Practical Experience Equals Competency? Pre- and In-Service Teachers' Professional Competency Development for Linguistically Responsive Teaching in Content Classrooms

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 31
  In Roundtable Session: Exploring Bilingual Teacher Education

Abstract

Teaching multilingual learners in content classrooms is still a challenge for teachers due to a lack of preparation. The presented study gives insights to the question whether the competencies needed to teach multilingual learners appropriately are learnable through classes. Two different groups e.g. in-service and pre-service teachers were sensitized in a seminar on teaching multilingual learners. The level of competency was assessed by a test developed by the German project DaZKom. First results indicate that the competencies to teach multilingual learners increase with opportunities to learn and illustrate that in-service teachers’ experience does not increase their competency in teaching multilingual learners. This strengthens the argument that “just good teaching” is not enough but that explicit knowledge needs to be taught.

Authors

• Svenja Hammer, University of Lüneburg

• Lisa Otto, Ruhr University Bochum