The changing leadership role of public school administrators in addressing the cognitive, emotional, social, and physical needs of adolescent English language learners in Arkansas.

摘要

The population of English language learners (ELLs) entering U.S. public schools has increased exponentially while their academic achievement has lagged behind that of their native English-speaking peers. Many secondary level students are entering at grade levels far below their chronological placement and are expected to simultaneously learn English language, academic literacy, core course content, and then perform successfully on a culturally biased assessment mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (2002). This has propelled the drop-out rate among ELLs.;According to Berube (2000), school and district-level administrators play a pivotal role in supporting and overseeing high quality ELL programs that emphasize both language development and content-area instruction for linguistically and culturally diverse (LCD) students. However, doing so may not be easy. Change is a phenomenon that always seems to bring out the "resistors and devotees of the status quo" (p. 113). This may be especially true for administrators in districts in south Arkansas and other remote locations, where migrant and immigrant students have just begun arriving in the past few years. Administrators, teachers, and the community as a whole have not been exposed to the new cultures and languages. The responsibility of educating the community and the new families falls on the enormous shoulders of the school district, flowing down the chain from district administrators, to principals, and finally to classroom teachers and support staff. "Meeting this challenge requires effective leadership, and administrators are probably the single most important factor in the effectiveness of a program" (Genesee, et al., 2006, p. x).;In this qualitative study, six administrators representing five districts throughout Arkansas were interviewed concerning their changing leadership roles in addressing the cognitive, emotional, social, and physical needs of adolescent English language learners. Through in-depth interviews, observations, and examination of school and district documents, the researcher investigated the attitudes, dispositions, perceptions, and knowledge of these administrators, as well as their actions in meeting these needs.;Six themes emerged and two models developed. The first model depicts the administrator's role in creating a supportive environment for ELLs by providing parent enrichment, hiring a diverse faculty and staff, and preparing students for college and career. The second model demonstrates the interrelatedness between providing on-going professional development, securing appropriate support and resources, and preparing students for college and career to create a culture of learning.;School leaders and policy makers seeking to better prepare schools and districts for the influx of ELLs will benefit from studying findings from this research. It can serve as a catalyst for the state of Arkansas and public school districts to make the necessary changes in policy to better prepare administrators, faculty, and staff in meeting the needs of adolescent ELLs.