scholarly journals Analyzing Student Learning Gains to Evaluate Differentiated Teacher Preparation for Fostering English Learners’ Achievement in Linguistically Diverse Classrooms

2018 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 372-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Ryan Lavery ◽  
Joyce Nutta ◽  
Alison Youngblood
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Language Arts ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Secondary English ◽  
Nonnative Speakers Of English ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
K 12

Researchers compared pre/post classroom assessment scores of n = 8,326 K-12 students taught by n = 288 teacher candidates to determine if a differentiated teacher education program prepared them to support English learners’ (ELs) achievement in classrooms including native and nonnative speakers of English. Candidates in Group 1 comprised academic subject (secondary mathematics, science, and social studies) teacher candidates, who completed six teacher preparation courses with 15 key assignments that included a focus on ELs. Certification areas for Group 2 candidates include language arts instruction (elementary, early childhood, and secondary English language arts). Group 2 candidates completed from 12 to 15 courses with 41 to 50 key assignments that included a focus on ELs. Results indicate that teacher candidates in both groups helped narrow the gap between ELs and non-ELs from pretests to posttests. ELs performed no differently when taught by candidates from either group. Implications for teacher preparation are discussed.

Beyond censorship: politics, teens, and ELA teacher candidates

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Dávila ◽  
Meghan E. Barnes
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Research Question ◽  
The Body ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Secondary English ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
Practical Experiences

Purpose Grounded in the scholarship addressing teacher self-censorship around controversial topics, this paper aims to investigate a three-part research question: How do secondary English language arts (ELA) teacher–candidates (TCs) in the penultimate semester of their undergraduate teacher education program position political texts/speeches, interpret high school teens’ political standpoints and view the prospects of discussing political texts/speeches with students? The study findings provide insights to the ways some TCs might position themselves as novice ELA teachers relative to political texts/speeches, students, colleagues and families in their future school communities. Design/methodology/approach Audio-recorded data from whole-class and small-group discussions were coded for TCs’ positioning of political texts/speeches, interpretations of teens’ political standpoints and viewpoints on discussing with students President Obama’s speech, “A More Perfect Union” (“A.M.P.U.”) The coded data set was further analyzed to identify themes across the TCs’ perspectives. Findings The data set tells the story of a group of TCs whose positionalities, background knowledge and practical experiences in navigating divergent perspectives would influence both their daily selection and censorship of political texts/speeches like “A.M.P.U.” and their subsequent willingness to guide equitable yet critical conversations about controversial issues in the secondary ELA classroom. Originality/value In advance of the 2018 midterm elections, this paper considers how the common core state standards’ (CCSS) recommendations to include more nonfiction documents in ELA instruction positions ELA teachers to provide interdisciplinary support in helping students think critically about political issues. It expands on the body of scholarship that, thus far, has been primarily grounded in the research on social studies instruction.

Advocacy for English Learners

2018 ◽  
pp. 114-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debra A. Giambo
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
The Political ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Undergraduate Teacher Education ◽  
Political Election

There is a growing need for teachers to be advocates for their English learners (ELs). Teacher preparation programs often do not develop teacher candidates' advocacy skills effectively, and this chapter begins with an outline of the need for developing the advocacy skills of teacher candidates. Activities to promote the development of teacher candidates' skills to advocate for policy change for ELs are described both at scaffolded levels of preparation and within the context of an undergraduate teacher education program. These activities are organized in the program to reflect both the teacher candidates' developing abilities to analyze and synthesize information related to policy as well as, for some assignments, the political election cycle. As part of these activities, teacher candidates engage in self-reflection as well as in-class, whole group reflection, and these processes are described along with a presentation of themed student reflective responses in regard to the advocacy activities.

scholarly journals Clinically Based Models of Teacher Preparation

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-26
Author(s):  
Sylvia L. Dietrich ◽  
Nancy Hulan ◽  
Gail Kirby ◽  
Sam Evans
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Language Arts ◽  
English Language Arts ◽  
English Language ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Clinical Teacher ◽  
Secondary English ◽  
Secondary English Language Arts ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
A Minor

A teacher preparation institution critically reviewed current programs and began moving toward a clinically based model. One focuses on Middle Grades/Secondary Math and Science, another focuses on Secondary English Language Arts, and a pilot project focuses on Elementary with a minor in either English/Language Arts or STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Keywords: teacher education, clinical practice, and clinical teacher preparation  

A Rational and Manageable Value-Added Model for Teacher Preparation Programs

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 728-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Brady ◽  
Katie Miller ◽  
Jazarae McCormick ◽  
Lawrence A. Heiser
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Student Teaching ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Value Added Model ◽  
K 12

Educators struggle with “value-added” teacher evaluation models based on high-stakes student assessments. Despite validity and reliability threats, these models evaluate university-based teacher preparation programs (TPPs), and play a role in state and professional accreditation. This study reports a more rational value-added evaluation model linking student performance to teacher candidates’ lessons during Practicum and Student Teaching. Results indicate that K-12 students showed learning gains on these lessons, with mixed findings on comparisons of part-time to full-time internships, academic and functional lessons, and candidates’ grade point averages (GPAs). Results indicated that teacher candidates’ lessons are a viable value-added model (VAM) alternative for TPPs.

