Bilingual education is a subject of debate in education. Some claim that bilingual education programs are detrimental to students, but decades of research supports the benefits of bilingualism and bilingual education for both English Language Learners and monolingual English speakers. The U.S. does not have bilingual education programs in proportion to the needs that these programs could meet for students in public schools. If bilingualism is beneficial, then why do we not have more bilingual education programs? Research extensively covers the internal components of bilingual education programs but only touches on the effect of the external conditions necessary for program success. In order to study one piece of this large question, this thesis considered the external conditions. In order to determine which conditions and which programs/cities/states to research, I compared the case studies of bilingual education programs to determine patterns in the conditions surrounding them. The case studies were selected because they addressed success factors of these programs. Demographics, university relationships, and legislation were three conditions that the research addressed. Minneapolis-St. Paul; San Francisco; Westminster, CA; New York City; and Detroit are the cities considered because they have large ELL populations but are different in their demographic composition and in how they approach bilingual education. I compared the state and number of bilingual programs to the demographics, university relationships, and legislation in each community and drew conclusions from the resulting patterns. The data showed that the existence of bilingual programs correlated positively to the demographics, university relationships, and legislation in each city, although not always to the degree expected. By analyzing the effects of the conditions on the chosen communities, I concluded that one, states and education leaders need to recognize student needs based on student demographics, two, universities need to conduct research for and advocate for local bilingual programs, and finally, legislation needs to support bilingual programs. The most important condition was individuals from universities advocating for bilingual programs by conducting research that provides a source of reliable information about bilingual education for the lawmakers who create educational policy.

Este trabajo propone un análisis de los programas de Educación Intercultural Bilingüe (EIB) en Chile para la comunidad mapuche. A través de la historia de Chile, las relaciones entre las comunidades originarias y el Estado han sido desiguales—sesgando instituciones, sistemas de poder y estructuras sociales a favor de la cultura dominante. Al responder a estas injusticias, durante de los 1990s hasta hoy en día, la cuestión de lo indígena se ha convertido en un tema importante dentro el contexto sociopolítico de Chile, especialmente en torno al sistema escolar. Esta tesis discute el valor de la EIB para los pueblos indígenas y la sociedad dominante, proponiendo su poder en romper sistemas de opresión, los cuales todavía enfrentan las comunidades originarias del país. El trabajo lleva a cabo un análisis de los éxitos y fracasos de estos programas actuales establecidos bajo la Ley Indígena (1993), ofreciendo percepciones y explicaciones de su fracaso y recomendaciones para su mejora.

<p> The cry continues with A Nation at Risk, No Child Left Behind, and now the Common Core State Standards. There are groups of students who are finding success within public education and groups who are not. The groups who are not finding this success continue to be minority students who continue to run into the public education system rather than running with it. African American males seem to experience running into the system at greater number than other racial and gender groups. However, there are African American males that are finding success in public education. This study looks at the schooling and educational perspectives of twenty-four African American male K-12 public education students. Using grades and standardized assessments as a criterion, fifteen of the students were considered academically successful and nine were not. Twenty-two of the males were 18 years of age and two were 12 years old. Nineteen participants were high school seniors, one was a sophomore, and two were in middle school. Looking through the lenses of Critical Race Theory and Resiliency Theory using qualitative inquiry and data derived from interviews, data was collected to determine what contributed to the success of some participants. First both successful and non-successful groups were able to speak about having goals for the future and the importance of working hard in school. Secondly, relationships were also seen as essential to academic success, whether these relationships were with parents, teachers, or mentors for academic success to occur. Racial stereotypes were seen as something to overcome by the academically success. Race was viewed as a road block difficult to overcome by less successful participants. Having a father and mother or frequent access to more than one caring adult increased an African American male&rsquo;s ability to be academically successful. Even having two parents that may not have been supportive of the African American male appeared to be more beneficial than having supportive friends.</p><p> Recommendations to help African American males to be academically successful include starting early with relationship support and mentoring, life skills courses, and increased interaction with successful African American males. </p>

