High-stakes plumbing in the twenty-first century: Fixing the cracks in the academic pipeline for undocumented English Language Learners

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 48-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly Hansen-Thomas ◽  
Ludovic A. Sourdot
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
The United States ◽  
First Century ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Educational Crisis ◽  
Academic Pipeline

This article examines the severe educational crisis in the United States regarding the ability of institutions of higher education to recruit, retain and appropriately serve Latin@ English Language Learners (ELLs). In particular, it highlights the plight of undocumented ELLs who attend U.S. high schools and universities, but cannot work upon leaving higher education. This case study aims to describe the story, challenges and successes of one undocumented college graduate. In this study the authors show how cracks in the academic pipeline negatively affect Latin@ ELLs. This article offers specific recommendations to mend these cracks and improve the education opportunities of immigrant ELLs.

Overidentification of English Language Learners for Special Education

2020 ◽  
pp. 191-215
Author(s):  
Penelope Debs Keough
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
The United States ◽  
Department Of Education ◽  
Proposition 227 ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Disproportionate Number

Alarming statistics presented by the United States Department of Education reveal a disproportionate number of students of minority language (English language learners) qualify for special education. As far back as 2007, the DOE recognized there was a concerted effort needed to reduce racial and ethnic disproportionality in racial and ethnic identification, placement, and disciplinary actions for minority students' representation in special education. This chapter will examine and address solutions to prevent the over identification of English language learners in special education specifically in the area of identification. As a further objective, the ramifications of this over representation will be examined, and the authors hypothesize about why the over representation occurs. Confusion over the Unz Initiative (1998, Proposition 227) may have inadvertently led to the over identification. A case study, leading to case law, concludes the chapter.

Standards-based classroom assessments of English proficiency: A review of issues, current developments, and future directions for research

2011 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorena Llosa
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
English Language ◽  
Classroom Assessment ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
The United States ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Classroom Assessments ◽  
Key Issues

With the United States’ adoption of a standards-based approach to education, most attention has focused on the large-scale, high-stakes assessments intended to measure students’ mastery of standards for accountability purposes. Less attention has been paid to the role of standards-based assessments in the classroom. The purpose of this paper is to discuss key issues and challenges related to the use of standards-based classroom assessments to assess English language learners’ English proficiency. First, the paper describes a study of a standards-based classroom assessment of English proficiency in a large urban school district in California. Second, using this study as an example and drawing from the literature in language testing on classroom assessment, this paper highlights the major issues and challenges involved in using English proficiency standards as the basis for classroom assessment. Finally, the article outlines a research agenda for the field given current developments in the areas of English proficiency standards and classroom assessment.

scholarly journals Addressing the Teaching of English Language Learners in the United States: A case study of teacher educators’ response

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi L. Hallman ◽  
Hannah R. Meineke
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Nationwide Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Core Content

This article discusses teacher educators’ response to the issue of preparing prospective teachers in core content areas to be teachers of English language learners. In the case study we present in the article, the views of English language arts teacher educators, as analyzed from a nationwide survey of the teaching of English, are articulated. As a follow-up to the survey, focus groups were conducted with a sub-section of survey respondents. Findings indicate that, although the teaching of ELLs is viewed as a priority for teacher education, the field has yet to determine how to adequately address program coherence and partnership approaches to teaching ELLs within pre-service teacher education.  

Latinos and Higher Education: A Literature Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 402-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Jermain Flink
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United States ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
First Generation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Latino Population ◽  
Hispanic Serving

This article is an overview of the Latino population within the United States, and within higher education. Changes in demography have led to an increase in Latinos in higher education. First-generation Latinos face unique cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic challenges on campus. As a result, there has been an increase in English-language learners (ELLs), as well as an increase in the number of Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) across the country.

Racing against Yourself: High Stakes for Adolescent English Language Learners with Disabilities

2017 ◽  
Vol 119 (9) ◽  
pp. 1-42
Author(s):  
Rhonda Bondie ◽  
Akane Zusho
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
General Education ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Research Question ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Instructional Routines ◽  
The Impact

