<p> English Language Learners (ELLs) are one of the fastest growing student populations throughout the country. With ELLs come unique challenges schools must navigate to best serve these students. One challenge is the identification of these students and proper placement and service within ELL programs offered by schools. Another challenge is determining if an ELL also has a disability, particularly a learning disability, since language proficiency problems can mimic learning disability symptoms. This study sought to discover how states identify ELLs, and especially ELLs with disabilities (ELLWDs). The researcher examined the policy documents of all 50 states, analyzing and coding those documents for key elements relating to ELLs and ELLWDs found within previous research. Additionally, to better triangulate data, the researcher examined student populations for a sample of 15 states through state reported USDOE sources and US Census sources to determine how well the subgroups of ELLs and ELLWDs might be identified based on population comparisons. The study found that states tend to use the federal definition of limited English proficient as a basis for their definition of ELLs and that a little more than half of the states addressed the issue of ELLWDs at all. They do not have a formal identifying definition for these students. While federal DOE and OCR oversights have increased awareness and service for ELLS, more work remains, in particular with creating a common identification matrix for ELLWDs and raising awareness of their presence in the student population.</p>

<p> This action research study explored if changes in the reading curriculum, specifically implementation of critical literacy approaches that acknowledge bicultural students, increase student learning as perceived by teachers and students in a Catholic elementary school, where students have been chronically performing at the lowest level in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. By using critical pedagogy (Darder, 1991; Freire, 1970; Giroux, 1983; Macedo, 1994; McLaren, 1988) as a theoretical framework, this action research project investigated the effective elements of critical literacy (Cadiero-Kaplan, 2004; Shor &amp; Pari, 1999) that promote academic learning for Latino middle school students in a low-income Catholic elementary school. </p><p> This study explored the approaches and perceptions of novel studies, as a form of literacy, to increase student learning in reading at a low-income, urban, Catholic elementary school. Classroom observations, teacher interviews, teacher lesson plans, student work, student focus groups, and a teacher focus group validated the findings that critical literacy approaches positively impacted student learning in reading. </p><p> Changes in the school and reading curriculum, specifically the implementation of literacy approaches that acknowledge bicultural students, increased learning for Latino middle school students as perceived by teachers and students in this low-income, urban Catholic elementary school. Teachers implemented effective elements of critical literacy, including direct vocabulary and grammar instruction, analysis of literary tools, incorporation of Spanish, varying forms of assessment, and inclusion of student voice, through the use of novel studies. The school and classroom environments further promoted academic learning for Latino middle school students with high expectations, strict humor, and predictability where teachers, who viewed their students with promising futures, taught as a form of service. Although the school and teachers incorporated literacy practices, teachers fell short of practicing critical literacy because they failed to examine the underlying social ramifications of hegemonic forces.</p>

I used a sociocultural perspective (Vygotsky, 1978) to examine teachers’ epistemological and efficacy beliefs about the teaching and learning of mathematics with multilingual students. Specifically, I use the work of Negueruela-Azarola (2011) who suggests that teachers’ beliefs are conceptualizing tools for thinking about activity. Beliefs, which are social and dynamic, arise from teachers’ lived experiences. What teachers believe is relevant because beliefs inform pedagogical practices and once established are hard to change (Brownlee, Boulton-Lewis & Purdie, 2002; Cross, 2009; Pajares, 1992). Established beliefs with regards to mathematics hold that it is the easiest subject for multilingual students since there is little language involved. On the other hand, established beliefs are that increased English vocabulary is mainly what students need to be successful in mathematics. Barwell (2009) and Moschkovich (2002), using sociocultural perspectives, argue that language is important in mathematics and that multilingual students can participate in mathematical discussions when using resources such as their own mathematical knowledge, objects, and codeswitching. I interviewed five teachers who had experience teaching mathematics to students whose first language was other than English. I found that some teachers had beliefs which contrasted with the philosophies of their training institutions and with their schools. Teachers were found to hold contradictory beliefs. The study showed the importance of terminology in that how teachers referred to their multilingual students reflected their beliefs. Multilingual students were welcomed in the classroom for their contribution to cultural diversity but teachers acknowledged increased workload, and periods of frustration when supporting their multilingual students in mathematics.