Attitudes Toward Game Adoption

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy B. Sardone
Keyword(s):  
Small Groups ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Instructional Strategy ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Combination Strategy ◽  
Strategy Research ◽  
Games For Learning ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Core Activity ◽  
Facilitation Techniques

Gaming has become a core activity with children and more teachers are using games for learning than five years ago. Yet, teachers report that they learn about game titles, impact studies, and facilitation techniques through their own initiatives or from other teachers rather than from their teacher education program. This article reports on a combined curricular approach built on game strategy research that asked teacher candidates (n= 102) to discuss headlines news about gaming, play games, review games and game research, teach others how to play games, and then construct games. Findings revealed that candidates saw value in using games in K-12 to teach content, were able to develop assessments based on game content at a novice level, and were able to construct games either alone or in small groups. Educators contemplating gaming as an instructional strategy may be interested in the espoused combination strategy to encourage game adoption in K-12 settings.

scholarly journals Implementing Action Research in a Teacher Preparation Program: Opportunities and Limitations

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-71
Author(s):  
Glenda L. Black
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Teacher Preparation Program ◽  
Preparation Program ◽  
Problem Solving Skills

Action research has the potential to reconstruct schools into professional learning communities that are able to identify educational issues and develop appropriate solutions for 21st century learning. Increasingly, teacher education programs are providing action research experiences to encourage analytical thinking and problem-solving skills (Darling-Hammond, 2009, 2012). The purpose of this study was to critically examine the experiences of the teacher educator and teacher candidates involved in the implementation of an action research component over four years in a revised consecutive initial teacher preparation program. A case study design using action research methodology was used in the research, which provided the tools to explore a complex phenomenon within its context: the implementation of an action research assignment in a core course in a teacher preparation program. The perceptions of the faculty teaching the course and the teacher candidates (n=544) in each of the four years provided insight into challenges, benefits, and lessons learned.  The discussion centers on the implementation of action research in a compulsory course in a teacher education program; identifying opportunities and limitations settled into four main categories: structural incongruence, reflection, growth, and recommendations.

scholarly journals State educational agencies in an uncertain environment: Understanding state provided networks of English Language Arts curricular resources

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Serena J. Salloum ◽  
Emily M. Hodge ◽  
Susanna L. Benko
Keyword(s):  
Language Arts ◽  
English Language Arts ◽  
English Language ◽  
Quadratic Assignment ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Secondary English ◽  
Language Arts Teachers ◽  
Arts Teachers ◽  
Organizational Ties ◽  
State Educational

Rapid adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), the Race to the Top (RTTT) competition, and backlash around these policies created widespread uncertainty among state educational agencies (SEAs). SEAs may have not had a clear direction about how to support standards implementation in a new context, and therefore, may have looked to their professional networks, their geographic neighbors or other highly regarded SEAs, or other sources for information and resources to guide their decisions about where to send teachers for information about standards. Drawing on institutional theory (Meyer Rowan, 1977) and isomorphism specifically (DiMaggio Powell, 1983), we posit that coercive forces (primarily due to RTTT application and CCSS status) as compared to mimetic and normative forces influenced the organizations to which SEAs turn for curriculum materials. Using Multiple Regression Quadratic Assignment Procedure and a data set of over 2,000 state-provided resources for secondary English Language Arts teachers from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., we indeed found that coercive forces had a relationship with shared organizational ties, demonstrating that RTTT application and CCSS adoption influenced resource provision.

scholarly journals Promoting Student Voice and Choice: Examples from a Secondary EL Classroom Project

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-33
Author(s):  
Emily Suh ◽  
Lisa Hoffman ◽  
Donna L. Albrecht ◽  
Scott Wade
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Instructional Strategies ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Gifted Students ◽  
High Ability ◽  
Secondary English ◽  
Multilingual Students ◽  
High School Class

A creative reflection project was designed and implemented for English learners in a newcomer high school class using instructional strategies which are often reserved for classes with gifted students. The researchers designed the project around two principles which are also hallmarks of high ability curriculum design: 1) an assumption that emerging multilingual students have high abilities and unrecognized talents, and 2) a commitment to students using their own agency to show their learning. We consider connections between instructional strategies used by English language learning specialists and high ability education specialists. The resulting asset-based project was aligned with the WIDA framework to support differentiation and assessment. This article discusses the successes and struggles that came from implementing this project with secondary English learners. We also share the materials created for this unit as well as considerations for other educators who might consider adapting or implementing a similar project.

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