Final Cip Jordan 2014

RUNNING HEAD: QUESTIONING HOMEWORK AND REVEALING CULTURE 1
Cultural Inquiry Study

Leyla R. Jordan
George Mason University
5-4-2014

QUESTIONING HOMEWORK AND REVEALING CULTURE

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Abstract
What reasons explain why some students complete homework, and others do
not? I set out to investigate why native Spanish-speakers complete less homework
than their peers, but instead found that a host of individual differences explain more
about homework habits than does ones language background. Triangulating
gradebook data, student feedback, and colleague collaborations throughout the critical
inquiry process revealed many opportunities to improve the types of homework
assignments in our class, but involving students in the discussion and design of
homework was perhaps the most enlightening experience that has helped me to know
my students better as learners and individuals.


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Puzzlement and background
As I walk up and down the 6 rows of desks in my Spanish 7-8 Honors classroom,
checking homework as I do at the beginning of every class, I have come to know which
students regularly do homework and those that do not. I appreciate the students who
have anticipated my visit and have laid out their homework for me to see. Many
students are attentive and eager to present their homework, while others are less
enthusiastic but still cooperative. Those that usually have their homework and are
extremely apologetic about when they do miss an assignment on the rare occasion they
forget. Then there are others who do homework infrequently and demonstrate another
variety of responses. Some barely acknowledge me as I ask about their homework or
are apathetic in their response. Sometimes I can hear a quality in their voice that I
interpret as a disregard for homework as if it was never a consideration for them to
attempt the assignment. It was those responses that sparked my curiosity as to why
students were not completing their homework.
I was perplexed by how students with prior experience with the language would
let their advantage go to waste on poor work habits as I realized that most of my
students whose grade suffered most from lack of homework completion are native
Spanish speakers. I was eager to find out why students were not engaging in their
homework and curious to know if their homework habits reflect their overall learning
habits. If I can find out what is preventing students from completing their homework
then I can create supports to help them. I still ask all students for their homework, even

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those that I have come to assume will not have it. Not asking would mean that I dont
hold them all to the same standard. I expect all students to complete their homework
assignments because it is important to practice the skills learned in class in order to aid
language acquisition. I want students to complete their homework for practice, but also
to find their assignments meaningful and engaging. To find out more about my
students opinions about homework I surveyed my seventh period class using a
homework questionnaire.
Michel Foucault (1970) states that knowledge is not found but constructed, so the
first step in gaining knowledge about student homework preferences was to solicit
student feedback though a homework questionnaire (Appendix A). This tool, as
Gonzalez suggests, is a guide rather than a protocol for suggesting possible areas to
explore and incorporate previous knowledge into formulating new questions (1995).
The results of the questionnaire reveal areas of improvement where I can intervene to
help students. I can compare student perspectives to my own and assert my
observations and about students homework habits to uncover my assumptions. What I
learn about my students views will be used to create actions that support greater
academic achievement for all students.
My Spanish 7-8 Honors class is for students in their fourth year of language
study, or students that have advanced placement due to prior knowledge of the Spanish
language. According to the gradebook of 165 total students, 43% are native Spanish-
speakers. In seventh period with 21 students, 75% are native Spanish speakers who

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demonstrate less than 70% homework completion while the nonnative students
complete 80% or more of their homework assignments. In this class students have
varying amounts of experience studying Spanish in a classroom setting. I have 1 first
year student, 1 fifth year student, 11 second year students, and 8 students are in their
fourth year of language study. Students enrolled in Spanish 7-8 Honors who are only in
their second year of study have taken placement tests administered prior to the start of
the school year. Among seventh period students, five students speak only English at
home and three students speak only Spanish at home, so most students come from
dual language home environments. Among students with more than one language
spoken at home, four students speak Spanish 50% of and four students speak Spanish
more than 50% of the time. All students, except for two, have access to a computer and
Internet at home. Regarding their future plans, nineteen students report they plan to
attend a college or university after graduating from Point Loma High School. One plans
to move and is not sure, and another two students will either attend a college or
university or plan to start working. Eleven students have parents that attended school
beyond high school and four of these students have parents who attended school
outside of the US. Lastly, ten students have one or both parents/guardians who are not
educated beyond high school.
Perhaps the most unexpected findings from the responses to background
questions were learning that many students have parents that did not pursue education
beyond high school. Even though many students have parents that did not attend a
college or university almost all students plan to do so themselves. It seems that

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students are able to set their own academic goals that are supported by the schools
culture even though a students home culture may differ. Students can advocate for
their own academic futures independent of their parents experience. However, I do
question the effect of the importance placed on education in homes with parents who
did not attend a college or university. I am also curious about the expectations parents
have for students, and the expectations that students have of themselves as language
learners. Before administering the homework questionnaire I did not consider that
students might be struggling to balance expectations from their school and home
cultures. Also, because nearly half of students in class are native Spanish speakers I
wonder how they see themselves as Spanish students. How do their expectations
compare to mine? What is their knowledge about their current abilities and their areas
of strength and weakness? And, does their prior experience with the Spanish language
encourage students to be more or less engaged and interested? All of these budding
questions will guide me to answers that will reveal further questions as I set out to
become a more critically reflective and culturally responsive teacher.
Cultural Questions
3.1 How might my beliefs be contributing to the puzzling situation?
This question will allow me to determine if my belief that native Spanish speakers
complete less homework than their peers is an assumption or an actual area of need. I
want to know if other Spanish teachers share this opinion and how subscribing to this

