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- Title
- Development of the Tagalog Version of the Western Aphasia Battery-Revised.
- Creator
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Ozaeta, Carmina, Kong, Pak Hin, Whiteside, Janet, Ryalls, John, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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There has been limited research done in the Philippines in the area of aphasia, a frequent concomitant symptom of strokes and presents as impairment in any area of the input and output of language. Diagnosis is generally conducted by clinicians based on sites of lesion of speakers with aphasia and clinical observations of language symptoms and unpublished translation of the WAB. The lack of relevant research and formal assessment tools in the Philippines motivated this current study. The...
Show moreThere has been limited research done in the Philippines in the area of aphasia, a frequent concomitant symptom of strokes and presents as impairment in any area of the input and output of language. Diagnosis is generally conducted by clinicians based on sites of lesion of speakers with aphasia and clinical observations of language symptoms and unpublished translation of the WAB. The lack of relevant research and formal assessment tools in the Philippines motivated this current study. The development of this type of assessment battery for the Tagalog (pronounced /t?????l??/ in English) speaking population will provide a means for differential diagnosis of acquired neurogenic communication disorders.The goal of this study is to develop a Tagalog version of the Western Aphasia Battery (-) Revised (WAB-R; Kertesz, 2006). The WAB-R was chosen as the basis for the development of the T-WAB-R due to the researched, validated and standardized nature of the battery for use with assessing the severity and type of aphasia through score profiles. This battery provides clinicians with a comprehensive evaluation of language skills in English and is projected to do the same in Tagalog. Given the lack of normative data on the Tagalog speaking population on this test, the current study establishes the normative data of the T-WAB-R from native speakers of Tagalog, encompassing external factors of gender (e.g. male and female) and stratified into three age groups (e.g., 20-39; 40-60; 61+ years old). A full-scale development of the battery will provide a means for differential diagnosis of acquired neurogenic communication disorders in the Tagalog-speaking population.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004421, ucf:49402
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004421
- Title
- A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF PERSPECTIVES: EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS IN THE SPANISH BILINGUAL PROGRAMS IN PRIMARY EDUCATION IN THE CENTRAL FLORIDA REGION.
- Creator
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Araldi, Caitlin, Garcia, Martha, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The proposed goal of this research was to take the data gathered and implement it in analyzing the potential reformation of programs in need of evaluation, assessing the potential benefits of further development in the field of bilingual education in the United States as a nation. Using data collected in the Central Florida region as a microcosmic example of how existing programs function in the modern elementary educational system, the purpose of this study was to demonstrate through the...
Show moreThe proposed goal of this research was to take the data gathered and implement it in analyzing the potential reformation of programs in need of evaluation, assessing the potential benefits of further development in the field of bilingual education in the United States as a nation. Using data collected in the Central Florida region as a microcosmic example of how existing programs function in the modern elementary educational system, the purpose of this study was to demonstrate through the conduction of interviews with local teachers and currently available research that a more suitable standard for bilingual education is both necessary and valuable for our school systems and for the future of our students as productive and capable adults. As a survey of the current state of bilingual education in Central Florida elementary schools, this research sought to establish a clearer panoramic view of the ways in which our system is perceived as observed directly through those participating and facilitating it firsthand in local classrooms. Classroom observations and data gathered from educational professionals within the participating elementary school system, inclusive solely of those implementing a bilingual program as a method of assimilation for a high population of Spanish-speaking students transitioning to a targeted language of English, were the primary basis of this research, supplemented by existing psychological and educational research in the field of language acquisition and development in young children. Results have suggested that current methods of bilingual instruction are based upon the integrated standards of three existing models: transitional bilingual education, immersion, and English as a Second Language. The three appeared to be functioning in such a way that does not fully allow for a wide range of learning needs to be met, and that furthermore does not fully support a directed initiative toward a future in consistently dynamic and progressive research in the bilingual field, such that a standardized system flexible enough to encourage the needs of a diverse population might be realized. With further standardization and research, bilingual education might itself become a standard of American education for all students, native and non-native.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFH0004112, ucf:44891
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004112
- Title
- CROSS-MODAL DISTRACTION ON SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION: LANGUAGE INTERFERENCE IN SPANISH-ENGLISH BILINGUALS.
