Considering Linguistically Responsive Instruction in University: A Case Study

• In Event: Understanding and Teaching Linguistically Diverse Students

Abstract

As the US student body becomes increasingly diverse, educators from the P-16 landscape have needed to respond to this diversity. One initiative designed for lower-grades English Learners has been linguistically responsive instruction (LRI), but little research has been done on how LRI might be enacted at tertiary levels. This case study investigates the instructional practices of an experienced and native-English-speaking mathematics instructor of undergraduate international students to better understand how LRI might look in university contexts. Findings show that this instructor exhibited many consistencies of LRI; furthermore, her practice raised questions about the use of conversational and academic varieties of language as well as what makes language “accessible” at tertiary levels. Suggestions for faculty development are included.

Authors

• Meghan Odsliv Bratkovich, University of South Florida - Tampa

• Paige Eplin, University of South Florida - Tampa

• Inanc Karagoz, University of South Florida - Tampa