Exploring Collaborative Engagement to Meet the Academic Needs of Multilingual Learners: A Case Study
Date
11-13-2025
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Jose Arturo Puga
Keywords
English language development, multilingual learners, sociocultural theory, teacher collaboration
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Smith, Shannon M., "Exploring Collaborative Engagement to Meet the Academic Needs of Multilingual Learners: A Case Study" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7600.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7600
Abstract
This qualitative case study described the collaborative engagement of middle school teachers to address the academic needs of multilingual learners in Pennsylvania. The central research question that guided the study was: How do teachers collaborate to address the academic needs of multilingual learners in content classrooms? In addition, guiding questions were implemented to understand the phenomenon of collaborative engagement among middle school teachers. The guiding questions were: How does collaborative engagement shape academic and language learning for multilingual learners? How does the culture of collaborative engagement support social interactions as a scaffold? Sociocultural theory guided the study. Sociocultural theory is the study of how one’s social environment shapes development and learning through tools such as culture and language. The study was conducted through a purposeful criterion sampling of sites, and study participants were selected through a participant survey screener. Data collection methods included a questionnaire, individual interviews, and focus group interviews. A thematic analysis was used for data analysis. The study underscores the role that strong teacher relationships and shared goals have in fostering informal collaboration to meet the academic needs of MLs. Findings also support and contribute to the existing literature on the importance of administrators in building a collective teacher culture that fosters collaborative engagement through clear expectations and supportive structures. Establishing a collective teacher culture that supports collective teacher efficacy can enable teachers to push one another into their respective zones of proximal development through collaborative engagement, aligning with research linking sociocultural theory to adult learning.
