Perceptions and Knowledge Base of Preservice Teachers With No Backgrounds in Second Language Teaching

• In Event: Preservice Teachers' Perceptions on Their Preparation to Teach English Language Learners

Abstract

Objective
This paper aims to examine the level of preparedness and the perspectives of mainstream PSTs with no backgrounds in ESL in a large Midwestern university. We examined mainstream PSTs perceptions regarding their knowledge, dispositions, their predisposition to acquiring skills to teach ELLs, and their teacher education program.

Theoretical framework
This paper builds on de Jong, Harper, & Coady (2013) framework for enhancing mainstream teacher expertise. This framework emphasizes the role of language and culture in the education of ELLs and their implications for teacher preparation. This framework has three dimensions of teacher knowledge: (a) understanding ELLs from a bilingual and bicultural perspective, (b) understanding how language and culture shape school experiences and inform pedagogy for bilingual learners, and (c) ability to mediate a range of contextual factors in the schools and classrooms where they teach.

Methods
For this qualitative methods study, we audio recorded and transcribed 27 semi-structured interviews with PSTs from elementary, secondary, and special education. We used Bowen’s (2009) model for the thematic analysis. First, in each transcript, we highlighted information related to the purpose of our study. Second, we identified common themes across PSTs perceptions and knowledge. Third, by using the literature in paper 1, we coded emerging themes. These themes included dispositions, theoretical knowledge, and connecting theory and practice. Finally, we interpreted the themes, and their implications based on the theoretical framework.

Results
Preliminary analysis of the data revealed that pre-service teachers felt unprepared to teach ELLs. Three themes related to their reported unpreparedness emerged: (1) lack of exposure to diversity and tools for building on culture and background knowledge, (2) lack of understanding of contextual influences for ELLs, and (3) lack of instructional and assessment strategies. First, since most mainstream PSTs came from a White, middle class background and had very little exposure to diversity, they reported to lack the tools to understand language and cultural diversity and how to incorporate students’ language and culture into their teaching. Second, while mainstream PSTs understood the importance of using ELLs’ background knowledge to build on new ones, they lacked tools to elicit ELLs’ background knowledge and culture. Further, the PSTs acknowledged they knew little about the contextual factors such as testing in teaching ELLs. Finally, mainstream PSTs reported a lack of specific teaching and assessment strategies and that they counted on very few instructional strategies to teach ELLs, especially in teaching specific content areas.

Significance
The findings revealed significant gaps between their coursework and what mainstream PSTs needed to know to serve ELLs. These gaps pointed out several directions for improving their preparation for teaching ELLs: (1) focusing on helping PSTs understand ELLs’ culture and literacy background to make learning meaningful to ELLs, (2) focusing on helping PSTs learn more teaching strategies to teach ELLs in their content areas, (3) providing practical tasks which help PSTs differentiate instruction based on the needs of ELLs and the varied contextual factors.

Authors

• Guofang Li, University of British Columbia

• Yue Bian, Michigan State University

• Lindsay Joseph Wexler, Michigan State University

• Jose Martinez-Hinestroza, Michigan State University

• Denisse Maribel Hinojosa-Vieyra, Michigan State University