Researchers found dual language programs allow students to acquire a second language while building positive cross-cultural beliefs. However, there are inconsistencies between what research shows and teachers' perceptions of success. The problem was a gap in academic achievement between both English Language Learners (ELL) and non-ELL students…

The growth in the English language learners (ELLs) population in the classroom has given rise to the need for teachers to employ strategies that are both innovative and culturally responsive. A Florida school district has implemented the Imagine Language and Literacy program to meet the growing academic and linguistic demands of its ELL students.…

Teachers in Florida are tasked with the insurmountable job of teaching the curriculum, supporting their students socially and emotionally, and differentiating instruction and assessments for all students in inclusion classrooms. In Florida, students labeled as English language learners (ELLs) with varying English language proficiency are placed in…

Sentence frames are a frequently used form of pedagogical scaffolding in language education. Yet there is debate around whether sentence frames offer the opportunity for analysis and internalisation of authentic language use, or simply facilitate rote, 'plug and play' language use. This paper takes a linguistic ethnography approach informed by…

The School Survey Dashboard provides insights into learning opportunities offered by schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey collected data five times, once a month from January through May of 2021 and will contribute to the Institute of Education Sciences' response to the Executive Order on Supporting the Reopening and Continuing…

This policy analysis, informed by ethnographic techniques, reviewed 12 Florida school district ESOL policies. A priori coding of these policies was conducted using criteria pulled from the literature on culturally responsive practice (CRP). Subsequent observations and practitioner interviews within two schools from the same district were conducted…

This study examines the response patterns of 288 Spanish-English dual language learners on a standardized test of receptive Spanish vocabulary. Investigators analyzed responses to 54 items on the "Test de Vocabulario en Imagenes" (TVIP) [Dunn, L. M., D. E. Lugo, E. R. Padilla, and L. M. Dunn. 1986. "Test de Vocabulario en Imganes…

This paper addresses the issue of integrating students with special needs into foreign language programs in the early childhood years. A partnership between a university and a charter school in central Florida began as a result of parent and teacher interest in providing a foreign language program for its prekindergarten students. Since 2014,…

The goal of this Research Brief is to identify schools in which English Language Learners (ELLs) exhibit high growth in English language acquisition. In 2015-2016, a new English Language Proficiency test, known as Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-toState for English Language Learners (ACCESS for ELLs) was used for the…

Purpose: This study aimed to describe change in dual language learners' (DLLs) morphosyntactic skills from kindergarten to first grade based on a sentence repetition task in English and Spanish. Methods: The sample included Spanish-English speaking children (n = 25). Investigators employed a repeated measures analysis of variance with one…

Learning a new language and culture may be particularly difficult for families in the United States supported by migrant workers, who typically work long hours and live a mobile lifestyle. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the interaction patterns (i.e. use of the Spanish and English languages) among native-Spanish-speaking…

To address the needs of English Language Leaners (ELLs) in grade-level content-area classrooms, teacher education programs are moving toward "infused" models of instruction where preservice general education courses include ELL-specific content. Little is known about how this curricular change is accomplished. To address this gap, this…

This study investigates second language acquisition of learners enrolled in a dual language/two-way bilingual immersion program. Two groups of third-grade students participated in this study. The first group was composed of Spanish-dominant participants learning English, and the second group was composed of English-dominant students learning…

Little is known about 2nd language development among young, low-income, language-minority children. This article examined the longitudinal English development of low-income, dual language learners (DLLs) in Miami ("n" = 18,532) from kindergarten through 5th grade. Growth curve modeling indicated that social skills, good behavior, Spanish…

Many K-12 teachers struggle to meet the needs of diverse learners as school reforms promote new disciplinary literacy requirements. In response, language education scholars have argued that teachers must develop "disciplinary linguistic knowledge" (DLK), or an understanding of language in their content area and an ability to design…