Teacher efficacy with ELLs
Byrnes, D. A.,Kiger, G., & Lee Manning, M. (1997). Teachers' attitudes about language diversity.Teaching and Teacher Education 13(6), 637-644.
This paper addresses regular-classroom teachers' attitudes toward language diversity and linguistically diverse students. We examined salient contextual variables hypothesized in the research literature to be associated with language attitudes-experience with linguistically diverse students, region of the country, formal training in second-language learning, graduate education, and grade level taught. The respondents (N = 191) were teachers selected from three states: Arizona, Utah, and Virginia. Our findings show that region of the country, experience working with language-minority children, a completed graduate degree, and formal training were related to positive language attitudes. These findings are discussed in relation to strategies for attitude change in teachers.
Fearon, K. (2008). A team teaching approach to ESL: An evaluative case study. Instruction and Curriculum(Master’s thesis). Retrieved from ProQuest. (Accession No.1456437)
This thesis investigates the effectiveness of a team teaching approach to delivering ESL services in two elementary classrooms: one first grade and one second grade. At C. Elementary School in suburban New Jersey, two ESL teachers partner with first and second grade teachers to deliver language arts instruction to their English language learners (ELLs) and native English speakers. The ESL teachers spend a minimum of three hours per day working collaboratively with the grade level teachers to deliver language and content support-as opposed to the traditional practice of pulling students out of the classroom for 45 minutes of isolated ESL instruction. Findings of the case study support a collaborative approach to delivering ESL services, but reveal advantages to the pull-out model as well. Working collaboratively with the grade level teacher enables the ESL teacher to better understand the curriculum and provide appropriate targeted support for ELLs. Ideally, collaborative teaching enhances the effectiveness of English language learning by providing teachers with the flexibility to support ELLs both in the mainstream classroom and in small group pull-out sessions that address the specific language needs of ELLs.
Griffin, N. E. (2008). Elementary teachers' perceptions and attitudes toward the inclusion of English language learners in mainstream classrooms(Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from Proquest. (Accession No. 3307299)
The primary purpose of this study was to examine elementary teachers' perceptions and attitudes toward the "inclusion" of ELLs in mainstreamed classrooms. Other purposes of the study examined (1)the teachers' perceptions and attitudes toward ELL language acquisition, (2)class modifications, (3)the ELL time constraints, (4)professional training and support, and (5)the overall educational environment resulting from ELL inclusion. This study utilized an "Integrative Research Design." Both quantitative and qualitative inquiries were employed. The quantitative aspect was descriptive. The survey instrument in this study was developed by Dr. Jenelle Reeves from the University of Nebraska. Open-ended questions were used to serve two purposes in this research: (1)to allow participants to expand or clarify their responses in the survey and (2)to identify any attitudes and perceptions the survey did not address (Reeves, 2002). The population for this research consisted of 14 elementary schools within the Rutherford County School district in Middle Tennessee. There were 437 participants (elementary classroom teachers) in the research study. The researcher used the SAS Statistical software (SAS(TM), SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, NC, USA) for all data analysis. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the survey responses for the normality of distributions. If the data was normally distributed, parametric statistics were used to test the null hypotheses. For null hypotheses 1-6, t tests were used to reveal whether or not mainstreamed teachers had positive attitudes toward ELL students. Additionally, the General Linear Model procedure was used to perform the MANOVA test. The MANOVA test is the Multivariate Analysis of Variance, and it allowed comparison of multiple dependent variables (Mallery, 2006). Elementary mainstreamed teachers had positive attitudes toward class modifications, time constraints, educational environment, general attitudes, and training and support but had negative attitudes about having adequate ELL training. Also, elementary mainstreamed teachers had negative attitudes toward second language acquisition. Finally, the research showed that new teachers were more positive about all of the variables than experienced teachers, and females were more positive than males.
Hardin, B. J.,Roach-Scott, M., & Peisner-Feinberg, E. S.(2007).Special education referral, evaluation, and placement practices for preschool English language learners.Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 22(1), 39-54.
The number of English language learners (ELLs) in early childhood regular and special education services has increased dramatically in the past decade. A survey was conducted with 141 early childhood administrators and teachers to examine their beliefs and practices concerning the special education referral, evaluation, and placement process for preschool ELLs and their families. Survey questions were designed to gather information about: (1) how cultural and language differences were addressed;(2) what strategies were used to ensure parent participation of ELL children; and (3) what training was available and being used by early childhood professionals. Data were coded and percentages of similar responses calculated to understand participants' beliefs, attitudes, and practices. Results indicate that inconsistencies in methods are used to determine home language and English proficiency, a lack of clarity regarding the purpose of instruments used for screening and evaluating ELL children, a need for reliable and valid screening and assessment tools in a variety of languages, a need for interpreters who are trained in early childhood terms and the special education referral, evaluation, and placement process, and a need for more teacher training on meeting the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse families. (Contains 9 tables.) (Author)
Hart, J. E., & Lee, O. (2003). Teacher professional development to improve the science and literacy achievement of English language learners.Bilingual Research Journal , 27(3), 475-501.