While there is much research around Latinos in higher education little is written on the experiences of Latinas alone. This thesis looks to fill that gap by analyzing the experiences of Latinas at a selective predominantly White liberal arts women’s college. This study is conducted through the personal analysis of the author’s experiences and looks to shed light on how institutions of higher education can create a better campus climate for Latinas.

<p> The purpose of this quantitative non-experimental comparative study was to measure and compare the leadership styles of higher education professionals across levels of responsibility between Asian-American and Caucasian-American individuals. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) and additional demographic surveys were used to obtain measurements and personal leadership traits for the dependent and independent variables. A self-rated questionnaire of the MLQ survey measured nine characteristics of leadership qualities (subscales) of the transformational, transactional, or passive/avoidant (laissez-faire) of the participants. Stratified random sampling technique helped identify these two groups of higher education leaders. Inferential statistical tests of the Mann-Whitney U test were used to identify if significant difference of leadership styles existed for the independent variables of race, mentored experience, birth country, SES background, age, and gender between Asian-American and Caucasian-American higher educational leaders. Significant differences were indicated on transformational leadership quality subscale for IM and transactional leadership quality subscale for MBEA. A third independent factor of age also indicated a significant difference between older and younger leaders in the transformational leadership quality subscale for IS. Higher education institutions and decision makers could use the study result as a point of reference to guide diverse Asian-American individuals in higher education to leadership training and development in their institutions with the aid of a modified PDCA map for a conceptual framework of implementing such process. Such action could advance Asian Americans into open leadership positions and make institutions more diverse to represent its respective community.</p>

<p> There is a distinct possibility there may be many people of color who are in leadership positions or applying for leadership positions that believe racial stereotyping creates barriers for opportunity and can hinder one's chances for success. The purpose of this research is to explore strategies used by leaders of color to overcome the threat of racial stereotyping in the Las Vegas hospitality and gaming industry, as it pertains to barriers, opportunities, and success. There are four research questions the researcher explored through leadership, strategies, assimilation and performance. The sample size consisted of twelve leaders of color in the Las Vegas hospitality and gaming industry. Leaders of color were defined as African-American, males and females, and Hispanic-American, males and females. The researcher utilized qualitative interviews as the primary instrument and chose a semi-structured interview format. The researcher asked predetermined questions while still exercising the freedom to seek clarification with follow up and improvised questions. The twelve interviewees were asked seven questions relevant to the four research questions to provide an in-depth analysis. The results of this study concluded that leaders of color have cultivated strategies to overcome the threat of racial stereotyping in the workplace. Although each leader of color in this study had never officially chronicled a professional strategy that is in direct correlation with the threat of racial stereotyping, all of the leaders have been living by a subliminal game plan that is either reactive, proactive or both. The leaders of color in this study were given, and took advantage of the opportunity to disclose what works for him or her in respect to their existence, relationships, and motivation to overcome the threat of racial stereotyping in their respected workplaces.</p>

