Preservice Teachers' Beliefs and Enactment of ELL–Focused Instructional Strategies

• In Event: Cultivating Multilingual Beliefs in Teacher Education: Exploring Frameworks, Pedagogies, and Instructional Approaches

Abstract

Despite the growing number of English language learners (ELLs) and the achievement gap between ELLs and their native-speaking peers in mathematics, less is known on effective ways to prepare secondary pre-service mathematics teachers (PSTs) to teach ELLs in mathematics classrooms. This study explores PSTs’ beliefs and enactments of ELL- focused instructional strategies in their modifications of two existing video lessons. The results indicated that although all seven research-based strategies for ELLs were identified as important, the PSTs tended to prioritize a supportive and safe class environment over math content in the selection of instructional strategies. However, unlike their beliefs, the PSTs’ enactments seemed to be focused on effectively addressing math content for ELLs via visual and language supports.

Authors

• Ji-Won Son, University at Buffalo - SUNY

• SeungJung Jo, University of Montana Western