Date of Completion

4-26-2019

Embargo Period

4-23-2029

Keywords

Classroom, Placement, Policy, Practice, Perception, Twins, Language, Development, Elementary

Major Advisor

Manuela Wagner

Co-Major Advisor

Mary Yakimowski

Associate Advisor

Anne Berthelot

Associate Advisor

Eduardo Urios-Aparisi

Associate Advisor

Roger Celestin

Field of Study

Literatures, Languages, and Cultures

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Open Access

Campus Access

Abstract

This mixed-methods study focused on factors, considerations, policies, and practices associated with the classroom placement and language development of school-age twins enrolled in public and private elementary schools in three urban Connecticut communities in the United States. In the first phase of this descriptive study, I use survey methods to collect data from 137 parents and principals, including 9 parents and 16 principals of private schools and 68 parents and 44 principals of public schools. The second phase included five interview sessions of mothers of twins. The results revealed that the quantitative and qualitative data provided by the principals and parents tended to converge; however, there were some differences between the perceptions of the principals and the parents at public as opposed to private schools. Both principals and parents agreed that one of the most prominent reasons for separating twins into different classrooms was to foster their independence. Twins’ emotional security was rated as an important reason to place twin sets together in a same class by more parents than principals. No standard policies existed in twins’ classroom placement schools, both public and private. Parents and principals did not perceive that classroom placement affect or play a vital role in twins’ language development.

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Available for download on Monday, April 23, 2029

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