CHILD, FAMILY, AND SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS RELATED TO ENGLISH PROFICIENCY DEVELOPMENT AMONG FOUR-YEAR-OLD ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS (ELLS) IN MIAMI Yoon Kyong Kim, Ph.D George Mason University, 2011 Dissertation Director: Dr. Adam Winsler English Language Learners (ELLs), in addition to increased risk for living in poverty, experience the extra challenge of learning a second language while tryin...

The enrollment of English language learners (ELLs) in American public schools continues to increase each year. substantial growth this population makes it imperative for future educators understand how effectively support ELLs’ acquisition academic content and proficiency. In past studies, preservice teachers have reported lower levels self-efficacy when supporting these learners. This investig...

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of initial first and second language proficiencies as well as the language of instruction that a student receives on the relationship between native language ability of students who are English language learners (ELLs) and their development of early literacy skills and the second language. METHOD This study investigated the developm...

The language in recent education policy equates academic achievement with reading proficiency for English language learners (ELLs). In response to federal and state accountability efforts focused on reading, California high schools began to substitute reading intervention programs for English language development (ELD) curricula and instruction. This study compared the effect of a reading inter...

We empirically evaluated three theoretical models—the threshold hypothesis, transfer theory, and time-on-task theory—for educatingEnglish language learners (ELLs), with a focus on the role of language factors in explaining achievement differences amongELLs. Participantswere 196 sixth graderswithSpanish languagebackgrounds who started learning English in kindergarten and then were continuously e...

English-Spanish cognates are words that are orthographically and semantically identical or nearly identical in English and Spanish as a result of a common etymology. Because of the similarities in the two languages, Spanish-dominant Latino English Language Learners (ELLs) can be taught to recognize English cognates thereby increasing their bilingualism and bi-literacy for these two languages. T...

The population of English Language Learners (ELLs) globally has been increasing substantially every year. In the United States alone, adult ELLs are the fastest growing portion of learners in adult education programs (Yang, 2005). There is a significant need to improve the teaching of English to ELLs in the United States and other English-speaking dominant countries. However, for many ELLs, spe...

Subproject 2 consisted of three sets of studies that focused on the transfer of language skills in Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELLs). The first two sets of studies followed students across multiple years, examining the cross-linguistic, intra-linguistic and developmental factors that influence second language literacy development. The third set of studies was an intervention des...