Theory plays an important role in education. It is the baseline premise that evokes further investigation, and through valid study, the status of a proposed explanation can be changed from conjecture to research-based fact. This chapter poses three theoretical frameworks. The Bio-Ecological Theory/Human on Human Development posits that a child's physiological development combines with consistent exposure to his/her environment throughout the early stages of life to play a significant role in a child's overall development. The Social Model Theory on Disability suggests that society's understanding of what is considered a “disability” along with certain perceptions and biases about immigrants can inhibit effective fulfillment of learning needs on behalf of children from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) background.
TopWhat Is A Theoretical Framework?
A theoretical framework consists of using an existing theory, together with relevant literature and the definition of concepts, for a specific study (Corvellec, 2013). The theoretical framework provides a well-supported rationale to conduct a study and helps the reader to understand the researcher’s perspective (Simon & Goes, 2011). It is essential that a theoretical framework succeeds in establishing an understanding regarding the concepts and theories that are applicable to a particular study and is capable of relating the wider fields of knowledge that are being studied (Corvellec, 2013). Due to the complexity of the culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) population, three theoretical models are presented to constitute a theoretical framework. These three models provide a comprehensive framework to ground the work of Fallah (2017), which is presented in detail in Part II of this text. They also provide additional descriptions of three models that are helpful for understanding the CLD population as it relates to their education in the United States, with attention paid to those individuals who are both CLD and have disabilities.
In this chapter, we will provide extensive information about the following theories:
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The bio-ecological theory of human development/the human ecology
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The social model of disability
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The family-centered theory.
Included within the discussion of each theoretical framework model are research-based strategies, concepts, and dispositions critical to the practical application of the model in a professional, reality-based setting.