Project Description
The Transforming Academic and Cultural Identidad through Biliteracy (TACIB) project will increase mathematics and science achievement and engagement among middle school, low income, Latino students through a Community Enterprise for Mathematics and Science Learning led by faculty from California State University Fullerton’s College of Education and College of Natural Science and Mathematics, Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD), Anaheim City School District (ACSD), Discovery Science Center (DSC), and California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE). Specifically, TACIB will support a dual language (English/Spanish) approach to middle grades mathematics and science learning that draws on students’ linguistic, familial, and cultural resources to foster a strong sense of identity (identidad in Spanish) toward mathematics and science learning.
The Transforming Academic and Cultural Identidad through Biliteracy (TACIB) project will increase mathematics and science achievement and engagement among middle school, low income, Latino students through a Community Enterprise for Mathematics and Science Learning led by faculty from California State University Fullerton’s College of Education and College of Natural Science and Mathematics, Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD), Anaheim City School District (ACSD), Discovery Science Center (DSC), and California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE). Specifically, TACIB will support a dual language (English/Spanish) approach to middle grades mathematics and science learning that draws on students’ linguistic, familial, and cultural resources to foster a strong sense of identity (identidad in Spanish) toward mathematics and science learning.
Project Goals
Our project goals will be accomplished through activities that take place from August 1, 2013 through July 31, 2016. Specifically, TACIB will impact students’ learning through the following activities:
- Enhance student achievement in and identity toward science and mathematics through a dual-language approach that integrates cultural identity.
- Increase the quality and number of teachers in mathematics and science with bilingual authorization in the partner school districts.
- Increase parental engagement with and participation in student science and mathematics learning.
- Increase the capacity of an informal science institution (Discovery Science Center) to offer programs in Spanish.
- Increase university disciplinary STEM faculty awareness of and engagement with dual language educators, bilingual students, instructional strategies and curriculum issues in elementary and secondary school science and mathematics.
- Increase capacity of California State University, Fullerton to prepare bilingual teachers of science and mathematics.
Our project goals will be accomplished through activities that take place from August 1, 2013 through July 31, 2016. Specifically, TACIB will impact students’ learning through the following activities:
- California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) faculty and teachers of 7th and 8th grade mathematics and science collaborate with community partners to identify existing bilingual mathematics and science curricula, modify these materials to include both cultural elements informed by parent interviews and integrated activities combining mathematics and science, and implement the new dual language curriculum units.
- CSUF faculty and pre-service teachers work with community partners to plan interactive, extra-curricular Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) learning experiences for parents and students.
- CSUF faculty and Discovery Science Center (DSC) staff provide professional development that strengthens teachers’ content knowledge in mathematics and science.
- CSUF supports in-service and pre-service teachers of mathematics and science in earning bilingual authorization including coursework in cultural literacy and best practices for dual language instruction. We intend to apply what is learned to inform the preparation of a Math Science Partnership (MSP) implementation proposal submitted in 2016.