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What inspired this project?
I grew up as an English Learner and faced similar struggles academically. As a current ELD teacher, I have witnessed firsthand the effort my newcomer ELD students put forward day to day in their classes despite the language barrier. However, effort is not enough when the classes they are enrolled in count for a graduation requirement, and not many accommodations are made in some of their classes. With the advanced nature of high school-level coursework, students with limited English proficiency may find it difficult to fully comprehend and engage with academic content, as well as complete assignments in English. Accommodations and modifications for ELL students, such as access to translation technology, can also support their academic coursework in their non-primary language. Through this research process, I hoped to gain an understanding of how and if translation technology could be a tool to promote ELL academic success.
English Language Learners (ELLs) are becoming increasingly present within the United States public education system, which cannot be ignored. English Learners (ELs) make up approximately ten percent of the kindergarten through 12th-grade school population in the United States (Johnson & Cain, 2019; U.S. Department of Education [DOE], 2017). However, there is a gap in teacher training as many teacher preparation programs need to adequately equip teachers with the skills to facilitate instruction for ELLs (de Araujo, Sakow, Smith & Yeong, 2015; Zhang, 2017). ELL students struggle to understand academic content when presented in English, The language barrier can negatively impact their academic success and overall educational experience. High schools may not have the resources to support these students adequately and may not have access to language support services that meet these students’ needs in these academic courses, throughout the entire school day.
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Research
Design Process
Support and Next Steps
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