Padilla Amado M, Chen Xinjie, Swanson Elizabeth M, Mercado-Garcia Diana
Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (SAR), China.
Front Psychol. 2025 Aug 29;16:1562699. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1562699. eCollection 2025.
Research on Long Term English Learners (LTEL), especially their negative academic outcomes is extensive, but Early Reclassified Fluent English Proficient (E-RFEP) students and their potential benefits are largely underexplored. This study analyzed longitudinal data for 13 years (kindergarten through 12th grade) from 1,152 students classified as English Learner (ELs) when they entered kindergarten in three elementary school (K-8) districts, tracking their academic outcomes through middle and high school. Findings show: (1) significant variation in reclassification timing; (2) demographic and socioeconomic factors were significant predictors of E-RFEP, including parent education, ethnicity, and gender; (3) E-RFEP contributed to higher academic achievement compared to LTEL peers and a comparison group of English only (EO) students. This work contributed to balancing the heavy focus on the languishing of LTELs and highlighted the flourishing of E-RFEP. Findings provided evidence-based implications for educators and policy makers on the current assessment and instructional practices for reclassification, as well as needed support for LTEL students to prosper academically.
关于长期英语学习者（LTEL）的研究，尤其是他们负面的学业成果，已有大量研究，但早期重新归类为英语流利 proficient（E-RFEP）的学生及其潜在益处却在很大程度上未得到充分探索。本研究分析了来自三个小学（幼儿园至八年级）学区的1152名幼儿园入学时被归类为英语学习者（EL）的学生长达13年（从幼儿园到十二年级）的纵向数据，跟踪他们在初中和高中阶段的学业成果。研究结果表明：（1）重新归类时间存在显著差异；（2）人口统计学和社会经济因素是E-RFEP的重要预测因素，包括家长教育程度、种族和性别；（3）与LTEL同龄人以及仅学英语（EO）学生的对照组相比，E-RFEP有助于取得更高的学业成就。这项工作有助于平衡对LTEL学业停滞的过度关注，并突出了E-RFEP的学业进步。研究结果为教育工作者和政策制定者提供了基于证据的启示，涉及当前重新归类的评估和教学实践，以及为LTEL学生在学业上取得成功所需的支持。