- Creator
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Young, Violet A, Modianos, Doan, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Bilingualism has been studied extensively in multiple disciplines, yet we are still trying to figure out how exactly bilinguals think. A bilingual advantage has been observed in various experimental studies, but also has not been observed in many other studies. A bilingual advantage has been shown in tasks using selective attention. These tasks study the effects of language interference, where two types of interference are observed: interlingual (between-languages) and intralingual (within...
Show moreBilingualism has been studied extensively in multiple disciplines, yet we are still trying to figure out how exactly bilinguals think. A bilingual advantage has been observed in various experimental studies, but also has not been observed in many other studies. A bilingual advantage has been shown in tasks using selective attention. These tasks study the effects of language interference, where two types of interference are observed: interlingual (between-languages) and intralingual (within one language). This study examined language interference in Spanish-English bilinguals, using an auditory-visual simultaneous translation experimental setup. 16 college English monolinguals and 17 college Spanish-English bilinguals were tested. The task was to ignore the word in the headphones and to translate/repeat the word on the screen into English. Distractor words went to either the right, left, or both headphone ears. Subjects were given 72 words to translate, words were randomized, and ear of the distractor word was randomized. The monolingual group was not affected by any independent variables tested except screen word length. Bilinguals did worse when the word and audio were in Spanish, and when the word and audio were different words. No ear advantage was observed. Proficiency levels and first language had no effects on bilingual performance. More intralingual interference was observed for bilinguals only, no significant interference occurred for monolinguals. A slight bilingual advantage was found but not fully, because of the high load of the task and introduction of another language. In conclusion, bilinguals did not have a cognitive advantage in this experiment setup.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFH2000448, ucf:45844
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000448
- Title
- EXPLORING A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER AND BILINGUALISM.
- Creator
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James, Nicholas, Beidel, Deborah, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study investigated the possible relationship between bilingualism and social anxiety disorder. Past research has indicated developmental delays in language as increasing risk for other psychological difficulties. With the pressure to learn two languages, possibly in the drastically different environments of home, school, and/or work, individuals may be vulnerable to becoming socially anxious in conjunction with language use. This study examined a series of factors surrounding linguistic...
Show moreThis study investigated the possible relationship between bilingualism and social anxiety disorder. Past research has indicated developmental delays in language as increasing risk for other psychological difficulties. With the pressure to learn two languages, possibly in the drastically different environments of home, school, and/or work, individuals may be vulnerable to becoming socially anxious in conjunction with language use. This study examined a series of factors surrounding linguistic development and reports of social anxiety. Participants were divided into 4 groups: Socially Anxious (SA; n = 43) monolinguals, Non-Socially Anxious (Non-SA; n = 81) monolinguals, SA bilinguals (n = 30), and Non-SA bilinguals (n = 43). Measures of social anxiety, linguistic ability, and demographic information were collected and compared. The results of this study showed no direct link between bilingualism and SAD. However results raised other questions as there was an overrepresentation of SA bilinguals having accents when compared with Non-SA bilingual individuals.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFH0004676, ucf:45285
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004676
- Title
- Crosslinguistic Analysis of Stuttering and Typical Disfluencies in Polish-English Bilingual Adults Who Stutter.
- Creator
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Krawczyk, Aleksandra, Vanryckeghem, Martine, Wesierska, Katarzyna, Kong, Anthony Pak Hin, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This research study examines the types and frequencies of stuttering, typical disfluencies, and speech rate in Polish-English bilingual adults who stutter across a variety of speaking situations. As Polish and English are phonetically and morpho-syntactically disparate languages, they provide grounds for evaluating the cross-linguistic correlates that may contribute to dysfluency in bilingual individuals who stutter in hopes of contributing to more effective assessment, diagnostic...
Show moreThis research study examines the types and frequencies of stuttering, typical disfluencies, and speech rate in Polish-English bilingual adults who stutter across a variety of speaking situations. As Polish and English are phonetically and morpho-syntactically disparate languages, they provide grounds for evaluating the cross-linguistic correlates that may contribute to dysfluency in bilingual individuals who stutter in hopes of contributing to more effective assessment, diagnostic determination, and clinical practice. Participants were all native Polish speakers who spoke English at an intermediate or higher level, were diagnosed with a developmental stutter, and were at least 18 years old. Given that the participants resided in Poland, the study took place via Skype. Participants were first subjected to an English proficiency test, then engaged in three speech tasks (oral reading, monologue, and dialogue) to collect a 200-word speech sample in both Polish and English. Tasks were randomized for language, order of administration, and set of images and conversation topics to minimize the possibility of an order effect. No significant differences in stuttering frequency or stutter types between Polish and English within tasks were found. Similar patterns of stuttering types occurred within Polish and English. There were significantly more typical disfluencies in English compared to Polish during oral reading, with significantly more interjections occurring in the second language during monologue and oral reading. Correlational analyses revealed high positive correlations between stuttering types in all three tasks. Speech rate did not differ significantly between both languages. The percentage of typical disfluencies correlated negatively with dialogue and monologue for language proficiency. Results provide implications for assessment and treatment of stuttering in all languages spoken by the client.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007212, ucf:52286
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007212
- Title
- GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP AND EDUCATION: THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL IMPACT OF A STUDY ABROAD BILINGUAL TEACHING EXPERIENCE ON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND PRESERVICE TEACHERS.
