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Sixth International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language Education: Connecting Research and Practice Across Contexts

del 20 al 22 de October del 2016

Hyatt Regency Hotel, Minneapolis, MN, USA

The Design of Parent Engagement at a One-Way Spanish Immersion School: Unintended Consequences for Spanish-Speaking Families

sábado, el 22 de octubre de 2016 a las 13:45–14:45 CDT
Greenway Ballroom E
Session Type

Paper/Best Practice Session (1 hour)

Immersion/Partner Language(s)

Spanish

Context/program model

One-Way Second/Foreign Language Immersion

Level

Elementary (K-5)

Program Summary

This paper examines parent engagement efforts of a one-way Spanish immersion school by critiquing the development and results of a school climate survey and the school’s “charter.” Analyses focus on the perceptions and the portrayals of Spanish-speaking families. Discussion will explore: How can language immersion schools engage all families equally?    

Abstract/Description for Paper, Discussion, and Laptop Poster presentations

Objectives: Schools typically consider “parent involvement” as a one-way relationship—from school to parents—which leads to deficit-driven models (Calabrese Barton, Drake, Perez, St. Louis, & George, 2004). We join scholars who criticize these approaches (Baquedano-López, Alexander, & Hernandez, 2013) in our analysis of the perceptions and experiences of Mexican immigrant parents whose children attended a one-way, Spanish immersion school (SIES, a pseudonym). Our research questions were: How did parents view SIES’ school climate? How did Spanish-speaking parents, in particular, navigate this climate? 

Framework: Our work is framed by Ecologies of Parental Engagement (EPE), a culturally-affirming framework for parent engagement (Calabrese Barton, et al., 2004), which we merge with Foucault’s concepts of power (2001). In doing so, we aim to provide depth and clarity to native Spanish speakers’ perspectives, which—even in this Spanish-dominant environment—were often marginalized (Valdés, 1997).

Methods: Recognizing that a school-climate survey in 2012 did not reach all families, we worked in partnership with SIES to administer a translated survey in 2013. We received 19 responses (75%). We analyzed the open-ended responses using a constructivist approach to grounded-theory (Charmaz, 2003).

Results and Implications: Respondents believed in SIES’ mission and generally felt welcomed at the school. However, they also felt that the school lacked organizational capacity, and ironically, many blamed themselves for the communication barriers that they navigated. That is, we found that many native Spanish-speaking parents felt discouraged in SIES’ climate, but blamed this on their own (lack of) English language or ability to be involved. This is disheartening: how are parents to exercise their relational power when they see language as a deterrent to engagement, even in a school where the immersion language is their own? Our conclusion will discuss implications for both research and practice.

Lead Presenter/organizer

Lisa M. Dorner, University of Missouri
Role/Title

Associate Professor

State (in US) or Country

MO

Co-Presenters

David Aguayo, University of Missouri
Role/Title

Doctoral Student

State (in US) or Country

MO

Materiales de la sesión

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