Preparing Rural Teachers to Provide Equitable Instruction for English Learners

• In Event: Rethinking Inclusivity, Equity, and Diversity for Rural Multilingual Learners

Abstract

Students who are English learners (ELs) have a right to access and make progress in the grade-level standards-based curriculum just as their fluent English-speaking peers do. Yet in many cases, they may be perceived as “not ready” for rigorous instruction because they do not have sufficient English proficiency. EL students are often seen as the responsibility of EL specialists. Yet rural districts and schools may not have a permanent EL teacher inside a school building for the whole day. In some cases, there may be only one part-time, itinerant EL teacher for an entire district. Thus, general education teachers, particularly in rural districts, may often have to provide most of the instruction for ELs with consultation from the EL specialist, when available. To have a greater impact on rural ELs and create more accessible instruction and assessment, it is imperative to provide increased support and training to all general educators. All teachers need to know how to design accessible instruction to support the learning needs of all students in their classroom, including ELs. They also need to know how to ensure assessments appropriately differentiate between a student’s content knowledge and their English proficiency using testing supports called accessibility features and accommodations.
This presentation will describe a teacher education grant project on accessible instruction and assessment for English learners that was implemented by a national technical assistance center in collaboration with the state department of education in one small rural state. The primary goals of the project were to improve teachers’ understanding of accessible instruction and assessment and to improve outcomes for ELs in math, English language arts, and English language proficiency. Two online PD modules for teachers were created and iteratively refined. The developers gained a deep understanding of the state’s complex educational context and collaborated closely with local educators and policymakers. The online format allows general educators who work with ELs, especially those in rural locations, to use this PD when they need it. Informing and supporting the PD are multilingual materials for parents of ELs that will help them understand, and be equal partners with educators in making decisions about accessible instruction and assessment for their child. The presenter will share these tools developed to guide underprepared and under-resourced teachers, talk about the collaborative development process, and describe additional measures taken to bring module content directly to teachers during the pandemic.

Author

• Kristin K. Liu, National Center on Educational Outcomes
  Presenting Author