A Critical Examination of Core Practices for Teaching Multilingual Learners

• In Event: The Possibilities of Public Education: Critical Perspectives on Practice-Based Teacher Education for Language-Minoritized Youth

Abstract

Purpose:
The paper describes the process of identifying core teaching practices that meet the specific needs of multilingual learners (MLs), and a study of their enactment in the classrooms of novice teachers. To problematize the idea shared by many educators that “just good teaching” will effectively address the challenges that learning grade level content in a new language poses for MLs, these practices are contrasted with those that have emerged from efforts to establish a common pedagogy for teacher preparation. In addition, the challenges to enacting these practices in the classrooms of novice teachers is explored.
Perspective:
Identifying a pedagogy for teacher preparation is an important focus of educational research (Sleeter, 2014). One approach to establishing a common pedagogy for teacher preparation is to identify a common core of professional teaching practices that are proven effective. Recent work in this area has produced an initial set of criteria for identifying such practices (McDonald, Kazemi & Kavanagh, 2013) and examples of these practices, e.g., TeachingWorks.org). Scholars in bilingual education and second language teaching and learning argue that teachers must develop a specific skill set to be effective teachers of MLs (de Jong and Harper, 2005; Palmer & Martinez, 2013). The researcher engaged in a process of identifying and studying practices for beginning teachers that address the unique needs of MLs.
Mode of Inquiry, Data Sources & Results:
McDonald et al. (2013) identified an initial set of criteria for framing effective practices that beginning teachers should master in preparing to teach. The researcher modified these criteria to address teaching MLs as a unique population of learners. Using the revised criteria, the researcher undertook a review of research in second language and bilingual education, documenting practices grounded in dichotomous views of language learning (Faltis, 2013). Data sources included: (1) studies of specific practices for teaching MLs in ESL, bilingual, and mainstream contexts, (2) reviews of research, and (3) research-based models of instruction.
Based on the review of literature, the researcher identified five core practices for teaching MLs, each with a set of specific examples of teaching that help beginning teachers “see” how a core practice can be enacted. A comparative analysis of these practices with practices identified in recent efforts to establish a common set of practices for beginning teachers in general, e.g., high leverage practices, revealed commonalities and important differences.
The core practices for teaching MLs were then studied using observational data from 52 lessons taught by novice teachers. The analysis revealed that while core practices were evident in observed lessons, novice teachers enacted them in ways that suggested narrow interpretations of their implementation, thus limiting the potential benefits to MLs. The findings are used to articulate a plan for how to support novice teachers in implementing core practices for teaching MLs.
Scholarly Significance:
The process of identifying and studying core practices for teaching MLs will inform the larger national conversations on developing a common pedagogy for preparing beginning teachers and how to effectively support novice teachers.

Author

• Nancy E. Dubetz, Lehman College - CUNY