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belief might influence my approach and interaction with these students? I also want to
understand students views on homework. Are their expectations for themselves as
language learners similar to or different from my own as their teacher? I will use this
question to help guide me in discovering the preventative measures can I put in place,
and the remediation and recourse can I provide to struggling students with regards to
their homework.
3.2. How might aspects of the schools culture be contributing to the puzzling
situation?
About half of my seventh period students are native Spanish speakers. How
does having prior experience with the language influence learning? In addition, most
native speakers are former English Language Learners that have been reclassified after
having achieved above below basic on California standardized tests. While it is good
that many ELL students are achieving higher test scores they are also disadvantaged
because being reclassified means they no longer have access to the many supports
that are still essential to their learning across the curriculum. Is it possible to implement
practices that are helpful for all students in developing healthy homework habits and
improving overall academic achievement?
3.5. How might individual students cultural negotiations be contributing to the
puzzling situation?

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Because so many of my students speak Spanish at home and have parents that
did not achieve university level education I want to know more about the academic
expectations for students according to themselves, their parents, and the school. These
factors play into motivation, engagement, and participation, and will likely influence
homework completion. I also want to know whether students who have prior experience
with the Spanish language have differing levels of engagement on homework
assignments. I intend to learn more about the home and school culture of my students
and invite students to participate in this conversation about homework.
Literature Review
Throughout this study I have learned to embrace the research process by
creating questions, investigating and collecting data, reviewing literature, drawing
conclusions, and creating new questions. I have learned that some questions have
multiple dimensions that are important to understand and that not every question has
one right answer. My inquiry is rooted in culture, a dynamic and complex concept that
is not always visible at the surface of many situations. There are several researchers
who have contributed to my deeper understanding about my learners and culture. I will
draw upon their findings on the role of language and language acquisition, creating a
supportive network for students academic success, interest and motivation, and some
additional factors influencing homework to further my understanding.
The role of language and language acquisition

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Maria de la Luz Reyes (2012) believes that native languages should be treated
as aids for learning. According to Reyes, 21
st
century schools should have the goal of
graduating all students as biliterate with an interest and appreciation for multilingualism
and multiliteracy. She supports that cultural affirmation is a key ingredient to academic
success. Her suggestions are especially relevant to the common core standards
recently adopted by the state of California and her insight will be useful in developing
meaningful homework assignments.
Place and Hoff (2011) studied diaries of language exposure and development
from 29 Spanish-English bilinguals and determined that childrens skill level in each
language were related to how much of their language exposure was in those languages.
As a result, vocabulary and grammatical development can be encouraged with more
input. This characteristic of language acquisition is an important consideration when
creating homework that gives students experience with vocabulary and grammar
structures.
Short & Fitzsimmons (2007) studied English Language Learners and the
challenges that lead to high risk for educational failure. They investigate six problems
and pose solutions in response to the urgent need to support ELL learning in a nation
with an increasingly diverse population. Many of my students that were previously
English Language Learners could still benefit from instructional practices recommended
Short and Fitzsimmons, which include integrating all four communication skills into
instruction, teaching reading and writing strategies, and building and activating
background knowledge.

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Activating a support network for students
The best way to encourage homework completion for struggling students is to
provide a network of support. Heath (1982) believes teachers, parents, and the school
community should be involved in advancing understanding about use of language in the
classroom. She believes that if change agents, namely teachers and parents, are
willing and involved, that knowledge about language can be shared between the school
and community. I want to activate school resources to create more helpful opportunities
to scaffold student learning through homework.
Olivos (2010) supports the integration and engagement of parents, families, and
communities as necessary components for the educational attainment and success of
bicultural students. He points out that for bicultural students, their foreign-born Latino
parents are often detached from their childrens education although parental
involvement ranks among the highest factors that most positively affect their academic
performance. How does Point Loma engage parents who speak languages other than
English? What services and support is available to them, and what opportunities to
create stronger community ties exist?
Interest and motivation
According to the results of the homework survey, 3 students are highly
motivated, 15 are somewhat motivated, and 3 students are not motivated to do
homework. The daily practice that students receive through homework is an important
part of facilitating language acquisition. Place & Hoff (2011) studied dual language
exposure and bilingual proficiency in children. Their research proved that childrens skill

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level in each language were related to how much of their language expose was in those
languages and that more language experience results in more rapid language
development. Finally, they found that vocabulary development depends on the amount
of input. According to their findings, homework should help students gain exposure to
the language and improve their vocabulary.
Drnyei and Chan (2013) suggest that L2 motivation is a function of language
learners vision of their desired future language selves, dependent on learners
capability to generate mental imagery. This observation may be useful in gaining a
better understanding for where Spanish students see themselves in the continuum of
language acquisition. At least one third of period seven students see themselves as
language learners on a path toward fluency. Findings by Drnyei and Chan encourage
me to incorporate the students vision of their future self as a speaker of Spanish in
order to motivate them academically. This could be achieved by creating a lesson in
which students explore their career field of interest to learn about how they can use
Spanish in their future.
Joyce Epstein and Frances Voorhis (2001) recognize homework as one indicator
of successful schools and successful students. They review the purposes of homework
and draw from research to understand how homework completion, time on homework,
and parental involvement affect the teachers role in the homework process.
Recognizing the factors that help and hinder homework completion will be helpful to
develop preventative measures to help students take responsibility for completing their
homework and intervention methods for students who fall behind.

