Program

Education K-12 M.A.

Number of Pages

52

Year Approved

2024

First Advisor

Elliott, Nathan

Second Reader

Lisa Silmser

Abstract

Some English Learners (ELs) become Long-Term English Learners (LTELs) instead of being reclassified as English language proficient in a timely manner (within five years). This master’s thesis researches risk factors that may cause ELs to become LTELs and ways those risk factors can be reduced. Firstly, the level of academic language proficiency that a student brings with them when they first enter school is a predictive factor; students who enter school with a higher level of academic language proficiency in both their home language and English tend to reclassify within five years. Students with lower levels of proficiency often become LTELs. Secondly, students who experience continuity of English Language Development (ELD) tend to progress steadily and reclassify within five years. LTELs should receive differentiated programming and ELD to enable them to progress to English language proficiency. Finally, students who are dual-identified as EL and as students with an IEP (students with disabilities) are more likely to become LTELs. To minimize the number of ELs becoming LTELs, we can promote early childhood family education, especially that which bolsters academic English and home language proficiency, we can design EL programs that provide continuous EL support and ELD for students, we can design EL programming specifically for the needs of LTELs and finally, we can study our special education programs and see how both special education and EL programs can better serve dual-identified students.

Degree Name

Education K-12 M.A.

Document Type

Masterʼs thesis

Terms of Use and License Information

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

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