Date
8-24-2023
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Janet Deck
Keywords
English language learner, English as a second language, language policy, monolingual language, middle school teachers
Disciplines
Education | Law
Recommended Citation
Boutwell, Brooke Elizabeth, "From Lau to Now: A Phenomenological Study of the Experiences of Secondary Educators with Monolingual Driven Language Laws" (2023). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 4688.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/4688
Abstract
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the influence of monolingually biased federal language policies on English language learners and secondary educators in a middle school in the Oceana School District. The theory guiding this study was Richard Ruiz’s Orientations in Language Planning as it pertains to ideology behind language policy. The transcendental phenomenological study was conducted in the Oceana School district at Waves Middle School. Participants included seven middle school content teachers, a school administrator, and two English as a second language specialists. All participants were chosen based on the criteria of having worked in the Oceana School district and had at least three years of experience working with or overseeing instruction for English language learners. The participants varied in age, gender, and content areas taught. Data was collected in three different ways to ensure triangulation; document analysis, individual interviews, and classroom observations. Data was analyzed based on Clark Moustakas’s principles to identify themes among various sources of data. Four major themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) vague understanding, (b) instructional changes, (c) successful practices, and (d) policy changes. A detailed description of the findings, implications, limitations, and delimitations of the study, and recommendations for future research are discussed.
