International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 2018
This two-year longitudinal study examined the role of linguistic
interdependence between Spanish ... more This two-year longitudinal study examined the role of linguistic interdependence between Spanish and English among a group of first, second, and third generation immigrant Spanish-English bilingual children. Starting from a theoretical perspective on linguistic interdependence that takes into account linguistic constructs and their measurement, the study reports on the English developmental trajectories of 112 Latinx bilinguals in second, third, and fourth grade. Multilevel growth modeling was used to develop trajectories for English vocabulary, morphology, syntax, and semantics and assess the degree to which they were predicted by initial levels of Spanish vocabulary and Spanish syntax. Findings showed that Spanish syntax was a significant predictor for English intercepts for both syntax and morphology. These cross-linguistic effects were moderated by generation status such that the effect of Spanish syntax on English morphology and syntax was, in fact, negative for first-generation students, while positive for second and third generation students. The finding that more metalinguistically focused constructs (syntax and morphology) are robust to crosslinguistic association is consistent with current theories on linguistic interdependence. Because the groups were comparable on Spanish syntax performance, the effect of generation status has some implications for levels of English proficiency necessary in order for linguistic interdependence to manifest.
Classrooms in English-dominant countries are increasingly multilingual spaces, and research has c... more Classrooms in English-dominant countries are increasingly multilingual spaces, and research has called for teacher preparation to focus more specifically on the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) learners. Indeed, efforts have been made to better train pre- and in-service teachers of math, social science, English language arts, and sciences to work with CLD learners. However, we argue that concentrating efforts only in the core content areas is too limited an approach. Specifically, we take the stance that this narrow focus ignores issues of CLD students’ access to arts education (e.g., art, music, dance, theatre, etc.) and also diminishes the value and depth of both the content and language of the arts. In this article, we discuss the need for all teachers to be prepared to support CLD students, describe culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy as a framework for developing art teacher competence, and offer suggestions for policy and practice in pre- and in-service art teacher education.
Journal of Multilingual Theories and Practice , 2021
Research has suggested that teachers' beliefs about multilingual learners directly impact their i... more Research has suggested that teachers' beliefs about multilingual learners directly impact their instructional practices, and teacher educators have called for more explicit focus on addressing beliefs related to language learning and multilingual learners in teacher training programmes. Drawing from LangCrit theory, we analysed 15 early-career teachers' beliefs about language learning. All participants were enrolled in a teacher education programme and taking a statemandated course focused on teaching multilingual learners. At the start of the course, after completing modified versions of the Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) and the Language Attitudes Teacher Survey (LATS), participants were asked to identify survey items that represented truths or myths of bilingualism and to reflect on their own beliefs about the topic and how those beliefs were formed. We utilised positioning theory and LangCrit theory to make meaning of participant responses. Findings suggest that participants were likely to select similar items for reflection. Additionally, their responses connected to their personal experiences of language learning in their own lives or previous classroom experiences. In line with LangCrit theory, participant responses connected their individual stories to broader discourses and emphasised sociallybounded hierarchies and the dominance of English as a teaching goal. However, responses rarely addressed how language diversity is related to race or racism. Implications for teacher beliefs, particularly with regard to teacher education and policy, are discussed.
International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 2021
Women of Color in higher education often experience cultural taxation alongside feelings of invis... more Women of Color in higher education often experience cultural taxation alongside feelings of invisibility and hypervisibility. In this paper, two women faculty of color use duoethnography, a dialogic research method, to unpack a shared journal that documented their own experiences of navigating and negotiating predominantly White academic spaces. By analyzing their experiences, the researchers discovered that their shared journal revealed similar patterns documented by other women faculty of color. The dialogic nature of duoethnography also led to transformational understandings of their positionality in the academy, self-healing, and development of strategies for moving forward. Vignettes from their shared journal and dialogic excerpts are discussed.
This chapter explores the education of bilingual students from an American teacher education pers... more This chapter explores the education of bilingual students from an American teacher education perspective. Bilingual students in the United States are often diminished to their student status of “English Language Learner” (ELL). Not only does this ELL designation assume a one-size-fits-all approach to education for and understanding of bilingual children, but the label itself implores a deficit perspective which neither captures nor values bilingual children in the United States. Driven by the goal to model and introduce assets-based pedagogies to our pre-service English as Second Language (ESL) teachers, the main question guiding our work was, as teacher educators, how can we challenge pre-service teachers to not only acknowledge but act against ingrained deficit perspectives for working with bilingual students? To address this question we first synthesize relevant approaches in the areas of bilingualism and teacher education, focusing on funds of knowledge, translanguaging, and challenging deficit language. We then present key moments from our own work as teacher educators that illustrate the complexity of pre-service teachers shifting or attempting to shift towards assets-based pedagogical practices. The chapter concludes with recommendations for teachers and teacher educators about how to not only acknowledge but integrate and actively support bilingual students in American public schools.
