Background and Purpose of StudyWith the increasing numbers of English Language Learners (ELLs) in... more Background and Purpose of StudyWith the increasing numbers of English Language Learners (ELLs) in schools across the United States, research has documented the benefits of collaboration between English as a second language (ESL) teachers with their content area counterparts in meeting the educational needs of ELLs (Dove & Honigsfield, 2010; Teemant, Bernhardt, & Rodriguez-Munoz, 1996). The collaboration between ESL and content area teachers is especially important in light of research which has documented that mainstream teachers often feel ill-prepared to address the needs of ELLs in their schools (Fu, 2004; Gandara, Maxwell-Jolly, & Driscoll, 2005; Li & Zhang, 2004). Further, a survey showed that middle school teachers wanted more training and information so they could better address the academic needs of ELLs in their content area classes (Hansen-Thomas & Cavagnetto, 2010).Successful forms of ESL teacher/content area teacher collaboration include a shared model in which one teach...
Abstract At the middle school level, active family engagement is difficult enough with native Eng... more Abstract At the middle school level, active family engagement is difficult enough with native English speaking families but even more so with parents of English learners (ELs). Using a funds of knowledge approach in this article, we position families as knowledgeable participants with strengths who contribute significantly to their adolescent’s academic and overall development. We provide three cases of middle grades teachers who took the initiative to engage with families of ELs. Each teacher utilized different strategies, but they ultimately all increased EL family engagement in their middle school setting. This article shows that EL families will be more engaged when strategies used are more inclusive and responsive to their needs.
Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice, 2016
The role of motivation in engaging students in reading activities and thus improving their readin... more The role of motivation in engaging students in reading activities and thus improving their reading achievement has been widely reported for the past decades. However, despite the increasing numbers of English learners (ELs) in the United States, little is known about how teachers perceive their motivation to read. Focus group methodology was used in this study to explore English as a second language teachers’ perceptions of ELs’ reading motivation. Three major themes that emerged from our qualitative analysis were (a) accessible texts, (b) self-concept, and (c) fitting in. The implications for both future research and classroom instruction are provided.
International Journal of Multicultural Education, 2015
This study examines culturally responsive pedagogy across the fields of special education, multic... more This study examines culturally responsive pedagogy across the fields of special education, multicultural literacy education, and teaching English language learners. A systematic review of recommendations identified culturally responsive practices in five key areas: dialogue, collaboration, visual representation, explicit instruction, and inquiry. Educators are encouraged to adopt a critical and responsive stance that incorporates students’ cultural knowledge and lived experiences when implementing these recommendations. Creating classrooms that promote culturally responsive and effective instruction is grounded in the definition of literacy as a social practice and leads to more equitable learning opportunities in all areas.
This report from the field showcases authentic examples of initiatives targeting increased family... more This report from the field showcases authentic examples of initiatives targeting increased family engagement of English learners (ELs) in several culturally and linguistically diverse school districts in the Midwest. The authors use a framework wherein family engagement spans a continuum starting with traditional notions of school involvement to family engagement wherein families have agency on how they can support their child's learning. This article shares specific initiatives that teachers implemented in their classrooms or school settings such as bilingual game nights, cultural celebrations, creating family books, and conducting home visits. Recommendations are shared to assist educators and school leaders in maximizing engagement with their EL families.
The majority of the current research regarding home literacies practices are explored through Nor... more The majority of the current research regarding home literacies practices are explored through North American family structures. For this reason, there is a lack of knowledge about what Dominican families, a subgroup within the Latino culture, do at home to assist their children in their literacy acquisition in the Dominican Republic. This qualitative research study provides insight as to what literacy practices take place within the Dominican household by conducting semi-structured interviews with 10 Dominican parents. Findings from this research indicate literacy practices include parents participating in the following: (1) helping their children with homework; (2) reading with their children at home; (3) helping their children practice proper diction with everyday conversation; (4) using singing and music to build language development; and (5) providing access to different modes of technology to support literacy learning. Instructional implications are discussed based on these findings.
Background and Purpose of StudyWith the increasing numbers of English Language Learners (ELLs) in... more Background and Purpose of StudyWith the increasing numbers of English Language Learners (ELLs) in schools across the United States, research has documented the benefits of collaboration between English as a second language (ESL) teachers with their content area counterparts in meeting the educational needs of ELLs (Dove & Honigsfield, 2010; Teemant, Bernhardt, & Rodriguez-Munoz, 1996). The collaboration between ESL and content area teachers is especially important in light of research which has documented that mainstream teachers often feel ill-prepared to address the needs of ELLs in their schools (Fu, 2004; Gandara, Maxwell-Jolly, & Driscoll, 2005; Li & Zhang, 2004). Further, a survey showed that middle school teachers wanted more training and information so they could better address the academic needs of ELLs in their content area classes (Hansen-Thomas & Cavagnetto, 2010).Successful forms of ESL teacher/content area teacher collaboration include a shared model in which one teach...
Abstract At the middle school level, active family engagement is difficult enough with native Eng... more Abstract At the middle school level, active family engagement is difficult enough with native English speaking families but even more so with parents of English learners (ELs). Using a funds of knowledge approach in this article, we position families as knowledgeable participants with strengths who contribute significantly to their adolescent’s academic and overall development. We provide three cases of middle grades teachers who took the initiative to engage with families of ELs. Each teacher utilized different strategies, but they ultimately all increased EL family engagement in their middle school setting. This article shows that EL families will be more engaged when strategies used are more inclusive and responsive to their needs.
Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice, 2016
The role of motivation in engaging students in reading activities and thus improving their readin... more The role of motivation in engaging students in reading activities and thus improving their reading achievement has been widely reported for the past decades. However, despite the increasing numbers of English learners (ELs) in the United States, little is known about how teachers perceive their motivation to read. Focus group methodology was used in this study to explore English as a second language teachers’ perceptions of ELs’ reading motivation. Three major themes that emerged from our qualitative analysis were (a) accessible texts, (b) self-concept, and (c) fitting in. The implications for both future research and classroom instruction are provided.
International Journal of Multicultural Education, 2015
This study examines culturally responsive pedagogy across the fields of special education, multic... more This study examines culturally responsive pedagogy across the fields of special education, multicultural literacy education, and teaching English language learners. A systematic review of recommendations identified culturally responsive practices in five key areas: dialogue, collaboration, visual representation, explicit instruction, and inquiry. Educators are encouraged to adopt a critical and responsive stance that incorporates students’ cultural knowledge and lived experiences when implementing these recommendations. Creating classrooms that promote culturally responsive and effective instruction is grounded in the definition of literacy as a social practice and leads to more equitable learning opportunities in all areas.
This report from the field showcases authentic examples of initiatives targeting increased family... more This report from the field showcases authentic examples of initiatives targeting increased family engagement of English learners (ELs) in several culturally and linguistically diverse school districts in the Midwest. The authors use a framework wherein family engagement spans a continuum starting with traditional notions of school involvement to family engagement wherein families have agency on how they can support their child's learning. This article shares specific initiatives that teachers implemented in their classrooms or school settings such as bilingual game nights, cultural celebrations, creating family books, and conducting home visits. Recommendations are shared to assist educators and school leaders in maximizing engagement with their EL families.
The majority of the current research regarding home literacies practices are explored through Nor... more The majority of the current research regarding home literacies practices are explored through North American family structures. For this reason, there is a lack of knowledge about what Dominican families, a subgroup within the Latino culture, do at home to assist their children in their literacy acquisition in the Dominican Republic. This qualitative research study provides insight as to what literacy practices take place within the Dominican household by conducting semi-structured interviews with 10 Dominican parents. Findings from this research indicate literacy practices include parents participating in the following: (1) helping their children with homework; (2) reading with their children at home; (3) helping their children practice proper diction with everyday conversation; (4) using singing and music to build language development; and (5) providing access to different modes of technology to support literacy learning. Instructional implications are discussed based on these findings.
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