Acknowledging and Affirming University Students’ Linguistic and Cultural Capital in an Education Course

In order to effectively prepare K-12 teachers to serve linguistically and culturally diverse students, it is vital to provide opportunities for them to develop their intra- and intercultural understandings. This paper describes how a faculty member designed and delivered a teacher preparation class centered on culturally relevant approaches. Students enrolled in this course completed assignments that were designed to guide them through an intracultural reflection to then expand their understandings to an intercultural context. Considering the students’ diverse linguistic and cultural experiences, assignments and projects provided opportunities for them to recognize their linguistic and cultural wealth in order to build their awareness for others’ experiences. After each assignment and project, the students reflected on their journey and planned how they could use their understanding when working with K-12 students living in a bilingual, bicultural community

Understanding Diverse Bilingual Learners: The Need for a Transdisciplinary Lens

The chapter synthesizes findings from diverse disciplinary perspectives to make the case that we need a new lens to better serve the diversity of bilingual learners. Drawing upon theories and findings from studies by educators, child developmentalists, and neuroscientists, but moving beyond any one disciplinary perspective, the authors aim to create a unity of new knowledge developed of theories from across disciplines. This approach is exactly what is needed to address the complexity of factors surrounding bilingual learners. Taking a transdisciplinary approach will allow us to move closer toward an understanding of the many factors affecting bilingual children and families, and this new knowledge can be applied to promote their educational and lifelong success

Instructional Framework for Integrating Cross-Cultural Content Using Culturally Responsive and Linguistically Affirming Pedagogies

This chapter describes an instructional framework for culturally relevant and affirming teaching and curricula that addresses effective ways to interconnect cross-cultural content to expand cultural and content literacy in K-12. The Culturally and Linguistically Affirming Pedagogies for Local Context (CLAP-LC) Framework was developed to create culturally and linguistically affirming content, promote equitable education, and nurture student engagement. The framework centers on the intersection of cultural knowledge and lived experiences of students, families, and communities in content and curriculum to promote student achievement, especially students from minoritized and marginalized groups

Initial Screening for Gifted and Talented Programs: Increasing Participation of Hispanic English Language Learners

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Giftedness in Hispanic English Language Learners: Early Stages of Identification

2008 presentation on Giftedness in Hispanic English Language Learner

Desiring Dual Language Bilingual Education: One Community’s Perspectives on Past and Future Directions for Bilingual Learners

Perceptions and beliefs about past, present, and future bilingual educational programs were gathered from key members of a bilingual community, including teachers, parents, and educational administrators. Participants’ responses were analyzed and three overarching themes emerged. Current perceptions of bilingual education programs are strongly influenced by: (a) sociohistorical and political factors, (b) the effectiveness of instructional techniques; and (c) beliefs about bilingualism in general. Implications of these results are described with a focus on how they can inform policies and practices for bilingual learners

Analyzing reading scores of elementary Latinx bilingual learners in a one-way dual language education program

Our nation is characterized by diversity in languages, ethnicities, nationalities, and cultures with projected increases in English learners attending U.S. schools. Consequently, it is imperative that we recognize how to maximize the academic and linguistic assets of our English learner student population. This study compared the performance on the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Reading between bilingual learners in a one-way dual language program compared to the average scale scores of English learners in Texas. Data points taken in three different grade levels from the same group of bilingual learners result in positive long-term outcomes of bilingual learners by fifth grade. Data analysis revealed that the percentage of bilingual learners participating in the study scored above the Texas English learners’ average score, and this increased exponentially through the grade levels, reaching 64% in the STAAR English reading assessment. This supports that students in dual-language education programs learning English as a second language can develop English while maintaining and fostering their native language. This study contributes to empirical studies focused on the research-authenticated benefits of Latinx bilingual learners’ participation in one-way dual-language education programs

Initial Screening for Gifted and Talented Programs: Increasing Participation of Hispanic English Language Learners

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