Preparing special education teacher candidates to teach English language learners with disabilities: How well are we doing?

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 330-351
Author(s):  
Jessica L.W. Miranda ◽  
Jenny C. Wells ◽  
Amelia Jenkins
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
English Language ◽  
Program Improvement ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
Sense Of Efficacy

A utilization-focused evaluation (Patton, 2008) was conducted to systematically investigate special education teacher candidates’ preparation to teach English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities. The results were used to (1) determine current effectiveness of departmental programs and (2) guide program improvement efforts. The initial literature review on ELLs with disabilities and teacher preparation guided the development of a four element framework to organize and analyse the data and results of the program evaluation. Data were collected using (1) a document review of program materials, (2) a faculty questionnaire, (3) a faculty focus group, and (4) a survey of the teacher candidates’ knowledge and perceptions on their preparedness in this area. Data revealed a scattered and disjointed approach to preparing preservice teachers to teach ELLs with disabilities, leading to a lack of special education teacher candidate’s: (1) mastery of essential content and (2) sense of efficacy in teaching ELLs. This investigation also shed light on the range of faculty perspectives, knowledge, and practices in the preparation of special education teacher candidates to teach ELLs.

Preservice Observation in Special Education: A Validation Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-19
Author(s):  
Daisy J. Pua ◽  
David J. Peyton ◽  
Mary T. Brownell ◽  
Valentina A. Contesse ◽  
Nathan D. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Essential Element ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Observation System ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
Observation Instrument ◽  
High Incidence Disabilities

Advancing teacher candidates’ overall competence through use of valid teacher observation systems should be an essential element of teacher preparation. Yet, the field of special education has not provided observation protocols designed specifically for preservice teachers that are founded in theoretical perspectives and research on effective instruction for students with learning and other high-incidence disabilities (SWDs). To address this need, a group of researchers in special education teacher preparation and measurement developed the Preservice Observation Instrument for Special Education (POISE). The POISE is an observation system rooted in effective special education practices that support the growth of preservice teachers who will serve SWD across instructional settings. The purpose of this article is to report on the development and psychometric properties of the POISE. Specifically, we employed Kane’s argument-based validity approach to frame each stage in the development process of the POISE. We conducted two phases of content validation activities, development activities, and a pilot study to assess the degree to which scores from POISE provided evidence for the scoring, generalizability, and extrapolation inferences. In the end, the POISE represents a promising observation instrument for the development of special education teacher candidates.

Service-Learning as Authentic Practice for Teacher Candidates to Work With English Language Learners

2019 ◽  
pp. 35-54
Author(s):  
Hyesun Cho ◽  
Peter Johnson ◽  
Sylvia S. Somiari
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
English Language ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Course Changes ◽  
Group Interviews

This chapter investigates how the incorporation of service-learning to a teacher education course changes teacher candidates' perceptions of English language learners (ELLs). It also examines the benefits and challenges of the service-learning project in which preservice teachers worked with ELLs individually or in groups in the elementary classroom. Through course artifacts and focus group interviews of 48 preservice teachers at a large Midwestern U.S. university, the impacts of service-learning as authentic practice with ELLs are discussed. Findings reveal that the experience reduced participant anxiety about working with diverse populations, provided opportunities for self-reflection, and promoted a sense of confidence and competence which led to professional growth for teacher candidates. This chapter concludes with recommendations for teacher educators interested in implementing service-learning in a teacher education program as well as directions for future research.

Inspiring Teacher Candidates to Embrace Cultural Diversity

2020 ◽  
pp. 120-139
Author(s):  
Judi Simmons Estes ◽  
Judith Lynne McConnell-Farmer
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cultural Knowledge ◽  
Cultural Learning ◽  
Underserved Students

One of the challenges facing teachers in the United States is providing high-quality education for all students met in the classroom, including those who too often are underserved: students of color, low-income students, English-language learners, as well as students in urban and rural settings. Teachers report feeling unprepared and lack confidence in teaching students from culturally different backgrounds from themselves. This chapter suggests that in addition to becoming certified teachers, teacher candidates need to be inspired by teacher educators who are passionate about cultural learning and willing to share their own journey. Through sharing, teacher educators can provide practices that build cultural knowledge and increase cultural experiences of teacher candidates.

From Preservice to Inservice

2018 ◽  
pp. 1765-1787
Author(s):  
Congcong Wang
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Inservice Teachers ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Language Teacher ◽  
Teachers Perceptions

Wang (2012) suggested that preservice teachers perceived that their initial experiences as online language learners increased their linguistic, cultural and technological awareness, which would further benefit them when working with diverse students. However, that study was unclear about whether teachers perceived that they could transfer their awareness into teaching practice. Therefore, extending the pilot study, this follow-up study explored inservice teachers' perceptions of linguistic, cultural and technological awareness transfer in teaching English Language Learners by asking them to engage with an online language course and reflect on their experience. This study proposes a model for language teacher linguistic, cultural and technological awareness development and transfer, as well as discusses issues related to language teacher awareness transfer.

Overidentification of English Language Learners for Special Education

2020 ◽  
pp. 191-215
Author(s):  
Penelope Debs Keough
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
The United States ◽  
Department Of Education ◽  
Proposition 227 ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Disproportionate Number

Alarming statistics presented by the United States Department of Education reveal a disproportionate number of students of minority language (English language learners) qualify for special education. As far back as 2007, the DOE recognized there was a concerted effort needed to reduce racial and ethnic disproportionality in racial and ethnic identification, placement, and disciplinary actions for minority students' representation in special education. This chapter will examine and address solutions to prevent the over identification of English language learners in special education specifically in the area of identification. As a further objective, the ramifications of this over representation will be examined, and the authors hypothesize about why the over representation occurs. Confusion over the Unz Initiative (1998, Proposition 227) may have inadvertently led to the over identification. A case study, leading to case law, concludes the chapter.

Ensuring Social Justice for English Language Learners

2021 ◽  
pp. 489-506
Author(s):  
Juan A. Rios Vega ◽  
Cecile M. Arquette ◽  
Hwa Lee ◽  
Heljä Antola Crowe ◽  
Jana Lynn Hunzicker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
English Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Credit Hours ◽  
Ell Students ◽  
Course Work

Bradley University's embedded English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement program was first implemented during the 2015-2016 academic year. This program consists of eighteen credit hours of course work specified by the Illinois State Board of Education in order to prepare teachers to work with students who do not speak English as their first language. Now in its second year, early outcomes of the program are quite positive. This chapter describes the program and its development in detail, and analyzes the program's strengths and weaknesses, focusing especially on teacher candidates' knowledge of pedagogy and cultural awareness as it relates to social justice in education for English language learner (ELL) students. The chapter concludes with recommendations for programming and future research.

Inspiring Teacher Candidates to Embrace Cultural Diversity

2021 ◽  
pp. 879-898
Author(s):  
Judi Simmons Estes ◽  
Judith Lynne McConnell-Farmer
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cultural Knowledge ◽  
Cultural Learning ◽  
Underserved Students

One of the challenges facing teachers in the United States is providing high-quality education for all students met in the classroom, including those who too often are underserved: students of color, low-income students, English-language learners, as well as students in urban and rural settings. Teachers report feeling unprepared and lack confidence in teaching students from culturally different backgrounds from themselves. This chapter suggests that in addition to becoming certified teachers, teacher candidates need to be inspired by teacher educators who are passionate about cultural learning and willing to share their own journey. Through sharing, teacher educators can provide practices that build cultural knowledge and increase cultural experiences of teacher candidates.

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