Browsing by Subject "Sociocultural theory"
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Item Bilingual elementary teachers : examining pedagogy and literacy practices(2014-12) Garza, Irene Valles; Salinas, Cinthia; Fránquiz, María E.This study is significant because U.S. schools are continuously being transformed due to the increasing numbers of linguistically and culturally diverse students, in particular Latina/o youths. Therefore, this qualitative dissertation study explored and described ways three Latina Tejana Maestras utilized Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) during literacy learning as they integrated students’ knowledge about their social and cultural environment, including their native language repertoire, while developing and implementing instruction. This study used sociocultural and borderlands theoretical construct to explore and describe ways the Maestras enacted and sustained CRP during literacy events. The sociocultural perspective is a fitting lens because it takes into account how knowledge is constructed in and through social interaction. Borderlands is also a fitting lens because it takes into account the Tejana Maestras borderlands identity of straddling simultaneous worlds — two languages, two cultures. Sociocultural theory and Borderlands theoretical lenses were complemented by CRP, a teaching approach that not only fits the school culture to the students’ culture, but uses the students’ culture as the basis for students to understand themselves and guiding them to becoming academically successful. The two questions used to guide this dissertation were: What culturally responsive pedagogical knowledge and practices do Tejana Maestras enact in bilingual classrooms? Second: How do Tejana Maestras acquire knowledge about the culture, language, and background experience of their students when planning and implementing instruction? The research revealed three themes, a) the presence of Building a Bilingual Classroom Community (BBCC) that was continuously evolving, and seamlessly functioning, as a system was clearly evident in each of the three classrooms, b) the Tejana Maestras notion of agents of change that guided their pedagogical literacy practices, and c) the notion of centering Mexican American students’ values, beliefs, and norms into the pedagogy and curriculum responsive to emergent bilinguals was recognizable. Six findings developed from the data; a) Tejana Maestras foster cultural awareness, b) embrace Latina/o bilingualism, c) employ a menu of culturally responsive literacy practices, d) learn from their students e) are conscious of their identity, and f) teaching philosophy. Due to U.S. schools being transformed by the increasing numbers of linguistically and culturally diverse students, the study demonstrated that it is important to conduct research about Tejana Maestras to learn the ways they are effectively meeting the needs of bilingual students by using CRP to promote academic success.Item The effect of metatalk on L2 Spanish vocabulary development(2014-05) Tocaimaza Hatch, Carmen Cecilia; Koike, Dale AprilPrior research has supported the development of language through interaction (e.g. Swain, Brooks & Tocalli Beller, 2002; Swain, 2005). Following Sociocultural theory (SCT) notions (Vygotsky, 1978), metatalk (MT) is claimed to be a specific aspect of interaction that leads to language development (e.g. Swain & Lapkin, 2002; Swain, 2005). This study takes a step further to explore the relationship between MT and language development by inquiring specifically about vocabulary development. Learners of Spanish as a second language completed a dictogloss activity and their interactions were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. The analysis of lexical language-related episodes (LLREs) was carried out by adopting Sociocultural theory as a theoretical framework in order to trace lexical development in interaction through MT. Conclusions indicate that (1) because MT is a cognitive and semiotic tool that enables lexical development by means of participation in socially-mediated activities it is comparable to other forms of speech in their mediation functions and potential; (2) learners’ MT included the analysis of meaning, spelling, pronunciation, and word function, and reflected SCT concepts such as agency, situatedness, and task versus activity that explain their reliance on the word depth knowledge construct; and (3) SCT principles (e.g. roles, regulation) provide a window into learners’ transformation and imminent development during MT. Inferencing strategies and interaction features contribute further details to the analysis of how MT unfolds. New categories describing MT in interaction emerged from the data and illustrate how learners object-regulate and position themselves in the task. These results provide a detailed account of how MT occurs in collaborative settings to mediate vocabulary knowledge. This research contributes to the study of L2 vocabulary learning through the application of SCT.