03/17/2022
By Lizzie Casanave

The School of Education invites you to attend an Ed.D. Dissertation Defense by Teresa Varriale Gonzalez on “Diversity is an asset, not a deficit. Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Pedagogy to Support English Learners in Community College."

Date: March 30, 2022
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Location: Coburn 210

Dissertation Chair: Johanna Tigert, Ed.D., Assistant Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts, Lowell

Dissertation Committee:

  • Phitsamay S. Uy, Ed.D. Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • James Nehring, Ed.D., Faculty Chair, Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts, Lowell

Abstract:

In the last decade, the number of English Learners (ELs) in higher education has significantly grown due to the increase of immigrants and refugees coming to the United States. For these students, attending community colleges is usually the first foray into higher education. This is particularly the case in New England, which is experiencing rapid demographic changes in its student population. To serve these students, community colleges have expanded their offering of a variety of English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. However, several studies indicate that ESL programs are failing to effectively support the needs of ELs. Research strongly suggests that encouraging the use of students’ home culture and language in ESL contexts can validate ELs’ cultural identity, and positively impact their English acquisition. The purpose of this mixed-methods dissertation study was to investigate the orientations and practices of instructors and staff serving ELs in community college, and whether those orientations and strategies are culturally and linguistically responsive. Following the path of scholars who advocate for culturally and linguistically responsive approaches in education, this study utilizes Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Pedagogy (CLRP) as a holistic theoretical lens for the analysis of data collected through a survey and semi-structured interviews in the academic years 2020-2021 and 2020-2022. This three-article dissertation provides insights into the major findings that were identified through the analysis of the data. The study also provides direction for future research, and implications for policy and practice toward the design of educational resources that foster inclusive learning and are anchored in CLRP principles.