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Hefer Bembenutty (2011) examines the role of self-regulation of learning on
assigned homework. His findings indicate that positive relationships exist between
homework activities and self-efficacy, responsibility for learning, and a range of self-
regulation skills that facilitate academic achievement. Factors that Bembenutty
investigates include goal setting, time management, managing the environment,
maintaining attention as well as maladaptive behaviors that students engage in order to
cope with homework demands. Understanding how students manage their homework
successfully is important to helping them develop a good work ethic.
Influences on homework habits
Jianzhong Xu (2011) uses multi-level analysis to test models of variables used to
predict homework completion at the secondary school level. In a survey of 1,046
students he found most of the variance in homework completion occurred at the student
level, with parent education and teacher feedback being two prominent influences. A
closer look at my students reveals that many of their parents did not receive education
beyond the high school level. Considering this characteristic of many students, and the
amount of teacher feedback provided to students will help to improve current homework
assignments.
Sylvia Martinez (2011) agrees that homework is positively associated with higher
academic achievement but looks closer at minority student achievement to determine
that some of the reasons that Latinos do not complete their homework assignments due
to a lack of motivation, problems with time management, and feeling overwhelmed with
the amount of homework assigned. She notes that these challenges are compounded

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by the lack of parental support for help. She uses student interviews to collect
information that led her to recommend homework help and culturally responsive
teaching practices that are applicable to the Spanish 7-8 Honors classroom.
Action Plan
To help students develop better homework habits I first had to learn more about
them as learners as I examined my own assumptions. My first belief was that native
Spanish-speakers complete less homework than their non-native peers. I have some
native speakers who complete homework so infrequently that I started to assume they
would not have their assignment for me before I even asked them for their homework.
This assumption bothered me, as I felt that I wasnt holding each student to the highest
standard even though the gradebook did reinforce my assumption with higher
homework completion rates for nonnative speakers compared to those with prior
language experience. I knew there must be more to understand about my students that
were not completing homework. Administering a homework survey allowed me to
collect personal information about my students home life and language experience. I
learned about their preferences for our homework assignments and their perspective of
themselves as language students. By collecting this information for the purpose of this
study it became obvious to me that knowing more about them early on is critical to
support the learning habits they develop thought the year. For this reason, the first
action I plan to implement is creating a student homework profile.
Student homework profile

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Administering the homework survey revealed the diversity of my students home
life. For example, I realized that many of my students came from families where one or
both parents did not complete education beyond high school. Additionally, I assumed
that my Spanish-speaking students are from lower socioeconomic families without
access to the Internet or a computer but found that they do in fact have equitable
access to the same resources as other students. I was able to peer into a window of
experience of what it is like to be a student on a continuum of language learning.
Students shared their likes and dislikes, explained their nonperformance on homework,
and evaluated the role of homework from their perspective. After entering into a
dialogue with my students about homework in our class I sense a more cohesive
teamwork dynamic to our relationship. Students have shared likes and dislikes with the
purpose of improving our class and I plan to use their feedback to help support
homework habits that reinforce their learning. Developing a student homework profile is
an effective tool I can implement that takes a proactive approach to encouraging
homework completion while allowing students more opportunities for teacher feedback
in monitoring their progress.
A homework profile is a document that contains information about the students
personal information, homework habits, and observational notes. Every student will
create a homework profile during the first week of school. This profile is an ongoing
record maintained by the teacher that facilitates communication between the student,
teacher, and parents when necessary. Each student will fill in their personal

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information, which includes other languages spoken at home, technology and resources
available, and parental involvement with homework. A section of this document will also
require the parent or guardian to provide their contact information and signature. This
spreadsheet will be used to keep track of homework completion and it will be used to
indicate when teacher intervention is necessary. According to this model, the teacher
will intervene by communicating with the student when three missing assignments are
noted. The teacher will verbally acknowledge the missing assignments and give the
student a pass for an afterschool appointment to make up their work. Failure to attend
this appointment will result in a phone call home to the parents and all actions will be
documented on the students homework profile. More details of the student homework
profile will be designed according to the areas of need revealed by a homework survey
administered to seventh period students.
There are variable reasons why students in seventh period do not complete
homework. In our class study, six students dont do homework because they dont
understand the assignment, ten do not have time, six do not have help to complete the
assignment, and others either forgot, found the homework uninteresting, or opted to
complete homework from another class. It will be important to know why each student
is not completing their homework so part of the verbal intervention between teacher and
student will be to note the reason for incomplete work within the students homework
profile. Interestingly, Xu (2011) found that perceived teacher control (ex: checking
homework) was a statistically significant predictor of homework effort at the student

