<p> An issue faced by educators throughout the United States is how to successfully educate preservice teachers on various laws, cultural differences, attitudes, and current teaching strategies affecting English Language Learners (ELL) and their educators. Western Illinois University (WIU) implemented an online ELL Module in 2009 that all preservice teachers were required to successfully complete in order to finish their degree programs. This research was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of online features and ELL content from the perspective of current students, graduates and faculty. </p><p> An online data gathering process surveyed each target group regarding their experience with the ELL Module. Faculty and students were surveyed and historical data from the content management system was retrieved to assess instructional strategies, assessment success, focus of content and applicability to actual classroom instruction of ELL learners. Findings included that the ELL Module topics were worthwhile and educational. Students reported their use of the videos and web-based materials provided, and they indicated that 24/7 availability was important. The actual integration of the module into a class demonstrated an effective strategy for implementation. Students who spent more time exploring the module content showed more frequent first attempt success with the module lessons' assessment. </p><p> Conclusions included the importance of web-based resources with round the clock availability. Faculty clearly desired face-to-face opportunities with students even though the ELL Module was designed for online delivery. Lesson content focus did affect the amount of time students spent in the lesson even though the lessons were weighted equally. </p><p> The recommendations resulting from this program evaluation include adding strategy specific videos and encouraging students to spend more time exploring the material currently available to them through the ELL Module to facilitate success in the lesson assessment. Also offering the ELL Module as an integrated portion of a preexisting course or creating an ELL blended course for all education majors provides faculty with their preference for having direct contact with students to promote lively discussions. Finally, actively sharing material from the ELL Module, on the College of Education and Human Service's website supports the preparation of preservice teachers for future experiences</p>

<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> This study explored the problem of student attrition in beginning courses of an Intensive English Program (IEP) that may affect the sustainability of the IEP. The purpose of the study was to understand the perceptions of continuing students and the factors that influenced their motivation and engagement to persist studying in the IEP. Constructivism and behavioral social learning theory guided this study. The research problem addressed the need for students to remain in IEPs and achieve second language acquisition. The research questions were designed to learn what instructional approaches motivated and engaged participants to persist in successive introductory courses. A qualitative case study design, guided by interpretive epistemology, was used to collect students' opinions, perceptions, and suggestions on their experiences in their first course. The target population was beginners in a second IEP course at a community college. A purposive sample of 16 participants took part in 2 focus groups, individual interviews, and open-ended surveys for data triangulation. Constant comparative analysis using open and axial coding was used to aggregate data themes for inquiry. The findings revealed that poor student engagement, lack of mentorship qualities in instructors, and little inclusion of technology have been persistent reasons for their dissatisfaction. The project, a collaborative professional development effort, was designed for IEP instructors to gain awareness on past and current research about the andragogical framework of student-centeredness which culminated with the cooperative elaboration of a set of best practices. The social impact of the study comes from benefits that sustainable IEP programs could offer to communities with large populations of immigrants and to international visitors to empower them to achieve immersion into English-speaking societies.</p>

This thesis examines how Japanese language schools in the Greater Vancouver area function in the diversification of their pupils’ backgrounds. The schools provide curricula which mainly consist of practices of Japanese language and cultural learning. Applying the content analysis of qualitative data derived from interviews with the school principals, the thesis investigates what emphasis the schools put on their educational policies and practices of the curricula. The maintenance of the learners’ heritage language and culture have been argued as a primary function of heritage language schools such as the Japanese language schools. However, currently most of the Japanese language schools accept Japanese as a heritage language (JHL) learners who are not limited to those children of whom both parents are of Japanese descent and whose first language is Japanese. In addition, the schools accept learners who wish to learn Japanese as a foreign language (JFL) as well. The complexity of the learners’ backgrounds indicate that the schools’ function cannot be explained only as the heritage language/culture maintenance of those who are Japanese descent. The results of this study reveal that the school principals greatly consider the importance of nurturing pupils’ intercultural competence (Byram & Zarate, 1997; Liddicoat & Scarino, 2013). In the current situation of the Japanese language schools, pupils naturally gain intercultural experiences inside and outside the classrooms. The schools’ intercultural perspective enables us to reframe heritage language education to that which is connected to learners’ development of accepting cultural differences. / Graduate / 0282 / mayok@uvic.ca

