Publication Date

Spring 2020

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

Advisor

Cheryl Roddick

Keywords

classroom practices, classroom research, language of instruction, Latinx Emergent Bilinguals, mathematics learning, place value understanding

Subject Areas

Educational leadership; Mathematics education

Abstract

The relationship between mathematics learning and the language of instruction in bilingual settings has been observed and analyzed widely in educational research. As Latinx Emergent Bilingual students start developing their mathematics knowledge and skills in elementary classrooms, the role that language plays in the process has been studied as a key aspect of classroom practice. A convergent parallel mixed-method approach was used to examine fourteen second-grade Latinx Emergent Bilingual students’ understanding of the concept of place value and whether this process was related to the language of instruction chosen in each of the two Spanish-English transitional bilingual classrooms. Findings from the quantitative analysis suggest that the language of instruction did not impact the students’ understanding of place value, as measured by the increase in percentage points from pre- to post-test. In contrast, the qualitative analysis of the communication patterns used by participants in three small-group collaborative sessions revealed differences across the two classrooms. Additionally, strategies and classroom practices reported by the two classroom teachers seemed to play an important role in the participants’ understanding of place value. In the concluding chapter, the researcher presents implications and suggestions for future research.

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