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Dissertation
Northwestern Florida Teachers' Perception of the Academic Success of Military-Connected English-Language-Learners
University of West Florida Libraries
Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida
2024
Abstract
Despite all efforts to close the achievement gap between English-Language-Learners (ELLs) and non-ELLs, ELLs continue to perform at a lower level than their non-ELL peers. One reason associated with this discrepancy is anxiety. Another group of students struggling with academics are military-connected students. However, military-connected students’ performance records are stable and often high-performing despite any anxiety their military lifestyle may cause. Therefore, military life may influence military-connected ELLs’ academic success and performance levels. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive phenomenological study was to explore elementary and middle school teachers’ perceptions of the academic success of military- connected ELLs at a school district in Northwestern Florida. Krashen’s (1981) affective filter hypothesis and its four variables of self-confidence, self-image, motivation, and anxiety, served as the appropriate framework for this study.
The sample population comprised five public elementary and middle school teachers who provided insight into their perceptions of military-connected ELLs’ academic success through semistructured web-based interviews. The data revealed these major findings: the participants perceived military, teacher, and family support as having a positive impact on self-confidence, self-image, anxiety, and motivation, all of which are key factors in the affective filter impacting the intake of comprehensible input leading to successful learning. This study concluded that participants perceived military life as positively impacting military-connected ELLs’ academic success. Future research should focus on a broader sample allowing for the differentiation between military-connected ELLs’ home language and between military-connected ELLs’ parent’s military status and rank.
Details
- Title
- Northwestern Florida Teachers' Perception of the Academic Success of Military-Connected English-Language-Learners
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Contributors
- Mark MM Malisa (Committee Chair)Joseph R Herzog (Committee Member) - University of West Florida, Usha Kundu, MD College of Health
- Publisher
- University of West Florida Libraries
- Format
- pdf
- Number of pages
- 211
- Copyright
- Unpublished work © Kim Andrea Webb
- Identifiers
- 99380569897006600
- Academic Unit
- School of Education
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- Education; University of West Florida; Doctor of Education (EDD)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida