| Description |
The purpose of this study was to examine English literacy acquisition among Latinx students in 90/10 dual language education (DLE). Because the Utah State Board of Education's Utah Dual Immersion Program exclusively promotes the use of the 50/50 model, the intention of this study was to see if the 90/10 model is effective. Quantitative DIBELS assessment data was collected on 73 third-grade students to measure their growth against the standard state-mandated growth and the average growth for the state. In addition, qualitative data was compiled and analyzed from interviews with 90/10 DLE teachers, teen students who were former 90/10 DLE students in their elementary years, communications with other participant school faculty and staff, the researcher's journal and experts in the field. The quantitative data revealed superior performance on growth indicators for the 73-student cohort as compared to the state as a whole. Qualitative data revealed that longitudinally, 90/10 DLE students enjoy academic success in teen years. In addition, 90/10 DLE students benefit from many other holistic benefits including: strong cultural identities, resiliency, interest and aptitude for learning additional languages, excelling in the arts, ambitious plans for their futures, and social emotional strengths. These findings were corroborated by the existing literature, participant school faculty and staff, as well as field experts. The 90/10 DLE model proves to be superior for achievement gap closure for Latinx students. These findings indicate a need for elevating Latinx voices and priorities in the discourse regarding DLE and advocating for educational policy change in Utah. |
