Preparing Teachers for English Learners: Teacher Professional Capital Development Through Online Professional Development

• In Event: Promoting Teachers' Capacity to Address Linguistic Diversity

Abstract

It is critical to prepare all teachers, including both English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers and mainstream teachers, to work with the growing number of English learners (ELs) in the United States. In this study, we describe an online professional development designed to engage both ESL teachers and mainstream teachers in application tasks and online dialogues to develop their professional capital. Based on survey data and online discussion postings, we explore how teachers with different backgrounds and experiences engaged in dialogic interactions to develop their professional capital to work with ELs and their families. Implications are provided to expand our efforts to involve teachers work collaboratively across disciplinary areas to support ELs’ academic and social engagement.

Authors

• Ye He, University of North Carolina - Greensboro

• Dawn Bagwell, University of North Carolina - Greensboro