This research examines the failure of AB 101 (Alejo) a bill that would have created a statewide ethnic studies curriculum in California. Through a qualitative analysis consisting primarily of interviews, the analysis challenges the validity of the main oppositional arguments against the bill. Then argues that misunderstandings regarding the implications of ethnic studies curriculum, leading to an unwillingness to fund such programs, has served as the main barrier in enacting a statewide curriculum. Lastly, the work identifies the social and political conditions needed to overcome such barriers. In conclusion, the research suggests that, through time, as local ethnic studies programs become more prominent, and research on the impact of ethnic studies becomes more robust, California will be in a place to be one of the first states to pass a statewide ethnic studies curriculum.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study refers to the use of two languages in education at a satellite campus of the University of Namibia situated in the far north of the country in the town of Ongwediva. The dominant community language in this region is Oshiwambo. The official language of the country, and of the particular university campus, is English. As the majority of students come from this region, the dominant first language on this campus among staff and students is Oshiwambo. This research gives a description of multilingualism prevalent among individuals and in the community on this particular campus; it also explains some of the characterising features of a plurilingual community of practice in this higher education (HE) institution. This thesis gives a description of communicative practices in a multilingual classroom at the particular HE institution in this rural town. It aims to document how practices of code-switching between Oshiwambo and English are used in facilitating (or hindering) learning as this becomes manifest in classroom discourse. Also, it aims to explain the kind of mobility that is enabled and sometimes also enforced by linguistic diversity within a community such as the one investigated here on the Hifikepunye Pohamba campus in Ongwediva. Findings of this study provide evidence that most lecturers and students, even many of foreign origin, alternate between two languages, namely between Oshiwambo and English. Although the practice of code switching is neither unusual nor discouraged, the data indicates that is occurs much less in formal classroom discourse than in informal discourse and in smaller group discussions. Observed and recorded presentations by the lecturer are done in English and responses by students in the lecture are given largely in English. Code switching from English to Oshiwambo happens when students need to articulate themselves more precisely than their English proficiency allows. Such code switching also serves other purposes such as including and excluding other conversants, mediating new knowledge, changing tone, etc. L1 speakers of languages other than Oshiwambo do at times experience social isolation, and exclusion in collaborative learning. Nevertheless, many informally acquire proficiency in Oshiwambo and so are accommodated into the educational discourse. The mobility of the local Namibian population as well as that of people from neighbouring countries, enhances the multilingualism which has to be accommodated in lectures and in out-of-classroom interaction. In spite of multilingual repertoires, the participants in the study all ascribe to a model of “double monolingualism” in that they regard their linguistic repertoires not as intersecting language systems, but as separate systems with distinct functions in different contexts. Their linguistic practices, however, display much more unconscious integration of the variety of languages they know. The study finds that it is vital for educators to take cognisance of these findings in order to make better use of the linguistic resources of the communities represented among lecturers and students. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie gee aandag aan die gebruik van twee tale in onderrig by ʼn satellietkampus van die Universiteit van Namibië, wat in die verre noorde van die land geleë is, in die dorp Ongwediva. Die dominante streektaal wat hierdie gemeenskap gebruik, is Oshiwambo. Die amptelike taal van die land, en van die betrokke universiteitskampus, is Engels. Aangesien die meerderheid van die studente uit die streek kom, is die mees gebruikte eerstetaal onder personeel en studente op hierdie kampus, Oshiwambo. Hierdie tesis beskryf die veeltaligheid wat aangetref word onder individue en binne die gemeenskap van hierdie hoër onderwys inrigting; dit gee ook ʼn uiteensetting van enkele karakteriserende eienskappe van ʼn meertalige gemeenskap wat gekonstitueer word op grond van gemeenskaplike praktyke aan hierdie hoër onderwys inrigting. Die tesis gee ʼn beskrywing van kommunikatiewe gebruike in ʼn veeltalige klaskamer by die betrokke inrigting vir hoër onderwys in die plattelandse dorp. Dit beoog die dokumentering van kodewisselingspraktyke tussen Oshiwambo en Engels soos dit in klaskamerdiskoerse voorkom in die fasilitering (of belemmering) van leer. Dit beoog verder om die soort mobiliteit te verduidelik wat moontlik gemaak word, en soms ook afgedwing word deur veeltaligheid binne ʼn gemeenskap soos die een wat hier aan die Hifikepunye Pohamba kampus in Ongwediva ondersoek word. Die