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level, implying that teacher monitoring may plan in important role in homework
completion. In addition to checking homework daily, the homework profile is intended to
be a tool for reinforcing positive homework behaviors and alerting teacher and student
to negative habits. Hopefully by tracking homework completion more carefully, students
will develop consistent homework habits to that will benefit their overall learning.
Rethinking the role of homework
Data collected from the PowerSchool gradebook and homework survey indicates
native Spanish-speaking students complete less homework than non-native Spanish
speakers. I initially ascribed a lack of homework completion to my assumptions that
somehow students with prior knowledge of Spanish might not have as much interest in
learning the language. The data I collected from the homework survey did not indicate
that native Spanish-speakers find learning Spanish more or less interesting than their
peers. I also suspected that my native Spanish-speakers come from lower socio-
economic families, which might result in fewer resources and less academic support at
home. Interestingly however, homework survey revealed that almost all students have
equitable access to a computer and Internet. And while the most notable trend among
native and non-native speakers was that significantly fewer parents of native Spanish
speakers had pursued education beyond high school, the most frequently mention
reason for students not completing homework was that they did not make time for their
assignments, and not that they did not have support from their parents for help. The
results of the homework survey proved that my assumptions did not in fact have any

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bearing on students actual homework completion and these findings lead me to view
homework independently of any cultural differences. Instead, it is worthwhile to focus
on one of the main reasons why students do not complete their homework, which is that
they do not engage with the assignment. Taking action to rewrite the homework section
of the syllabus will help students to understand that homework plays an important role in
the language learning process.
Rewrite homework section of syllabus and goal setting
The course syllabus outlines the requirements and expectation for homework. In
the current syllabus I use I can see how easily a student might overlook this section that
explains the percentage of the overall grade that homework is worth, the late homework
policy, and suggests only a few resources. In the last academic school year I managed
to introduce our course without explaining the expectations for homework and I did not
clearly define the role of homework in our language learning process. I realize that I
assumed that either students understood homework expectations or were responsible
for the information contained in the syllabus. Reflecting upon these assumptions I held
makes it apparent that not all upper level students have developed homework habits
and that not every student had read the syllabus. In order to be more explicit in
communicating to students the role of homework in our class I will rewrite the homework
section of the Spanish 7-8 syllabus to clearly explain homework expectations, the type
of assignments students will have, homework help information, and more substantial
resources for students.

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In addition to clarifying the role of homework by modifying the syllabus it is also
worthwhile to set homework goals with students. Bembenutty (2011) notes that for
students to be successful in homework completion, learners need to be self regulated
by setting homework goals, selecting appropriate learning strategies, maintaining
motivation, monitoring progress, and evaluating homework outcomes. Setting
homework goals will requires students to make a commitment to completing through
setting a goal and monitoring their progress to achieve that goal. The student
homework profile will be a valuable tool that will help students and teachers monitor
progress.
Homework help afterschool
In a study involving student interviews on homework routines, Martinez (2011)
found that Latino students spend less time per week completing homework assignments
compared to all students on average due to problems with time management, lack of
motivation, and feeling overwhelmed by the amount of homework they must complete.
She mentions an additional challenge for Latino students in seeking help for work at
home is their parents difficulty with the English language. For any students struggling
to complete their assignments, extra opportunities can be created to support healthy
homework habits. Bembenutty (2011) also observes that often learners use a variety of
ineffective strategies to deal with threats to their self-worth when they are unable or
unwilling to complete their homework assignments. He identifies some of these
maladaptive behaviors that include making excuses, procrastination, setting
unrealistically low expectation known as defensive pessimism, and misregulating

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actions and beliefs, which prevents them from completing a task. By offering homework
help each week after school, students can improve their self-regulation and time
management skills. The homework survey indicates five students complete homework
4-5 times per week, eight students complete homework 3-4 times per week, six
students complete homework 2-3 times per week, one student completes 1-2
assignments, and another completes 0-1 assignments per week. Additionally, six
students would complete homework if they committed to a regular time each day for
doing homework and four would complete homework if they had someone to help them
understand the assignment, and six others would complete homework if there were time
in school to complete homework. Homework help sessions can help students build a
positive relationship between homework and self-regulation skills that facilitate
academic achievement and performance.
Modify homework assignments
Epstein (2011) reports the results of research on homework completion are such
that teachers have a responsibility to select or design assessments that are purposeful,
engaging, and of high quality so that students of all grade levels take the time they need
to complete their assignments. Another way of supporting student homework habits is
to create assignments that are meaningful, interesting, engaging, and accessible to all
students. Students are more likely to complete homework assignments they value so it
is important to create assignments that are meaningful to them. Bembenutty mentions
that meaningful homework assignments are ones that enrich the school curriculum by

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challenging students to think deeply about important questions, apply their knowledge
and skills toward solving genuine problems, and creating authentic products that will be
used in meaningful ways (2011). Data collected from the homework survey indicates
three students believe homework is meaningful, eleven feel it is somewhat meaningful,
four think it is not very meaningful, and four believe homework is not at all meaningful or
helpful in learning what the student needs to know to do well. To make homework more
meaningful to more students I will solicit additional feedback about topics that are of
interest to students. For example, as I introduce a new unit of instruction I plan to
present the various aspects within that theme that we can decide to learn about as a
class. I can use surveys to gauge interest and ask for feedback by talking to students. I
can also talk to them about what formats and types of assignments are the most
appealing and engaging for students and incorporate those elements into our
assignments.
The meaningfulness of homework can also be used to facilitate cultural cohesion
between the students home and school culture by involving cultural themes or parental
input. Bang (2011) points out that the use of home culture and language enables
students to build on prior knowledge and achieve comprehension by drawing on familiar
cultural resources. Drawing upon students home experiences through homework
assignments may not only help students to feel empowered by their capacity to connect
with the curriculum, but also to enhance the value that they place on academic content
by relating to it personally. Homework that actives students prior knowledge can bring
discussions and topics from a students home culture into the classroom and enhance

