How Harmful Is Segregation? The Consequences of Linguistic Segregation for Bangla- and Spanish-Speaking Students

• In Event: 14.045 - Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: 14.045-8 - Pedagogical Practices for Teachers of Bi- and Multiliterate Students

Abstract

The harms of racial segregation within schools have been long documented, however the impact of isolating English learner (EL) immigrant students is contested. In this paper, I highlight the variation in educational experiences between Bangla- and Spanish- speaking immigrant ELs within the same school to delineate factors that shape the consequences of linguistic segregation. I argue that teacher quality, program design, and the demographic make-up of the US-born student body influences to what extent segregation disadvantages an immigrant EL student population. This study draws upon a one-year ethnography of a public middle school.

Author

• Rachel Garver, Montclair State University