Given the increase of bilingual students in the K-12 public school system, understanding reading ... more Given the increase of bilingual students in the K-12 public school system, understanding reading comprehension performance, especially among this population , has been a major focal point in the research literature. This study explores the nature of reading comprehension among a sample of 123 Spanish–English bilingual elementary students. We add to the existing knowledge base regarding reading comprehension in two significant ways: (1) augmenting the Simple View of Reading by testing the role of both vocabulary depth contribution and dual-linguistic ability in English reading comprehension; and (2) questioning the manner through which reading comprehension is understood through measurement and conceptualization. Specifically, we build a comprehensive model of reading comprehension that tests the effects for vocabulary depth, Spanish oral language, and biliteracy. In line with previous research that suggests different reading measures tap different abilities, we test our model for three different measures of reading comprehension: a cloze exercise, a passage and multiple choice based test, and a timed silent sentence reading judgment
The goal of this study was to examine written translation as a means to: a) build on the theoreti... more The goal of this study was to examine written translation as a means to: a) build on the theoretical notion that a bilingual individual's languages are shared; b) operationalize biliterate ability; and c) propose a new method of assessment for culturally and linguistically diverse students. Drawing from the fields of cognitive psychology and literacy, a conceptual framework was developed for the use of written translation to examine biliteracy. Next, the Biliteracy Translation Measure (BTM), a Spanish-English written translation task, was designed and tested. Results suggest a positive relationship between parallel measures of English and Spanish language and literacy and the BTM, providing support for the BTM's utility in assessing biliteracy. The Biliteracy Translation Measure Using written translations to index bilingualism and biliteracy in Spanish and English bilingualism is a construct that is neither easily defined nor measured. To understand the nature of bilingualism, we must first recognize that a bilingual individual is not the sum of two monolinguals (Grosjean, 2010), and then consider the notion that a bilingual's two languages might share a conceptual knowledge store (Francis, 2005). For some researchers, these notions of bilingualism intersect with an abiding interest in literacy (Bauer & Gort, 2012; Hornberger, 1989, 2004). For some educators and school psychologists, bilingualism intersects with the use of assessments in making decisions regarding special education referrals. For researchers and educators alike, however, attempting to assess the dual language and literacy abilities of bilingual children is a complex endeavor. Applied psycholinguistic work in the United States with Spanish-English bilingual children has attempted to unpack this complexity by using parallel measures of Spanish and English to document cross-linguistic relationships. Similarly, in an effort to make appropriate referrals, best practices among practitioners also include the use of assessments in both the child's native language and English. While this dual-language approach to research and assessment moves beyond a deficit model of bilingualism, the use of language batteries that were developed with, and normed on, monolingual speakers of those languages does not allow for a complete understanding of a bilingual's cognitive processes.
The present study investigated the role of vocabulary depth in reading comprehension among a dive... more The present study investigated the role of vocabulary depth in reading comprehension among a diverse sample of monolingual and bilingual children in grades 2–4. Vocabulary depth was defined as including morphological awareness, awareness of semantic relations, and syntactic awareness. Two hundred ninety-four children from 3 schools in a Mid-Atlantic district and 3 schools in a Northeastern school district participated in the study and were assessed at the beginning and end of one school year on a wide variety of language and literacy measures. Bilingual children were assessed in English and Spanish. A latent difference score model that assessed change in a latent indicator of English reading comprehension from Time 1 (Fall) to Time 2 (Spring) was tested with results showing that vocabulary depth measures made significant contributions to initial status, but not change, in reading comprehension over and above between-subjects factors (grade, ethnicity, language status) and baseline control within-subject factors (word identification and vocabulary breadth). There was no added contribution of Spanish language measures to English reading comprehension among the bilingual students.
The present study examined self-reported levels of motivation in predicting reading comprehension... more The present study examined self-reported levels of motivation in predicting reading comprehension among 76 linguistically diverse middle school-aged students with disabilities in an urban Northeastern school district in the United States. Fifty-one percent of the students were English language learners (ELLs), and all were enrolled in READ180, an online and classroom-based, commercial reading program designed to promote comprehension for students who struggle with reading. Controlling for time spent in READ180 and formative vocabulary and comprehension performance within the environment, we investigated whether reading-related motivations (intrinsic motivation; extrinsic motivation; self-efficacy) predicted comprehension outcomes, and whether language status (ELL or non-ELL) moderated any relationships with reading comprehension. Self-efficacy was positively and significantly associated with reading comprehension, while intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation were not. The effect of self-efficacy was not moderated by ELL status and ELL students scored significantly below their non-ELL peers on the measure of reading comprehension.
