Amplifying the Voices of Long-Term English Learners: Humanizing Insights into Reclassification through the Lenses of Test-Takers

Long-term English learners (LTELs) are students who were identified as English learners (EL) when they entered U.S. schools and continue to be ELs for 5 or more years. Although many factors influence LTEL status, student performance on standardized language and achievement tests particularly shape their trajectory through school. Yet, little is known about LTELs' experiences with these assessments. Particularly, studies that amplify their voices from a qualitative perspective have largely been absent. The purpose of this dissertation was to address this gap by examining how assessments shape the experiences of LTELs. Using Figured Worlds as a framework, the paper specifically examined (a) how three focal LTELs position themselves in response to the impact of language proficiency tests at a rural high school, and (b) how these LTELs describe and react to being positioned by these tests in relation to their impact on EL reclassification. Through narrative inquiry, this dissertation tells the stories of three LTELs in a rural high school in the southeastern U.S. Semi-structured interviews and classroom observations were used as primary data sources, which were analyzed using narrative thematic analysis. Analysis illustrated these standardized assessments acted as gatekeeping mechanisms that ignored and neglected to acknowledge and value the status of advanced ELs in the Figured World of LTELization. In response to their LTEL status and the role that mandated tests played in maintaining this status, each respondent demonstrated varying levels of resourcefulness and agency. Their counter-narrative showed how they understood and reacted to a system that overwhelmingly generated LTELs through standardized tests by overlooking their resources. Ultimately, the findings point at the presence of a system at Upper Creek High School which was designed to not service ELs well and to not help them attain high academic achievement and linguistic proficiency. Thus, these LTELs' aspirations and demonstrations of agency were mainly an act of survival rather than an indication of thriving in the program. Overall, the findings have critical implications for in-service teacher training and future research on the social consequences of language assessment. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]