Subject: Proposal to complete a research
paper that will result in an effective program designed to help Hispanic
students, at a young age, to succeed academically by embracing their cultural
and understanding the importance of education.
I. Statement of Thesis and Project
Summary:
With the high number of migrating families
in the United States there has been an increase in Hispanic children in the
public school system. These students tend to test below average on state test
and have a high drop out rate. A lot of educators have wondered, what can be
the cause for these high numbers of minority students performing poorly
academically and what can be done to help. What I would like to focus on for
this research is the cultural affect these students experience, broken down
into three categories: language,
traditions, and environment. For my project I would like to research these
three main categories and create a program that would benefit these students,
based on my studies. In order to create a program that is effective I will
research current programs, separating the pros and cons, to have a base of what
my program should include. Along with this I will research the Utah School
Curriculum to have knowledge of the regulation and expectations for Utah’s
students. In the Utah School public school system English learners are sent to
the special education classes. The main reason of the difficulties these
students have is language base therefore; a program is needed for English
language learners. My main focus will be the Hispanic students because they are
the majority of the minority. As part of the program I create, my goal will be
to embrace the culture, academically strengthen each individual so they will
not feel isolated intellectually and create a foundation of the importance of
education.
II. Outlines:
1. Introduction and presentation of
thesis.
2. Language: To many of these students
language can be a barrier and struggle.
Language does shape the way an individual
thinks and view the world.
*. How does language (Spanish) separate
them from the others?
3. In order for a program to work, the
students must feel accepted for who they are and their traditions is what makes
them different.
*. The cultural
difference, that their parts have parents have passed down, may interferer with
their academics.
-Such as
responsibilities in the home, courtship, gender roles, and the level of
importance of education.
4. The environment molds their habits and
influences their beliefs of their self-esteem and behavior.
*
What role do gangs and rebellion have in Utah public schools?
5. Conclusion: Create a separate
program from the Special Education program to help students with language
struggles, always embracing their culture and respecting their traditions.
III. Review of the Literature:
Many stories from books like Children
of Immigration and Made
in America focus on
cultural challenges that Hispanic students experience at a young age, which
affect their academics. Personally, experienced some of these challenges at an
early age as well and it did not only affect me in school but also in my long
term views of education. In Culture and Language as a Factor in Learning and
Education, anthropological
studies have proven that people with different cultural or linguistic
background think differently. Perspective and views are shaped by our culture
and I believe this is a factor that is missing when it comes to educating
minority, such as Hispanics. Based
on previous programs, such as 1993 Andrew W. Foundation, which addresses the
challenges that second language learners faces. Programs lack success do to the
lack in staff, system of accountability and the organization. It is important
for a program to have structure and order for it to achieve their goal. In Utah
alone, in 2010, the population of Hispanics in the public school district was
86,301, making 15% of the total student population. The numbers are growing and
the demand for an affective program is needed.
IV. Schedule
1.
First draft October 26, 2012
2. Final copyDecember 14,2012
V. Bibliography
Carola and Marcelo M.
Suarez-Orozxo. Learning a New Land. 2008
Carola and Marcelo
M. Suarez-Orozxo. The Children of Immigration in School. Harvard
University Press. 2001.
Laurie Olsen .
Made in America: Immigrant Students in Our Public Schools. 2008.
Lamber, Wallace E. Culture and Language as Factors in
Learning and Education.
Layton,
Stanford J. Being Different: Stories of Utah’s Minorities. Signature Books.
2001.
Spring, Joel. The American School. McGraw-Hill. 2001;
Rojas, Lauren Hill. The Effects of First Language
Development on Second Language Acquisition Among English Language Learners.
2011.
