English language

This study was designed to measure the relation of education and ethnic identity to attitudes towards bilingualism in two different ethnic groups, Asian and Latinos in the United States. In order to do this, an instrument was developed to measure attitudes towards bilingualism. No significant relations were found among education or ethnic identity and attitudes towards bilingualism in either group, but analyses revealed several other significant relationships. The two subscales of ethnic identity, MEIM-R Commitment and Exploration, were related to each other both within Asian and Latino groups and in all participants combined. In the combined sample, education levels of participants' mothers was correlated with the MEIM-R subscale of Exploration. In addition, participants with a Bachelors Degree or above were found to have significantly higher ethnic identity levels of MEIM-R Commitment than participants with an Associates Degree or below. Participants with mothers who possess a Bachelors Degree or above were found to have significantly higher ethnic identity levels of MEIM-R Exploration than participants with mothers who possess an Associates Degree or below. Finally, Asian participants were found to have lower levels of MEIM-R Commitment when compared to Latino participants.

The increasing number of English language learners (ELL) in Florida's public schools has brought challenges to educational leaders as they work to provide educational opportunity to these children. In 1990, several community and activist groups filed a lawsuit against the Florida Department of Education to pressure it to provide adequate English language programs in all public schools. The lawsuit resulted in Floridas META Consent Decree (MCD), a legal accord by which Florida agreed to provide adequate teacher training and educational programs, thereby improving access to equal opportunity for ELLs. ELLs are also called limited English proficient (LEP) students in other states. This term was changed in Florida because the LEP label brought with it a negative connotation as it referred to proficiency within the learning of English as a limitation rather than as an asset. The study presents a comprehensive review of the MCD and its eleven main components. Through document and content analysis, the study intended to ix determine whether Florida's 67 public school districts comply with the decree and whether policies are in place to implement the court authorized processes. The study begins with an introduction, which includes historical data and Florida demographics that relate to the issue of second language learners. A review of the literature incorporates legal cases and pertinent educational policies that have preceded the decree.

The purpose of this research study was to identify and define important components that might constitute an ecology of language (Mufwene 2001; Haugen 1972). Focusing on components as varied as social networks, physical ecology, identity and linguistic realities allowed for the construction of such a model, which was then applied to a specific case study addressing the vitality of Haitian Creole among first and second generation Haitian college students in South Florida. The resulting ecology of language model demonstrates that the competition and selection pressures guiding language use among first and second generation Haitian college students hinge on two ecological factors: the survey respondents' level of American acculturation and their desire to be involved in or affiliated with a separate subgroup of Haitians. The study found that (1) the reported language behavior of parents had no correlations with the respondents' interest in affiliating with other Haitians, and (2) Haitia n college students who do identify strongly with Haitian culture do not necessarily equate that cultural identity with the Haitian Creole language. These results suggest, in contrast to the claims of Zephir (2001), that Haitian college students will acculturate quickly into American linguistic society despite their desire to maintain the hyphenated identity of Haitian-American. Additionally, many of the conditions which are noted in the language endangerment literature (Grenoble & Whaley1998; Nettle & Romaine 2000; Crystal 2000) pointing towards language loss are occurring within the Haitian college community in South Florida. Despite the fact Haitian college students in South Florida all have positive attitudes towards Haitian culture and language, the respondents prefer to speak English rather than Haitian Creole. As is the case with other minority languages (Potowski 2010), it can be predicted that Haitian Creole will maintain its integrity and vitality in America continued

There is little research-based and theoretical literature about adult education or English literacy classes in nonformal settings such as library literacy programs in the community (Mathews-Aydinli, 2008; McCook & Barber, 2002b). The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to explore the motivation, learning supports, learning barriers, and program change recommendations of Third Age Learners in a nonformal library ESOL setting. This study provides insight into the demographic variable of linguistically-isolated Third Age English Language Learners (ELLs) participating in a library conversationally-based ESOL program. The results can guide libraries offering services, as well as those considering offering services to these customers (American Library Association [ALA], 2008a). Data collected included in-depth, face-to-face interviews, classroom observations, documents, learner and teacher essays, researcher journals, and analytic memos. The researcher coded all data with NVIv o 8 qualitative software then half of the data was coded with Atlas-TI 5 software by a second coder. A thematic analysis was completed in order to triangulate the data. The purposeful sample consisted of 21 participants at a Florida library adult ESOL program which included 11 learners and 10 teachers. The 11 learners were selected based on their ethnic background, predominantly those of Hispanic background. Eight learner findings and four teacher-perceived findings were identified in this study.

The purpose of this study was to examine the persistence of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) students at a large multi-campus community college/baccalaureate degree-granting institution in South Florida. The study aimed to determine whether there was a relationship among a specific set of independent variables, background and defining variables (age, enrollment status, prior college education, gender, race, ethnicity, and marital status), academic integration variables (academic goal and first semester GPA), social integration variables (faculty interaction, college facilities and grounds, sense of community, college services, and student life), and environmental variables (family responsibilities, employment status, outside encouragement, and financial aid) and the dependent variable, EAP student persistence. The variables were extrapolated both from student academic transcripts and from an adapted version of the State University of New York (SUNY) Student Opinion Survey-Form A (ACT, 2006). T test and chi square analyses were performed. No relationship was found between any of the independent variables and the dependent variable. The thirteen respondents had high first semester GPA, favorable environmental support, and were socially integrated into the institution.

The accountability measures implemented by the states as a result of federal government mandates required by the No Child Left Behind Act (2001 [NCLB]) have created the need for states to develop standardized benchmark assessments as part of the compliance requirements set by the federally mandated act. State and local standardized tests have become an everyday part of public school life. A quantitative study was conducted to assess the correlation of students' scores on the reading portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) and students' reading percent scale-scores on one Florida county's benchmark reading assessment (CBAT) with students' teacher-assigned grades (TAG) for 10th-grade, English Language Arts courses. The study also assessed the predictive values of the 3 criterion variables and the moderating effects of 6 categorical variables: Race (White, Black, and Hispanic), Socioeconomic status (SES), English Language Learner status (ELL), and Students with Disabilities status (SWD), which contribute to Florida's Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) ranking of school grading policy. The study found that there was a moderate and positive correlation among the 3 criterion variables and that the combination of students' scores on the reading portions of both the CBAT and the FCAT showed a significant predictive value in predicting students' TAG. The study showed an even higher predictive value of the combination of students' scores on the CBAT and students' TAG in predicting students' scores on the FCAT. The study showed there was a moderating effect of the categorical variable Race on the correlation between students' CBAT reading scores and students' TAG; however, Race did not moderate the correlation between students' scores on FCAT and students' TAG.