<p> The purpose of this project was to locate a potential funding source and write a grant proposal for a program designed to prepare Latino immigrant youth for high school graduation and college readiness through education, mentoring, and parental involvement. The proposed program was designed to be implemented at Estancia High School located in Costa Mesa, California. The program will provide students and their families with an opportunity to gain knowledge and skills needed to navigate high school and postsecondary education. This will be accomplished through participation in educational workshops, mentoring sessions, college tours, and financial aid advising. If funded, the program will address many of the educational needs of Latino immigrant students who often encounter multiple barriers that may put them at greater risk for truancy, school dropout, low-wage jobs, and risky behaviors. Actual submission for funding was not required for successful completion of this project.</p>

The purpose of this study was twofold: to find out how teachers of English as an Additional Language (EAL) conceived curriculum, teaching and learning and to examine how professional learning and development (PLD) might impact on changes in the teachers’ thinking and approaches. The research was spurred by my own involvement in the revision of the national New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) and interest in the contested nature of curriculum related to English language learning. EAL teachers face challenges addressing the cross-Learning Area positioning of EAL and, at the same time, are afforded significant autonomy. PLD is needed to support teachers to make curriculum decisions that support English language learners’ (ELLs) to develop competency in English language with urgency. This is because ELLs need to manage the English language demands as they engage in the complex learning that is articulated in the NZC, along with their peers. I adopted an action research methodology to explore both how EAL teachers conceived curriculum and how PLD about EAL teaching and learning might impact on shifts in teachers’ understanding. I was a practitioner-researcher as I carried out PLD for two teachers over a period of six months. Those teacher-participants were teachers of EAL from different secondary schools with different professional contexts. Teaching-as-inquiry was the predominant approach of the PLD. This approach was consistent with my action research. The PLD comprised of a range of interruptions to teachers’ everyday work that assisted them to explore their own practice. The research drew on records of these interruptions to provide evidence of changes in teacher-participants’ thinking. The recorded conversations were captured through semi-structured interviews, video-stimulated recall and ‘learning conversations’. This qualitative data was analysed in one cycle which explored teachers’ thinking and actions about EAL curriculum. A second cycle focused my recorded reflections about my practice and on the impact of particular forms of PLD facilitation on shifts in the teachers’ thinking and actions. I created a review of literature for each cycle. This recursive process allowed me to reflect on my role as a PLD facilitator in action. Several themes emerged as the cycles were drawn together to examine how PLD impacted on shifts in teachers’ understanding of curriculum for EAL. One theme that emerged was the value of a culture of inquiry, where my action research was linked with the participants’ teaching-as-inquiry cycles. Another theme related to how PLD could influence teachers’ reconceptualising of curriculum for teaching multilingual English language learners. A third theme was how my PLD facilitation could impact on effective teaching and learning for Pasifika learners. Findings can be drawn from my study for both teacher practice and for PLD facilitation. This research adds to New Zealand research about teaching ELLs, and Pasifika students in particular. It shows how giving attention to both students’ home language strengths and academic English language learning needs can change the way teachers see pathways and work towards improved outcomes for students. The value of inquiry for teachers was confirmed in this action research, as a useful approach for bring about change in teachers’ thinking and approaches to teaching. The PLD interruption process, which included analysis of rich information about students, challenging conversations and the maintenance of respectful relationships was confirmed as an effective combination for engaging teachers in shifting their foci. Self-reflections on my PLD facilitation role, using an inquiry approach, assessed through adult learning principles, provided a useful stocktake which I would recommend for other PLD facilitators.