- Creator
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Anwar, Haris N, Owens, J. Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The intent of this thesis is to study the diverse experiences of 13 University of Central Florida students who participated in the Bilingual Study Abroad Teaching Experience in Spain. The group included nine education students and four in other majors. The experiences of study abroad participants can help to better understand what future participants can look to gain from the program, and what the organizers of the program can potentially look to improve. The research involved was a...
Show moreThe intent of this thesis is to study the diverse experiences of 13 University of Central Florida students who participated in the Bilingual Study Abroad Teaching Experience in Spain. The group included nine education students and four in other majors. The experiences of study abroad participants can help to better understand what future participants can look to gain from the program, and what the organizers of the program can potentially look to improve. The research involved was a qualitative study which sought to record the experiences of participants, and then interpret those experiences. The participants were asked to determine the benefits of the program across three dimensions: academic, professional, and personal. This was accomplished through Likert scale questions which gauged their opinions, and by reflecting on their experiences in a more open-ended way, writing broadly about the impact of the program. In analyzing the responses, connections were drawn between the quantitative data in the Likert scale questions, and the qualitative data in the open responses. It was found that as a whole, participants considered the study abroad experience to be overwhelmingly positive across all surveyed dimensions. In addition, a number of connections were found that could be drawn between the broad experiences of the participants, and specific benefits which they noted in the survey. A number of unique experiences and circumstances will be considered, both positive and negative. Finally, the conclusions and implications of the study will be discussed. Recommendations are included in regard to future participants can expect to gain, potential areas of improvement in the program, and things which should be included in the orientation for future participants in the bilingual teaching experience.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFH2000278, ucf:45699
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000278
- Title
- The AfterMath: A Culturally Responsive Mathematical Intervention to Aid Students Affected by Natural Disasters.
- Creator
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Kurtz, Brianna, Haciomeroglu, Erhan, Bush, Sarah, Safi, Farshid, Biraimah, Karen, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria struck the island of Puerto Rico. The damage was extensive, and many people found themselves to be natural disaster refugees. As a result, schools in Central Florida saw an influx of new students who had their educations interrupted by the disaster and now were resuming school in a new language of instruction. These students not only faced linguistic challenges but also academic differences due to the high prevalence of poverty and the effects of...
Show moreOn September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria struck the island of Puerto Rico. The damage was extensive, and many people found themselves to be natural disaster refugees. As a result, schools in Central Florida saw an influx of new students who had their educations interrupted by the disaster and now were resuming school in a new language of instruction. These students not only faced linguistic challenges but also academic differences due to the high prevalence of poverty and the effects of neocolonialism in their previous schooling. This mixed methods study implemented an intensive intervention in probability to aid students in developing mathematical understanding and forming meaningful connections. Student participants, who had been affected by Hurricane Maria, were now attending a public high school and were paired one-on-one with a bilingual, mathematically high performing student mentor to complete culturally responsive, bilingual probability tasks. Data collection occurred over the course of six weeks in fall 2019. Both mentor and mentee students participated in focus group interviews, and the mentees completed a probability pre-test and post-test. Student participants were found to have statistically significant increases in the understanding of probability concepts when comparing pre-intervention and post-intervention results, with the understanding and usage of the multiplication rule showing the most significant improvement. Both mentors and mentees reported feeling a stronger sense of unity and belonging post-intervention as well as improvement in bilingual academic vocabulary. With the impact of natural disasters on the rise, implications of this study include its adaption to respond to future displaced students as they resume schooling post-interruption in Central Florida and beyond.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007828, ucf:52820
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007828
- Title
- ARTICULATION AND PHONOLOGICAL SYSTEMS OF SPANISH-ENGLISH SPEAKING FLORIDA 4 AND 5 YEAR OLDS.
