Equity in education has become increasingly prioritized, due to the growing mainstream recognition of the inequitable practices that historically have and presently continue to exist in K-12 education. With the K-12 student population diversity continuously increasing in areas such as abilities, race/ethnicities, socioeconomic status, languages,…

Project based learning (PBL), a well-known pedagogical approach, is becoming more widely recognized for creating and sustaining student engagement and motivation in 21st-century learning while improving academic achievement. Teachers support this hands-on, collaborative approach and see it as beneficial for students of all learning modalities, but…

This three-paper dissertation uses social network analysis to examine the literacy development and small group discourse of multilingual students in Grades 4 and 5. The data come from a randomized-controlled trial testing the effectiveness of homogeneous and heterogeneous small groups for English learners. The first paper tests whether two types…

This dissertation explores the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and WIDA frameworks by elementary education teacher candidates during their internships in classrooms characterized by the presence of Multilingual Learners (MLLs). This embedded case study focuses on the Spring and Fall cohorts of 2023, particularly focusing on…

Latinx multilingual learners historically have struggled with meeting academic proficiencies within our educational system. Districts have implemented many strategies to support multilingual learners but have often fallen short of expectations, and therefore perpetuated academic struggles for Latinx multilingual learners. Considering that Latinx…

The objective of the present study is to analyze word-initial voice onset time (VOT) in the context of code-switching (CS). More specifically, this study combines research methods from sociolinguistics and phonetics to investigate how 32 heritage Spanish speakers (HSSs) of Mexican descent, living in Indiana, produce VOT for /p t k/ in word-initial…

In the face of shifting student demographics and persistent disparities in educational outcomes, school leaders are tasked with meeting the diverse needs of their student populations. Recent emphasis on equity initiatives has redefined the role of school leaders, necessitating a deeper understanding of culturally and linguistically sustaining…

Integrating emergent bilingual students into K-12 mainstream classrooms where linguistic support is not provided has the potential to lead to their academic underperformance. This is because the content is delivered in English, which may not be understandable to immigrant students with limited English proficiency, possibly leading to psychological…

This study explored the relationship between teachers' extrinsic and intrinsic factors that influence high school content teachers' motivation to address multilinguistic learners' (MLs) needs in a large urban school district. A sample size of 38 teachers completed a survey to correlate professional development (as examined through second language…

Reading Comprehension is one of the key skills that supports the child's overall learning progress. Belize is a developing country striving towards the development of its educational system. The primary purpose of this research study was to determine the effects of reciprocal teaching with multilingual students in Belizean elementary schools. A…

An increasing number of students in the United States identify as Hispanic or Latino/a. These students enter American classrooms from varying backgrounds with diverse talents. Many of these students are proficient in at least two languages. Unfortunately, Hispanic students are underrepresented in gifted and talented programs, nationwide. The…

This qualitative action research case study is focused on better understanding the complex and intricate nature of code-switching among Black students. In today's educational climate, many Black students find themselves speaking one way with their closest friends and family members in front of the swing set and television and another way with…

This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to better understand elementary school educators' experiences and perceptions concerning the availability of professional development opportunities and their ability to apply the learned information. The problem addressed in this study was the lack of professional development training educators…

Dual language programs provide content instruction in two languages by leveraging the linguistic assets of English speakers and English learners. By elevating the status of the home language, students develop higher levels of bilingualism, reclassify at higher rates, and have improved self-concept. In this way, dual language has been seen as a…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate how the structured collaboration guided by a modified Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) framework between mainstream and emergent bilingual and multilingual (EBM) teachers can support mainstream teachers in increasing their self-efficacy in serving EBM students in class. This study employed…