The study examined 37 language samples of 37 Spanish-English kindergartners and first graders from a larger sample of the Multitudes Project in California. The focus was on investigating how these young English language learners produced narratives in English, what language elements they included, and whether these elements correlated or related…

While dually identified students are ever-present in the elementary classroom, historical policies and practices surrounding bilingual and special education in the United States have resulted in the exclusion of equitable and inclusive education for this population of students. The effects of the separation of bilingual education, special…

There is a severe shortage for Spanish bilingual K-12 teachers in CA. At a northern California public institution of higher education, advising is seemingly prescriptive, transactional and dehumanizing. Spanish bilingual students do not have access to critical information adequately preparing them to complete program admission requirements for…

This qualitative study examined the experiences and perspectives of five high school teachers in a suburban area in Northern California. It investigated how each mainstream content teacher adapted their curriculum for their Newcomer Emergent Bilingual students. A Newcomer Emergent Bilingual student is one who has recently immigrated to the United…

This dissertation was an investigation of how students in two-way bilingual immersion (TWBI) programs construct their bilingual identities inside and outside the school setting, highlighting the unique and multifaceted nature of their language development and cultural identity formation. TWBI programs aim to cultivate bilingualism and biliteracy,…

Oral language is foundational to literacy. Because their language is under construction, emergent bilingual students have unique needs related to literacy development regardless of the language of instruction. Knowledge teachers gain through formative assessment of student oral language can guide decisions about literacy instruction. The purpose…

Latinos comprise a significant portion of the total school enrollment in the U.S., and an increasing share of Latinos are pursuing higher education today. However, Latino students still face many educational barriers, and research has repeatedly demonstrated that Latino children lag their peers in terms of their academic achievement. In addition,…

The widespread adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), since 2010, has led to a growing concern among education scholars and practitioners about how the new standards will impact the educational trajectories of students from minoritized linguistic, ethnic, and racial backgrounds (Bunch, Walqui, & Pearson, 2014; Hakuta, Santos,…

English language learners (ELLs) are a significant and growing subset of the school age population across the United States. The projected growth of ELL students is significant and poses unique challenges for school districts when assessing bilingual students for special education. The state of California has the most ELL students in the nation…

This dissertation explores complex positionings of Chinese heritage language (CHL) learners amid several intersecting discourses, including those around globalization, identity development and language policies. Using critical, qualitative methods, the study combines textual and site-based analyses, linking the language development experiences of…