CHAPTER 12: Discourse of Advocacy: Student Learners’ Critical Reflections on Working with Spanish-Speaking Immigrant Students

Experts in multicultural education, a field with wide-ranging perspectives concerning reforming the structure of schooling to accommodate the needs of all students equitably, have generally agreed that providing services through college–community partnerships helps to address immigrants’ social needs and language barriers (Koulish, 2000; Orban & Thompson, 2007; Rymes, 2002; Weah, Simmons, & Hall, 2000). For example, Weah, Simmons, and Hall (2000) contend that providing service-learning for culturally and linguistically diverse students not only helps to promote diversity but also advances educational equity. They comment that “service-learning provides structured opportunities for students to reflect on and discuss their concerns, questions, and confusions regarding the challenges that relate to race culture and other differences” (p. 2). Surveying young Hispanic English language learners’ experiences with service-learning, Grassi, Hanley, and Liston (2004) show that service-learning programs greatly improved student academic achievement, attitude toward learning, and self-confidence.