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our classroom culture. Hollins (2008) would support this initiative since the
effectiveness of classroom instruction is influenced by the extent to which it incorporates
critical aspects of the home-culture. I will design homework assignments that
acknowledge students funds of knowledge and that create opportunities to share home
culture in class. Epstein states that designing homework requires teachers to
understand the skills, abilities, and needs of their students, and the characteristics and
situations of their students families (2001). In addition to being more sensitive to the
preferences of my students regarding the kind of homework that is assigned, I want to
be more clear and explicit about homework expectations. Epstein notes that the
strength and clarity of teachers messages and expectations for good work influence
student achievement (2001). In addition to having homework posted on the daily
agenda and announcing homework at the end of each class period, I will dedicate
myself to publishing our homework assignments online and make more course
resources to assist with homework available for download online.
Short and Fitzsimmons (2007) identify major challenges for English Language
Learners and suggest research-based instructional practices useful for all learners.
Some of their recommendations can be applied to creating homework assignments to
make these assignments more approachable for students, especially since so many of
my students were previously labeled ELL and are still in need of those supports. One
suggestion is to focus on vocabulary development through the use of graphic organizers
and other activities that build vocabulary. Currently I only offer a few types of homework
activities that include vocabulary fanfolds (a worksheet where students repeatedly write

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vocabulary, alternating between English and Spanish), grammar worksheets, and
reflection responses. There is opportunity to offer more choices and different types of
assignments such as offering students the option to create vocabulary flashcards as an
alterative to fanfolds, interactive or online grammar practices, and parent-student
surveys. Another effective practice, which Epstein (2001) emphasized earlier, is to build
and activate background knowledge. Homework assignments can be used as a
frontloading technique in which students can make cultural connections to their personal
experiences before a new lesson is introduced. An example of this type of homework
would be a student soliciting feedback from a relative, brainstorming, or journaling.
Emerging Findings and Action Plan Monitoring
Homework questionnaire responses and gradebook data reinforce that Spanish-
speakers complete less homework and have lower assessment scores in comparison to
their peers. The relationship between homework completion and the students overall
grade is strong. The purpose of homework is directly scaffolding our upcoming
assessments, so this may be an opportunity to intervene and improve the students
overall performance. While a lack of homework completion may indicate a student
might be struggling overall, it is not the only factor influencing their learning and I am
made to take an expanding focus on the issue of homework as a tool that provides a
teacher with a small bit of insight revealing a students bigger challenges.
My puzzlement is one a piece of a larger puzzle of cultural influences and now I
realize that there are multiple factors that are at play in determining my students
academic achievement. My initial beliefs were limited and did not account for influences

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from home, school, or the students culture. After reviewing literature related to
homework design and homework completion I find that many researchers find the
students home experience and individual characteristics to explain the relationship
between homework and overall academic achievement. Each student must negotiate
their own factors as they engage in the learning process. Now that I recognize that all
of my students are managing many influences I view my classroom as a more dynamic
environment than ever before.
Data collected through informal conversations with two department colleagues
who also teach Spanish revealed that native Spanish-speakers in all language levels
complete less homework than their peers. Some of our assumptions about this group of
students included a lack of support at home for academics, less importance placed on
education at home which may affect the students future plans such as attending a
college or university, and lack of student motivation in comparison to their peers. These
perspectives were not reinforced by data, but the consistency of this trend within all
language levels indicates there are other factors worth exploring further. Additionally,
since almost all native Spanish-speakers were at one time labeled ELL I sought insight
from the head of the English Language Learner program to find out more about the
lowest performing subgroup at my school. I discovered that 94% of ELL students are
not proficient in English-Language Arts, and 90% are not proficient in Mathematics,
according results from the 2012 CAHSEE (California High School Exit Exam). I found
within my seventh period class that I have one student labeled ELL and 11 students
reclassified as English proficient, meaning that at one point they were ELL students as

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well. I discovered that although many students are reclassified after scoring higher than
below basic on California state examinations, almost all are still in need of ELL
supports such as individualized instruction and tutoring. The large number of former
ELL students without access to supports they received under their previous label
indicates that the schools culture may not be facilitating academic achievement for this
group. Therefore, incorporating practices that support ELLs in the action plan should
be an effective way of supporting students.
After learning that many students have parents that did not continue their
education beyond high school through student responses on the homework
questionnaire I am reconsidering the role of home culture in learning. Students with
parents that have expectations for them to go on to attend college may be more
motivated and dedicated to their studies. Students that do not experience the same
importance placed on education at the home might consider their homework and overall
academics as less than important. With this new information about the variable
backgrounds of my students it is likely that students cultural negotiations between what
is expected of them at home by their parents may differ from the expectation held by
their teacher sat school. I want to be able to draw upon the potential for the students
home culture to enhance learning and be proactive in advocating for and supporting
students that may have factors that pose as barriers to their learning. Research
conducted by Xy, Martinez, and Bang find that homework culture is a significant factor
in homework completion. Modifying assignments that incorporate personal reflection
and shared experiences on topics and themes that personal and interesting for students

