Empowering Preservice and In-Service Educators to Identify and Reflect on the Needs of English Learners

• In Event: 21.026 - Democratizing Preparation of Teachers of English Learners: Reflective Narratives of Teachers

Abstract

An estimated 4.6 million English learners (EL) enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools in 2014-2015, of which 665,000 were also identified as students with disabilities (NCES, 2017). Teacher candidates entering diverse, high-need schools often receive instructional content focused on strategies for working with ELs during their training, but they need multiple opportunities to practice and reflect upon what they have learned prior to entering their own classroom (Molle, 2013; More, Spies, Morgan, and Baker, 2016; Miranda, Wells, and Jenkins, 2017). In-service educators who are experiencing the shift in the populations they serve need ongoing professional development that is purposeful, job-embedded (Croft et al, 2010) and designed to aid in collaboration across disciplines (Honigsfeld & Dove, 2015; Stein, 2011). Further increasing the complexity of teacher preparation efforts, both novice and veteran teachers may find it challenging to adequately reflect on their experiences when they may not have an accurate understanding of the needs of ELs to begin with. This paper highlights findings from the design, delivery and evaluation of preservice and in-service PD efforts designed to empower teachers through increasing their knowledge and understanding of ELs’ cultural, linguistic and emotional needs to facilitate informed reflection.
The increase in the number of students whose home language is not English, and whose needs are compounded by an identified disability, pose both challenges and opportunities for teachers and the preparation programs from which they attain their degree (Esparza Brown & Sanford, 2011; Baker et. al., 2014; Miranda, Wells, and Jenkins, 2017). Enabling teachers and teacher candidates to grasp the complexity of these constructs as they relate particularly to the needs of ELs, who undergo unique acculturation and language acquisition processes, can be a challenging task for teacher education programs.
In this intervention, a professional development program was designed for delivery to a mix of 78 preservice candidates and in-service educators who are working toward initial licensure or an ESOL endorsement. This program is ongoing for five years and will be nearing completion of its second year. The paper shares the results from 5 professional development sessions attended by a mix of over 150 undergraduate and graduate students as well as local school teachers, school administrators, and higher education faculty on several topics that address foundational skills in working with ELs with disabilities. The workshops were centered on evidence based practices for English Learners on topics including collaboration between general and special education, outreach to families, addressing student and school trauma, implementing restorative justice practices in the classroom, supporting the unique needs of refugees and incorporating the WIDA standards in classroom practices. Participants offered feedback through Likert scales and open ended prompts, indicating increased awareness of ELs’ needs and willingness to integrate the knowledge gained into their own instruction in future. The ongoing project has the potential to impact how teachers engage with their own students and with their own practice as informed, reflective educators of ELs.

Authors

• Gregory Knollman, University of South Florida

• Kandace M. Hoppin, Towson University