Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 5-2017 Understanding How Emergent Bilinguals Bridge Belonging and Languages in Dual Language Immersion Settings Marialuisa Di Stefano Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Di Stefano, Marialuisa, "Understanding How Emergent Bilinguals Bridge Belonging and Languages in Dual Language Immersion Settings" (2017). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 6261. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/6261 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. UNDERSTANDING HOW EMERGENT BILINGUALS BRIDGE BELONGING AND LANGUAGES IN DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION SETTINGS by Marialuisa Di Stefano A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Education Approved: Steven Camicia, Ph.D. María Luisa Spicer-Escalante, Ph.D. Major Professor Committee Member Ryan Knowles, Ph.D. Karin de Jonge-Kannan, Ph.D. Committee Member Committee Member Sylvia Read, Ph.D. Mark R. McLellan, Ph.D. Committee Member Vice President for Research and Dean of the School of Graduate Studies UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah 2017 ii Copyright © Marialuisa Di Stefano 2017 All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Understanding How Emergent Bilinguals Bridge Belonging and Languages in Dual Language Immersion Settings by Marialuisa Di Stefano, Doctor of Philosophy Utah State University, 2017 Major Professor: Steven P. Camicia, Ph.D. Department: School of Teacher Education and Leadership This dissertation covers the purpose, findings, and implication of a 10-week ethnographic research study in a dual language immersion (DLI) third-grade classroom in the northeastern U.S. The purpose was to promote a better understanding of the processes and products of identity development in a DLI setting. Sense of belonging and language practices were considered as the two main contributors toward development of fluid and hybrid identities. I developed this work through observation, interviews, and artifacts collection. The theoretical framework was constructed upon the principles of culturally sustaining pedagogy and community of practice. This allowed me to identify within- group cultural practices and common cross-ground cultural practices in a DLI class, while documenting their contribution to the development of students’ identities. Using deductive and inductive thematic analysis, I found that students’ sense of belonging and practices of languages are connected to their identity through multiple iv cultural features. These can include food, family, music, dance, and other skills acquired in a specific heritage group. The data also identified several relevant factors, which intersect with the identity and culturally sustaining pedagogy, including the teacher as a role model and migration issues. Identity development and culturally sustaining pedagogy practices are mediated by the teacher in her function as role model for her students. I provided examples and explained how these interconnections—based on culture, food, family, teacher as a role model, and migration—evolve in the DLI setting. Continual documentation occurred for the process that promoted these interconnections and how identity development was enhanced. Subsequently, I provided evidence of products that originated from this system. My study has the potential to inspire DLI teachers, policy makers, and educational stakeholders to scrutinize the impact of their decisions when teaching and developing the DLI curriculum. In particular, the implications of this study contribute to the implementation of instructional practices that may aid students in investigating their fluid and hybrid identity through a more inclusive learning environment. Recommendations for further longitudinal study in terms of identity development in the early elementary grades were addressed in the study. (248 pages) v PUBLIC ABSTRACT Understanding How Emergent Bilinguals Bridge Belonging and Languages in Dual Language Immersion Settings Marialuisa Di Stefano The purpose of this study was to understand how young children bridge belonging and language in a dual language immersion (DLI) setting. I developed a 10-week ethnographic study in a Spanish-English third-grade class in the Northeast of the U.S. where data was collected in the form of field notes, interviews, and artifacts. Here I explored the way language instruction and student participation influenced the development of the teacher and students’ multiple identities. The findings of this study suggest that emergent bilinguals’ identity development derives from the process built through multiple dialogic classroom instruction and practices. The products of this process emphasize the sense of belonging and language practices as main components of students’ hybrid and fluid identities. This research contributes to the field of identity development and DLI studies in terms of knowledge, policy, and practices. In particular, the findings of this study: (a) increase our knowledge of students’ multiple identities development in DLI settings; (b) impact policy implementation in elementary schools; and (c) reveal classroom strategies and successful instructions in elementary education. vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to acknowledge my committee members, Drs. Steven Camicia, Ryan Knowles, Sylvia Read, María Luisa Spicer-Escalante, and Karin DeJonge-Kannan, for their time, support, and guidance throughout this process. I also need to extend my gratitude to Drs. Spencer Clark, Sue Kasun, and Cinthya Saavedra, who guided me in the early stage of this dissertation project. Thanks to Drs. Beth MacDonald and Idalis Villanueva, who broadened my perspectives and expanded my research beyond my imagination. I also sincerely thank the copy editor, Hallett Sargent, who provided detailed and thorough feedback, and ensured that my research message was distinct and clear, despite the considerable time pressure. My most heartfelt thanks goes to my chair, Dr. Steven Camicia. I truly appreciate your availability to answer questions in a timely manner, your interest in my work and inclinations, and your ability to provide structure while at the same time allowing me to explore different possibilities in the qualitative research field. I give special thanks to Drs. Martha Whitaker, who inspired me to pursue a career in education, Martha Dever, who welcomed me into the TEAL family in Logan, and Emma Maughan, who shared her wisdom with me daily and taught me the essential sense of humor about life and academia. To my U.S. and international family at Utah State University who taught me the true value of diversity and was always there when I needed it the most, thank you! I could not achieve this goal without all of you. I also need to say thank you to the teacher and the students who participated in the study, and to the school district and the city, for welcoming me and allowing me to learn vii from them. In this sense, special thanks go to Mike and Laura Andriolo, who have been the vital connection with such a vibrant school community. Through their eyes and heart, I was able to understand the multiple experiences that characterize the lives of the people in this community. Here is to my Italian and Puerto Rican families who always supported me in a land that is very different from what they call home. They encouraged me to pursue every educational opportunity possible, even when it was beyond their human understanding. This often meant sacrificing the time they spent with me and my family when they could have been doing something else. Thank you for your patience and encouragement. Finally, a most special thank you to my family, Manuel and Sara. You fill my day with love and joy. Manuel, you constantly reminded me this dissertation research was doable no matter how demanding the balance between home and work, and the relocation across the country could be. Most important, you ensured I would always remember that being a good scholar was not a betrayal of my role as a mother, but a further confirmation of it. I dedicate this dissertation to my daughter, who motivates me to continue believing in the power of education. Marialuisa Di Stefano viii CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................... iii PUBLIC ABSTRACT ................................................................................................... v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................. vi LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... x LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................... xi CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION, CONTEXT, PROBLEM, AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS .................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 Problem Statement ..........................................................................................