{"id":2999,"date":"2019-11-21T17:21:49","date_gmt":"2019-11-21T17:21:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.umflint.edu\/cas\/?p=2999"},"modified":"2024-07-12T16:11:02","modified_gmt":"2024-07-12T16:11:02","slug":"research-and-advocacy-m-a-in-english-student-bianca-ramirez","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.umflint.edu\/case\/2019\/11\/21\/research-and-advocacy-m-a-in-english-student-bianca-ramirez\/","title":{"rendered":"Research and Advocacy: M.A. in English Student Bianca Ramirez"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Bianca Ramirez presented research at the Michigan TESOL Conference Nov. 1-2. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tutor. Translator. Advocate. Those are a lot of hats for anyone to wear, particularly when it’s all part of your job description. Such is this case for Bianca Ramirez, an English Language Learner (ELL) Facilitator for Genesee Intermediate School District and student in the M.A. in English program<\/a> at UM-Flint. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her role as an ELL Facilitator, Bianca attends classes with students whose English skills range from none at all to being nearly fluent. She translates what the teacher is saying, helps them with assignments, and ensures they have access to the resources they need to succeed. In the course of her work, Bianca noticed that some teachers were uncomfortable when interacting with students who had differing English abilities – if they interacted with them at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“With one of my mentors, Melojeane Zawilinski, we came up with the term ‘ghost racism,'” Bianca explains. “You can’t understand, you can’t hear, you can’t teach. Some teachers don’t want these kids in the classroom, and they try to push them out. It happens – it happened to me as a kid – so that’s what led me to my research.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bianca with faculty mentor Melojeane Zawilinski<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bianca’s research took the form of interviewing teachers. Some had English language learner students in their classrooms, some never had. When synthesizing her interview results with existing literature, Bianca was able to make several recommendations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n