Building Systems of Support for Classroom Teachers Working With English Language Learners

Abstract

Increasing numbers of English learner (EL) students and corresponding pressures to mainstream them mean that districts around the country are facing new challenges as they adapt to meet the needs of these students. For general education teachers, the challenges stem from a role shift in which they are now primarily responsible for the instructional needs of the EL students in their classrooms. This qualitative case study examined the assistance and support general education teachers received to work with linguistically diverse students. This article addresses the ways these efforts can form a “system of support” for teachers. The analysis focuses on 4 districts that serve different populations and proportions of EL students. Through interviews, classroom observations, and document analyses, this article examines how these districts attempted to provide coherent, sustained support to classroom teachers at all levels and, in doing so, created systems of support.

Keywords:

• EL students
• policy
• teacher learning

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Support for this research was provided by the Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession (www.cstp-wa.org). However, the analyses and opinions provided in this article are the sole responsibility of the authors.

Notes

¹In this study, we use the terms general education teacher and classroom teacher interchangeably to refer to elementary and secondary teachers whose primary assignment is teaching a range of students within a regular education classroom. Some general education or classroom teachers work in bilingual or dual language classrooms, yet need support in their instruction of English learners.

²By structured English immersion classes, we mean classes in which nearly all instruction is provided in English, but the instruction and curriculum are designed to support students who are learning English. Structured English immersion classrooms may vary in the amount of time dedicated to English language instruction and the grouping of students by language proficiency.

³Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD) is a model of professional development designed to promote English language acquisition, academic achievement, and cross-cultural skills. GLAD purports to train teachers to develop instructional strategies effective for the learning of English learner students, along with the theory and research behind the model. Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol, another national model of English as a Second Language professional development, focuses on teaching English language development through the content areas and, as such, is used more frequently with middle and high school teachers.

⁴For this study, we primarily focus on supports provided at school and district levels. The bilingual or English as a Second Language program model adopted by a school or district may provide assistance to general education teachers; but, for the purposes of this study, the program model was considered only one part of a broader framework of supports.