Browsing by Author "Zhang, Jie"
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Item A COMPARISON OF VERBAL MORPHOLOGICAL ERRORS IN SPANISH-SPEAKING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS WITH AND WITHOUT DEVELOPMENTAL LANGUAGE DISORDERS(2021-05) Balderas, Clarissa; Castilla-Earls, Anny; Mills, Monique T.; Zhang, JiePurpose: The purpose of this study is to assess morphological markers in Spanish-speaking children, who are English language learners, with and without DLD, to determine the type of verb errors made by each group and the frequency of the verb errors. Methods: The participants in this study included 76 Spanish-English bilingual children between 4;3 and 8;2 with (n=52) and without DLD (n=24). Spontaneous language samples were collected in Spanish and English for each participant and the recordings of the samples were transcribed and then coded. The coding process specifically analyzed errors of verb morphology that were categorized as an omission of an obligatory context, a substitution of a verb, auxiliary, or copula, an overregularization, or marked as a verb error. Results: The proportion of accurate verbs and the number of obligatory contexts was significantly higher in bilingual children with TD in comparison with children with DLD when both languages were taken into account or when the best language was used. Verb errors were more frequent in English than in Spanish. In Spanish, substitution errors were the most frequent type of error, while in English, verb tense errors were most common. Lastly, a large percentage of children with DLD made verb omission errors in both languages. Conclusion: Analysis of verb error type and frequency should be considered in the assessment of Spanish-English bilingual children to gather sufficient information about their language profile and determine accurate DLD diagnoses.Item A mixed-method study exploring Latinx families' beliefs about school involvement, the use of social media and actual involvement.(2022-08-08) Usero Gonzalez, Francisco; Li, Miao; Zhang, Jie; Lee, Mimi Miyoung; Tajani, Neelofer; Andrews, Nicole L.Background Problem: The evidence is clear that school children who have involved parents perform better academically. Yet, little is known about Latinx family school involvement despite academic challenges faced by many Latinx children or about efforts to intervene, including the use of social media to involve parents and improve academic outcomes for their children and youth. Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation was to explore Latinx-American parent school involvement by examining parent use of social media and perceptions of social media use to communicate with the schools and teachers about their child’s education. Method: This study used a mixed-methods explanatory sequential design. In this design, both the quantitative and qualitative parts of the study had equal importance and were implemented and collected sequentially. Both quantitative and qualitative parts were analyzed separately then combined for synthesis of both parts. Participants were recruited from six elementary schools in a small Southeast Texas school district. Quantitative data sources included a customized demographic survey, a family involvement questionnaire, and a customized measure to assess parent digital literacy and perceptions and use of digital media. The qualitative data sources consisted of transcripts of two focus groups of five and three parents respectively. In the first phase, consistent with the sequential nature of the design, quantitative data (i.e., questionnaires) were collected first and analyzed using descriptive statistics and simple linear regression. In the second phase, data patterns from the quantitative phase were examined to develop a focus group protocol to be conducted in Spanish. Results. Parents’ reported experiences using social media in terms of usefulness and importance predicted the likelihood of using social media to communicate with the school for educational purposes if allowed. Parents’ reports of using social media to communicate with the teacher and other families to understand their child’s school experiences predicted the likelihood of using social media to communicate if the teacher created a social media platform. The qualitative analysis revealed the emergence of three basic categories of social media’s effects: affective, behavioral, and cognitive consequences. Conclusion. Social media use among schools, teachers, and families appears to form and strengthen community networks of parents and teachers who share information and problem solve in supporting their children’s educational success.Item A Survey of Diverse Literature Use and Integration in Secondary English Language Arts Classrooms(2021-05) Nam, Rosa; Hutchison, Laveria F.; White, Cameron S.; Zhang, Jie; Relyea, Jackie E.Background: Diverse literature that tells the stories of traditionally minoritized groups is an integral part of critical literacy and has been proven to increase reader empathy and tolerance, cultural and socio-political consciousness, and inspire action towards social justice. While diverse literature has gained popularity in K-12 classrooms, few studies have focused on teacher diverse literature attitudes (DL attitudes) and its correlation with teacher multicultural attitudes (TMAS). Purpose: The study aimed to (a) examine to what extent and what kinds of diverse literature teachers use in secondary English Language Arts (ELA) classrooms and (b) investigate the association between teacher multicultural awareness and diverse literature use and attitudes. The research questions guiding the study are: (1) To what extent do secondary ELA teachers integrate diverse literature in their classrooms? (2) To what extent and how do teacher-level factors impact teacher diverse literature attitudes and multicultural attitudes? and (3) To what extent does teacher multicultural awareness affect diverse literature use and attitudes? Methods: Data were collected from 38 current secondary ELA teachers across three racially diverse school districts in a metropolitan city in the South through a survey with scaled and open-ended responses. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression among constructs and teacher-level factors (e.g., race, years teaching, political orientation, and school district). Qualitative data were analyzed using the constant comparative method and existing themes from the literature. Results: Among the texts used the most within the past three years as noted by teachers, fiction (45%) was the most popular genre with 58% of the books written for adults, and an average publication date of 1953. Books were predominately written by white authors (47%) followed by Black authors (30%). Other popular OwnVoices authors were Asian American and Latinx though they constitute less than 17% of the texts noted by teachers. LGBTQIA, Indigenous, and disability stories were the least represented. There was a significant difference (p = .010) between teachers of color and white teachers who said they would change the literature currently used. 80% of teachers of color said they would change it compared to 60% of white teachers. Teachers noted district mandates and lack of funds as the largest obstacles to integrating more diverse literature. When teachers did use diverse literature, it was less a heroes to holidays approach during heritage months and more strategically integrated through the curriculum though still not towards teaching to take action for social justice. Political orientation was the sole teacher-level factor that predicted both DL attitudes (p = .01) and TMAS (p = .00). The more liberal a person identified to be the more positive their DL attitudes and TMAS. TMAS also predicted DL attitudes (p = .00). Conclusion: The findings in the study show that the diversity of literature used in classrooms is expanding and following publishing trends with an increase in Black, Asian American, and Latinx voices. However, other forms of diversity including LGBTQIA, Indigenous, and disability stories are still lacking in the curriculum as well as teaching for social justice.Item California and Texas Secondary Science Teachers' Perceptions about climate change(2018-05) Khalidi, Rana; Ramsey, John M.; White, Cameron S.; Wong, Sissy S.; Zhang, JieBackground: Science teachers’ perceptions about climate change can affect their instruction in the classroom. Teachers’ misconceptions about this topic can be problematic since scientifically inaccurate ideas may be transferred to their students. Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate climate change perceptions of secondary science teachers in California and Texas, including their knowledge, teaching approaches, and personal views. The study assessed whether their views were linked to their political and religious affiliations and beliefs. It also examined whether there were any differences between California and Texas teachers. Methods: A total of 832 secondary public school science teachers (456 from California and 376 from Texas) responded to an online questionnaire that examined their perceptions about climate change. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to determine the differences in strengths and deficiencies between teachers’ responses in both states. Results: Findings indicate that a significant proportion of California and Texas teachers have misconceptions with regards to basic climate change concepts. A higher proportion of California teachers than Texas teachers emphasize the scientific consensus about climate change causes. More Texas teachers than California teachers are sending mixed messages about climate change causes to students by emphasizing the natural causes as well as the scientific consensus. The study also found a significant association between teachers’ political and religious affiliations and beliefs and their views of the scientific consensus and climate change causes. Conclusion: Differences between California and Texas teachers in terms of their knowledge, views, and approaches to climate change suggest that climate change is taught differently in the two states. Due to the suboptimal understanding of content knowledge among a significant proportion of science teachers, it is recommended to develop teacher education programs and in-service teacher training that focus on improving teachers’ scientific knowledge and teaching approaches to climate change.Item Civic Engagement of Asian American Youth(2020-05) Wui, Ma. Glenda Lopez; White, Cameron S.; Lee, Mimi Miyoung; Hutchison, Laveria F.; Zhang, JieBackground: The current study aimed to analyze the civic engagement of Asian American youth specifically college student leaders. Civic engagement means connecting with other individuals to work for the common good or for endeavors beneficial to community members. Asian American youth civic engagement is less studied as compared to other ethnic groupings such as the African and Hispanic American youth (Kahne & Sporte, 2008; Seif, 2010). Purpose: The research aimed to conduct a qualitative study on civically engaged Asian American youth. It addressed the following questions: What are the perceptions of civically engaged Asian American youth about their civic engagement? How have the school, family, and community influenced the development of the civic engagement? The study analyzed the various facets of the youths’ civic engagement; namely, how and why did they become involved in the civic activities, the influences of family, school and community on their civic involvement, challenges they encounter in their civic activities, how do they balance the demands of their civic activities and schooling, the impact of their being an Asian American on their civic involvement, and their plans for the future. Methods: In-depth interviews using a semi-structured protocol were conducted with 15 Asian American student leaders at a Tier One urban university in Southeast Texas, which has become a major destination of Asian Americans in the South. The participants were aged between 18 and 22, with a mean age of 20. The interview transcripts, observation notes, and fieldwork journal composed the study data. The study used the grounded theory as research design to formulate theories to explain the various facets of the Asian American youth civic engagement. Following the critical framework, the research investigated the link between the participants’ perceptions and experiences of civic engagement and the structural context where they take place. The research data were analyzed using the constant comparative method, which entailed comparing parts of data with one another to identify similarities and differences. Data featuring similar characteristics or categories were grouped together. Labels representing key ideas were assigned to the categories. The categories were further analyzed to draw up themes. Findings: The findings generated the following themes about Asian American youth civic engagement: 1) social and institutional support develop civic engagement, 2) the virtuous cycle of civic engagement, 3) various forms of family support enhance youth civic engagement, 4) civic engagement as source of empowerment, 5) civic engagement not bound by ethnic concerns, and 6) the long-term impact of civic engagement. Conclusion: Results show that social and institutional support enhance the youths’ competences that lead to their civic engagement. Youths’ development of competences lead to their civic engagement which in turn results in the further enhancement of their competences. Immigrant parents who were not civically engaged imparted to the student participants values such as being helpful to others that molded the latter’s civic engagement. Asian American youth regard their civic engagement as source of empowerment. They thrive because of the support of their fellow Asians, regard their ethnicity as advantage in a context that values diversity, and observe their civic engagement subverting negative stereotypes against Asians. The youth’s civic engagement is not bound by ethnic concerns as they deal with issues that not only benefit their ethnic grouping. Their civic involvement affects their predicted adult civic engagement.Item Cognitive, Psychological and Ecological Components of Reading Comprehension in Chinese Elementary School Children Learning English as a Second Language(2022-05-17) Zhang, Huan; Li, Miao; Zhang, Jie; Hutchison, Laveria F.; Cole, Mikel W.Background: The Componential Model of Reading (CMR) proposes that cognitive, psychological, and ecological domains are essential to understanding reading comprehension. Difficulties in any of these three domains can lead to reading comprehension difficulties. Although the individual contributions of cognitive, psychological, and ecological factors to reading comprehension have been well documented in the literature, very few studies have investigated the full CMR model. Little is known about the interactions among the three domains and their contributions to English reading comprehension in the students who learn English as a second language (ESL). Additionally, many young ESL students are struggling with reading comprehension. Among a handful of studies that have reported cognitive predictors of reading comprehension difficulties, very little research has been done to provide insights into psychological and ecological sources of reading comprehension difficulties. Purpose: The current study aimed to examine the reading comprehension performance of Chinese ESL students drawing on the CMR model. The first goal of the study examined whether the CMR model was applicable to Chinese ESL students. The second goal of the study identified underlying sources of English (L2) reading comprehension difficulties among poor comprehenders who have difficulties in reading comprehension despite adequate decoding skills across the cognitive, psychological and ecological domains. The specific questions guiding the study were: 1) What are the relationships between the three domains and reading comprehension? Are there any direct or indirect relationships among the three domains in predicting reading comprehension? 2) Do poor comprehenders, average comprehenders and good comprehenders perform differently across the cognitive, psychological, and ecological domains? Methods: Two hundred and ten Grade 6 students who have received formal English instruction for two-and-a-half years were recruited from one elementary school in China. The Cambridge YLE (Young Learners for English) Starters Level Reading and Writing section was administered to assess the students’ English reading comprehension. Nonverbal ability and Chinese (L1) reading comprehension were used as control variables. The cognitive domain consisted of three measures: English decoding (The Woodcock-Johnson Reading Test, Word Attack), English listening comprehension (Cambridge YLE Listening comprehension assessment), and English vocabulary (adapted from PPVT-IV). The psychological domain included a reading attitude questionnaire and a reading motivation questionnaire to assess the individuals’ reading attitude, motivation for learning English as a second language, and teacher ratings on the students’ learning behavior. The ecological domain was assessed by a home literacy questionnaire completed by the parents. Structure equation modeling was used to address the first research question on relationships between the three domains and reading comprehension. