The Influence of Professional Development: A Critical Discourse Analysis Surrounding Educating California's English Language Learners

• In Event: 66.087 - MTCC Roundtable Session 30
  In Roundtable Session: 66.087-5 - Increasing Teachers' Efficacy and Cultural Responsiveness in Teaching English Language Arts

Abstract

This study investigated ideologies towards teaching ELLs from three stakeholder groups: inservice teachers, professional development facilitators, and the state of California. Teacher-participants were enrolled in a two-year PD program designed to provide teachers with metacognitive literacy strategies to teach ELLs. To better understand the connection between teacher attitudes and PD during a change of policy for ELL education in California, six 7th-12th grade ELA teachers across three cohorts and two PD facilitators were purposefully selected. Drawing on the notion of power as product and power in discourse, critical discourse analysis was conducted of data collected: interviews and written documents (California ELA/ELD Standards; California EL Roadmap). Findings reveal the need for better communication between different levels of the school system.

Author

• Heather Christina Macias, University of California - Santa Barbara