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will help students connect with the curriculum and may even allow them to use aspects
of their own culture to advance their learning.
Conclusions and Implications
Exchanging cultural perspectives with students can help students to connect with
and manage (or negotiate) their cultural identities and at the same time allow teachers
to be critically reflective. As a result of this study I have determined that my views about
homework were narrowly characterizing student performance and that it best to look at
cultural influences upon academic achievement for answers by collecting data from
multiple sources, including the student. Falk and Blumenreich advocate for the
triangulation of data to confirm trends and themes in data to ensure that findings are not
merely happenstance. Analyzing the gradebook, collaborating with other teachers, and
gathering student responses on the homework questionnaire has confirmed some of my
puzzlements, but more importantly, I have recognized more of my assumptions and the
realized the key role of culture in the classroom.
My belief that native Spanish-speakers are not as successful academically as
their peers led me to view them according to a deficit model, instead of recognizing their
funds of knowledge. In addition, I realized the mismatch between my schools
expectations for academic achievement and the resources that are available to English
Language Learners that are reclassified but still in need of support services. My original
views toward my native Spanish-speaking students were limited, based on a
spreadsheet with missing check marks that caused me frustration. I failed to see that
the students struggling the most in my class also possess the most rich and diverse

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culture. In addition, I did not consider the students perspective about themselves along
a lifelong continuum of language learning. Survey results indicated that after Spanish 7-
8 Honors, eight students plan to continue to learn Spanish to become fluent, eight might
continue to learn Spanish sometime in the future, and four are not planning to continue
studying Spanish. Furthermore, three students identified with being highly motivated to
learn Spanish, fifteen reported being somewhat motivated, and three were are not
motivated to learn Spanish. The data demonstrates that most students are motivated
long-term learners of the Spanish language. As a result I will do more to acknowledge
the advantage of my bilingual students to use their language toward academic
achievement in school, professional success in their future, and personal reward for
themselves, their families, and their communities. In my classroom I can help to shape
students language experiences and perspectives by demonstrating the critical skill that
being bilingual offers them in the job market and global community by offering
opportunities for students to research jobs that use Spanish. Learning more about
opportunities that knowing Spanish creates for students in the real world may
encourage them to ascribe more meaning to their learning. It may also help them
develop their own cultural identities.
There are many implications for my own practice and for other teachers at my
school. The first application of my findings to implement in my own classroom focuses
on what I know about my students skills, abilities, and needs when they enter the
classroom at the start of the year. I will make an effort to learn more about my native
Spanish-speakers language experiences at the start of the school year in order to, as

27
Martinez recommends, use their language as an aid to their learning. I hope to teach
them to view their prior knowledge as an asset for their future selves and an advantage
they can use in class each day to achieve academic success. Another important
implication for my classroom is to involve students in creating homework assignments. I
will continue to use our homework assignments as a forum for creating more
meaningful, interesting, and engaging learning experiences. These opportunities to
collaborate with students are part of an ongoing action to get to know my students
better, so that I can teach them more effectively and anticipate their needs.
Within my department, I will advocate for Gonzalez funds of knowledge
approach by sharing activities and experiences from my classroom which are
successful in celebrating a students culture (1995). I will take care to design homework
assignments with meaningful content and create opportunities for the students home
culture to be recognized in the classroom. It will also be important to provide feedback
to students on their homework in order for them to view it as a valuable part of their
learning. Among the staff at my school I will voice support for teaching practices for
English Language Learners, an identified group needing support in order to close the
achievement gap, as we work together to rewrite our school profile over the next year.
I want my students to develop a sincere appreciation for learning Spanish. I want
them to learn Spanish because they find it useful for communication, culturally valuable,
and applicable to the diverse communities where we live, and part of the professions in
which we work. My future research will focus on language attitudes and language
acquisition as I seek to find better teaching tools and practices. The next steps of my

28
study will lead me to implement changes for the next academic school year and
continue to monitor actions, which will require collecting data to reassess goals and
make changes for improvement along the way.
After completing this study I am pleased to have embraced the process of
research and using my findings to guide me toward new discoveries, and the formation
of newer questions. I am proud to have learned so much about my students that I did
not know before studying the gradebook, collaborating with other teachers, and listening
to student feedback. No singular source of data collection yielded clear answers for my
cultural questions, but a triangulation of data helped me to reinterpret culture in my
classroom as a multidimensional and complex concept that must be considered within
its own unique context. For example, I created the homework questionnaire with the
intention of discovering direct connections between my group of native-Spanish
speakers and their academic performance when compared to their peers. I found that I
could not make such connections but I ended up learning much more, about the
backgrounds, experiences, and preferences of all students. These results were not
dictated by linguistic differences, which may be explained by the small sample size of
students that took the questionnaire. The questionnaire revealed much more than just
homework habits; it allowed me to understand that culture is a set of characteristics that
each student possesses. These qualities are made up of the students experiences and
they influence the way they learn. While they all maintain a unique cultural identity they
also share something in common: what they bring to the classroom is a contribution to

29
our learning environment and each one of them has value worth recognizing and
celebrating.
Reflection
The Critical Inquiry Process (CIP) allowed me to examine various strands within
the webs of cultural influences that I am surrounded by in the classroom (Jacob,
1999). As a result, I have learned more about how culture influences my students and
me. I learned that it is important to tie assumptions to data from multiple sources. The
cross-reference and synthesis of information helps the teacher formulate conclusions
that lead to more culturally responsive teaching. Being a culturally responsive teacher
means having awareness for cultural influences affecting students and their learning, as
well as being able to anticipate students needs and provide support for diverse
learners. I feel that I have grown immensely as a teacher researcher and that I have
heightened awareness for cultural influences at work in my classroom.
My initial puzzlement that led me to identify three initial cultural questions helped
me to frame my study and guide my research, but the most revealing experience was to
gather data right from the source through student feedback in the homework survey. It
was telling to learn about their preferences and opinions regarding their homework
assignments. I learned more about them as learners and individuals through their
personal background information. And, I gained insight into their perspective of
themselves as language learners and their future goals. I am reminded of Brookfields
suggestion to adopt the students lens in order to improve my own reflective practice.