<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> Recently, Japanese higher education has decided to transition from a traditional teacher-centered to a more student-centered, communicative classroom. One promising possibility that could help in the transition is the flipped classroom technique. Examining the lived experiences of Japanese university English as a foreign language (EFL) students who have taken part in a course taught using the flipped classroom technique will help in determining possible benefits of the flipped classroom in EFL higher education in Japan. This study will use a qualitative approach with a case study design to focus on the lived experiences of Japanese EFL university students at Iwate University enrolled in a course taught using the flipped classroom model. This study will focus on the students' impressions, possible changes in study habits, perceived benefits and challenges, and if students experienced higher levels of authentic communication opportunities due to the flipped classroom. By examining the lived experiences of students who have taken part in a course taught using the flipped classroom technique, this study will contribute to the understanding of learning technologies used to support the implementation of a communicative, student-centered learning environment in the undergraduate EFL classroom. </p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to determine if adult English learners who used the small talk flash cards communicative activities would lower their affective filter thereby increase their motivation to speak English, and if by practicing authentic conversation with the small talk cards, it would help to increase the students' oral and written output in English. Forty adult English learners were chosen to participate in this comparison study. The study was conducted over a 4-week period. The learners' attitude towards speaking English and their English oral proficiency were scored both at the beginning of the study and at the end. Furthermore, the two groups' writing skills were evaluated and compared at the end of the study. The hypothesis, that the small talk card would help reduce the affective filter and help develop oral and written output, were minimally supported by the data collected. However, a longer study with more participants would better substantiate the results. The data showed that adult English learners enjoyed and wanted the chance to practice authentic language in class. Additionally, they benefited greatly from the practice. Therefore, teachers should make every effort to include as many of these activities as possible in their curriculum.</p>

This study is a qualitative action research that I have undertaken with four teachers in the college where I work, for the purpose of improving curriculum delivery and student services to our majority multilingual student body. Based on my research in a public school board with Grades 4 to 12 students where I learned that mother tongues (L1s) are valued by students as scaffolds to their learning of English (L2) I proceeded to explore L1/L2 curriculum delivery with adult community college students whose prior learning is encoded in their mother tongues. I explored the possibility of legitimizing the use of students’ mother tongues in college classrooms as scaffolds to their acquisition of their L2. There were three phases to this study. Through these three phases of the study I sought to understand the impact of this multilingual pedagogical approach on the students’ learning experience, academic engagement and identity formation. In phase 1, I worked with 90 English as a Second Language (ESL) students whom I surveyed to determine their levels of understanding of our English-only curriculum delivery and student services. In phase 2, I worked with three English for Academic Purposes (EAP) students and interviewed them to explore their reaction to their teacher’s allowing them to use their mother tongues in class as part of pedagogy. In phase 3, I worked with 19 EAP students and interviewed them in focus groups to explore more deeply their learning experience, academic engagement and identity formation in two college classrooms where their mother tongues were part of everyday pedagogy. On the basis of the findings of this study I argue that the creation of space for students’ mother tongues in college classrooms is an ethical imperative since their mother tongues are integral components of their identities and all of their prior learning and life experiences are encoded in their mother tongues. Overall the findings highlighted bilingual students’ perceptions that their L1s constituted an important scaffold for their learning of English. Students’ comments also expressed their sense of the centrality of L1s to aspects of their identity.

<p> As the population of English Language Learners (ELLs) continues to grow in schools, so does the concern for their lack of academic progress and the possible inequitable representation of this culturally and linguistically diverse population in special education (Artiles, Rueda, Salazar, &amp; Higareda, 2005; Guiberson, 2009; Mac Swan &amp; Rolstad, 2006; Rinaldi &amp; Samson, 2008). Of particular concern is the increase of ELLs with an eligibility of Specific Learning Disability (SLD), especially when examined at the local level (Klinger, Artiles, &amp; Barletta, 2006). To understand this phenomenon at the local level, this mixed-method study examined ELLs with SLD in a large California urban school district by targeting English language development (ELD) at the macro and micro level. The researcher accomplished this focus by examining the relationship between English language proficiency levels, grade levels, and type of learning disorder among kindergarten through twelfth grade ELLs with SLD. The researcher analyzed cumulative educational records of three eighth grade ELLs with SLD, including Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs), to examine how ELD needs have been addressed. The results of the quantitative portion of this study revealed greater distribution patterns of ELLs with SLD in sixth through ninth grades. The researcher also found ELLs with SLD to be primarily represented in the early stages of ELD (beginning, early intermediate, and intermediate) and identified with an auditory processing disorder. Results of the case studies also revealed that after nine years of ELD instruction, the students had not reclassified as English proficient and documented evidence of ELD instruction and support was minimal.</p>