Queen's University Belfast

Day, Carol

Part-time PhD student

Year of entry: 2010

Thesis Title: Low incidence EAL students and their academic literacy in the mainstream secondary classroom.

Summary of research: This research relates to the current state of policy on and provision for academic literacy for EAL students in the mainstream secondary classroom, focusing on 'low incidence' provision (where this refers to less than 6% of the school population). Policy for such students historically has been aspirational and vulnerable to the impact of societal shifts. The research is grounded in Sociocultural Theory and SLS (Second Language Acquisition). It also encompasses an examination of current thinking on cultural pluralism and social justice. Australia and Canada, as major Anglophone countries and net 'receivers' of immigrants, have functioning legislation but are experiencing problems with implementation: "at the level of policy, contemporary multiculturalism became an unfinished and somewhat disappointing social, economic and cultural experiment". (Burnett and McArdle 2008). The research will seek to explore current provision, perceptions of provision, and stated policy aims through the lens of EAL students and their teachers in the mainstream classroom.

Research Centre: Centre for Shared Education

Supervisors: Dr Aisling O'Boyle, Prof Joanne Hughes