bevindinge van die ondersoek wys daarop dat die meeste dosente en studente, selfs baie wat van vreemde herkoms is, afwisselend twee tale, nl. Oshiwambo en Engels, gebruik. Alhoewel die praktyk van kodewisseling nie ongewoon is nie, en ook nie ontmoedig word nie, toon die data dat dit minder dikwels in die formele klaskamerdiskoers voorkom as in informele diskoerse en in kleiner groepbesprekings. Klasaanbiedinge van die dosent wat waargeneem en opgeneem is, sowel as terugvoer van die studente in die lesing is grootliks in Engels gedoen. Kodewisseling van Engels na Oshiwambo vind plaas as studente voel dat hulle iets meer presies wil verwoord as wat hulle Engels-taalvaardigheid toelaat. Sodanige kodewisseling het ook ander funksies, soos die insluiting of uitsluiting van ander gespreksgenote, die bemiddeling van nuwe kennis, ʼn verandering in toon, en dergelike. Eerstetaalsprekers van ander tale as Oshiwambo ervaar wel van tyd tot tyd dat hulle geïsoleer word, en dat hulle by gesamentlike leer-praktyke uitgesluit word. Nogtans verwerf baie van die nie-Oshiwambosprekendes informeel kennis van Oshiwambo sodat hulle dan wel in die opvoedkundige diskoers geakkommodeer word. Die mobiliteit van die plaaslike Namibiese bevolking sowel as dié van mense uit buurlande, lei tot groter voorkoms van veeltaligheid wat in lesings en in die buite-klaskamer interaksie geakkommodeer moet word. Ten spyte van talige repertoires wat meer tale as net twee insluit, werk die deelnemers aan hierdie studie deurgaans met ʼn model waarna verwys word as “dubbele eentaligheid” (“double monolingualism”), wat inhou dat hulle hul kennis van verskeie tale nie verstaan as oorvleuelende, gemeenskaplik funksionerende stelsels nie, maar as aparte stelsels met verskillende funksies in verskillende kontekste. Hulle talige gebruike vertoon egter heelwat meer onbewuste integrasie van die verskeidenheid tale wat hulle ken. Die studie vind dit noodsaaklik dat opvoedkundiges kennis neem van hierdie bevindinge ten einde beter gebruik te maak van die taalbronne van die onderskeie gemeenskappe wat deur die dosente en studente verteenwoordig word.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In recent years, there has been an increase in the use of educational interpreting at tertiary institutions in South Africa. Various pilot studies, as well as long-running interpreting projects at North West University, University of the Free State, and the University of Johannesburg have shown that educational interpreting is a viable way of implementing a multilingual language policy and accommodating various languages in the classroom. Educational interpreting has also been researched at Stellenbosch University (SU) in recent years and following the success of a 2011 pilot project at the Faculty of Engineering, the university plans to implement the service in other faculties as well (see Stellenbosch University Language Policy 2014). The study reported in this thesis was conducted at SU and was interested in the perceptions of interpreting held by the three main role players in the interpreting service. The main focus of the study was on examining perceptions of interpreting held by second year Engineering students who attended lectures in which educational interpreting was used as mode of delivery. The data collected on these perceptions was also contextualised by findings from data collected on students’ language backgrounds (including language use, language attitude and actual and perceived language proficiency). As a secondary aim, the study was interested in the perceptions held by lecturers and interpreters working in the Faculty of Engineering. Findings indicated that students generally had positive perceptions of interpreting and felt that interpreting was a good way to accommodate various languages at SU. It also proved useful to collect data on students’ language backgrounds in order to contextualise the results of the interpreting questionnaire, as important nuances emerged which were not apparent when these results were considered on their own. This lead to the insight that feedback from students regarding their experience of the interpreting service should be contextualised in terms of their language backgrounds, as this would lead to more valuable and useful feedback. Finally, lecturers and interpreters both showed positive perceptions of interpreting, with a marked progression in perception of the role of the interpreter in the classroom becoming apparent as experience of educational interpreting increased. The most important suggestion to follow from this finding was that students and lecturers should be made (more) aware of what interpreting entails, how interpreters are trained and how they prepare for lectures, as this should lead to more positive perceptions and increased use of this service. