Diva Irina: An English Language Learner in High School Choir

Abstract

This article is based on a yearlong collective case study (2003-2004) that examined the perceptions of five English Language Learner (ELL) high school students enrolled in the same choral class. The article includes a short narrative essay, which highlights the experience of one of the student participants in the larger study. The premise of the research was based on what 1 perceived as a tension between the socio-cultural institution of traditional American high school choral programs and ELL students' previous and current experiences with singing. The primary research question was What are the musical experiences of immigrant students who sing in high school choir? Data included student and teacher surveys, focus groups, in-depth interviews, student journals, classroom and performance observations, and video analysis. Data were analyzed using the NVIVO system, which provided an efficient means for open-coding, analysis, and interpretation. Findings implied that some discourse norms in secondary choral classes can be viewed as culturally incongruent with ELL students' previous musical experiences.

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