This paper describes the results of a teacher professional development intervention aimed at enabling teachers to promote science and literacy achievement for culturally and linguistically diverse elementary students. This paper has two objectives: (a) to examine teachers' initial beliefs and practices about teaching English language and literacy in science and (b) to examine the impact of the intervention on teachers' beliefs and practices. The research involved 53 third- and fourth-grade teachers at six elementary schools in a large school district with a highly diverse student population. The results of these first-year professional development efforts, which form part of a 3-year longitudinal design, indicate that at the end of the year, teachers expressed more elaborate and coherent conceptions of literacy in science instruction. In addition, they provided more effective linguistic scaffolding in an effort to enhance students' understanding of science concepts. The results also suggest that teachers require continuing support in the form of professional development activities in order to implement and maintain reform-oriented practices that promote the science and literacy achievement of culturally and linguistically diverse students. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.
Lascko-Keer, I., & Berliner, D. C. (2002). The effectiveness of “Teach for America” and other under-certified teachers on student academic achievement: A case of harmful public policy. Educational Policy Analysis Archives, 10(37), 55.
The academic achievements of students taught by under-certified primary school teachers were compared to the academic achievements of students taught by regularly certified primary school teachers. This sample of under-certified teachers included three types of under-qualified personnel: emergency, temporary and provisionally certified teachers. One subset of these under-certified teachers was from the national program "Teach For America (TFA)." Recent college graduates are placed by TFA where other under-qualified under-certified teachers are often called upon to work, namely, low-income urban and rural school districts. Certified teachers in this study were from accredited universities and all met state requirements for receiving the regular initial certificate to teach. Recently hired under-certified and certified teachers (N=293) from five low-income school districts were matched on a number of variables, resulting in 109 pairs of teachers whose students all took the mandated state achievement test. Results indicate 1) that students of TFA teachers did not perform significantly different from students of other under-certified teachers, and 2) that students of certified teachers out-performed students of teachers who were under-certified. This was true on all three subtests of the SAT 9—reading, mathematics and language arts. Effect sizes favoring the students of certified teachers were substantial. In reading, mathematics, and language, the students of certified teachers outperformed students of under-certified teachers, including the students of the TFA teachers, by about 2 months on a grade equivalent scale. Students of under-certified teachers make about 20% less academic growth per year than do students of teachers with regular certification. Traditional programs of teacher preparation apparently result in positive effects on the academic achievement of low-income primary school children. Present policies allowing under-certified teachers, including those from the TFA program, to work with our most difficult to teach children appear harmful. Such policies increase differences in achievement between the performance of poor children, often immigrant and minority children, and those children who are more advantaged.
Lee, O., & Luykx, A. (2005). Dilemmas in scaling up innovations in elementary science instruction with nonmainstream students.American Educational Research Journal, 42(3), 411-438.
In the climate of standards-based instruction and accountability, scaling up educational innovations is necessary to bring about system-wide improvements. As a result of fundamental tensions involving effective educational policies and practices for diverse student groups, scaling up is especially challenging in multilingual, multicultural, and inner-city settings. In this article, grounded in the instructional congruence framework, the authors highlight the challenges facing schools and teachers in articulating science disciplines with nonmainstream students' linguistic and cultural experiences while also promoting English language and literacy. Rigorous attention to such challenges is needed to make scaling up of educational interventions more effective and to answer the question of what constitutes "best policies and practices" for diverse student groups.
Lee, S., Butler, M. B., &Tippins, D. J.(2007).A case study of an early childhood teacher's perspective on working with English language learners.Multicultural Education, 15(1), 43-49.
The student population in United States early childhood education programs is becoming more diverse every year. As schools and communities become more diverse, it becomes increasingly important for teachers to be well prepared for teaching and learning in cross-racial, cross-ethnic, and cross-cultural situations. Based on the premise that teachers hold their own beliefs, values, knowledge, assumptions, and attitudes about diversity from their own life experiences, this study is an effort to understand an experienced teacher's--Tiffany's--practical knowledge about cultural and linguistic diversity. As a collaborative work with "Tiffany," this study tries to connect to her personal and professional lives, classrooms, and teacher education programs. In particular, this study examines ways to work effectively with culturally and linguistically diverse children. The research questions are posed in light of this purpose: (1) What practices and discourses does an experienced teacher enact regarding English as a second language (ESL) education?; and (2) What suggestions and strategies does an experienced teacher have to support English language learners (ELLs)?
O'Neal, D. D.,Ringler, M., & Rodriguez, D.(2008).Teachers' perceptions of their preparation for teaching linguistically and culturally diverse learners in rural eastern North Carolina.Rural Educator, 30(1), 5-13.
The number of English language learners (ELL) students in the US is increasing dramatically. The growth is even more evident in rural areas of the United States such as North Carolina where teachers are facing classrooms with a majority of second language learners. The authors conducted a study interviewing 24 teachers at a rural elementary school in eastern North Carolina. Teachers were interviewed regarding their perceptions of their preparedness to teach English language learners in the mainstream classrooms. Findings revealed that teacher training programs have not prepared these individuals for the student population they face today regardless of the year in which they received their teaching licenses. All teachers showed a strong desire to learn more at this time in their careers, but emphasized their lack of prior training. The study found that even though teachers lacked confidence, they were effectively educating this growing population. The authors discuss the responsibility of Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) to provide formal education in teaching students from diverse language backgrounds.
Terrill, M., & Mark, D. L. H. (2000).Preservice teachers' expectations for schools with children of color and second-language learners.Journal of Teacher Education, 51(2), 149-55.
Investigated preservice teachers' expectations for racially and linguistically diverse students in different school settings. Most respondents were white, with low comfort and safety levels for schools and communities with children of color. Most wanted to teach in white, suburban schools; had little experience teaching minority children; and held significantly different expectations for diverse students in different school settings.
1