The present study addressed girls’ (N=127) early numerical and spatial reasoning skills, within t... more The present study addressed girls’ (N=127) early numerical and spatial reasoning skills, within the context of a critical environment in which these cognitive skills develop, namely their homes. Specif- ically, proximal links between distal family socioeconomic conditions and first-grade girls’ arithmetic and spatial skills were examined (mean age = 6.72 years; SD = .34). The proximal roles of two factors were considered: the general learning characteristics of girls’ homes, and the kinds of math and spatial learn- ing activities in which girls participated. General quality of the home learning environment and specific math activities mediated the relation between family socioeconomics and girls’ arithmetic skills. In con- trast, socioeconomics and home learning experiences were related to girls’ spatial skills indirectly only through their verbal skills; spatial activities were not proximal predictors of spatial skills. For both arith- metic and spatial skills, mothers’ spatial skills were a strong predictor. Future research and intervention implications of these findings are discussed.
International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 2018
This two-year longitudinal study examined the role of linguistic
interdependence between Spanish ... more This two-year longitudinal study examined the role of linguistic interdependence between Spanish and English among a group of first, second, and third generation immigrant Spanish-English bilingual children. Starting from a theoretical perspective on linguistic interdependence that takes into account linguistic constructs and their measurement, the study reports on the English developmental trajectories of 112 Latinx bilinguals in second, third, and fourth grade. Multilevel growth modeling was used to develop trajectories for English vocabulary, morphology, syntax, and semantics and assess the degree to which they were predicted by initial levels of Spanish vocabulary and Spanish syntax. Findings showed that Spanish syntax was a significant predictor for English intercepts for both syntax and morphology. These cross-linguistic effects were moderated by generation status such that the effect of Spanish syntax on English morphology and syntax was, in fact, negative for first-generation students, while positive for second and third generation students. The finding that more metalinguistically focused constructs (syntax and morphology) are robust to crosslinguistic association is consistent with current theories on linguistic interdependence. Because the groups were comparable on Spanish syntax performance, the effect of generation status has some implications for levels of English proficiency necessary in order for linguistic interdependence to manifest.
Classrooms in English-dominant countries are increasingly multilingual spaces, and research has c... more Classrooms in English-dominant countries are increasingly multilingual spaces, and research has called for teacher preparation to focus more specifically on the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) learners. Indeed, efforts have been made to better train pre- and in-service teachers of math, social science, English language arts, and sciences to work with CLD learners. However, we argue that concentrating efforts only in the core content areas is too limited an approach. Specifically, we take the stance that this narrow focus ignores issues of CLD students’ access to arts education (e.g., art, music, dance, theatre, etc.) and also diminishes the value and depth of both the content and language of the arts. In this article, we discuss the need for all teachers to be prepared to support CLD students, describe culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy as a framework for developing art teacher competence, and offer suggestions for policy and practice in pre- and in-service art teacher education.
Journal of Multilingual Theories and Practice , 2021
Research has suggested that teachers' beliefs about multilingual learners directly impact their i... more Research has suggested that teachers' beliefs about multilingual learners directly impact their instructional practices, and teacher educators have called for more explicit focus on addressing beliefs related to language learning and multilingual learners in teacher training programmes. Drawing from LangCrit theory, we analysed 15 early-career teachers' beliefs about language learning. All participants were enrolled in a teacher education programme and taking a statemandated course focused on teaching multilingual learners. At the start of the course, after completing modified versions of the Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) and the Language Attitudes Teacher Survey (LATS), participants were asked to identify survey items that represented truths or myths of bilingualism and to reflect on their own beliefs about the topic and how those beliefs were formed. We utilised positioning theory and LangCrit theory to make meaning of participant responses. Findings suggest that participants were likely to select similar items for reflection. Additionally, their responses connected to their personal experiences of language learning in their own lives or previous classroom experiences. In line with LangCrit theory, participant responses connected their individual stories to broader discourses and emphasised sociallybounded hierarchies and the dominance of English as a teaching goal. However, responses rarely addressed how language diversity is related to race or racism. Implications for teacher beliefs, particularly with regard to teacher education and policy, are discussed.
