entwicklung der Lernenden in ihren zwei Schulsprachen. Dererste Teil dieser Arbeit liefert einen theoretischen Rahmen und klärt Begriffe wie «Sprache»,«Zweisprachigkeit vs. SLA», «Mehrsprachigkeit», «(reziproke) Immersion» und «translanguaging»,gefolgt vom Vorschlag, eine Perspektive einzunehmen, die zeigt, wie die Lernenden dieSchulsprachen brauchen, um effizient zu kommunizieren. Die Betrachtung der multiplenSprachpraktiken in ihrer funktionellen wechselseitigen Abhängigkeit verweist auf eine HeteroglossieIdeologie.52 Eine solche ganzheitliche Betrachtung der mehrsprachigen Entwicklung der Lernendenbildet die theoretische Grundlage für die Auswertung der gesammelten Daten aus den halbstrukturiertenund auf Performanz ausgerichteten Leitfaden-Interviews (zehn Interviews insgesamt invier Jahren).Der zweite Teil dieser Arbeit präsentiert eine empirische Langzeitstudie. Zwei Ansätzewurden bei der Analyse der gesammelten Daten kombiniert: während die qualitative AnalyseStrategien wie «translanguaging» (García, 2009a) von Lernenden zeigt, fokussiert die quantitativeAnalyse auf die Messung der Fähigkeit «Sprache auf kommunikative Weise zu verwenden» (Bachmanund Palmer, 2010). Anstatt das aktuelle Sprachniveau der Lernenden in den beiden Schulsprachen zumessen, wird ein breiteres Bild gezeigt, das Variationen in der Performanz der Lernenden einschliesstund den dynamischen Spracherwerbsprozess aufzeigt. So wird der effiziente und kreative Gebrauchder Sprache sowie mehrsprachige Diskurs-Praktiken wie «translanguaging» gezeigt. Diese multiplenSprachpraktiken zeigen das dynamische und interaktive Kommunikationssystem der mehrsprachigenLernenden und deren Spracherwerbsprozess in.Im dritten Teil werden die pädagogischen Schlussfolgerungen präsentiert. Eine angemesseneLehrerausbildung für diese Lehrpersonen fokussierend auf der Professionalisierung des Immersions-Unterrichts wäre wünschenswert, in welcher ein für die Praktiker/innen nützlicher Wissenstransfervon Forschungsresultaten stattfindet. So könnten die Lernenden bestmöglich beim Prozess, sichSchulstoff durch zwei Schulsprachen anzueignen, unterstützt werden. Der Schlussteil dieser Arbeitfasst die Studie und deren Ergebnisse zusammen und zeigt weitere Forschungsperspektiven auf.

Ce travail, dont le titre est : Le modèle d’immersion réciproque en question : enseigner en classe bilingue à New York et à Francfort / Das Two-Way-Immersion Modell im Fokus : Zweisprachig unterrichten in New York und Frankfurt/Main, a pour objectif de répondre à la problématique suivante : comment la conceptualisation du modèle d’enseignement bilingue d’immersion réciproque influence les pratiques éducatives (didactiques et pédagogiques) des enseignants et les productions langagières des enfants, et pourquoi ? / The aim of this study, the title of which is “Focussing on the model of two-way immersion: teaching in bilingual classrooms in New York and Frankfurt on the Main”, is to provide an answer to the following question: in what ways does the conceptualisation of the bilingual model of two-way immersion affect the educational practices, both didactic and pedagogical, of teachers and the language production of children, and why is this so?