Socorro Herrera

Navigating the Waves of Social and Political Capriciousness: Inspiring Perspectives From DREAM-Eligible Immigrant Students

This article examines the psychological and sociological impacts of the proposed Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act and in-state tuition legislation on DREAM-eligible students in the Midwestern United States. The researchers sought to capture the lived experiences of undocumented immigrant students through their rich interpretations of current immigration policy and how participants described their situation, their identity, and their dreams in relation to the volatility of their external environment. Este manuscrito examina el impacto psicológico y sociológico del propuesto Acto de Desarrollo, Asistencia, y Educación para Menores Extranjeros (DREAM) y la ley de educación para residentes estatales sobre estudiantes elegibles del DREAM en el medio-oeste de los Estados Unidos de América. Los investigadores buscaron capturar las experiencias vividas por estudiantes inmigrados sin documentos a través de interpretaciones ricas de la política actual de inmigración y cómo los participantes describieron sus situaciones, su identidad, y sus sueños y la relación de ellos con la volatilidad de su ambiente externo.

Reading Difficulties and Grade Retention: What's the Connection for English Language Learners?

Much of the student diversity in U.S. schools reflects increasing numbers of English language learners (ELL). ELL represent a very heterogeneous group in terms of their native language proficiency, educational experiences, access to quality early childhood programs, and immigration experiences. An unfortunate commonality they often share is poor academic achievement, particularly in the area of reading. Higher rates of grade retention and school dropout are consistently linked to poor academic performance. This article discusses literacy development, reading difficulties related to special education identification, and reading interventions for ELL. Practical strategies for reading instruction are also provided.

In the Aftermath of Unz.

Abstract Recent initiatives such as Proposition 227, the Unz Initiative, demonstrate the implications of referenda and other sociocultural and sociopolitical threats to the appropriate education of culturally and linguistically diverse students. Such initiatives often capitalize upon the politicization of the ESL/bilingual education environment in order to threaten quality programming and equitable education for all students. These trends call for a greater emphasis in the professional development and practice of educators toward capacity building for student, family, and program advocacy. This article explores the potential contribution of current educational and related literature in the development of an initial framework for such advocacy.

Enhancing advocacy skills of teacher candidates

This case study explores the dynamics of enhancing the capacities of teacher candidates in the Bilingual/Bicultural Education Students Interacting to Obtain Success (BESITOS) recruitment and retention program to advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Herrera and Murry’s advocacy framework provides the theoretical framework for this study and comprises three components – currency, defensibility, and futurity. This study serves as a documentary account of the efforts of one Midwestern university to increase the number of highly qualified teachers prepared to address the challenges that confront CLD students. Moreover, this paper identifies potential strategies for the future design and implementation of advocacy skills development curricula.

The Role of Preservice Teachers' Meaning Perspectives and Schemes in a Study Abroad Experience.

This microethnographic case study focuses on patterns of interpretation and decision making of undergraduate preservice teachers as they participated in observations, co-teaching, and teaching in elementary schools in northern Mexico. At the core, this study explores the deeply embedded assumptions preservice teachers may bring to new cross-cultural interactions. Drawing from participant documents, surveys, and interviews, the study seeks to investigate the meaning perspectives and schemes (Mezirow, 1991) that study abroad participants used to make sense of their experiences. Also explored are ways the study abroad experience may have helped to alter or solidify meaning perspectives. Finally, recommendations based on lessons learned are provided for designing study abroad experiences that prompt preservice teachers to view and use cultural differences as assets in classroom practice.

Case Study of the Accommodation Readiness Spiral as an Evaluative Framework for Action Research Plans

This study utilized qualitative research to examine student work for evidence of language exemplifying the progressive levels of the Accommodation Readiness Spiral (ARS). The goal of this research is was to consider how the ARS could be utilized as a purposive framework for the assessment of professional, capacity building potential as related to a teacher’s readiness for the accommodation of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Thus, we intended to explore the question, what examples of text within ECM participants’ action research plans appear to correspond to levels of the ARS if used as a framework of evaluation for professional capacity building potential? The student text used for these purposes was a culminating action research plan required for graduation in a masters program in education. The topic of the project was unique to each student, but was constrained to addressing a social/educational issue in their home country and preparing an action research proposal capable of exploring such an issue, including their role as an advocate for the marginalized population. The findings of content analysis conducted on one such proposal indicate the utility of this six-level theoretical framework for analyzing readiness within scholarly work. The particulars of even the most complex levels appeared to organize the author’s thinking about challenging aspects of the action research plan. Such scaffolding may prove especially beneficial for teacher preparation programs and professional development for practitioners in areas related to teaching CLD students, reflective practices regarding teacher perception, and the role of an educator as an advocate.