Teaching English language learner students in US mainstream schools: Intersections of language, pedagogy, and power

This study explored to what extent two groups of mainstream teachers in the midwestern region of the USA with differing degrees of English Language Learner (ELL) specific universitypreparation reportedly engaged in practises that incorporated the native languages (L1) of ELL students in instruction. The study further examined specific strategies reported by mainstream teachers in promoting L1 use in instruction as well as challenges identified in implementing this practise. The study utilized a mixed-method design that included analyses of survey data from a quantitative study (n=227) and qualitative analyses of teacher discourse from course documents and open-ended survey questions. Findings indicated that while both groups of teachers reportedly engaged in practises that promoted L1 use in instruction to some extent, teachers with at least three courses of ELL-specific university preparation appeared to engage in these practises to a much greater extent than those without such preparation. This paper explores the implications of results from this study for teacher education programmes in the USA with the responsibility of preparing teachers to effectively serve growing numbers of culturally and linguistically diverse student populations

Building on the cultural and linguistic capital of English learner (EL) students

Approaches and strategies that value and build upon the cultural and linguistic capital of English learner students are described. Through implementing such strategies, teachers can impress upon students and families that multiculturalism and multilingualism are highly beneficial to the classroom, school, and community

State of inequality in malaria intervention coverage in sub-Saharan African countries

Scale-up of malaria interventions over the last decade have yielded a significant reduction in malaria transmission and disease burden in sub-Saharan Africa. We estimated economic gradients in the distribution of these efforts and of their impacts within and across endemic countries.; Using Demographic and Health Surveys we computed equity metrics to characterize the distribution of malaria interventions in 30 endemic countries proxying economic position with an asset-wealth index. Gradients were summarized in a concentration index, tabulated against level of coverage, and compared among interventions, across countries, and against respective trends over the period 2005-2015.; There remain broad differences in coverage of malaria interventions and their distribution by wealth within and across countries. In most, economic gradients are lacking or favor the poorest for vector control; malaria services delivered through the formal healthcare sector are much less equitable. Scale-up of interventions in many countries improved access across the wealth continuum; in some, these efforts consistently prioritized the poorest. Expansions in control programs generally narrowed coverage gaps between economic strata; gradients persist in countries where growth was slower in the poorest quintile or where baseline inequality was large. Despite progress, malaria is consistently concentrated in the poorest, with the degree of inequality in burden far surpassing that expected given gradients in the distribution of interventions.; Economic gradients in the distribution of interventions persist over time, limiting progress toward equity in malaria control. We found that, in countries with large baseline inequality in the distribution of interventions, even a small bias in expansion favoring the least poor yielded large gradients in intervention coverage while pro-poor growth failed to close the gap between the poorest and least poor. We demonstrated that dimensions of disadvantage compound for the poor; a lack of economic gradients in the distribution of malaria services does not translate to equity in coverage nor can it be interpreted to imply equity in distribution of risk or disease burden. Our analysis testifies to the progress made by countries in narrowing economic gradients in malaria interventions and highlights the scope for continued monitoring of programs with respect to equity

Incidence and admission rates for severe malaria and their impact on mortality in Africa

Appropriate treatment of life-threatening Plasmodium falciparum malaria requires in-patient care. Although the proportion of severe cases accessing in-patient care in endemic settings strongly affects overall case fatality rates and thus disease burden, this proportion is generally unknown. At present, estimates of malaria mortality are driven by prevalence or overall clinical incidence data, ignoring differences in case fatality resulting from variations in access. Consequently, the overall impact of preventive interventions on disease burden have not been validly compared with those of improvements in access to case management or its quality.; Using a simulation-based approach, severe malaria admission rates and the subsequent severe malaria disease and mortality rates for 41 malaria endemic countries of sub-Saharan Africa were estimated. Country differences in transmission and health care settings were captured by use of high spatial resolution data on demographics and falciparum malaria prevalence, as well as national level estimates of effective coverage of treatment for uncomplicated malaria. Reported and modelled estimates of cases, admissions and malaria deaths from the World Malaria Report, along with predicted burden from simulations, were combined to provide revised estimates of access to in-patient care and case fatality rates.; There is substantial variation between countries' in-patient admission rates and estimated levels of case fatality rates. It was found that for many African countries, most patients admitted for in-patient treatment would not meet strict criteria for severe disease and that for some countries only a small proportion of the total severe cases are admitted. Estimates are highly sensitive to the assumed community case fatality rates. Re-estimation of national level malaria mortality rates suggests that there is substantial burden attributable to inefficient in-patient access and treatment of severe disease.; The model-based methods proposed here offer a standardized approach to estimate the numbers of severe malaria cases and deaths based on national level reporting, allowing for coverage of both curative and preventive interventions. This makes possible direct comparisons of the potential benefits of scaling-up either category of interventions. The profound uncertainties around these estimates highlight the need for better data

Enhanced Coagulation Using a New Magnetic Ion Exchange Resin

The objective of this investigation was to examine the effectiveness of a magnetic ion exchange resin (MIEX®) to enhance the coagulation of disinfection by-product (DBP) precursors in nine surface waters each representing a different element of the EPA's 3x3 enhanced coagulation matrix. The effect of MIEX-treatment on subsequent coagulation with alum was also compared with the coagulation of raw water with alum to determine if there was a reduction in the requisite alum dose for turbidity removal. Ultraviolet absorbance and total organic carbon (TOC) concentration were used as surrogates for the removal of DBP precursors. Enhanced coagulation with MIEX was found to be very effective for removing trihalomethane (THM) precursors from the nine waters examined. THM formation potential was reduced by more than 60% in all waters studied and reductions in excess of 90% were seen in the waters with the three highest specific ultraviolet absorbance values. The residual TOC concentration, ultraviolet absorbance, and THM formation potential were all substantially lower as a result of MIEX and alum treatment as compared to alum coagulation alone. In addition, haloacetic acid formation potential was substantially lower as a result of MIEX treatment as compared to alum coagulation. This investigation found that MIEX also substantially lowered the coagulant demand of the treated water. This study demonstrated that MIEX was capable of removing bromide from the surface waters examined and that bromide removal decreased as alkalinity increased. The cost-effectiveness of adding a MIEX treatment train onto an existing surface water treatment plant was considered as well. Cost-effectiveness was found to be a function of the size of the water treatment plant and the magnitude of the reduction in alum dose. The interest rate and number of years in the life cycle used to compute the present value of the operating costs were also shown to be important factors in determining if MIEX would be a cost-effective technology to add to a conventional alum coagulation plant.Master of Science in Environmental Engineerin