ERIC Number: EJ1021455
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Mar
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1086-296X
EISSN: N/A
Struggling Reader or Emerging Biliterate Student? Reevaluating the Criteria for Labeling Emerging Bilingual Students as Low Achieving
Hopewell, Susan; Escamilla, Kathy
Journal of Literacy Research, v46 n1 p68-89 Mar 2014
Data systems that use monolingual language frameworks to understand the reading achievement of third-grade students provide inadequate information about emerging bilingual (EB) learners. The authors of this research study apply two competing ideologies (parallel monolingualism and holistic bilingualism) to interpret one set of data. Their findings demonstrate that the same set of scores tells an entirely different story depending on the frames of reference and that these differences are statistically significant. Specifically, they use their analyses to problematize the impact of the Colorado Basic Literacy Act (CBLA) on the categorization of third-grade EB learners. Generalizing from the Colorado data, the authors consider the implications of their findings in a national context of increasing numbers of bilingual learners. Finally, they offer suggestions for site-based school district responses and broader state level policy implications by highlighting one school district's response to their findings.
Descriptors: Literacy, Bilingualism, Reading Difficulties, Reading Achievement, Grade 3, Elementary School Students, State Legislation, School Districts, Educational Policy, Classification, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, At Risk Students, Socioeconomic Status, Language Tests, Spanish, Scores, Longitudinal Studies
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Grade 3; Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Colorado
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A