<p> The primary purpose of this study was to examine successful instructional practices that promote high academic achievement for at-risk students in juvenile detention centers, and possibly lead to a reduction in recidivism in the juvenile justice system. A case study was conducted at 2 Los Angeles juvenile detention centers, known as "The Sports Camp" and "The Vocational Camp." Qualitative research methods provided data triangulated from a document and artifact examination, interviews, and observations. Analysis of the data suggests that, contrary to popular belief, there are successful instructional practices that positively impact student academic achievement. However, the findings also indicate that extenuating circumstances prevent some students from taking advantage f their educational opportunities. Although the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) is committed to improving educational outcomes for incarcerated youth, there are no magic formulas or solutions. Therefore, multiple strategies will be needed to significantly improve educational outcomes for students in this nontraditional school setting.</p>

<p> In the past few decades, parental involvement has increasingly become more noted in a child's educational journey. More administrators and teachers are recognizing the value of parental involvement. Parental involvement benefits include increased student achievement and stronger school-family partnerships. Implementing parental involvement practices is often required for schools to receive federal support such as Title I funds. Although there is supporting research that shows the positive effects of parental involvement in elementary school settings, there is limited research as to how it can affect students at the middle school level. In addition, other effects of parental involvement that stretch beyond student learning, such as multicultural awareness, have received much less attention. </p><p> The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not parental involvement at the middle school level has an impact on students' multicultural awareness and learning. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed to identify statistical significance and emerging themes to be used to enhance classroom practices at the middle school level. An instrument adapted from the Civil Rights Project (CRP) was used to collect data from middle school students to measure multicultural awareness. Four and five-point Likert scales were used to measure respondents' levels of awareness. A researcher-created summative assessment was used as an instrument to evaluate student learning. Additionally, qualitative questions were used to elicit students' perceptions regarding culture and family involvement. </p><p> Quantitative findings from this study did not reveal statistical significance between the control and parental involvement groups regarding student learning and multicultural awareness. Practical significance was shown in two of the survey questions, which indicated small to medium effects between group and time and small to medium effects of interactions. Practical significance was also evident in the interactions between groups based on grade level in three of the survey questions. Qualitatively, the majority of middle school students felt they were open to learning about cultures different from their own. Most students believed their parents would enjoy hearing about what they learn in visual arts classes. Other themes emerged including the misconception that culture is exclusively related to peoples of the past and the notion that cultural topics are only discussed in terms of the oppression of others. The majority of fifth and sixth grade respondents believed that art class was a venue for learning about different cultures and could recognize the benefits of learning about people from different parts of the world.</p>

Šiame bakalauro darbe analizuojami daugiakalbėje aplinkoje gyvenančių mokinių kalbos sutrikimai ir sunkumai. Tyrime dalyvavo 51 pradinių klasių mokytojas, 17 lietuvių kalbos mokytojų, dirbančių 5-8 -ose klasėse ir keturi, mokyklose dirbantys logopedai. Anketinės apklausos metodu ištirti daugiakalbėje aplinkoje gyvenančių mokinių kalbos sunkumai ir sutrikimai. Norint, kad atsakymai būtų išsamesni ir požiūris į nagrinėjamą reiškinį tikslesnis, buvo pasirinktas interviu metodas, kuriuo apklausti logopedai. Analizuojant tyrimo duomenis buvo derinami kiekybiniai ir kokybiniai metodai. Atlikta statistinė duomenų analizė, ji papildyta logopedų pasisakymais, iliustruota mokytojų pateiktais pavyzdžiais ir mokinių rašto darbų pavyzdžiais. Tyrimu nustatyta, kad daugiakalbė aplinka turi įtakos ir kartais neigiamos vaikų kalbos raidai. Dauguma apklausoje dalyvavusių respondentų nurodė, kad dėl kalbų interferencijos mokiniai, gyvenantys daugiakalbėje aplinkoje, gana dažnai turi kalbos sunkumų. Jų kalba gramatiškai netaisyklinga, kalboje vartojami kelių kalbų žodžiai, netaisyklingas kirčiavimas, ypatingai dažnos ilgųjų ir trumpųjų balsių bei dvibalsių painiojimo klaidos (i-y; u- ū; uo-o; e, ė, ie). Tai sukelia skaitymo ir rašymo sunkumų. Respondentų nuomone, rašymo problemos žymiai didesnės ir dažnesnės. Kalbos sutrikimų daugiakalbė aplinka nelemia. Ji gali būti tik viena iš įtariamo kalbos sutrikimo priežasčių, bet ne pagrindinė. Pedagogai pagal galimybes padeda mokiniams turintiems... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / This paper analyses speech disorders and difficulties of students from multilingual environment. The subject of the study was 51 primary school teachers, 17 teachers of the Lithuanian language who teach 5th – 8th formers and 4 speech therapists who work at school. Speech disorders and difficulties of students from multilingual environment have been identified using the method of questionnaire. Speech therapists have been interviewed in order to receive comprehensive responses and precise attitude towards this phenomenon. Quantitative and qualitative methods have been combined analysing the data of the research. The statistical analysis of the data includes the remarks of speech therapists, pictorial teachers’ and students’ written work samples. The study states that multilingual environment can sometimes have a negative influence on children’s speech development. Most respondents pointed that the students from multilingual environment have speech difficulties more often because of the language interference. Their speech is wrong grammatically. Moreover, they use in their speech words from different languages, put the stress incorrectly, mispronounce long and short vowels and diphthongs (i-y; u-ū; uo-o; e, ė, ie). It causes difficulties in reading and writing. The respondents think that writing difficulties occur more often. The multilingual environment does not determine disorders. It can only be one of the reasons of speech disorders but not... [to full text]

