Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

5-1-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Curriculum & Instruction

First Advisor

Noushin Nouri

Second Advisor

Uma Ganesan

Third Advisor

Elena Venegas

Abstract

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESOL)-certified elementary teachers as they fostered critical thinking among emergent bilingual (EB) students in grades 3–5 science classrooms. Grounded in culturally responsive pedagogy, translanguaging, funds of knowledge, and critical thinking theory, the study examined how teachers made sense of instructional decision-making and EB students’ scientific reasoning within accountability-driven educational contexts.

Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with elementary teachers serving emergent bilingual students in South Texas public schools. Phenomenological analysis was used to identify shared meanings across participants’ descriptions of instructional practices, language use, and institutional influences on science instruction.

Findings indicated that teachers experienced EB students’ critical thinking as emerging through intentional instructional design rather than isolated strategies. Participants described translanguaging, instructional scaffolding, inquiry-based learning, and culturally grounded instruction as central to supporting scientific reasoning while maintaining cognitive rigor. Teachers also identified persistent challenges related to language-intensive assessments, rigid pacing structures, and limited science-specific professional development, which often shifted responsibility for equitable instruction onto individual teacher agency.

The essence of teachers’ lived experiences reflected a tension between professional commitment and systemic constraint. While EB students were described as capable and analytically sophisticated thinkers, access to high-quality science instruction was experienced as uneven and dependent on individual teacher initiative. The study underscores the need for coherent instructional, preparation, and policy supports to sustain linguistically responsive and cognitively rigorous science instruction for emergent bilingual learners.

Comments

Copyright 2026 Lydia S. Ratel. All Rights Reserved. https://proquest.com/docview/3371103993

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