EDPD 501: Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners

Welcome to the  EDPD 501: Introduction to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners Infoguide

Use this guide to locate resources for your course assignments.​ See the boxes below for course assignments and other education infoguides.

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Equity Issue Paper and Presentation
This project provides the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of the history, research, policy and current practices in ESOL as it applies to an equity issue related to this course as well as the impact of the equity issue on non-majority group learners in your own classroom or your fieldwork school.  Identify a salient issue in your school (i.e., systemic racism, stereotyping, bias, lack of access to programs, placement in special education); review the research in education field and identify two strategies to address this issue in your classroom or school.  Create an action plan for implementation to resolve or address the issue.

• Identify an issue of interest to you and of importance in your school.  This issue may be one that emerges naturally as a topic on which you would like to focus additional attention.
• Do some background reading on studies of the issue in other settings, the impact of discriminatory processes, and other information related to your topic/issue.  Use our course readings as a starting point.
• You can also use this infoguide (https://infoguides.gmu.edu/EDPD501) and the GMU library online databases at http://library.gmu.edu/ for additional information.
• Synthesize your findings for Section I of your paper.
• Begin to use your findings to reflect on your school.
• Think about how the issue is or is not being addressed and how members of the non-majority group may be affected. Begin to write up your observations and reflections for Section II.
• Identify two strategies, activities or programs that could be used in your setting.
• Based on your research, create an action plan that could be implemented in your school and share with institutional leaders, colleagues or classmates. Seek and receive their feedback. Write up these ideas in Section III.
• After receiving feedback, write a Section IV for your paper, noting and evaluating their feedback and reflecting on how their suggestions may relate to improving the quality of education for CLD in your school and elsewhere. 
• Carefully proofread and provide citations for all professional literature consulted.
• See syllabus for complete description

The purpose of the presentation is to build awareness and knowledge across issue groups, so that your peers who have focused on other areas can benefit from what you have learned and improve their own development as teachers. Your Equity Paper presentation should provide

• an overview of your issue,
• including key findings,
• problems identified in your school or workplace,
• possible solutions,
• suggestions from your colleagues,
• and your own reflections/conclusions and recommendations.
• A list of online resources should be provided to share.