<p> With a focus on socioeconomic issues considered important by the international students in the host nation, this study asks two research questions: How do United States and Canadian universities provide information on immigration policies that address the socioeconomic issues pertaining to international students? How are American and Canadian universities similar and different in the information they provide on immigration policies on socioeconomic issues pertaining to international students? Five universities each from U.S. and Canada that received most international students were purposively selected. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on the websites of the universities. The U.S. and Canadian universities are similar in the approach of presenting policies on employment and costs of education, and different in regard to the focus on immigration policies and international students' immigration status maintenance in the presentation of the policies. Despite presenting restrictive U.S. immigration policies, international students have selected the U.S. universities for their higher education. Conversely, the presentation of flexible Canadian immigration policies has seemingly helped in the enrollment of international students in the Canadian universities.</p>

The purpose of this research study is to compare two yearlong program models designed specifically to educate secondary-level newcomer immigrant youth within one large, urban school district in Southern California. The two divergent secondary-level programs that are compared in this study, a self-contained newcomer program and a beginning level English as a Second Language program (ESL 1/2), are explored to determine which program more successfully prepares secondary-level Latino immigrant youth to gain the language proficiency, academic skills, and academic self-concept necessary to exit after the requisite year. The research for this study is informed by scholarly literature that concerns the education of immigrant youth. The literature review is driven by the following four central concepts: an analysis of significant federal and California state language policy, mitigating factors in the education of immigrant youth, existing specialized program models, and guiding theories in the schooling of linguistically and culturally diverse students. The data for this study was collected utilizing a mixed-methods multiple case study approach. Three classrooms within each of the two programs were observed over a month-long period as simultaneous stakeholder interviews and focus groups were carried out to illuminate emergent themes and tensions. Additionally, both current and former students from the two programs were surveyed to determine their academic, social, and personal self-concept levels. The qualitative and quantitative data gathered through this study was analyzed and triangulated to determine the effectiveness of each program and answer the guiding research questions. The results of this study demonstrated mixed findings between the two programs under study. The students gained greater academic skill levels and a higher academic self-concept level as a result of the more supportive environment offered within the newcomer program, yet the ESL 1/2 students made greater gains linguistically, as was evidenced by higher redesignation rates. In addition, after their second year, the students from the newcomer program reported far lower academic self-concept levels than those who had exited the ESL program. Therefore, due to the mixed results, this study incorporated an action plan to assist districts in creating and implementing effective programs for newcomer youth.