Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

8-1-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Curriculum & Instruction

First Advisor

Pauli Badenhorst

Second Advisor

Joy Esquierdo

Third Advisor

Jacob Neumann

Abstract

In a South Texas borderland elementary school, bilingual educators find themselves in positions to make linguistic academic decisions for their students on a daily basis. The intersections they encounter are inclusive of personal experiences as students combined with learning attained through their career and aligning to state/district expectations. Taking linguistic theories into account, teachers often try to determine which language will be of the most benefit for a student's academic journey. Therefore, teachers navigate a tension between closely implementing prescribed institutional requirements and enacting greater self-efficacy. However, little is known about teachers’ experiences and perspectives surrounding their decisions relating to self-efficacy. While this concern is relevant to teachers in general, it is especially relevant to bilingual education teachers who often have additional professional responsibilities and expectations related to their role. Consequently, this case study engages the following research question: What factors impact elementary bilingual education teachers’ preferences and decisions for enacting greater teacher efficacy in curriculum and instruction?

Comments

Copyright 2026 Monica Garza. All Rights Reserved. https://proquest.com/docview/3409002813

Download

Share

COinS