- Creator
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Dennis, Jennifer, Brice, Alejandro, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
There are currently five million children three to five years of age (i.e., 59.5% of all children from three to five), who are bilingual, living in the United States. By 2025, Census data show that the population of Florida will increase by some 26 percent adding another 5.5 million people to the state. There are a limited amount of studies yielding data on the development of Spanish phonology in 4 and 5 year old children residing in the United States, particularly in Florida. Consequently,...
Show moreThere are currently five million children three to five years of age (i.e., 59.5% of all children from three to five), who are bilingual, living in the United States. By 2025, Census data show that the population of Florida will increase by some 26 percent adding another 5.5 million people to the state. There are a limited amount of studies yielding data on the development of Spanish phonology in 4 and 5 year old children residing in the United States, particularly in Florida. Consequently, there is limited normative information pertaining to articulation and phonological development in Spanish speakers. It was postulated that normal, bilingual, Spanish/ English speaking children, ages 4 to 5 years old, would display different articulation and phonological processes in English and Spanish when measured with standardized English and Spanish articulation and phonology tests. Sixteen participants from the Orlando and Miami, Florida areas were tested. The participants consisted of eight 4 year olds and eight 5 year olds with six females and ten males. The children ranged in age from 3.7 to 5.7 with a mean age of 4.8 years. A diverse Spanish dialect (Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central American, and South American Spanish) was obtained from the participants. All children were normally developing. In addition, language, oral motor skills, and hearing were screened. It was hypothesized that there would be differences for the group of 16 bilingual (i.e., Spanish-English speaking) children for place, manner and voicing of articulation in English versus Spanish as measured by percentage of consonants correct. Only one consonant in the initial position was significantly different, i.e., /sh/. The /sh/ phoneme is an affricate which means it is part stop and part fricative. Spanish contains only one fricative (i.e., the /sh/) whereas English contains two affricates (i.e., /sh/, /dg/). Spanish speakers therefore, have little practice producing affricates. It was hypothesized that there would be differences in the group of 16 bilingual (i.e., Spanish-English speaking) children for phonological processes as measured by percentage of occurrence errors in English versus Spanish phonology. Two of the seven phonological processes were significantly different in their comparisons: (a) Stopping; and (b) Velar Fronting. Stopping could have been more difficult for children in English (9% occurrence) than in Spanish (0% occurrence) because there are more fricatives in English which can be stopped as compared to Spanish where there is only one fricative, which could be stopped. Fronting occurred 4% of the time in English and 0% of the time in Spanish. This could be due to the Spanish language being more anteriorly placed than English (Brice, 1996). Normative articulation and phonological Spanish data from this study were obtained and are particularly useful for speech-language pathologists in today's public school. As the Hispanic school population increase this information is beneficial as a reference for Spanish speech productions. Further research should include more participants, e.g., Spanish-English speaking children with phonological disorders, as the Hispanic population is increasing especially in the state of Florida. Larger sample sizes should be studied in order to create a more accurate valid representation of the population of Spanish-English speaking children in Florida. Research on this topic should be expanded to include normative data for disordered bilingual children in order to apply more appropriate treatments. In addition, other languages should be studied as the state of Florida and the nation are also experiencing growth in other languages beyond Spanish.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001226, ucf:46927
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001226
- Title
- CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS:A COMPARISON OF LANGUAGE ARTS/ESOL AND ONE-WAY DEVELOPMENTAL BILINGUAL PROGRAMS.
- Creator
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Marlow, Kimberly, Murray, Barbara, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The present study was conducted to investigate two English Language Learner programs in one Florida county and their implications for student achievement. The literature review showed that, as students progress through the educational system, the academic content becomes more and more abstract, forcing students to rely more heavily on their oral and written communication skills in English. Significant achievement gaps, sometimes extremely large, were also identified between English-only...