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Opvoedkundige tolking het oor die afgelope paar jaar baie gewild geword by tersiêre instellings. Verskeie loodsprojekte en gevestigde tolkprogramme by NWU, UVS en UJ het bewys dat opvoedkundige tolking ‘n lewensvatbare manier is om meertalige taalbeleide te implementeer, en om die gebruik van verskeie tale binne die klaskamer moontlik te maak. Opvoedkundige tolking word ook by SU nagevors en sedert die sukses van ‘n loodsprojek gedurende 2011 by die Fakulteit van Ingenieurswese het die gebruik van opvoedkunidge tolking in klaskamers begin toeneem. Die studie het belang gestel in die persepsies van tolking van die drie hoofrolspelers van die tolkdiens. Die primêre fokuspunt van die studie was om die persepsies van tolking van tweedejaar-ingenieurswesestudente wat lesings gehad het met opvoedkundige tolking te ondersoek. Die data wat oor hierdie persepsies ingesamel is, is ook gekontekstualiseer deur bevindinge wat gemaak is uit die beskouing van data oor die studente se taalagtergrond (insluitende taalgebruik, taalhouding, en werklike en waargenome taalvaardigheid). Die sekondêre fokuspunt van die studie was om insigte te verkry oor die persepsies van tolking van dosente by die Fakulteit van Ingenieurswese, asook van die tolke wat die ingenieursmodules getolk het. Soos reeds genoem het die Fakulteit van Ingenieurswese reeds sedert 2011 sekere modules aangebied deur middel van opvoedkundige tolking. Teen die tyd wat data ingesamel is in die tweede semester van 2013 was dit moontlik om data te verkry van tweedejaar-ingenieurswesestudente wat reeds vir amper twee semesters aan opvoedkundige tolking in hul klaskamer blootgestel is. Die bevindinge van die studie het oor die algemeen aangetoon dat studente ‘n positiewe persepsie gehad het van tolking, en dat hulle gevoel het tolking ‘n goeie manier is om verskeie tale by die universiteit te akkommodeer. Die gebruik van data oor studente se taalagtergrond as konteks vir die bespreking van die persepsiedata was ook baie handig, aangesien belangrike nuanses vorendag gekom het wat nie duidelik was toe die persepsiedata op sy eie beskou is nie. Dosente en tolke het beide ‘n positiewe persepsie van die tolking getoon, met ‘n duidelike progressie wat plaasgevind het in hul persepsie van die rol van die tolk in die klaskamer namate die omvang van hul ervaring met opvoedkundige tolking vermeerder het.

La normalisation occupe une place primordiale dans le domaine des technologies de l’information et de la communication, ainsi que pour les TICE, en permettant d’assurer une interopérabilité entre les différents systèmes et équipements. Dans ce contexte rentre notre travail de recherche qui vise à reconsidérer la perspective de mise en place des systèmes de gestion de corpus lexicaux homogènes, multilingues, partageables et interopérables, ainsi que la mise en valeur indispensable de la normalisation pour l’éducation et ses retombées bénéfiques en termes d’accessibilité, d’interopérabilité et d’adaptabilité…Une étude expérimentale qui vise à tester certains outils informatiques qui servent à la production et à la gestion d’une terminologie multilingue et normalisée constitue la facette expérimentale de notre travail. L’observation, la comparaison, la découverte et l’analyse du comportement des usagers est faîte à partir d’une enquête. / Standardization holds a pivotal place in the domain of information and communicationtechnologies as well as for the TICE as it allows for a better harmony between the differentsystems and equipments. Our research project is situated in this context. It aims to reconsiderthe perspective of elaborating systems of management of homogenous, multilingual,shareable and interoperable lexical corpora. It also emphasizes the necessity ofstandardization and its effects on education in terms of accessibility, interoperability andadaptability…An experimental study which aims at testing some computer tools used in theproduction and management of a standardized and multilingual terminology constitutes thecorpus of our work. The observation, comparison, discovery and analysis of users behaviouris based on a survey. / تحظى المعاییر الدولیة بمكانة ھامة في مجال استعمال تكنولوجیا المعلومات والاتصال ولسیما المتصلة بالتعلیم والتربیة والتكوین. ذلك.ان عملیة التعییر تضمن سلامة التواصل بین مختلف مكونات نظم وأدوات التعلیمفي ھذا الإطار یندرج بحثنا الذي یھدف الى اعادة النظر في نظم انتاج ومعالجة المدونات المعجمیة بطریقة تجعل منھا مدوناتمتجانسة ومتعددة اللغات وقابلة للاستعمال المتبادل. كما نبین من خلال ھذا البحث الحاجة الى وضع جملة من المعاییر الدولیة في.میدان التعلیم تخص طریقة الوصول الى المعلومة والقدرة على التكیف مع النظم التعلیمیةھذا البحث عبارة عن دراسة تجریبیة لبعض البرمجیات الاعلامیة لقصد جعلھا قابلة لإنتاج ومعالجة المصطلحات متعددة اللغات.مطابقة في ذلك المعاییر الدولیة