Date Approved

5-6-1996

Embargo Period

9-7-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. in Learning Disabilities

Department

Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education

College

College of Education

Advisor

Urban, Stanley

Subject(s)

Education, Bilingual; Elementary school teachers--Attitudes; Mainstreaming in education

Disciplines

Disability and Equity in Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if regular education teachers have lower expectations for bilingual students who have been in bilingual programs than for bilingual students who have not. Also, will the expectations of the teachers change as the teacher becomes more familiar with the student?

The sample consisted of twenty elementary classroom teachers from five different elementary schools. A teacher rating scale was devised to identify student behaviors in the following areas: Educational, Social Skills, Behavior, and Home. During the second week of school, each teacher was asked to complete the rating sheet on two students. One student who was identified as a bilingual education student and one which was identified as not having been in a bilingual education program. At the end of sixty days, the teachers were asked to rate the same students again.

The study concluded that the teachers rated the bilingual education student lower, indicating lower expectations for them than for students who were not in bilingual education. However, over time, ratings improved as the teachers became more familiar with the students.

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