Recommendations to Promote the Academic Advancement of Latina ESL Students

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Recommendations to Promote the Academic
Advancement of Latina ESL Students

• Presentation to the SBCCD Board of Trustees
• by Dirkson Lee

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Researchers Background

• Associate Professor, SBVC English Department
• Taught English composition and ESL at SBVC since
  2001
• Writing Center Lead Instructor

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Rationale for Study

• Goal of Student Success Initiative
• to increase the effectiveness of
• basic skills instruction.
• Promote the advancement of English
  language learners
• Improvement rates of ESL students at SBVC have
  declined
• (ARCC Report, 2012)

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Population of Concern

• Latina English as a second language (ESL)
  students.

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Problem Statements

• Although Latinas are a growing population of ESL
  students at SBVC, few have been documented to
  reach transfer level readiness.

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Purpose Statement

• To examine the experiences of academically
  successful Latina ESL community college students
  to understand how they prepare themselves
  academically for college transfer level readiness

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Research Questions

• What are the barriers and challenges that Latina
  ESL students experience in community college?
• What are the types of capitals that enable Latina
  ESL students to address their barriers and
  challenges?
• How did the types of capitals that Latina ESL
  students used affect their educational
  trajectories, and more specifically, their
  transition from ESL to transfer level readiness?

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Theoretical Framework

• Yossos model of Community Cultural Wealth
• (Yosso, 2005)

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Methodology

• Qualitative study
• In-depth interviews
• Analysis of participant narratives

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Participants

• Identification of students by the colleges
  Department of Research
• Total of 10 participants

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Findings and Recommendations

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Barriers and Challenges

• Language barriers
• Students who complete ESL program exhibit ELL
  characteristics long into their academic
  pathways.
• Expectations of linguistic homogeneity in
  transfer level coursework

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Recommendations

• Recognize the value of and invest in services,
  such as tutoring, to meet the needs of ELLs at
  all stages of their academic pathways.
• Invest in courses and programs that foster
  language development
• E.g. Reading with ESL emphasis /
• noncredit courses

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Recommendations

• Offer professional development workshops to help
  faculty to be more attuned to the needs of ELLs,
  in particular mainstream classes.

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Barriers and Challenges

• Unfamiliarity with college system
• Disadvantages
• financial
• academic

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Recommendations

• Advice for mandatory orientation policy Caution
  using the following info delivery methods
• Web-based orientation tools
• Text only documents

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Resources and Capitals

• High levels of family support and involvement
• Parents
• Husbands
• Children

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Recommendations

• Provide campus wide activities for students that
  include family members, in particular spouses and
  children.
• Possible events/activities
• Motivational speakers
• Orientation of college and providing information
  of key resources.

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References

• Baca, M., Cabaldon, C., Carroll, C. M., Cooper,
  T., Delahoussaye, Y., Duran, B.,Shulock, N.
  (2012). Advancing student success in the
  California Community Colleges Recommendations of
  the California Community Colleges Student
  Success Task Force. Student Success Task Force.
• Baca, M., Baum, L. B., Berg, N., Bielanski, J.
  J., Hawkinds, D. E., Himelstein, S.,Izumi, L.
  T. (2012, March 31). Focus on results
  Accountability reporting for the California
  community colleges. California Community
  Colleges Chancellors Office.
• Collins, M. L. (2010, June 18). Overview of the
  national landscape for developmental education
  improvement Testimony before the Texas Senate
  Higher Education Committee. Jobs for the Future.
• Yosso, T. J. (2005). Whose culture has capital?
  A critical race theory discussion of community
  cultural wealth. Race Ethnicity and Education.
  8(1), 69-91.

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• Thank You!