Effect of Online Courses in Changing Mainstream Teachers' Perceptions of English Language Learners

• In Event: Pedagogical Approaches to Supporting Emergent Bilingual Learners

Abstract

The number of English language learners (ELLs) is increasing rapidly at U.S. schools. Mainstream teachers have an important role in academic success of these students because ELLs spend most of their school time in mainstream classes, and pulled-out a few hours in a school day for ELL services. However, research on mainstream teachers and ELL education highlights that mainstream teachers may have negative perceptions of ELLs, and they may use wrong accommodations to teach these students due to their lack of knowledge in ELL education. This study aims to understand how taking two online classes on ELL education changes mainstream teachers’ perceptions of this student group. The results showed that mainstream teachers changed their perceptions of ELLs greatly when they took these two online classes, and online discussions had a great role in this perception change. Some implications to develop online ELL education courses for pre-service and in-service teachers are also provided.
This session will a) discuss how teacher perceptions influence their teaching practices; b) discuss the importance of online classes in educating and changing the perspective of teachers to diverse students; c) explore how teacher education programs can better prepare their pre-service and in-service teachers to teach ELL students and to overcome challenges in teaching this student group; and d) provide implications to develop online classes to educate in-service teachers to teach ELLs.
I will share the results of a longitudinal case study that analyzed the challenges eleven of mainstream teachers. These teachers participate in an ELL certification program, funded by federal grant, for one and half years. Grade levels the teachers taught varied as well including elementary (n=6), middle school (n=2) and high school (n=3) and their experiences in teaching (2- 20 years) and familiarity with ELL teaching varied greatly as well. Some of the participants did not have any previous ELL teaching experience before they started this certification program (n= 4), but some of them did (n= 7). Teachers worked at different school districts throughout a Midwestern State.

I collected qualitative and quantitative data during this program. Participants’ lesson artifacts, online discussions and lesson plans were analyzed, participants were observed while teaching ELL students and they were interviewed at the end of the project. In addition, finally, the program included creation of an online space through which participants developed a Community of Practice and shared insights and resources with one another. Results have showed that participants had both negative and positive perceptions of teaching to ELL students, and they did not recognize some of the challenges that they might have come across in teaching ELLs. Participants changed their perceptions of not only ELL students, but also students from different cultural and racial backgrounds as well. Online discussions had a great impact in this perception change.

Author

• Nilufer Guler, Rockhurst University - Kansas City, MO