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to address the second research question on the differences among the three groups in the three domains. Results: The results showed that the cognitive domain exerted direct influences on reading comprehension, whereas the psychological and ecological domains exerted indirect influences on reading comprehension. More specifically, the contribution of the psychological domain to reading comprehension was fully mediated via the cognitive domain. The contribution of the ecological domain to reading comprehension was fully mediated via the psychological and cognitive domains. Moreover, the findings indicated that cognitive factors, as well as psychological factors, were key sources of reading comprehension difficulties among Chinese ESL learners. Conclusion: The findings of the present study enrich the extant literature of reading comprehension in Chinese ESL learners and have implications for the identification of reading comprehension difficulties.Item DISCUSS Curriculum: Dialogic Inquiry of Socioscientific Issues with English Language Learners(2017) Wui, Glenda Ma.; Zhang, JieThe Space Exploration Unit was developed in an iterative process based on teacher feedback. The Unit followed four design principles: a) rich and varied exposure to complex controversial content to promote argumentation; b) explicit links between concepts in texts to facilitate comprehension; c) multiple opportunities for hands-on inquiry, teacher-led whole class discussions and student-led small-group discussions to deepen conceptual understanding and promote academic language use; and d) aligned with state science, social studies and English language arts standards.Item Effects of Face-To-Face and Virtual Learning Environments on Low-Ses African American Ninth-Grade Students’ Reading Achievement(2021-12) Mack, Rosa; Hutchison, Laveria F.; Zhang, Jie; White, Cameron S.; Pitre, Abul A.Background: Many African American students have experienced unequal access to educational opportunities, and it is questionable whether a full online learning curriculum widens the reading achievement gap for this population or causes students to perform equally as poorly. The White-Black achievement gap in 2019 (28 points) was larger than the White-Black achievement gap in 2017 (25 points). Measurement of test scores, material involvement, students’ perceptions toward online learning, and a reduction in the percentage of student failure have all demonstrated characteristics of positive results, while some researchers demonstrated otherwise. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the difference between the reading achievement of African American ninth-grade students of low socioeconomic status (SES) enrolled in traditional and virtual instructional courses. The research question is as follows: Is there a significant difference in the reading performance of African American low-SES students who receive virtual reading instruction compared to students who receive traditional face-to-face instruction in reading? Methods: This is a quantitative group comparison of the reading achievement scores of African American low-SES ninth-grade students between virtual and traditional environments. Archived student reading performance data from the 2018–2019 school year were retrieved from the school district comprising one virtual and one traditional face-to-face high school campus with similar school demographics. The 2019 data included both State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) EOC and Renaissance Learning BOY/EOY percentile ranks for ninth-grade students. STAAR EOC participants were 145 face-to-face and 47 virtual African American ninth-grade students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. For Renaissance Learning, 137 participants were employed to complete BOY/EOY percentile ranks. Findings: ANCOVA was carried out to compare STAAR scale scores of n = 145 face to face students and n = 47 virtual campus students. An ANCOVA for the comparison of the means of the STAAR test scores by campus was carried out using a covariate of the students’ eighth-grade EOC scale scores. By including the covariate, a percentage of the variation of the scores was accounted for, leaving any difference between STAAR scale scores by campus more clearly defined. The results indicated that African American students who took classes in a virtual environment did not obtain STAAR reading scores that were significantly different from those in face-to-face classes. A Mann-Whitney U Test was carried out for the comparison of percentile ranks by learning environment; the results were similar. There was no difference in Renaissance percentile ranks by campus. Taken together, there is no effect of learning environment on Renaissance Learning or STAAR reading achievement scores for African American low-SES students in the ninth grade. The study may be useful to educational leaders in guiding decision makers to make beneficial adjustments in the reading curriculum for this demographic. Conclusion: This study does not support the assumption that virtual learning is less effective than traditional face-to-face learning in reading for African American students. Online learning is as effective as trBackground: Many African American students have experienced unequal access to educational opportunities, and it is questionable whether a full online learning curriculum widens the reading achievement gap for this population or causes students to perform equally as poorly. The White-Black achievement gap in 2019 (28 points) was larger than the White-Black achievement gap in 2017 (25 points). Measurement of test scores, material involvement, students’ perceptions toward online learning, and a reduction in the percentage of student failure have all demonstrated characteristics of positive results, while some researchers demonstrated otherwise. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the difference between the reading achievement of African American ninth-grade students of low socioeconomic status (SES) enrolled in traditional and virtual instructional courses. The research question is as follows: Is there a significant difference in the reading performance of African American low-SES students who receive virtual reading instruction compared to students who receive traditional face-to-face instruction in reading? Methods: This is a quantitative group comparison of the reading achievement scores of African American low-SES ninth-grade students between virtual and traditional environments. Archived student reading performance data from the 2018–2019 school year were retrieved from the school district comprising one virtual and one traditional face-to-face high school campus with similar school demographics. The 2019 data included both State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) EOC and Renaissance Learning BOY/EOY percentile ranks for ninth-grade students. STAAR EOC participants were 145 face-to-face and 47 virtual African American ninth-grade students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. For Renaissance Learning, 137 participants were employed to complete BOY/EOY percentile ranks. Findings: ANCOVA was carried out to compare STAAR scale scores of n = 145 face to face students and n = 47 virtual campus students. An ANCOVA for the comparison of the means of the STAAR test scores by campus was carried out using a covariate of the students’ eighth-grade EOC scale scores. By including the covariate, a percentage of the variation of the scores was accounted for, leaving any difference between STAAR scale scores by campus more clearly defined. The results indicated that African American students who took classes in a virtual environment did not obtain STAAR reading scores that were significantly different from those in face-to-face classes. A Mann-Whitney U Test was carried out for the comparison of percentile ranks by learning environment; the results were similar. There was no difference in Renaissance percentile ranks by campus. Taken together, there is no effect of learning environment on Renaissance Learning or STAAR reading achievement scores for African American low-SES students in the ninth grade. The study may be useful to educational leaders in guiding decision makers to make beneficial adjustments in the reading curriculum for this demographic. Conclusion: This study does not support the assumption that virtual learning is less effective than traditional face-to-face learning in reading for African