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

• Published in: Journal of teacher education Vol. 70; no. 4; pp. 372 - 387
• Main Authors: Lavery, Matthew Ryan, Nutta, Joyce, Youngblood, Alison
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.09.2019; Corwin Press, Inc; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Achievement Gains; Classroom Environment; Classrooms; Core Curriculum; Early Childhood Education; Education; Elementary Education; Elementary Secondary Education; English (Second Language); English as a second language; English as a second language learning; English Language Learners; Foreign language instruction; Intellectual Disciplines; Language Arts; Native Language; Preservice Teachers; Second language learning; Secondary School Mathematics; Social Studies; Student teachers; Student Teaching; Teacher education; Teacher Education Programs; Teacher Effectiveness; Teacher Improvement; Teachers; Teaching; Young Children; Florida; New York; United Kingdom; language learners; school/teacher effectiveness; preservice teacher education; HLM (hierarchical linear modeling); TESOL
• ISSN: 0022-4871; 1552-7816
• DOI: 10.1177/0022487117751400

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.