Title:
Pathways and resources for U.S.-educated language minority (US-LM) students to promote a successful completion of freshman composition
Author:
Minah Woo
Thesis Advisor:
Christa de Kleine
Committee Member:
Daria J. Willis
Committee Member:
Mark J. Fenster
Degree Granting Institution:
Notre Dame of Maryland University--School of Education
Place:
Baltimore (Md.)
Publisher:
Notre Dame of Maryland University
Date Created:
2025
Type of Resource:
text
Genre:
thesis
Language:
eng
Format:
application/pdf
Physical Form:
electronic
Digital Source:
born digital
Abstract:
Freshman composition is a key gateway course linked to student persistence and degree completion, yet U.S.-educated language-minority (US-LM) students remain underexamined in developmental education research. As community colleges implement developmental education reforms such as multiple-measures placement and accelerated pathways into college-level English, understanding how these reforms influence US-LM students’ access and performance is increasingly important. This mixed-methods study examined how US-LM students enter and succeed in freshman composition by analyzing placement pathways, high school English preparation, course engagement, and use of academic support services, supplemented by qualitative insights from surveys and interviews. Results showed that multiple-measures placement and rigorous high school English preparation were associated with higher final grades, while limited use of academic support services and higher rates of missed assignments were negatively associated with outcomes. Qualitative findings highlighted the diversity of US-LM students’ linguistic and educational backgrounds. Students described a mix of confidence and uncertainty regarding their readiness for college writing and noted barriers such as time constraints and limited awareness of available resources. Overall, the study contributes a disaggregated analysis of US-LM students to the broader body of developmental education reform research.
Subject:
Electronic dissertations
Degree:
Doctory of Philosophy
Level:
Doctoral
Discipline:
Educational Leadership for Changing Populations
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Identifier:
WooM-25
