Lost in Transition? The Impact of Early Inclusion on the Transitional High School Experiences and Distal Academic Outcomes of ELLs
Date
2014-09-04
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Abstract
The transition to high school presents a variety of academic, socio-cultural, and personal challenges for English language learners (ELLs) that are exacerbated by students’ linguistic vulnerability. This mixed methods case study explores the retrospective insights of 23 ELLs who moved from inclusive grade 9 settings into mainstream high school courses and tracks their distal academic outcomes. Findings indicate that low literacy levels, limited academic vocabulary, and anxiety about meeting expectations are key challenges that contribute to a substantial decline in marks during the shift from grade 9 to grade 10, particularly in English and social studies. These concerns persist throughout high school and may be traced back to inadequate academic and linguistic preparation at the junior high level as a result of accelerated inclusion. Academic outcomes are also affected by students’ perceptions of belonging and the support that is available from teachers and peers.
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Education--Bilingual and Multicultural
Citation
Miles, J. (2014). Lost in Transition? The Impact of Early Inclusion on the Transitional High School Experiences and Distal Academic Outcomes of ELLs (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/26789