30
The CIP has certainly helped me to become a better reflective practitioner and I plan to
continue investigating my puzzlements.
In addition to improving my own reflective practice, I have learned to appreciate
the research process, not as a means to an end that is fixed and predetermined, but as
journey toward creating knowledge that is shaped by data and literature. I initially
expected to find clear and direct answers to my cultural questions, but to my
amazement I found that culture is a dynamic and complicated concept that is not
narrowly defined or explained. The results of the homework survey revealed clues and
cultural influences I had not anticipated, like the many students with parents who did not
attend college. The results of my survey showed me what actions were necessary, and
so I based my actions upon the results of that survey. I applied the relevant literature
that I researched and was delighted to be developing my study and changing course as
I gathered new knowledge. Communicating with students also helped the evolution of
my study and my perspective as a teacher. I now see that the teacher and student can
work together as a team to achieve common goals. I also believe that triangulating data
is the best way to explore the multidimensional nature of culture.
Many of the actions that I created are those that will be implemented at the start
of the next academic school year, but in the meantime I plan to continue the ongoing
actions within my classroom by conversing with students about their homework
preferences and modifying homework assignments, and then reevaluating my results.
This study has encouraged me to connect with students and involve them in my lesson
design, an approach I had not considered previously. It is my hope that by learning

31
more about my students by appreciating and acknowledging their individual differences
and collaborating with them in order to make the curriculum more accessible, that they
will find our class more meaningful and engaging. I am very thankful for this
enlightening experience and will continue to grow as a culturally responsive teacher and
contribute to my understanding of the complex, interwoven webs of cultural influences
that can enrich students educational experiences.


32
Appendix A
Homework survey
PPlease answer the questions honestly and to the best of your ability.

Please fill in the blank: This is my ________ (1
st
, 2
nd
, 3
rd
, 4
th
...) year studying Spanish in
school.

English is the only main language spoken at home (circle one): yes no
If you answered no, what other language(s) is/are spoken at home and by which family
members?
______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

Approximately what percentage of time is family communication in your home
language?
In what languages do you and other family members watch television or listen to other
media events?

I have access to a computer and internet at home (circle one): yes no

After graduating from Point Loma High School, I plan to:
a. Attend a college or university
b. Start working
c.
Other:_________________________________________________________________
______________________________________

The education level of my parent/guardian is best described by which statement:
a. One or both of my parents/guardians attended school beyond
secondary/high school.
My parents/guardians schooling was largely :largely: ____outside the
U.S orU.S. or _____ in the U.S.
a. One or both parents/guardians have a university degree
b. Neither parent/guardian has a university degreeattended school beyond
secondary/high school.

1. Assuming homework is assigned daily, how many homework assignments do you
complete in this class?
0-1 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5
Formatted: Centered
Comment [r1]: main/only
Comment [r2]: and by which family
members?
Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, Bold
Comment [r3]: In your paper you might use
a pseudonym, OK?
Formatted: Don't add space between
paragraphs of the same style, Numbered
+ Level: 1 + Numbering Style: a, b, c, +
Start at: 1 + Alignment: Left + Aligned at:
0.5" + Indent at: 0.75"
Comment [r4]: In your class? In general?

33

2. If you complete less than 5 homework assignments per week, what reason do you
believe explains why? (Select all that apply)
a. I do not understand the assignment
b. I do not make time to do homework
c. I do not find the assignment meaningful or important
d. I do not have help to complete the assignments
e. I do not have time.
Reason:_______________________________________________________________
___________

3. If you complete less than 5 homework assignments per week, what would encourage
you to do homework? (Select all that apply)
a. I would complete homework if I committed to a regular time each day for
doing homework
b. I would complete homework if I had someone to help me understand the
assignment
c. I would complete homework if the assignment was more interesting to me
d. I would complete homework if it was worth more points in my overall grade
e. I would complete homework if there were a time in school to complete
homework

4. Which statement best describes your view on homework? (Select all that apply)
a. Homework is extremely important and helps me to practice what I need to
learn for class
b. Homework is somewhat important and helps me to practice what I need to
learn for class
c. Homework is not important and doesnt help me to practice what I need to
learn for class

5. Which statement closely reflects the support you receive for your homework at
home? (Select all that apply)
a. I have someone at home whothat encourages and/or helps me to do my
homework
b. I do not have someone at home whothat encourages and/or helps me to do
my homework
c. I have consequences for not completing homework
d. No one knows if I complete my homework or not

6. How do you keep track of your homework assignments? (Select all that apply)
a. I use my school planner
b. I go online to check my homework assignments
Comment [r5]: Or I do not have time. And if
this is the case, you may want to inquire as to
whether they might provide a reason.
Comment [r6]: If there were time in school
to complete the homework. . .
Comment [r7]:

34
c. I use my cell phone to keep track of assignments
d. I do not write down my homework assignments
e. Other: ________________________________________________

7. What do you think would help you prepare for class, what types of assignments or
homework, and why? Please be thoughtful and specific in your response.