International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 2021
Women of Color in higher education often experience cultural taxation alongside feelings of invis... more Women of Color in higher education often experience cultural taxation alongside feelings of invisibility and hypervisibility. In this paper, two women faculty of color use duoethnography, a dialogic research method, to unpack a shared journal that documented their own experiences of navigating and negotiating predominantly White academic spaces. By analyzing their experiences, the researchers discovered that their shared journal revealed similar patterns documented by other women faculty of color. The dialogic nature of duoethnography also led to transformational understandings of their positionality in the academy, self-healing, and development of strategies for moving forward. Vignettes from their shared journal and dialogic excerpts are discussed.
This chapter explores the education of bilingual students from an American teacher education pers... more This chapter explores the education of bilingual students from an American teacher education perspective. Bilingual students in the United States are often diminished to their student status of “English Language Learner” (ELL). Not only does this ELL designation assume a one-size-fits-all approach to education for and understanding of bilingual children, but the label itself implores a deficit perspective which neither captures nor values bilingual children in the United States. Driven by the goal to model and introduce assets-based pedagogies to our pre-service English as Second Language (ESL) teachers, the main question guiding our work was, as teacher educators, how can we challenge pre-service teachers to not only acknowledge but act against ingrained deficit perspectives for working with bilingual students? To address this question we first synthesize relevant approaches in the areas of bilingualism and teacher education, focusing on funds of knowledge, translanguaging, and challenging deficit language. We then present key moments from our own work as teacher educators that illustrate the complexity of pre-service teachers shifting or attempting to shift towards assets-based pedagogical practices. The chapter concludes with recommendations for teachers and teacher educators about how to not only acknowledge but integrate and actively support bilingual students in American public schools.
Given the increase of bilingual students in the K-12 public school system, understanding reading ... more Given the increase of bilingual students in the K-12 public school system, understanding reading comprehension performance, especially among this population , has been a major focal point in the research literature. This study explores the nature of reading comprehension among a sample of 123 Spanish–English bilingual elementary students. We add to the existing knowledge base regarding reading comprehension in two significant ways: (1) augmenting the Simple View of Reading by testing the role of both vocabulary depth contribution and dual-linguistic ability in English reading comprehension; and (2) questioning the manner through which reading comprehension is understood through measurement and conceptualization. Specifically, we build a comprehensive model of reading comprehension that tests the effects for vocabulary depth, Spanish oral language, and biliteracy. In line with previous research that suggests different reading measures tap different abilities, we test our model for three different measures of reading comprehension: a cloze exercise, a passage and multiple choice based test, and a timed silent sentence reading judgment
The goal of this study was to examine written translation as a means to: a) build on the theoreti... more The goal of this study was to examine written translation as a means to: a) build on the theoretical notion that a bilingual individual's languages are shared; b) operationalize biliterate ability; and c) propose a new method of assessment for culturally and linguistically diverse students. Drawing from the fields of cognitive psychology and literacy, a conceptual framework was developed for the use of written translation to examine biliteracy. Next, the Biliteracy Translation Measure (BTM), a Spanish-English written translation task, was designed and tested. Results suggest a positive relationship between parallel measures of English and Spanish language and literacy and the BTM, providing support for the BTM's utility in assessing biliteracy. The Biliteracy Translation Measure Using written translations to index bilingualism and biliteracy in Spanish and English bilingualism is a construct that is neither easily defined nor measured. To understand the nature of bilingualism, we must first recognize that a bilingual individual is not the sum of two monolinguals (Grosjean, 2010), and then consider the notion that a bilingual's two languages might share a conceptual knowledge store (Francis, 2005). For some researchers, these notions of bilingualism intersect with an abiding interest in literacy (Bauer & Gort, 2012; Hornberger, 1989, 2004). For some educators and school psychologists, bilingualism intersects with the use of assessments in making decisions regarding special education referrals. For researchers and educators alike, however, attempting to assess the dual language and literacy abilities of bilingual children is a complex endeavor. Applied psycholinguistic work in the United States with Spanish-English bilingual children has attempted to unpack this complexity by using parallel measures of Spanish and English to document cross-linguistic relationships. Similarly, in an effort to make appropriate referrals, best practices among practitioners also include the use of assessments in both the child's native language and English. While this dual-language approach to research and assessment moves beyond a deficit model of bilingualism, the use of language batteries that were developed with, and normed on, monolingual speakers of those languages does not allow for a complete understanding of a bilingual's cognitive processes.
