Vecchio-Smith, Margaret Joanna2015-04-302015-04-302015-01https://hdl.handle.net/11299/172034University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. January 2015. Major: Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development. Advisor: C. Cryss Brunner, Ph.D. 1 computer file (PDF); xii, 207 pages, appendices A-F.The purpose of this critical theory study is to examine the perceptions of English language learners and their families at "Patna Elementary" through the talk of native English speakers and native speakers of other languages. Emergent themes for native English speakers are organized by level of equity awareness, and emergent themes for native speakers of other languages include the impact of cultural capital. This study uses critical discourse analysis (CDA) to examine the discoursal patterns of native English speakers. The study found, among other things, that educators who were highly focused on equity were aware of the diversity of lived experiences of EL families, were metacognitive about equity, and used significance-building techniques to describe their work; educators who were highly focused on equity increased the level of equity at Patna Elementary.enCritical discourse analysisCritical geographyEmergent multilingualsEnglish learnersEquitySuper diversityOrganizational leadership, policy, and developmentThesis or Dissertation