Presentation Title:
Building agency for newcomer students through choices and opportunities

Presentation Options: Onsite

Presentation Strand: Advocacy

Presentation Delivery Language: English

Description:

Newcomer students in the U.S. are a growing population in schools. Services for these students need to go beyond regular instruction in the classroom. Aldine ISD will share the benefits of the Newcomer Empowerment Initiative and Summer Creative Writing Workshop and its impact on building newcomer students’ agency

Abstract:

Newcomer students “enter the U.S. school system with varying English and Spanish speaking /reading abilities, and educational experiences (Crea et al., 2017; Cranitch, 2010)” and, because of this, need additional linguistic support to access English only curricula. “Due to funding and ideological constraints, few school systems have the adequate resources to integrate and educate newcomer youth (Berger Cardoso, 2016; Crea, Lopez, Hasson, Evans, Palleschi & Underwood, 2018)” making it a critical issue for districts to think creatively in order to serve these students. Aldine ISD, is one of the largest districts in Houston, Texas with over 60,000 students, 45% of which are Emergent Bilingual students, with 12% of these being newcomers in their first three years in the United States. In the past two years, the district has created systems of wrap-around supports that can help secondary newcomer students engage in content instruction and learn about the benefits of high school graduation, college and career opportunities, biliteracy and sociocultural competence, and personal leadership and development. “Research suggests that Latino immigrant students perform better academically when they have greater cultural (Perreira et al., 2006) and social capital (Monkman, 2005; Stanton-Salazar, 2001; Stanton Salazar & Dornbusch, 1995)”, and in collaboration with Dr. Jose Luis Zelaya, the district will share the benefits of the Newcomer Empowerment Initiative and Summer Creative Writing Workshop, and its impact on building newcomer students’ agency.

Presentation Types: Academic-50m

Target Audience: K - 16

Primary Presenter's Telephone: 281.985.7370

Confirm your Participation: Yes I will present

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Christine Kujawa