The present study investigated the role of vocabulary depth in reading comprehension among a dive... more The present study investigated the role of vocabulary depth in reading comprehension among a diverse sample of monolingual and bilingual children in grades 2–4. Vocabulary depth was defined as including morphological awareness, awareness of semantic relations, and syntactic awareness. Two hundred ninety-four children from 3 schools in a Mid-Atlantic district and 3 schools in a Northeastern school district participated in the study and were assessed at the beginning and end of one school year on a wide variety of language and literacy measures. Bilingual children were assessed in English and Spanish. A latent difference score model that assessed change in a latent indicator of English reading comprehension from Time 1 (Fall) to Time 2 (Spring) was tested with results showing that vocabulary depth measures made significant contributions to initial status, but not change, in reading comprehension over and above between-subjects factors (grade, ethnicity, language status) and baseline control within-subject factors (word identification and vocabulary breadth). There was no added contribution of Spanish language measures to English reading comprehension among the bilingual students.
The present study examined self-reported levels of motivation in predicting reading comprehension... more The present study examined self-reported levels of motivation in predicting reading comprehension among 76 linguistically diverse middle school-aged students with disabilities in an urban Northeastern school district in the United States. Fifty-one percent of the students were English language learners (ELLs), and all were enrolled in READ180, an online and classroom-based, commercial reading program designed to promote comprehension for students who struggle with reading. Controlling for time spent in READ180 and formative vocabulary and comprehension performance within the environment, we investigated whether reading-related motivations (intrinsic motivation; extrinsic motivation; self-efficacy) predicted comprehension outcomes, and whether language status (ELL or non-ELL) moderated any relationships with reading comprehension. Self-efficacy was positively and significantly associated with reading comprehension, while intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation were not. The effect of self-efficacy was not moderated by ELL status and ELL students scored significantly below their non-ELL peers on the measure of reading comprehension.
The present study addressed girls’ (N=127) early numerical and spatial reasoning skills, within t... more The present study addressed girls’ (N=127) early numerical and spatial reasoning skills, within the context of a critical environment in which these cognitive skills develop, namely their homes. Specif- ically, proximal links between distal family socioeconomic conditions and first-grade girls’ arithmetic and spatial skills were examined (mean age = 6.72 years; SD = .34). The proximal roles of two factors were considered: the general learning characteristics of girls’ homes, and the kinds of math and spatial learn- ing activities in which girls participated. General quality of the home learning environment and specific math activities mediated the relation between family socioeconomics and girls’ arithmetic skills. In con- trast, socioeconomics and home learning experiences were related to girls’ spatial skills indirectly only through their verbal skills; spatial activities were not proximal predictors of spatial skills. For both arith- metic and spatial skills, mothers’ spatial skills were a strong predictor. Future research and intervention implications of these findings are discussed.
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interdependence between Spanish and English among a group of first,
second, and third generation immigrant Spanish-English bilingual
children. Starting from a theoretical perspective on linguistic
interdependence that takes into account linguistic constructs and their
measurement, the study reports on the English developmental
trajectories of 112 Latinx bilinguals in second, third, and fourth grade.
Multilevel growth modeling was used to develop trajectories for English
vocabulary, morphology, syntax, and semantics and assess the degree to
which they were predicted by initial levels of Spanish vocabulary and
Spanish syntax. Findings showed that Spanish syntax was a significant
predictor for English intercepts for both syntax and morphology. These
cross-linguistic effects were moderated by generation status such that
the effect of Spanish syntax on English morphology and syntax was, in
fact, negative for first-generation students, while positive for second and
third generation students. The finding that more metalinguistically
focused constructs (syntax and morphology) are robust to crosslinguistic association is consistent with current theories on linguistic
interdependence. Because the groups were comparable on Spanish
syntax performance, the effect of generation status has some
implications for levels of English proficiency necessary in order for
linguistic interdependence to manifest.
interdependence between Spanish and English among a group of first,
second, and third generation immigrant Spanish-English bilingual
children. Starting from a theoretical perspective on linguistic
interdependence that takes into account linguistic constructs and their
measurement, the study reports on the English developmental
trajectories of 112 Latinx bilinguals in second, third, and fourth grade.
Multilevel growth modeling was used to develop trajectories for English
vocabulary, morphology, syntax, and semantics and assess the degree to
which they were predicted by initial levels of Spanish vocabulary and
Spanish syntax. Findings showed that Spanish syntax was a significant
predictor for English intercepts for both syntax and morphology. These
cross-linguistic effects were moderated by generation status such that
the effect of Spanish syntax on English morphology and syntax was, in
fact, negative for first-generation students, while positive for second and
third generation students. The finding that more metalinguistically
focused constructs (syntax and morphology) are robust to crosslinguistic association is consistent with current theories on linguistic
interdependence. Because the groups were comparable on Spanish
syntax performance, the effect of generation status has some
implications for levels of English proficiency necessary in order for
linguistic interdependence to manifest.