Background/Context Achieving academic readiness is difficult in high-stakes testing environments (HSTEs) and even more challenging for English Language Learners with Learning Disabilities (ELLD). Transforming classroom cultures to emphasize the development of competence and motivationally supportive practices could moderate some of the potentially deleterious effects of a HSTE on ELLD. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study This qualitative case study explored the impact of All Learners Learning Every Day (ALL-ED)—a mastery-oriented teacher professional development (PD) program—on ELLD's readiness to tackle challenges in HSTEs. Setting The study was conducted at an international high school in the south Bronx, NY. Participants Participants included three classroom teachers (one general education English teacher, one general education math teacher, and one special education teacher) and 13 students. Intervention This study examines the impact of instructional routines (small group discussions and self-regulation) on ELLD in a HSTE. Research Design A qualitative case study was used to examine the impact of instructional routines in a specific context from multiple perspectives. Data Collection and Analysis Data were collected throughout the school year including student drawings, student and teacher interviews, and researcher memos. A protocol for analysis and interpretation was used to explore student conceptualization through drawing. Using constant comparison analysis, in-vivo codes were organized into meaningful themes and then sorted into two perspectives of self-reflection called “student experiences” and communication to others called “student advice to teachers.” Paralleling the student interviews, in-vivo codes were used to determine key words and phrases for each teacher and common across teachers. Findings/Results The first research question investigated the impact of HSTE on ELLD's motivation to learn. The following themes emerged; student feelings relate to perception of understanding, classroom conversation and confidence, individual teacher conferences, curriculum clarity (goals, activities, quality), comparisons to other students, and expectations of progress are success. The second research question investigated the impact of ALL-ED routines in HSTE. Five key practices were identified that aided in establishing a mastery-oriented and supportive learning environment. Conclusions/Recommendations This study elucidates tensions among limited time, the complexity of coordinating effective instructional practices across teacher teams, and spe-cific instructional needs of ELLD in HSTE. Perspectives from the students challenge our understanding of the finish line in the race to acquire language, content knowledge, and skills in school by suggesting that all assessments be placed within a cycle of learning and feedback that together along with many other experiences provide evidence of growth and academic competence.

Overidentification of English Language Learners for Special Education

2022 ◽  
pp. 302-320
Author(s):  
Penelope Debs Keough
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
The United States ◽  
Department Of Education ◽  
Proposition 227 ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Disproportionate Number

Alarming statistics presented by the United States Department of Education reveal a disproportionate number of students of minority language (English language learners) qualify for special education. As far back as 2007, the DOE recognized there was a concerted effort needed to reduce racial and ethnic disproportionality in racial and ethnic identification, placement, and disciplinary actions for minority students' representation in special education. This chapter will examine and address solutions to prevent the over identification of English language learners in special education specifically in the area of identification. As a further objective, the ramifications of this over representation will be examined, and the authors hypothesize about why the over representation occurs. Confusion over the Unz Initiative (1998, Proposition 227) may have inadvertently led to the over identification. A case study, leading to case law, concludes the chapter.

scholarly journals ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS IN INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS: LESSONS LEARNED FROM AN EXPLORATORY CASE STUDY OF TWO PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-32
Author(s):  
LAWRENCE M. LESSER ◽  
MATTHEW S. WINSOR
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Statistics Education ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Journal

Despite the rapidly growing population of English language learners in U.S. colleges and schools, very little research has focused on understanding the challenges of English language learners specifically in statistics education. At a university near the United States-México border, the authors conducted an exploratory qualitative case study of issues of language in learning statistics for pre-service teachers whose first (and stronger) language is Spanish. The two strongest findings that emerged from cross-case analysis of the interviews were the importance of the role of context (the setting in which information is communicated) and the confusion among registers (subsets of language). This paper overviews and synthesizes relevant literature and offers resources and recommendations for teaching and future research. First published November 2009 at Statistics Education Research Journal: Archives

Assessment 360°: A Panoramic Framework for Assessing English Language Learners

2010 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 37-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Lewis ◽  
Nancy Castilleja ◽  
Barbara J. Moore ◽  
Barbara Rodriguez
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Linguistically Diverse ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Her Family ◽  
Diverse Student ◽  
Many Sources

This issue describes the Assessment 360° process, which takes a panoramic approach to the language assessment process with school-age English Language Learners (ELLs). The Assessment 360° process guides clinicians to obtain information from many sources when gathering information about the child and his or her family. To illustrate the process, a bilingual fourth grade student whose native language (L1) is Spanish and who has been referred for a comprehensive language evaluation is presented. This case study features the assessment issues typically encountered by speech-language pathologists and introduces assessment through a panoramic lens. Recommendations specific to the case study are presented along with clinical implications for assessment practices with culturally and linguistically diverse student populations.

Pre-Referral Procedures: Meeting Unique Needs of English Language Learners

2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Joanna Burton ◽  
Betsy Wendt
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
School System ◽  
English Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public School System ◽  
Language Difference ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
School Team

An increasingly large number of children receiving education in the United States public school system do not speak English as their first language. As educators adjust to the changing educational demographics, speech-language pathologists will be called on with increasing frequency to address concerns regarding language difference and language disorders. This paper illustrates the pre-referral assessment-to-intervention processes and products designed by one school team to meet the unique needs of English Language Learners (ELL).

Working With Interpreters to Support Students Who Are English Language Learners

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (16) ◽  
pp. 15-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henriette W. Langdon ◽  
Terry Irvine Saenz
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Other ◽  
Primary Language ◽  
Second Best ◽  
Support Students

The number of English Language Learners (ELL) is increasing in all regions of the United States. Although the majority (71%) speak Spanish as their first language, the other 29% may speak one of as many as 100 or more different languages. In spite of an increasing number of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who can provide bilingual services, the likelihood of a match between a given student's primary language and an SLP's is rather minimal. The second best option is to work with a trained language interpreter in the student's language. However, very frequently, this interpreter may be bilingual but not trained to do the job.

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