Maria Torres
Describe what brought you to this research:
During the beginning weeks of my yearlong fieldwork placement, I learned that the administration at my fieldwork site (high school in San Diego County) was in the process of identifying the needs of their ELL population in hopes of better supporting their personal/social development and educational experiences. Their ultimate goal was to create a culture of academic success in the school. Though there were effective efforts being made in supporting the students academically, through a peer-tutoring program, their personal/social development needed additional support. Research suggests that counselors can be critical contributors to the schooling experiences, successes, and failures of English language learner’s in the U.S. Also, school counselors can play a vital role in supporting ELL students through small group counseling. According to one researcher, “group work may be the best way of assisting ELL Latino/a students within a school setting, helping students come to grips with their identities, fears, and concerns, while developing effective and useful ways of coping with negative experiences and emotions related to the school environment.” As a school counselor in training, I felt that the use of small group interventions could deepen my understanding of the ELL population in their context and help me strengthen my knowledge and skills in finding creative solutions and strategies for supporting ELL students in a high school setting.
What was your specific research question?
How can I best support English Language Learner (ELL) Latino/ Latina students in relation to their personal/social and academic development?
What are you currently doing as a credentialed practitioner?
I currently hold a new position at a charter middle school in San Diego, as the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Coordinator- very similar to a school counselor’s role - specifically focusing on social-emotional skills. The school is a unique place, as it is a renowned project based learning (PBL) charter school. A colleague and USD Alumnae, Emily Maestas, proposed a comprehensive counseling program during her yearlong fieldwork placement during which she too engaged in action research. Thanks to all her efforts and dedication, I have been given the opportunity to develop and establish a counseling program at this special PBL charter school.
Supporting English Language Learners Using Action Research
Abstract
According to the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language Instruction Educational Programs (2010), our nations’ schools now serve more than five million students who are English language learners, with nearly 85% of them being native Spanish speakers. Yet there still remains a dearth of information on the most effective interventions targeting the needs of this growing population. This study used action research as a tool to better understand and support English Language Learner (ELL) Latino/Latina students in relation to their personal/social and academic development. A mixed-method approach was used to guide implementation of, and to assess the impact of, a 10-week group counseling intervention focused on supporting a group of ELL Latino/Latina students at a comprehensive public high school. The study involved two cycles with focused attention on personal practice. Findings and implications were shared in my presentation at an action research conference in May 2013.
To explore more of Maria's action research, see the file provided below:
