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and sociocultural fundamentals of second language acquisition (Chomsky, 1986; Cummins,
1981; Krashan, 1985).
Theorist Jim Cummins’ fundamental research in second language acquisition has
resulted in the further conceptualization of language proficiency (Cummins, 1981, 2000;
Gregory & Chapman, 2007). Cummins’ distinction between two levels of language proficiency
has had deep implications in the field of education, extending the shaping of pedagogy and
language development (Gibbons, 2002). Cummins (1981) formalized the terms
Basic
Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS)
and
Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency
(CALP)
in order to characterize the difference between the context-embedded social language
used in everyday contexts from the context-reduced academic language necessary to do well on
high-stakes testing in school. In order for English learners to be academically successful, they
must master academic English as well as content area concepts through exposure to rigorous
curricula (Calderón, Slavin, and Sánchez, 2011).
Therefore, school counselors and teachers are in strategic loci to be vigilant, to consider
these crucial details along with the sociocultural context of diversity within education. These
positions of teaching and school counseling facilitate partnerships when serving as true student
advocates by facilitating the design of student-specific academic plans (Nieto, 2012). While the
need for school counselors and teachers to have this understanding is clear, this study reveals the
need to fully understand collaborative partnerships between school counselors and teachers to
transform educational approaches with ELs in new, innovative ways.
Methods
This qualitative, multi-case study explored the intricate practice of how four high school
counselors facilitated the course selection process for recently-arrived English learners via
individual student planning (LeCompte & Schensul, 1999). Each participant was a recent
graduate (within five years or less) of an accredited counselor preparation program, held North
Carolina licensure in school counseling, and was monolingual. Attention was given to school
counselors’ practical display of preparedness for the task of addressing linguistic and social
complexities while facilitating English learners’ success through appropriate exposure to
language, rigor, and content curriculum through observations and open-ended interviews.
Considering these elements, qualitative analysis was employed, resulting in the thick description
of school counselors’ observed practices as well as their beliefs regarding beneficial knowledge
and skills related to addressing the linguistic and social complexities of English learners. Table 1
shows the makeup of the participant group.
Data collection and analysis occurred in multiple stages (Merriam, 1998; Miles &
Huberman, 1994). Since the purpose of this study was to examine emerging thick descriptions,
the data collection for the study allowed for systematic procedures for collecting qualitative data
through counselor consultative discussions, observations, audio recordings, and in-depth,
ethnographic-like interviews, all of which generated knowledge (Atkinson, Coffey, Delamont,
Lofland, & Lofland, 2001; Piantanida, Tananis, & Grubs, 2004; Seidman, 2006). The
researcher’s interview protocol for two 90-minute interviews per participant included questions
that resulted in participants’ expressions regarding what information they found to be helpful
while working with English learners. This protocol, ethnographically framed field notes from
four individual student planning session observations, each lasting a minimum of one hour, as