Kindergarten with Mascarillas: A qualitative case study of a Spanish-English dual language classroom during COVID-19

Kim, Esther Jun

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/116177 Copy

Description

Title

Kindergarten with Mascarillas: A qualitative case study of a Spanish-English dual language classroom during COVID-19

Author(s)

Kim, Esther Jun

Issue Date

2022-07-01

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Sadler, Randall W

Committee Member(s)

Pierce, Lisa

Department of Study

Linguistics

Discipline

Teaching of English Sec Lang

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.A.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

dual language, bilingual, kindergarten, covid-19, translanguaging

Abstract

Dual language programs have increased across the country in response to both under-achievement for language learners in mainstream classrooms and a growing awareness of the importance of multilingualism and cross-cultural competence. This study explores how teachers and students negotiate a learning environment impacted by relationships, ideologies, and pedagogical practices. In the context of COVID-19, this study is significant because there is little research on the everyday practices that cultivate bilingualism and biliteracy from a sociocultural perspective and how the pandemic has impacted those norms. This qualitative case study uses interviews, observations, and field notes from a Kindergarten Spanish-English dual language classroom in a small urban area in the Midwest. The participants include four staff members and five focal students representative of the classroom makeup varying in home language, socioeconomic status, gender, and age. Results from this study contribute to understanding how to foster multilingual environments that offer optimal participation opportunities for all students, in addition to listening to the perspectives of the teachers and students that embody this space regarding their everyday practices.

Graduation Semester

2022-08

Type of Resource

Thesis

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2022 Esther Kim

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