Cheap Talk: When Induction Policy Fails to Explicitly Address English Learners

• In Event: Supporting Teachers of Emergent Bilingual Students in Professional Development

Abstract

Emergent Bilinguals (English Learners) are one of the largest and most vulnerable subgroups of students in California. A significant proportion of these students are taught by novice teachers. A key policy lever to improve teaching and learning for EBs, therefore, is to improve new teacher induction. This primarily qualitative study uses content analysis to examine how EBs are addressed in induction policy. We find that statewide policy addresses EBs only implicitly. Though 70% of reviewed programs reference EBs, one-quarter of those references occur in the context of programming that is ancillary to central induction programming. We discuss implications for induction policy including the role of mentor expertise and ability to help teachers develop needed skills to effectively teach EBs.

Authors

• Lucrecia Santibanez, University of California - Los Angeles

• Christine Marie Snyder, Claremont Graduate University

• Danielle C Centeno, Claremont Graduate University