Examining Urban Experienced Teachers' Lore for Teaching English Learners

• In Event: Experiences of Identity and Knowledge

Abstract

This study examined the teacher lore or experienced, ESL Endorsed, highly respected teachers who taught in a highly impacted Urban school. Through the use of a semi-structured interview, the research collected critical narratives from these four teachers and then used Reciprocal Determinism (RD) to analyze the data. The research extracted the narratives from the stories, re-storied them and reviewed the findings with the teachers in the study and others who taught ELs. The teacher lore uncovered included Not enough, Mirrors, Adapting, More, Good teaching, Agency, This is how it is, Whatever it takes, and The perfect story. The study adds the voice of teachers to research on teaching English Learners in regular classroom settings.

Authors

• Helen Gordon Colby, Salt Lake City School District

• Stefinee E. Pinnegar, Brigham Young University

• Melissa A. Newberry, Brigham Young University

• Terrell Young, Brigham Young University