Preparing Preservice Mainstream Teachers for English Language Learners

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 23
  In Roundtable Session: Intersection of Content, Language, and Equity in Preservice Teachers' Understanding of Language Learners

Abstract

Despite considerable number of English language learners (ELLs) in mainstream classrooms, majority of the mainstream teachers are rarely trained to work with ELLs (Hutchinson, 2013). Being aware of this disparity, a graduate school of education at a US state university offers pre-service teachers a course about ELLs. Throughout the semester, pre-service teachers met with ELLs and help them practice English for eight weeks in addition to a seminar portion. This qualitative study aimed to find out how this course helped pre-service mainstream teachers to learn about ELLs’ and their needs. Findings revealed the course and the service-learning project helped the pre-service teachers to have positive dispositions for ELLs and to increase their knowledge about them.

Author

• Tuba Arabaci Atlamaz, Kayseri Abdullah Gul University