ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2655-4325

Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Education Specialties (Ph.D.)

Department

Education Specialties

First Advisor

Nikki Chamblee

Second Advisor

Bonnie Johnson

Abstract

Ambiguous language—words, phrases, or sentences with multiple meanings—often creates significant instructional challenges in English Language Development (ELD) classrooms. This qualitative case study, grounded in Vygotsky’s sociocognitive theory, investigates how four high school ELD teachers strategically employ scaffolding and social interactions to clarify such ambiguities. In this study, classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and detailed analyses of instructional artifacts served as key data sources. These methods provide a comprehensive picture of the classroom dynamics that shape teacher and student interactions, allowing for greater insight into the relationship between instructional strategies and the social context of learning. This study identifies critical elements that make scaffolding effective in assisting English Language Learners (ELLs) to comprehend texts with linguistic ambiguity. The findings are expected to promote more effective curriculum design and develop best practices that could enhance ELLs’ comprehension of texts containing ambiguous language. Ultimately, insights gleaned from this research are expected to contribute to improvements in both pedagogical approaches and learning outcomes in ELD classrooms. Keywords: ambiguous language, sociocognitive theory, scaffolding, English Language Learners (ELLs), qualitative case study

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