Show moreThe present study was conducted to investigate two English Language Learner programs in one Florida county and their implications for student achievement. The literature review showed that, as students progress through the educational system, the academic content becomes more and more abstract, forcing students to rely more heavily on their oral and written communication skills in English. Significant achievement gaps, sometimes extremely large, were also identified between English-only students and English Language Learner students. One study highlighted a 46% gap on the 2005 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). The present study was designed to investigate 23 middle schools in one Florida county. The focus of the study was on two English Language Learner programs: Language Arts/ESOL and One-Way Developmental Bilingual Education. A total of 13 schools were identified that had implemented the Language Arts/ESOL program, and 10 middle schools were identified that had implemented the One-Way Developmental Bilingual Education program. The 2007 FCAT reading mean scale scores for the schools' 7th-grade English Language Learners were compared to those of standard curriculum students. For both English Language Learner programs, a statistical significance was found using t-tests. In addition, FCAT reading Levels 1-5 were investigated. At FCAT Levels 1-3, the Language Arts/ESOL program out-performed the One-Way Developmental Bilingual Education program. At FCAT Levels 4 and 5, the One-Way Developmental Bilingual Education program out-performed the Language Arts/ESOL program.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002059, ucf:47582
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002059
- Title
- HELPING AT-RISK STUDENTS SOLVE MATHEMATICAL WORD PROBLEMS THROUGH THE USE OF DIRECT INSTRUCTION AND PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES.
- Creator
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Lopez, Lurdes, JeanPierre, Bobby, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This action research study examined the influence mathematical strategies had on middle school students' mathematical ability. The purpose of this action research study was to observe students mathematical abilities and to investigate whether teaching students problem-solving strategies in mathematics will enhance student's mathematical thinking and their ability to comprehend and solve word problems. The study took place in an urban school in Orlando, Florida in the fall of 2004. The...
Show moreThis action research study examined the influence mathematical strategies had on middle school students' mathematical ability. The purpose of this action research study was to observe students mathematical abilities and to investigate whether teaching students problem-solving strategies in mathematics will enhance student's mathematical thinking and their ability to comprehend and solve word problems. The study took place in an urban school in Orlando, Florida in the fall of 2004. The subjects will be 12 eighth grade students assigned to my intensive math class. Quantitative data was collected. Students' took a pre and post test designed to measure and give students practice on mathematical skills. Students worked individually on practice problems, answered questions daily in their problem solving notebook and mathematics journals. Results showed the effectiveness of the use of direct instruction and problem-solving strategies on at-risk students.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002095, ucf:47551
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002095
- Title
- "WE'RE BECOMING BILINGUAL AND BILITERATE!" AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY ON HOW A DUAL-LANGUAGE PROGRAM IN FLORIDA CONTRIBUTES TO THE LITERACY DEVELOPMENT OF ENGLISH-LANGUAGE LEARNERS.
- Creator
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Black, Diane, Lue, Martha, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
ABSTRACT The purpose of this research was to determine whether participation in a dual-language program by English-language learners (ELLs) contributed to the literacy development of this student population. This qualitative research spanned 5 months and was conducted within an elementary school located in central Florida. It is important to note that the researcher was also a teacher within the dual-language program under study, hence possessed an inside perspective of the program and the...
Show moreABSTRACT The purpose of this research was to determine whether participation in a dual-language program by English-language learners (ELLs) contributed to the literacy development of this student population. This qualitative research spanned 5 months and was conducted within an elementary school located in central Florida. It is important to note that the researcher was also a teacher within the dual-language program under study, hence possessed an inside perspective of the program and the progression of several participating students. The study was guided by the following research questions: 1. What factors contribute to the improved literacy development for ELLs through participation in a two-way, dual-language program? 2. What factors contribute to the failure to improve the literacy development for ELLs participating in two-way, dual-language programs? As an ethnographic study, the qualitative methods of observation, interviewing, and examination of artifacts (i.e., work samples) were employed. ELLs attending the 1st through the 5th grades were observed during their Literacy Block and interviewed regarding their feelings about learning two languages. Parents and teachers were also interviewed to determine their beliefs surrounding the contribution of the dual-language program to the literacy development of the participating ELLS. Work samples, including reading scores and journal samples, were also examined. The four processes of the W. P. Thomas and V. P. Collier (1997) prism model--sociocultural processes, linguistic processes, academic development, and cognitive development--served as the theoretical framework for the data analysis. The prism model facilitated elaboration of how all processes involved in the development of the ELLs' literacy skills are related and intertwined. After triangulation of the data from the observations, interviews and work samples, ten factors affecting second-language acquisition for ELLs participating in a dual-language program were discovered in this study. Nine appeared to contribute to successful literacy development and one factor appeared to contribute to failure in the acquisition of second-language literacy skills. Based upon the findings, it appears that participation in a dual-language program indeed contributes to literacy development in ELLs. Contributions to the field and recommendations for related future research are presented.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001522, ucf:47134
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001522
- Title
- Parental Beliefs and Attitudes on Enrollment in a Dual Language Program at an Elementary School.
