The Power of Service-Learning to Advance Research on K-12 Preservice Teachers’ Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Practice

• In Event: Critical Place-Based Pedagogies in Teacher Education

Abstract

Presenters will discuss the integration of a service-learning component into an undergraduate course on teaching English language learners (ELLs), a program requirement for teacher candidates created in response to a recent state mandate. During a 15-week semester, the 88 study participants applied concepts they learned in the course as they worked with ELLs in various educational contexts. Presenters describe each step of the service-learning project and explain the benefits of it for teacher candidates through quantitative data gathered and selections from their reflective journals. The study revealed three salient benefits for teacher candidates: the opportunity to apply second language acquisition (SLA) pedagogy presented in class; perceived higher self-efficacy as teachers; and a more positive attitude toward working with ELLs.

Authors

• Cate Crosby, University of Cincinnati

• Sara Lamb Kistler, West Chester University of Pennsylvania