American students. Online learning is as effective as traditional learning based on online learning outcomes.Item Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Language Ideologies and Emergent Bilingual Students(2021-12) Elshafie, Marwa; Zhang, Jie; Lee, Mimi Miyoung; White, Cameron S.; Cole, Mikel W.; Alarcón, Jeannette D.Background: The number of emergent bilingual (EB) students is expanding very quickly in U.S. schools. They are expected to enter an idealized mainstream classroom that does not make use of their cultural and linguistic diversity (Reeves, 2004). There is a lack of preparation for teachers to meet the needs of the increasingly diverse student population. Prior research has also shown that preservice teachers do not feel well-prepared to teach EBs (Durgunoglu & Hughes, 2010). In addition, the prevailing monolingual ideologies present in the U.S. educational system negatively impact teacher practices in the classroom, which often fail to recognize and utilize their EBs’ linguistic capital as resources inside the classrooms. Language ideologies are beliefs about the superiority or inferiority of specific languages, how languages are acquired, and language contact and multilingualism (Kroskrity, 2004). Many of the challenges that educators face in teaching minority students may not be due to technical or methodological issues. Rather, they are rooted in “unacknowledged discriminatory ideologies and practices” (Bartolomé, 2008, p. ix). Purpose: This study explored elementary EC-6 generalist preservice teachers’ (PSTs) language ideologies, the factors influencing them, and their potential impact on PSTs’ instructional planning abilities for EBs. Research questions: Three research questions guided the current study: 1. What are the common and different language ideologies held by elementary PSTs enrolled in a university teacher education program at a major urban city? 2. How might current and past personal language experiences and school language experiences influence their language ideologies and pedagogical orientations? 3. How might these language ideologies influence their instructional planning abilities for emergent bilinguals? Methods: This study used a basic qualitative research design to understand the elementary EC-6 generalist PSTs’ language ideologies. Seven participants were chosen using purposeful sampling from students enrolled in an asynchronous second language methodology course in a teacher education program at an urban university in Southeastern United States. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews and student work, namely two vblog entries and lesson plans. Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-process thematic analysis was used to identify themes found from multiple data sources. Trustworthiness was achieved through triangulation, peer debriefing, member checks, and an audit trail. Findings: The findings showed how the PSTs in this study lacked ideological clarity and had conflicts between seeing home language as a problem, a right, and a resource, with their comments evoking multiple contradictory language ideologies simultaneously. These language ideologies were products of their personal, past, and current school experiences and their teaching experiences. Furthermore, PSTs’ language ideologies impacted their instructional abilities for EBs by failing to utilize their EBs’ home languages as a resource. Conclusion: The PSTs’ ideological conflicts may be associated with their schooling experiences in English-only environments where home languages were less valued or used as a resource. Thus, teacher education programs should help PSTs develop ideological clarity (Bartolomé 2004) by encouraging PSTs to constantly examine their language ideologies which may favor monolingualism and language standardization, and instead use students’ funds of knowledge as a resource in lesson planning and teaching practices.Item Examining Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions toward Translanguaging, their Language Ideologies and Self-Efficacy to Teach Emergent Bilinguals(2023-05-08) Lee, Grace W.; Zhang, Jie; Cole, Mikel W.; Li, Miao; Lessard-Clouston, MichaelBackground: School systems have long treated languages as decontextualized bounded entities which supports a monolingual ideology and stifles emergent bilinguals’ (EBs) fluid language practices use by drawing from their full linguistic repertoire for meaning making, termed translanguaging. These beliefs about languages, speakers and their discursive practices are called language ideologies and have been linked to pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) perceptions on translanguaging, which can shape classroom language norms and language practices to teach EBs. Understanding PSTs’ perceptions on language use in the classroom has been linked to their perceived sense of efficacy to educate EBs, which can ultimately influence their instructional decisions and interaction with students. However, scant research addresses how PSTs’ perceptions on translanguaging and language ideologies influence their self-efficacy to teach EBs. Purpose: Framed by translanguaging theory and language ideologies, this mixed methods study investigated three research questions: 1) What are PSTs’ perceptions toward translanguaging, language ideologies and self-efficacy to teach EBs? 2) In what ways are PSTs’ language ideologies connected to their perceptions on translanguaging? 3) How do PSTs’ translanguaging perceptions, language ideologies and other demographic backgrounds influence their self-efficacy for future teaching of EBs? Methods: Participants were pursuing teaching degrees and enrolled in one of five compulsory ESL/bilingual teacher education courses at a large public university. Using an explanatory sequential design, phase 1 of the study involved surveying 138 PSTs using a Translanguaging in Teacher Education Survey (Cronbach's alpha of .90), a 31-item scale measuring three constructs of interest (translanguaging perceptions, language ideologies, teacher self-efficacy). Quantitative data analysis included descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, and multiple linear regression. In phase 2, semi-structured interview prompts were designed to expand on quantitative findings based on the three constructs of interest. Six PSTs, engaged in in-school field experiences, were purposefully selected for follow-up interviews. Qualitative interview data were coded and thematically analyzed for emerging themes. Results: Descriptive statistics revealed PSTs tended to have positive perceptions toward translanguaging, more asset-based ideologies, and higher level of self-efficacy to teach EBs. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a moderate significant positive correlation between PSTs’ perceptions on translanguaging and their language ideologies. Multiple regression analysis revealed three significant predictors for teacher self-efficacy: Translanguaging perceptions, Language use at home, Pursuing ESL/bilingual educator certification. Thematic analysis of interview data revealed six themes from PSTs’ responses: Translanguaging for meaningful purposes; Potential for translanguaging pedagogy; Home language as bridge and right; Sources of PSTs’ language influence; Increasing teacher self-efficacy through student teaching and modeling; Challenges of linguistic demands when teaching EBs. Conclusion: Findings add to the paucity in literature on the connection between PSTs’ beliefs about translanguaging and their self-efficacy to teach EBs. The findings call for future research to seek opportunities to pivot teacher preparation to include translanguaging pedagogies as part of teacher education coursework and student teaching in order to counter deficit based monoglossic ideologies, better equip PSTs for multilingual classroom realities, help foster a dynamic view of bilingualism and greater sense of efficacy to teach EBs.Item Exploration of Texas Public University Education Web Pages Accessibility(2019-12) Kohne, David Ira; McNeil, Sara G.; Zhang, Jie; Mountain, Lee; Gronseth, SusieBackground: In the past twenty years, the Internet has revolutionized daily lives by making varied types of information freely available. Because of this technological revolution, colleges and universities have been forced to rethink the information they provide on their websites for prospective and current students as well as alumni. However, many of these websites have accessibility and usability issues, especially for site visitors with disabilities. Universities that receive federal financial aid are required to make reasonable accommodations to provide accessible content on the web, and non-compliance can result in barriers for people with disabilities and investigations by the Office of Civil Rights. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore accessibility of web pages of colleges of education and teacher education programs of public universities in the state of Texas as determined by Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. Methods: The sample consisted of 26 public universities in Texas who had a college of education and a teacher education program and whose enrollment ranked in the top 70%, based on the number of candidates who completed teacher education program requirements in 2017. During the fall of 2019, the researcher evaluated representative pages from the college of education and teacher education programs at each selected university for a total of 52 web pages. Data was collected using the automated web accessibility and readability evaluation tools SortSite and Readable. The data included WCAG 2.0 recommended accessibility guideline success criteria and reading levels for each page. Data were analyzed using SPSS to describe the web accessibility using multiple guideline variables. Results: The web pages of colleges of education and teacher education programs of public universities contained accessibility errors. Guideline 2.3, designing pages in a manner that does not induce seizures, passed on all of the pages scanned. Guideline 4.1, maximizing compatibility with user agents such as assistive technology, failed the most scans (88% of the pages). Low passing scores were also present on two WCAG 2.0 guidelines, resulting in web page content that may present perception and operability barriers to learners. Paired samples t tests suggested that the college of education and teacher education web pages did not differ significantly in pass rates for each of the 12 WCAG 2.0 success criteria. Readability indicators, both Flesch Kincaid Grade Level and rating, showed no significant difference between teacher education pages and college of education pages. Conclusion: Overall, the college of education and teacher education web pages have similar accessibility levels. One guideline consistently failed, resulting in pages that are not robust, or accessible by user agents and assistive technologies. Learners using assistive technology, different browsers and mobile devices may not be able to understand, view or use the web pages. Findings from this study provide information that university personnel can use to improve the web experience for individuals that visit their sites and address web page non-compliance issues causing learning information access barriers for students.Item Exploring the Impact of Student Engagement on Dropout Warning Signs(2018-12) Kallman, Marguerite Patricia; Freiberg, H. Jerome; Lee, Mimi Miyoung; Zhang, Jie; Horn, Catherine L.Problem Statement: Students who drop out of school face a wide range of future issues, including higher rates of unemployment and lower annual salaries than their peers who graduated high school. Lower incomes impact where people live, typically resulting in houses in areas of higher crime and lower achieving schools. Low socioeconomic status and parents with low educational attainment are common among students that drop out, indicating a potential continuing cycle that may be challenging to break. Understanding what leads to dropping out and what warning signs exist is crucial for schools, teachers, parents, and anyone involved in the lives of students. Purpose: This study explored predictive factors of dropout warning signs in 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th, and 11th grades including 15,838 students to answer the following research questions: 1) Does student engagement predict the number of dropout warning signs a student exhibits? 2) Do any subconstructs of student engagement better predict exhibited dropout warning signs? 3) Is there a difference in the relationship between student engagement and dropout warning signs between grade levels? 4) Does the number of dropout warning signs differ significantly between schools that are rated “needs improvement,” “proficient,” and “distinguished”? Methodology: Participants included 15,838 students in 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th, and 11th grade from 105 schools in Kentucky participating in a grant program funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Data sources included schoolwide public data and the student responses on a survey implemented as a part of a program evaluation conducted by researchers at Western Kentucky University during the 2015-2016 school year. Negative binomial regression was used to determine how well student engagement and its subconstructs can predict the number of dropout warning signs exhibited for questions one and two. Question three was answered by calculating the correlation between student engagement and dropout warning signs. For question four, two-way ANOVA was run to compare dropout warning signs for different school ratings at each school type and to measure the interaction of the two factors. Findings: Student engagement and each subconstruct significantly predicted the total number of dropout warning signs across grades, p < .01. For each increase in engagement level, there was a 57.3% decrease in dropout warning signs. The relationship between engagement and dropout warning signs is statistically significant in all five grade levels studied, and strongest in the 6th grade, r = -.489. A two-way ANOVA found a statistically significant difference between dropout warning signs across the three school ratings and grades, p < .01, and the interaction between the two factors was significant, p = .039. Conclusion: Student engagement may be a potential factor in reducing the likelihood of dropping out of school. Schools, teachers, and stakeholders should seek to improve student engagement across all grades in order to help increase graduation rates. While focus on low performing schools and high schools, where dropout signs are the highest, should be of concern, there is evidence that student engagement is important in all environments from elementary through high school.Item Identification and Analysis of Long-duration Low-frequency Events from Microseismic Data(2015-05) Hu, Hongru 1989-; Li, Aibing; Hall, Stuart A.; Zhang, JieHydraulic fracturing is commonly used to enhance rock permeability in unconventional reservoirs. Locating microseismic events has become a standard tool in monitoring the fracturing process. However, the relation between microseismicity and crack networks has not been well understood. In addition, microseismic energy is almost negligible compared with the total energy used in fracturing. Long-duration and low-frequency (LDLF) seismic events, which are often observed in volcanic fields, have been reported from the data recorded during hydraulic fracturing. Although the origin of low-frequency events could be complicated, fluid pressurization through cracks, which is a common source for volcanic tremors, could be one main mechanism for LDLF events during hydraulic fracturing. Therefore, investigating the LDLF events from microseismic data would help to understand different types of ground deformation and help to characterize the formation of fracture network. In this research, I have identified several LDLF events using frequency-time plots from a microseismic dataset acquired by surface receivers in the Eagle Ford Shale in Mexico. Seismograms are filtered and their envelopes are calculated. Arrivals from each energy pack are picked from the envelopes using a cross-correlation method. These arrivals are then used to locate the event through a grid-search approach. The LDLF events can be categorized in two types. Type 1 events are located at around 1500 m in depth, close to the horizontal well. The associated phase arrivals show typical P-wave moveout trends. In addition, these events tend to migrate away from the treatment well with time. Type 1 events are probably caused by fluid pressurization in fractures. Type 2 events are located near the surface and the waves travel at a Rayleigh wave speed. The source mechanism of type 2 events is not clear, but could be related to vibrations of the operation equipment.Item Immigrant Saudi Parents' Perceptions of Preschool Play Curriculum and Social Development of the Child(2022-08-08) Algasmol, Tarfah; Hale, Margaret A.; Andrews, Nicole L.; Lee, Mimi Miyoung; Zhang, JieBackground: Preschool education adopts play-based approaches to support child development in general and to bolster social development specifically. Saudi parents' perceptions and conceptualizations differ tremendously about