- Creator
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Delorenzo, Leah, Purmensky, Kerry, Folse, Keith, Vitanova-Haralampiev, Gergana, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
In the 2010-2011 school year, there were almost a quarter of a million English language learners (ELLs) enrolled in Florida public schools (Florida Department of Education, 2011), most of whom were placed in mainstream schools with segregated language remediation. Dual language education (DLE) programs offer developmental opportunities in two languages that mainstream schools cannot. The purpose of this research was to identify parental attitudes toward immersion programs and define the...
Show moreIn the 2010-2011 school year, there were almost a quarter of a million English language learners (ELLs) enrolled in Florida public schools (Florida Department of Education, 2011), most of whom were placed in mainstream schools with segregated language remediation. Dual language education (DLE) programs offer developmental opportunities in two languages that mainstream schools cannot. The purpose of this research was to identify parental attitudes toward immersion programs and define the reasons that parents enroll their children in DLEs. Sixty participants completed a questionnaire sent home from their student's DLE. The study data included biographical information, statements depicting the reasons for enrollment rated by a Likert scale, and an area for comments. Overall, the study found that survey participants rated their child's comfort communicating with Spanish speakers (4.75 out of 5) to be the most important reason for enrollment. A difference was found in responses depending on the ethnic/language group of surveyed participants. Primarily, Spanish speakers responded more positively to the statements regarding bilingual education than any other ethnic/language group. All parents conclusively believe the dual immersion program has been a success for their children.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004989, ucf:49553
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004989
- Title
- Study on Spanish for Native Speakers Curriculum and Academic Achievement in Florida.
- Creator
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Maino, Paola, Boyd, Tammy, Short, Edmund, Owens, James, Conroy, Annabelle, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Using data on all Hispanic high school students in Central and Southern Florida, this study examines Cummins' Linguistic Interdependence concept by studying how the availability and English Language Learners (ELL) student participation in Spanish for Native Speakers (SNS) programs in Florida high schools is associated with Hispanic academic achievement. The availability of SNS programs was studied using data provided by the FLDOE on all high schools in Florida for 2009-2010. The study used...
Show moreUsing data on all Hispanic high school students in Central and Southern Florida, this study examines Cummins' Linguistic Interdependence concept by studying how the availability and English Language Learners (ELL) student participation in Spanish for Native Speakers (SNS) programs in Florida high schools is associated with Hispanic academic achievement. The availability of SNS programs was studied using data provided by the FLDOE on all high schools in Florida for 2009-2010. The study used individual level data on all Hispanic ELL students in Central and Southeast counties who attended 12th grade during each year from 2006/2007 through 2009/2010, and then tracked the students' entire high school experience from 9th to 12th grade. Student FCAT scores were used as the dependent variable. Testing for differences in means and linear and logistic regression analysis were used to examine these questions. The results showed that SNS tend to be offered in large high schools, with a large Hispanic student and teacher population, which have lower average FCAT scores, and are located in counties that tend to vote Democratic. The results found indicate that student participation in SNS program does not affect students' overall FCAT scores. However, students who participate in SNS courses tend to perform better in Math FCAT, but not in Reading FCAT, when compared to their peers of similar Hispanic background that did not participate in SNS courses. The results supported Cummins' Linguistic Interdependence concept, as L1 maintenance may promote academic achievement, depending on the academic subject. The most important attribute of these results was the association found between L1 maintenance and academic skills in Math. The study argues for the possibility of cognitive development occurring at deeper levels due to L1 maintenance, and expressed through abstract and logical thought such as Mathematical proficiency. Future studies may benefit by approaching this subject in a longitudinal manner and examine how student participation in SNS is associated with educational attainment, including high school graduation, college enrollment and graduation, job prospects and social mobility. The results also suggest that there is a higher probability that SNS curriculum is offered in high schools located in counties that tend to vote Democratic, indicating that location is intrinsically dependent on stakeholders' political views on the education of minority students. Therefore, future studies may examine stakeholders' involvement in the decision making process of curriculum at the county, school, and classroom level, in order to find out what are the driving forces making possible or not the availability of SNS curriculum in the state of Florida.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004711, ucf:49837
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004711