The purpose of this study was to identify the leadership styles of elementary school principals who are implementing a change process at a high level (the district's Master Plan for students with Limited English Proficiency) and to describe their perceptions of bilingual education. This study also examined the relationship between the principals' leadership style and their perceptions of bilingual education. Each of the 10 participants completed the Leadership Behavior Analysis II, a questionnaire on perceptions of bilingual education and was interviewed. All of the principals were identified as having a supportive leadership style and 90% were identified as having a positive perception of bilingual education. The participants tended to be flexible in their use of different leadership styles and were able to utilize appropriate styles for a given situation. The participants with more training and personal experiences with bilingual education tended to have more positive perceptions about the program. The principals with more positive perceptions of bilingual education tended to select the most appropriate styles for a particular situation. All participants had positive perceptions of bilingual education in terms of its effect on students' social and emotional adjustment. The results of the instruments correspond to the research regarding implementing change. The research points to the principal as being a key player in determining the effectiveness of a change effort. Also, the leadership style of the principal is crucial in terms of motivating, encouraging, and supporting staff members involved in change. The supportive behaviors focusing on personal relationships are important characteristics for effective principals. The research emphasizes the importance of providing appropriate programs for students learning English as a second language. The study provided recommendations in terms of the training and hiring of principals and in regards to effectively implementing change in an organization.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:pacific.edu/oai:scholarlycommons.pacific.edu:uop_etds-3577 |
| Date | 01 January 1998 |
| Creators | Nichols, Catherine E. |
| Publisher | Scholarly Commons |
| Source Sets | University of the Pacific |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations |
Page generated in 0.0022 seconds