ERIC Number: ED653300
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 201
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3827-4142-0
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Navigating Agency and Culturally Responsive Instruction for Dual-Identified Students: Special Education Teachers' Voices of Advocacy and Collaboration
Amber M. Hall
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Georgetown University
Despite comprising almost 15% of students in U.S. public schools (NCES, 2022), dual-identified students--those classified as requiring both Special Education (SpEd) and English as a Second Language (ESL) services--remain an understudied population. Scholars have pointed to the lack of integrated instructional models that address both language acquisition and disability support (Kangas, 2014; Lopes-Murphy, 2019), and called for teacher preparation programs that equip educators with the skills and knowledge to effectively support their dual-identified students' educational trajectories (Moore, Klingner, & Harry, 2013; Waitoller & King Thorius, 2016). Prior research also highlights the need for the inclusive educational framework of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) to accommodate the intersectional identities of students (Aceves & Orosco, 2014; Foster, 1995; Gay, 2002), though there remains a gap in understanding its application within SpEd contexts. This qualitative case study investigates the pedagogical and professional challenges faced by SpEd teachers in four schools in the Philadelphia School District (PSD) as they employ CRP to address the complex educational needs of their dual-identified students. Interviews with 17 participants probed their views of the instructional strategies that have worked well in their classrooms, their perceptions of disability, and their enactments of agency amidst various systemic and sociocultural challenges. Findings suggest that SpEd teachers, even with piecemeal training in CRP, intuitively integrated its principles by leveraging students' cultural and linguistic assets, maintaining high expectations, and advocating for equity and social justice in their work. Moreover, the analyses unearthed important tensions SpEd teachers face in navigating disparate institutional and cultural perceptions of disability and how they attempted to reconcile these with their professional practices. Lastly, the interview data revealed the distinct challenges and expectations placed on White teachers and teachers of Color as they strove to become more culturally responsive. This dissertation contributes to disciplinary understandings of the expansion of CRP into SpEd contexts and makes practical recommendations to address the intersectionality of disability, language, and culture in education, as well as to enhance the educational experiences and outcomes for this vulnerable student population. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Special Education Teachers, Culturally Relevant Education, Personal Autonomy, Advocacy, Special Education, English (Second Language), English Language Learners, Educational Strategies, Teacher Attitudes, White Teachers, Minority Group Teachers
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Pennsylvania (Philadelphia)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A