The following project is one of five funded Collaboration projects:
PI: Robin Irey (UCSF)
Co-Investigators: Mariah Pospisil (UC/CSU Collaborative, UCSF), Julie Schneider (UCLA)
Institutions/Organizations: UCSF, UCLA
Abstract: Spanish-speaking English Learners (ELs) face unique challenges in literacy due to limited English proficiency, socioeconomic disadvantages, and under-resourced schools. Traditional literacy instruction, often designed for monolingual English settings, can misidentify reading difficulties and inadvertently alienate EL students, hindering their academic participation and growth. These challenges frequently contribute to academic disengagement, exclusionary discipline practices, increased dropout rates, and involvement in the juvenile justice system.
This study aims to address these issues through a needs assessment and curriculum mapping intervention based on a cumulative risk model that integrates external (exogenous) and internal (endogenous) factors affecting literacy. The approach includes the use of neuroscience-based, culturally affirming assessments to evaluate the language and literacy development of EL students in the Monterey area, alongside targeted professional development (PD) for educators in dual- language and English-only schools. The structured needs assessment and curriculum mapping will guide the PD content, focusing on gaps in teachers’ literacy knowledge and classroom practices. An iterative improvement cycle will support ongoing instructional refinement, informed by teacher self-assessments, classroom observations, and data on student outcomes.
The expected short-term outcomes of this project include improved language and literacy outcomes for students, a reduction in exclusionary disciplinary practices, and an enhanced sense of belonging among ELs. For educators, anticipated outcomes include increased efficacy in supporting ELs. Ultimately, the study aims to develop a sustainable, replicable model for bilingual literacy development that promotes equity in education and helps disrupt pathways to justice involvement for marginalized students.
