“We're Building Frameworks”: Administrator and Educator Perspectives on Implementing a Dual Language Pre-K Program to Include All Students
In this study, one Southwestern public school district strives to implement a Dual Language (DL) for All Pre-K program that includes students with disabilities. The Arizona Revised Statute § 15-751-755 currently restricts K-12 students who speak a language other than English from entering DL programs until they are deemed English proficient. There are no specific standards for the implementation of DL in Pre-K used within the district or state, nor specific standards for the implementation of DL with students with disabilities. This article shares (a) the case of one urban school district implementing a DL Pre-K program for All students for the first time by unpacking the experiences of teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators, (b) the role of Division of Early Childhood (DEC) Recommended Practices in the implementation and revision of the program, and (c) implications for the future of inclusive DL Pre-K programming. Our research question is how do administrator and educator discourses demonstrate DL leadership in the implementation of programming for culturally and linguistically diverse learners with disabilities? We use the DEC Recommended Practices (2014) for our data analysis of focus groups with administrators and educators because the DEC Recommended Practices include guidance for implementing effective practices for early childhood students with disabilities who are DL learners. The findings suggest that there are five key components of the DEC Recommended Practices (leadership, families, instruction, teaming and collaboration, and environment) that contribute to a successful DL program. Recommendations are made for continued practices to support students and their families, as well as educators and district staff, as essential when designing instruction and programs for DL Pre-K programs.Abstract
Contributor Notes
Author Bio
Kathleen M. Farrand is an assistant professor in Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University. Her research examines inclusive settings found along the least restrictive environment continuum, with a focus on the use of active and dramatic approaches for learning.
Megan T. Deeg is a doctoral candidate in Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University. Her research interests include educational practices for diverse learners in pre-K-12 settings, emergent bilingual content development, and the use of dramatic approaches for content and literacy development.
Sultan Kilinc is an assistant professor in the Department of Teaching and Leadership at Syracuse University. Her research focuses on inclusive education policy and practices for diverse groups of students (i.e., students with dis/abilities, linguistic, ethnic, racial minorities, and girls), who are marginalized and excluded from educational opportunities.
Michael F. Kelley is an associate professor in Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University. His research interests lie in understanding the structural and process features related to high-quality professional development experiences for early childhood teachers that effectively impact child outcomes.