8. What kind of homework engages you the most and why?

9. What type of homework do you like the least and why?

10. Describe yourself as a Spanish student focusing on your written communication:
a. Spanish is very easy for me to learn write and I do not have to try very hard to
master it
b. Spanish is somewhat easy for me to learn write and I do not have to try very
hard to master it
c. Spanish is somewhat challenging for me to learn write and it takes studying
and practice to master it
d. Spanish is very challenging for me to learn write and it takes studying and
practice to master it

10. Describe yourself as a Spanish student focusing on your oral communication:
a. Spanish is very easy for me to speak and I do not have to try very hard to
master it
b. Spanish is somewhat easy for me to speak and I do not have to try very hard
to master it
c. Spanish is somewhat challenging for me to speak and it takes studying and
practice to master it
d. Spanish is very challenging for me to speak and it takes studying and practice
to master it

11. Describe your motivation to learn Spanish:
a. I am highly motivated to learn Spanish
b. I am somewhat motivated to learn Spanish
c. I am not motivated to learn Spanish

12. Select the option that best describes your opinion about homework assignments in
our class:
a. Homework is meaningful and the assignments help me learn what I need to
know to do well
b. Homework is somewhat meaningful and helpful in learning what I need to
know to do well
Comment [r8]: This is where you might
tease out the oral and the written. Could you
divide those into two questions?
Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, Bold,
Underline
Comment [r9]: This is where you might
tease out the oral and the written. Could you
divide those into two questions?
Comment [r10]: Again, you might be able to
divide this out into speaking and writing.

Somewhere, you might ask the students what
kind of homework engages them the most and
why. What type of homework they least like.

Then, you might see if they believe that
homeworkis an important part of learning a
language. Why or why not. Etc.

35
c. Homework is not very meaningful or helpful for learning what I need to know
to do well
d. Homework is not at all meaningful or helpful for learning what I need to know
to do well

013. As a Spanish student, where do you see yourself as a speaker of this language
after this class?
a. I will continue to learn Spanish and become fluent
b. I might continue to learn Spanish sometime in the future
c. I am not planning to continue studying Spanish


36

References
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Their Homework Experiences. The Journal of Educational Research, 104:408-
419. Taylor & Francis Groups, LLC. DOI:10.1080/00220671.2010.499139.
Bembenutty, Hefer. (2011). Maladaptive Homework Practices: The Role of Self-Efficacy
and Self-Regulation. Journal of Advanced Academics. 22:3, 448-473. Prufrock
Press.
Drnyei, Z., & Chan, L. (2013). Motivation and Vision: An Analysis of Future L2 Self
Images, Sensory Styles, and Imagery Capacity Across Two Target Languages.
Language Learning, 63(3), 437-462. doi:10.1111/lang.12005.
Epstein, Joyce L., & Voorhis, Frances L. (2001). More Than Minutes: Teachers Roles in
Designing Homework. Educational Psychologist, 36(3), 181-193. Lawerence
Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Falk, B., & Blumenreich, M. (2005). The power of questions: A guide to teacher and
student research. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Focault, M. (1970). The order of things: An archeology of the human sciences. New
York: Pantheon.

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Gonzalez, N., Moll, L., Tenery, M, Riviera, A., Rendon, P., Gonzales, R., & Amanti, C.
(1995). Funds of Knowledge for Teaching in Latino Households. Urban
Education 29:443. DOI: 10.1177/0042085995029004005.
Heath, Shirley. (1982). Chapter 4:Questioning at Home and at School: A Comparative
Story, Doing the ethmography of schooling: education anthropology in action.
Ed. George Spindler, New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.
Hollins, Etta R. (2008) The deep meaning of culture. Culture in School Learning.
Revealing the deep meaning. 2
nd
ed. New York and London: Routledge.
Jacob, E. (1999). The cultural inquiry process. Retrieved from
http://cehdclass.gmu.edu/cip/.
Martinez, Sylvia. (2011). An Examination of Latino Students Homework Routines.
Journal of Latinos and Education, 10(4), 354-368. Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
DOI: 10.1080/15348431.2011.605688.
Olivos, E. M., & Mendoza, M. (2010). Immigration and Educational Inequality:
Examining Latino Immigrant Parents' Engagement in U.S. Public Schools.
Journal Of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, 8(3), 339-357.
doi:10.1080/15562948.2010.501301.
Place, S., & Hoff, E. (2011). Properties of Dual Language Exposure That Influence 2-
Year-Olds' Bilingual Proficiency. Child Development, 82(6), 1834-1849.
doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01660.x.
Reyes, Maria de la Luz. (2012). Spontaneous Biliteracy: Examining Latino Students'
Untapped Potential, Theory Into Practice, 51:4, 248-255.

38
Short, D., & Fitzsimmons, S. (2007). Double the work: Challenges and solutions to
acquiring language and academic literacy for adolescent English language
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Alliance for Excellent Education.
Xu, Jianzhong. (2011). Homework Completion at the Secondary School Level: A
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Francis Group, LLC. DOI:10.1080/00220671003636752.

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RUNNING HEAD: QUESTIONING HOMEWORK AND REVEALING CULTURE 1

Cultural Inquiry Study

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