Domains of Knowledge for Principal Leadership in Serving English Learners

• In Event: 26.071 - Building Capacity: What Is Needed to Support Districts With Emerging English Learner Student Enrollments?

Abstract

Objectives
This paper outlines the domains of knowledge identified as important for principals as leaders in building capacity to serve English learner (EL) students within their schools. It outlines sixteen areas of knowledge that were determined to be important to principals’ understanding and leadership in determining services and making decisions related to instruction of EL students in their schools including: 1) school-level policies and practices for educating ELLs; 2) types of PD related to EL education that principals have received and would like to receive; 3) familiarity with state guidelines and standards for ELs’ education; and 4) beliefs about the education of ELs.
Perspectives or theoretical framework
Although a number of student-level factors are associated with ELs’ achievement (Hakuta, Butler, & Witt, 2000; Sánchez, Ehrlich, Midouhas, & O’Dwyer, 2009; Parker, Louie, & O’Dwyer, 2009; Parker, O’Dwyer, & Schamberg, 2011), researchers and policymakers seek to identify malleable school practices/policies that can be implemented to increase EL performance (English proficiency and academic performance). School-level policies/practices typically emanate from school leaders, and principals play an important role in ELs’ education. For example, Tung et al. (2011) found that principals in consistently high performing schools could clearly articulate their school’s EL policies, model the behaviors and attitudes they expected teachers to adopt, and communicate a clear vision of high expectations for learning. Other studies highlight the important role that principals play in developing teachers’ capacity to communicate with the parents of ELs through improving their own cultural competence and the competence of their teachers (Hill & Flynn, 2004; Tung et al., 2011).

Methods
Through an iterative development process that included an extensive review of the literature and close collaboration with state and district leaders, this study identified the key domains that are important for principals as leaders in building capacity to serve EL students within their schools. Through this process, the final areas of knowledge identified as important for understanding principals’ level of knowledge included: awareness of the population of ELs served; instructional models used; personnel responsible for ELs’ education; types of PD received and needed; monitoring of ELs’ academic performance; practices for evaluating ELL teachers; response-to-intervention practices for ELs; challenges to implementing EL programs; familiarity with state guidelines, standards and research related to instruction for ELs; and beliefs about teaching ELs, how ELs acquire English, and the role that sociocultural factors play in educating ELs. These identified areas were subsequently translated into a survey tool that can be used by state or district administrators, or by principals for self–assessment.

Significance
Understanding key areas of principal knowledge related to decision-making and leadership in school services for ELs may support needs assessments and decisions regarding professional development for principals as one component of capacity-building. The survey tool that was development based on this research can thus be used by states, districts, and/or researchers, to inform studies conducted in the future to guide programmatic decisions and to examine the associations between ELL achievement and school practices.

Author

• Laura M. O'Dwyer, Boston College