The Impact of a Professional Development Program Focused on Multilingual Learners for K-12 Educators

• In Event: Building Bridges & Capacity: Equitable Professional Development for Multilingual Learner Achievement

Abstract

Many K-12 teachers have limited preparation for supporting multilingual learners (MLs), highlighting an opportunity to enhance educators’ ML instructional strategies. This study evaluated the impacts of an ML-focused professional development program on teaching self-efficacy, confidence, practices, and need for support of mainstream teachers and paraeducators. Forty-four instructors were randomly assigned to treatment (n = 23) and control (n = 21) groups. Surveys of self-efficacy, confidence, practices, and need for support were administered at pre- and post-test. To analyze data, robust 2*2 Mixed-ANOVAs were conducted. Results indicated that treatment participants significantly outperformed the control group on ML-teaching self-efficacy, confidence, practices, and a lower need for support. Results highlight the necessity of making ML-specific training accessible for all K-12 educators.

Authors

• Bita Moradi, University of Delaware

• Adrian Pasquarella, University of Delaware

• Nigel Caplan, University of Delaware

• Samantha Jo Shewchuk, University of Delaware

• Jamie Janick, University of Delaware