Merging Authentic Field Experiences with Direct Interactions with Parents of ELs to Improve Hispanic Pre-service Teachers’ Self-Efficacy toward Parental Involvement

ABSTRACT

This study offered a group of preservice bilingual generalists’ opportunities for one semester to engage in a unique form of professional development that merged authentic field experiences with direct interaction with parents and families of ELs. Specifically, the study investigated how Hispanic pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy and dispositions about parental involvement changed as a result of having participated in this type of professional development. Thus, the current study went beyond the teacher education boundary from college campus to local schools and then to students’ families providing pre-service teachers the opportunity to experience direct interactions with parents that improved their self-efficacy toward parental involvement.

KEYWORDS:

• Elementary
• English language learners
• Latino/a children and families
• parent & communit
• teacher preparation
• preservice

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).