This study investigates the integration of content and language in a Mandarin immersion program, focusing on the interplay between teacher beliefs and pedagogical practices. It examines how these practices align or diverge from teachers' stated educational ideologies through interviews, observations, and a questionnaire. This qualitative case…

This study explores working business professionals' perspectives towards the implementation of two-way language immersion programs in Texas public schools. Participants were selected for participation by means of a pre-selection survey that assessed various aspects of the cultural, educational, linguistic, familial, and business background of the…

The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to explore the implementation of the third pillar of dual language education (DLE), sociocultural competence. Teachers' perceptions of the structures both supporting and challenging implementation of the pillar were examined. An Elementary (K-5) two-way immersion DLE Program in the lower Hudson Valley…

With an increase of English language learners in public schools across the United States, the importance of addressing the needs of students who require language access in their home language has resulted in an increase in the implementation of dual language programs. This increase continues to challenge educators to provide effective programs…

Dual language immersion (DLI), an educational program in which students study grade-level content in English and a partner language, began in the United States in the early 1960s and has surged since the 2010s. Nationwide, DLI continues to rise in popularity (Freire, Alfaro, & de Jong, 2024). To some extent, this is because DLI has been…

This research uses a descriptive quantitative statistical design to examine campus-level results from the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR). The focus is on describing the achievement disparities between campuses that implemented Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) programs and those implementing Dual Language (DL)…

This study explored the long-term academic impact of Two-Way Dual Language (TWDL) programs on both English-dominant and Spanish-dominant Hispanic students in a high-density Hispanic area. Specifically, it compared their academic performance in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math over a 3-year period to that of students enrolled in traditional…

This case study explored Spanish-speaking educators' perceptions and experiences of dual-language immersion (DLI) professional learning (PL). The study aimed to understand how PL offerings could best support and meet the needs of DLI Spanish teachers' best practices in the target language. The perceptions and experiences of seven Spanish DLI…

As the number of immigrant students continues to grow nationwide, so does the population in Lindenwold Public Schools. As an elementary school in the district, School Five is no exception to the experience of the ELL student boom. With the population growing, at the various grade levels, it is essential that instructional practices meet the needs…

This study sought to examine the academic impact of second language acquisition in ELL students when parents refuse bilingual services in comparison to students who remain in a bilingual education program until they are ready to exit. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, data from only one assessment was utilized in this study. The study conducted was a…

The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the leadership practices of three district-level dual language (DL) program leaders in a Midwestern state and the organizational forces that oppose and support their work as they lead a "contracorriente" (against the current) in their respective school districts. Grounded in a…

The present dissertation brings together research on heritage language acquisition and bilingual education and makes inroads into the limited research on heritage language development in school-aged bilingual children. This study explores how bilingual education, patterns of exposure, and lexical frequency shape adolescent Spanish heritage…

This dissertation focused on comparing the academic achievement and language proficiency in both English and Spanish of students at risk for language and learning difficulties, with bilingual typically developing students in two bilingual educational contexts: English as a Second Language program and Spanish two-way immersion program. Data was…

The goal of a dual language immersion program is for students to attain high academics in both the target and the partner language. Students, who enter the program in Kindergarten, are immersed in common core language arts standards with targeted literacy instruction in Spanish for the entire block. By the time students reach fifth grade, they are…

The purpose of this study was to examine the current shortage of certified dual-language and bilingual teachers at dual-language programs. Currently, there exist problems surrounding the wider implementation of dual-language education programs as a result of the widespread teacher shortages, which has been shown in the literature to drastically…