Qualitative studies related to dual language learners have been documented in dissertations such as ‘Successes and Challenges of Instructional Strategies in Two-Way Bilingual Immersion’ by Ana Margarita and ‘The Effects of Dual Language Programs on the Student Achievement of English Learners’ by Ignacio Reyes. The analytical methods deployed in the extraction of data is evaluated in this paper, along with the associated effectiveness.
Ana Margarita in her dissertation proposed a couple of research questions related to imparting cognitive reading skills to English as a second language learners. The research questions sought to find the cognitive reading strategies that Hispanic middle school students used, and to what extent these students apply the strategies. The dissertation’s other objective was to ascertain the presence of any difference in the cognitive skills of the Hispanic students from the other English language learners. The study also sought to get a difference in type and extent of the use of cognitive skills between students of various grades.
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Secondary data collected from students enrolled in middle schools around major cities of South and Central America region was deployed. The sample region was chosen because of the state and government presence in funding economically disadvantaged minority students. The guiding principles and their effectiveness in assisting teachers implement the strategies in class were evaluated. The teachers were asked to report on the challenges faced at work, and the successes gained in developing bilateral and cross-cultural competence with learners (Hernandez & Margarita 2011). The responses were kept in tabulated fields where referrals were made for further analysis.
The dissertation addressed the research questions through constructivist, and its associated philosophical assumptions. Philosophical assumptions involve the creation of an understanding of a phenomenon based on the social interactions between individuals, narratives or histories. A bottom-up strategy was applied in the determination process where teachers reported on the best strategies in their specific field. The approach allowed the participants to share their assumptions by using conversations that link theory to practice in dual language classroom environment.
The qualitative research designed employed in the study is better suited in understanding instructional practices in dual language programs, where variables are numerous. The variables involved in instructional strategies like direct instruction and teacher student interaction were investigated through purposeful sampling to accurately depict the results. The bottom-up approach in interviewing teacher helped spread the response base, thereby enhancing productive data collection. The level of teacher detail dedicated towards the classroom interaction is proportional to the artistic performance of the students, both conducting dual language learners and English learners.
In yet another study titled ‘The Effects of Dual Language Programs on the Student Achievement of English Learners’ by Ignacio Reyes, dual language learners were compared to regular learners in their language arts skills. The dissertation hypothesis supposed that there was no significant difference between the language skills of dual language learners and regular English learners. During the course of the study, several students we evaluated based on the number of classes they attended. A differential between dual language takers and the rest was made to test the disparity. The aim of the study was to disproof the assumption that there exist significant advantage gains to dual language learners in the intake of classroom instruction.
The study involved 24 English learners who participated in dual language programs, and another 24 who did not participate in such programs in an elementary school in South Valley of California (Reyes, 2014). In the sampling process, the purpose of study, ability levels, socioeconomic status and gender of the students, as well as teacher experience played a key role. In the case study, scores from California Standards Test for English arts were used to compare academic progress of the students. The aim was to find the best approach in enhancing English art skills in students, whether English only instruction or dual language instruction type. The sample was extracted from data from a school district offering K-8 instruction to 2500 students in the region. The study’s findings reflect a similar population distribution of the area, with 80% Hispanic, 11% Asian and 9% other ethnic backgrounds.
The study successfully creates a correlation between the dual language learners and high artistic performance. The analytical methods deployed are subjective to the individual personal traits, which may affect the accuracy of data collected. Qualitative studies involve the use of non-numerical concepts that can only be expressed in abstract amounts. This means there is no way of quantifying the data and finding into distinct packets, thereby involving concepts and theorized quantities.
The research utilized results from the California Standards Test, which is administered to grade two to grade eleven students in Mathematics and English subjects, for grade eight students. Statistical analysis was applied to the data, with an independent t-test at 0.05 level of significance. The mean score value of those student in dual language programs was compared to the mean score for those in regular single language instruction classes. The findings revealed that the test scores for students in the experimental dual language learner groups were much greater than the scores for the control group, the non-dual language learners. The advantage of the dual language instruction is that it creates a smooth transition environment where foreign students can learn through their native language as they transition.
References
Reyes, A. (2014). The Effects of Dual Language Programs on the Student Achievement of English Learners. Faculty of California State University, Stanislaus, CA.
Hernandez, A., Margarita, A. (2011). Successes and challenges of instructional strategies in two-way bilingual immersion. UC San Diego UC San Diego Electronic Theses and Dissertations