the play-based curriculum. Some Saudi parents believe that early childhood education (ECE) must be solely academically based. As a result, some parents may refuse to teach their children through play-based methods because they want their children to strictly focus on academics, thereby affecting their enrollment in preschools. Thus, Saudi children’s social and emotional development may be affected by the loss of organized play-based activities. Purpose: This study aims to identify Saudi parents' perceptions about preschool play-based curricula and the impact of these approaches on their children's social development. The study also aims to identify the factors that influence Saudi parents' conceptualizations of the play-based approach to learning, which may be a result of cultural, educational, or other social factors. This study will help us design training programs to educate Saudi parents about the importance of play as a key factor in the child's social development. Methods: A basic qualitative study was used for this research. Twelve mothers were recruited using purposeful sampling strategies. The following selection criteria were used for choosing participants: 1) mothers who are Saudi Arabian citizens living in the United States and 2) mothers with preschool-aged children attending either Bright Star Schools or preschool children receiving homeschooling through Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY). The data collection method involved in-depth interviews eliciting responses about factors influencing their perceptions about play-based learning in preschools. A thematic analysis method was adopted to analyze qualitative data, and the mechanics of coding and analyzing qualitative data worked systematically. Likewise, the most common and repeated topics were identified, and then the steps for the thematic analysis were applied. All factors associated with different mothers' perceptions were analyzed using a thematic analysis method for qualitative data. The thematic analysis was carried out in six steps: familiarization, coding, generating themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and reporting. This study will help to design training programs to educate Saudi parents about the importance of play as a key factor in a child's social development. Results: As a result of this study, three themes emerged around parents' conceptualizations, circumstances, and reasons that lead to the choice of play approach and intellectual transformation. Some mothers expressed their strong desire to teach their children through play curriculum, while others refused allow their children to learn through play and wanted to educate their children in schools that adopt purely academic curriculum. A group of mothers also preferred the method of combining play style with an academic curriculum for their children's education. In addition, some have other reasons for choosing schools that adopt the play curriculum. As for the extent to which the participants accepted the idea of teaching their preschool children using the Saudi curriculum instead of the American curriculum, some participants expressed their desire for their children to continue learning through the American play curriculum. Some participants advocated strongly for the integration of the two curricula together, the Saudi and the American approaches, while some participants expressed their desire to educate their children in Saudi schools that provide academic curriculum. Conclusion: Family involvement programs and home program activities have had a significant impact in the form of changing some of the mothers' perceptions of the playing approach from negative to positive. This study will add more on how to prepare projects to focus on supporting the educational and cultural expectations and understandings of Saudi parents who will come to the United States wishing to educate their children in American schools.Item Indicators of Linguistically Responsive Teaching in the Work of EC-6 and Grade 4-8 Preservice Teachers in an Asynchronous Course on Second Language Methodology(2020-05) Yan, Yan; Turchi, Laura B.; Freiberg, H. Jerome; Zhang, Jie; Avellaneda, EulisesBackground: English language learners (ELLs) are dramatically increasing in U.S. schools: by 2025, 25% of public school students will be ELLs (NEA, 2018). In one teacher education program in the Southeastern U.S., all students earning teacher certification must complete a course in second language methodology. This study seeks to understand whether these pre-service teachers are learning to be linguistically responsive teachers (LRT). Lucas and Villegas (2013) define LRT as knowing the diverse backgrounds of ELLs and being able to plan and deliver instruction that supports these students’ language demands. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to use an established theoretical framework of indicators of LRT to explore the evidence of these indicators in the coursework of pre-service teachers (PSTs). There are four research questions: 1) Are theoretical indicators of LRT identified in the lesson plans of PSTs; 2) To what extent are these indicators evidenced in PST lesson plans; 3) Are there differences in the extent of the indicators of LRT in PSTs preparing to teach in different content areas; and 4) For those PSTs who demonstrated the highest level indicators of LRT in their different content area lesson plans, do they exhibit LRT practices? Methods: This study employed an exploratory sequential mixed-method research strategy. The work of 42 PSTs seeking certification in early childhood-6th grade (EC-6) and Grade 4-8 subjects, representing three content areas, was analyzed. All PSTs were enrolled in an asynchronous course: Second Language Methodology. Data sources included PST lesson plans and videotaped teaching. Qualitative data identified the theoretical indicators of LRT in PST lesson plans, and these were then compared with videoed teaching practices through document analysis using NVivo. Quantitative data tested the extent and differences of indicators across different content areas through SPSS descriptive statistics and One-way ANOVA. Results: PST demonstrated the highest level for LRT in indicator 3.2: they adapted course content to all levels of student proficiency. The lowest level of LRT were in indicator 4.5 and indicator 2.1: PSTs provided the fewest opportunities for students to clarify key concepts in their first language and there were fewer meaningful activities that integrated lesson concepts and language practices. Chi-square found significant associations between PST content areas and indicators 4.3 and 4.4, p < .05. One-way ANOVA found statistically significant differences between science and humanities PSTs in LRT domain 4, p < .05. All PSTs demonstrated better LRT in lesson plans than in their teaching practices. Conclusion: Overall, the science PSTs demonstrated the highest level of LRT, while the humanities PSTs demonstrated the lowest level of LRT. Content area may be a potential factor in implementing LRT. Findings suggest that all content area PSTs should enhance LRT through implementing a repertoire of strategies for scaffolding instruction for ELLs (domain 4). Specifically, PSTs need to provide more verbal, procedural, and instructional scaffolds (indicator 4.3), and more grouping configurations to support language and content objectives (indicator 4.4) for ELLs. As novices, PSTs need to improve the relationship between what they plan and what they teach.Item Pre-service Teachers Self-Reported Disciplinary Literacy Practices in Core Disciplines: A Survey Development Study(2020-12) Sankaranarayanan, Ananthi; Chauvot, Jennifer; Zhang, Jie; Hutchison, Laveria F.; Cutler, Carrie S.Background: Directives from national and state standards emphasize constructing a cohesive understanding of core disciplines to support students’ success in colleges and careers. Despite these initiatives, students in secondary grades struggle with comprehending content-area texts, often relying on generic strategies to decode complex texts. Disciplinary literacy instruction helps students begin to engage in practices around reading, writing, and thinking that align with discipline experts’ recommendations for best practices. Disciplinary literacy instruction requires teachers themselves to engage in such practices and to understand the complexities of teaching about these practices. Past studies have used qualitative methods to focus on disciplinary literacy instruction incorporated by in-service teachers. However, gaps remain in areas related to quantifying the dimensions of the disciplinary literacy construct and studying disciplinary literacy practices of pre-service teachers. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the disciplinary literacy practices of EC-6, 4-8, and 7-12 pre-service teachers in the four core disciplines. Research Questions: (1) What are the underlying constructs of grades EC-6, 4-8, and 7-12 pre-service teachers’ self-reported disciplinary literacy practices in core disciplines? (2) Do the overall scale and its subscales possess adequate internal consistency? (3) What are the differences in pre-service teachers’ self-reported disciplinary literacy practices determined by their content areas? Methods: This study was an instrument-development study conducted in the College of Education at a research university in southwest Texas. Disciplinary literacy practices in core disciplines were measured on a five-point Likert scale. Twenty-eight questions were grouped into clusters as sentence stems. The survey was piloted with a small sample (n = 10) for content validity. Quantitative data analysis for the subsequent study included exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and MANOVA. Results: The exploratory factor analysis precisely revealed disciplinary literacy as a multi-dimensional construct with expressive, source, and analytic literacy practices. The overall scale (α = .94), and its subscales (α = .87; α = .86; α = .87) indicated satisfactory internal consistency. MANOVA identified a statistically significant difference in pre-service teachers’ disciplinary literacy practices in core disciplines (Wilks’ Lambda = .476, F (9, 149 = 5.60), p <.05; ηp2 = .219). The follow-up ANOVA confirmed that pre-service teachers’ expressive literacy practices differed in English and history, and history and mathematics; and the analytic literacy practices differed in English and mathematics, and history and science. This sample did not reveal a statistically significant difference in pre-service teachers’ source literacy practices across four content areas. Conclusion: Pre-service teachers exhibited dedication and demonstrated novice disciplinary literacy abilities aligned with the national educational expectations. Mathematics pre-service teachers showed higher outcomes than pre-service teachers from English, science, and history. The results call for teacher educators and researchers to work on further developing the skills of pre-service teachers in disciplinary literacy.Item Program Differences in the Development of English Learners in Rural Texas Schools(2021-05) Hernandez, Rebecca Lisa; Santi, Kristi L.; Hawkins, Jacqueline; Zhang, Jie; Gillman-Rich, LynnBackground: Not all districts required to implement a bilingual education program can employ a sufficient number of bilingual certified teachers in grades PK-5. As a result, rural districts find themselves having to file for a bilingual exception with the Texas Education Agency and instead implement an English only English as a Second Language (ESL) program. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the what is the relationship, if any, between third grade TELPAS, English Learner status, and longitudinal STARR results for Spanish-speaking English Learners (ELs) who are participating in bilingual or English as a Second Language (ESL) second language acquisition programs in grades 3-8. Methods: This is a quantitative study that used a descriptive-comparative design to determine to what relationship, if any, exists between the initial TELPAS status in grade three to the grade eight outcome measure, the STAAR. Additional analyses included examining relationships between TELPAS composite for grade three and STAAR Reading achievement data for grades three through eight for the Limited English Proficient (LEP) and former LEP students and for gender. Results: This study compared longitudinal STAAR Reading results for students in three rural Texas schools. The results showed that there is no relationship between the TELPAS composite at third grade and the level of performance on eighth grade STAAR. In addition, students showed a change in the level of performance on the STAAR between the eighth grade than third grade regardless of the language program in which they were participating. Conclusion: This study aimed to examine the relationship third grade TELPAS and longitudinal STAAR data of LEP students as measured by the STAAR Reading test in grades 3-8. The data show that districts have an opportunity to look historically at the STAAR data of their students to ensure that each student is receiving the targeted instruction they need in order to meet the needs of ELs. The results show that most students, regardless of the second language acquisition program, have reached Approached and Meets by the end of eighth grade. What is worth noting is that while this is the case, several students stay at a lower level of performance for two to four years before movement to Meets Grade Level performance as defined by the Texas Education Agency. Thus, schools can do more to move students to grade level performance by analyzing data and targeting instruction.Item Teacher Candidates’ Perceived Preparedness of Employing Culturally Responsive Teaching in the Mathematics and Science Classroom: A Mixed Methods Study(2021-12) Emenogu, Esther; Hutchison, Laveria F.; Cooper, Jane M.; Stokes, Donna W.; Zhang, JieBackground: The student population in the 21st-century classroom is becoming progressively culturally and linguistically diverse with each passing year. Consequently, the disparities in science and mathematics achievement among the historically underrepresented and historically overrepresented school population continue to widen in classrooms across the United States. To respond to the massive demographic shift and the academic gap in the PreK–12 classroom, teacher candidates are encouraged to incorporate culturally responsive instructional strategies. Since studies indicate that teacher candidates are more inclined to utilize culturally responsive practices in the classroom if they perceive they will be successful, the necessity to conduct research that gauges the perception of preparedness of mathematics and science teacher candidates’ implementation of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) is crucial towards the academic performance of diverse learners but is lacking. Purpose: The purpose of this research study was to describe mathematics and science teacher candidates’ perceived level of preparedness for enacting culturally responsive teaching practices in their future classrooms. The research questions that informed this study were: (1) To what extent do mathematics and science teacher candidates perceive their teacher education program has prepared them to implement CRT practices in the classroom? (2) How do mathematics and science teacher candidates’ perceived level of implementing CRT practices in the classroom differ across different stages of a select educator preparation program? (3) How does a select educator preparation program in the southeast region of Texas prepare mathematics and science teacher candidates to employ CRT practices? Methods: The mixed methods study surveyed 94 reported teacher candidates pursuing a (4-8) mathematics or (4-8) science teacher certification. The study occurred at a Tier One university located in southeastern Texas and used a CRT preparedness scale of 18 Likert-scale items to gauge perceived levels of teacher candidates’ preparedness of enacting CRT practices. The scale was administered in the Fall of 2020. The quantitative data were examined using SPSS 28 via descriptive statistics and a one-way ANOVA. The qualitative phase of the study involved three Fall of 2020 instructors of mathematics and science teacher candidates. The three instructors participated in individual semi-structured interviews performed by the researcher to obtain insight on how they prepare mathematics and science teacher candidates to teach culturally responsively. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed through a priori codes via directed qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis to categorize the codes and develop the themes and sub-themes. Results: Thirty-eight mathematics and science teacher candidates submitted the scale that achieved a 0.97 Cronbach alpha indicating an excellent reliability score. The overall descriptive research results revealed that mathematics and science teacher candidates perceived that they were moderately prepared to implement CRT practices in the classroom. The results from the one-way repeated measures ANOVA indicated the mean perceived preparedness level of employing CRT was significantly different between the CRT components, (F(1.61, 59.60) = 23.69, p < .05). Statistical differences were not observed among the four stages of the teacher preparation program, (F(3, 34) = 1.073, p = .373 > .05). Three central themes attributed to CRT preparedness emerged from the professor interviews: (a) lessons recognizing diverse learners; (b) building rapport and fostering involvement; and (c) cultivating belonging with diverse learners. Professors acknowledged that they do not prepare students to design assessments involving CRT practices. However, they strongly emphasize the importance of cultivating relationships with students via an array of activities and discussions. These findings are reflected in the results from the survey. Conclusion: Teacher candidates self-reported that they were prepared to employ CRT practices focused on developing positive teacher-student relationships and fostering learning communities emphasizing student ownership. University professors of a select educator preparation program advocate for the necessity to interweave teaching practices that are culturally responsive within all the stages of the preparation programs to witness increased perception levels of CRT enactment among mathematics and science teacher candidates.Item The Effect of a Climate Change Learning Cycle on Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceived Knowledge, Beliefs, Concerns, and Sense of Environmental Responsibility(2021-08) Golabbakhsh, Yunes; Ramsey, John M.; Zhang, Jie; White, Cameron S.; Domjan, Heather; Cutler, Carrie S.Background: Climate change is recognized as one of the world’s most pressing challenges. As domestic and global environmental events become more frequent and severe devastating multifaceted consequences ensue for humans and the environment. In order to reduce the implications of climate change, positive environmental actions are required by human societies. Pre-service science teachers play an important role in educating students about climate change concepts, their behaviors and empowering them as future citizens to adopt pro-environmental behaviors that may reduce implications of climate change. Teachers’ environmental knowledge, beliefs, and concerns about climate change have been found to significantly impact their personal pro-environmental behaviors which may then be adopted by their students. Purpose: This research study investigated pre-service teachers’ perceived environmental knowledge, beliefs, concerns, and sense of responsibility about domestic and global catastrophic environmental events before and after a pre-service climate change learning cycle. Findings may inform climate change pedagogical approaches and content in elementary science education programs. The research questions were as follows: (1) What was the effect of climate change instruction on pre-service teachers’ perceived environmental knowledge? (2) What was the effect of climate change instruction on pre-service teachers’ level of environmental concerns? (3) What was the effect of climate change instruction on pre-service teachers’ sense of environmental responsibility? (4) What was the effect of climate change instruction on pre-service teachers’ pro-environmental beliefs? Methods: This intervention study used a single-group pretest and posttest design to collect and analyze quantitative data regarding pre-service teachers’ perceived environmental knowledge, level of environmental concerns, pro-environmental beliefs, and sense of environmental responsibility before and after a climate change learning cycle. The study was part of a science content unit taught using online modes of instruction to 47 pre-service teachers by an experienced science educator in their science methods course. Archival survey data obtained before and after the climate change lesson were used for data interpretation. Paired sample t-tests were used to compare the pretest and posttest scores to determine the treatment effects on pre-service teachers’ environmental knowledge, concerns, beliefs, and sense of environmental responsibility. Results: The findings indicated that the intervention climate change learning cycle significantly improved pre-service teachers’ perceived environmental knowledge, level of concerns, and sense of environmental responsibility. No significant pre-post gains were found for pre-service teachers’ level of pro-environmental beliefs. Conclusion: The findings indicate that a short-term online intervention using an online climate change learning cycle can positively affect future science educators’ perceived knowledge, levels of concern about climate change, and sense of responsibility regarding the environment. These teachers may, in turn, pass these beliefs on to students. Follow-up studies are needed to assess participants’ implementation of climate science education in their elementary school classrooms and examine the status of their elementary students’ environmental beliefs, attitude, concerns, and sense of responsibility regarding environmental and climate topics.Item The Effect of a Morpho-Phonemic Intervention on Decoding and Comprehension of Complex Academic Words for Bilingual Students with Reading Difficulties.(2022-06-08) Kharabi-Yamato, Lana; Zhang, Jie; Relyea, Jackie E.; Santi, Kristi L.; Li, MiaoBackground: The high rate of increase in the amount and complexity of English academic vocabulary in upper elementary years poses a challenge for bilingual students who exhibit reading difficulties. It is well documented that phonemic awareness and morphological awareness are associated with word decoding skills; and morphological analysis, the ability to infer meanings of complex words based on morphemes, is correlated with vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension. A growing body of literature has examined the impact of morphological or phonological skills on students’ reading outcomes. However, a combined effect of an integrated morpho-phonemic approach such as using morphological segmentation and phonological awareness (e.g., multi-syllabic flexibility) instructional techniques for young bilingual students with reading difficulties remains unknown. Purpose: This study examined the impact of a morpho-phonemic intervention on decoding and comprehension of morphologically complex academic words for upper elementary bilingual students with reading difficulties. The research questions for this study were 1) To what extent does morpho-phonemic instruction improve the decoding and comprehension of complex academic words taught during the intervention for bilingual students ages 9-11 years with reading difficulties? 2) To what extent does the gain from morpho-phonemic intervention retained for exposed words and transferred for the decoding and comprehension of unexposed words? Method: This study used a single case multiple-baseline-across-participants design with three staggered Tiers receiving varying baseline and intervention lengths. Four students from a metropolitan area of the Southwestern United States participated in three consecutive phases: baseline, intervention, and post-intervention. One participant was assigned to Tier III, one to Tier II, and two to Tier I. All participants received individual sessions via a digital interactive platform and were assessed on their word decoding and comprehension skills after each session. Each session lasted between 30 to 40 minutes. For the intervention phase, a group of 15 suffixes was instructed to all participants either once (Tier III, 5 sessions), twice (Tier II, 10 sessions), or three times (Tier I, 5 sessions). Each session comprised six target derivatives (two per suffix) and six example words. The percentage of correct responses for each session was used to conduct a visual analysis and calculate the effect sizes. Results: The visual analysis of data indicated an increase in average performance levels from baseline to intervention for all participants on word decoding and comprehension. The Non-Overlap of All Pairs (NAP) effect size for word decoding was moderate to large for three participants (NAP= 0.72-0.96) with one student showing a small NAP= 0.33. The NAP for word comprehension was small for all except for one participant, showing a moderate NAP= 0.84. For the post-intervention phase, two students demonstrated retention and transfer of gained skills in word decoding and comprehension measures. One student retained and transferred skills, while one only retained skills for word comprehension. Conclusion: These findings suggest that bilingual students with reading difficulties can benefit from explicit targeted instruction with an emphasis on the linkage between phonological and morphological analysis to increase their word reading and comprehension abilities.