Preparing Classroom Teachers to Succeed with Second Language Learners


Book Description

This volume identifies resources, models, and specific practices for improving teacher preparation for work with second language learners. It shows how faculty positioned themselves to learn from resources, experts, preservice teachers, their own practice, and each other. The teacher education professionals leverage their experience to offer theoretical and practical insights regarding how other faculty could develop their own knowledge, improve their courses, and understand their influence on the preservice teachers they serve. The book addresses challenges others are likely to experience while improving teacher preparation, including preservice teacher resistance, the challenge of adding to already-packed courses, the difficulty of recruiting and retaining busy faculty members, and the question of how to best frame the larger issues. The authors also address options for integrating the work of improving teacher preparation for linguistic diversity into a variety of different teacher education program designs. Finally, the book demonstrates a data-driven approach that makes this work consistent with many institutions’ mandate to produce research and to collect evidence supporting accreditation.




Preparing Classroom Teachers to Succeed with Second Language Learners


Book Description

This volume identifies resources, models, and specific practices for improving teacher preparation for work with second language learners. It shows how faculty positioned themselves to learn from resources, experts, preservice teachers, their own practice, and each other. The teacher education professionals leverage their experience to offer theoretical and practical insights regarding how other faculty could develop their own knowledge, improve their courses, and understand their influence on the preservice teachers they serve. The book addresses challenges others are likely to experience while improving teacher preparation, including preservice teacher resistance, the challenge of adding to already-packed courses, the difficulty of recruiting and retaining busy faculty members, and the question of how to best frame the larger issues. The authors also address options for integrating the work of improving teacher preparation for linguistic diversity into a variety of different teacher education program designs. Finally, the book demonstrates a data-driven approach that makes this work consistent with many institutions’ mandate to produce research and to collect evidence supporting accreditation.




Preparing the Way


Book Description




Teachers' Roles in Second Language Learning


Book Description

This book is designed to provide practical applications of sociocultural theory with regard to teachers’ roles in second language education. By providing specific examples of teachers’ roles in the classroom, the book aims to help researchers, teacher educators, and classroom teachers make clear connections between practice and theory in second language learning. All the studies in this edited book are conducted in the PreK-16 classroom setting. Each chapter presents rigorous research analysis within the framework of sociocultural theory and provides rich descriptions of teachers’ roles. The book is intended to be used in teacher education courses. The primary audience of the book is in-service teachers who work with second language learners (SLLs) in their classrooms including ESL/Bilingual classrooms or regular classrooms. Since many SLLs receive instructions both in the ESL/Bilingual classrooms and in the regular classrooms, it is important to discuss teachers’ roles in both settings. The secondary audience of the book is teacher educators and researchers who work with pre-service and in-service teachers in teacher education. This book will be an excellent resource for book study groups and practitioners working with professional learning communities.




Meeting the Needs of Second Language Learners


Book Description

Today's public schools are increasingly characterized by cultural and linguistic diversity. Studies show that about 4.4 million students nationwide lack the English skills needed to succeed academically. To help second language learners keep up in the classroom, educators must understand the challenges that bilingual students and schools face. In this concise guide, former bilingual teacher Judith Lessow-Hurley dives right into the language debate swirling in school systems large and small. She examines the popular myths about educating students in a multilinquistic society and introduces the key issues: * The demographics of second language learners * The theory underlying language instruction * Desirable qualifications for bilingual teachers * Effective teaching methods and programs * Language and politics * Language and the law By confronting common beliefs about English-only and immersion programs, basic interpersonal communication skills, the influence of culture on language, and more, Lessow-Hurley reveals how schools can successfully educate students from diverse backgrounds--without unintended prejudice. Her passionate and intelligent response in the language debate views every school as the bridge between cultures, helping all students develop academically and equally.




What Teachers Need to Know About Language


Book Description

Rising enrollments of students for whom English is not a first language mean that every teacher – whether teaching kindergarten or high school algebra – is a language teacher. This book explains what teachers need to know about language in order to be more effective in the classroom, and it shows how teacher education might help them gain that knowledge. It focuses especially on features of academic English and gives examples of the many aspects of teaching and learning to which language is key. This second edition reflects the now greatly expanded knowledge base about academic language and classroom discourse, and highlights the pivotal role that language plays in learning and schooling. The volume will be of interest to teachers, teacher educators, professional development specialists, administrators, and all those interested in helping to ensure student success in the classroom and beyond.




Transformative Pedagogies for Teacher Education


Book Description

People are on the move all across the globe and the student population is becoming increasingly more diverse. This has brought about new opportunities and challenges for educators, and teachers. In this series teacher educators a) deconstruct and problematize what it means to educate new teachers for increasingly diverse schools and classroom contexts, and b) highlight experiences of teacher educators as they attempt to bridge the theory to practice divide often encountered in teacher education. In these challenging times when public education is under attack, culturally responsive, antiracist, critical multicultural, social justice and all forms of teaching that are inclusive and equitable must be supported and encouraged. As schools continue to be spaces where ideas and values that promote equity and justice in society are contested, teachers must be proactive in engaging in pedagogies that respond to the needs of a diverse student population. Transformative Pedagogies bring together the work of teachers, scholars, and activists from different countries and contexts who are seeking to transform teacher education. This book will be useful to all educators seeking alternative and innovative approaches to education and meeting the needs of students. Teacher educators examine what it means to be transformative and drawing on experiences from different contexts.




Innovative Practices in Teacher Preparation and Graduate-Level Teacher Education Programs


Book Description

Educators play a significant role in the intellectual and social development of children and young adults. Thus, it is important for next-generation teachers to have a strong educational background, as it serves as the foundation to their understanding of learning processes, leadership, and best practices in the field of education. Innovative Practices in Teacher Preparation and Graduate-Level Teacher Education Programs presents critical and relevant research on methods by which future educators in high-level courses are equipped and instructed in order to promote the best experience in academic scholarship. Featuring discussion on a diverse assortment of topics, such as social justice for English language learners, field-based teacher education, and student satisfaction in graduate programs, this publication is directed at academicians, students, and researchers seeking modern research on the approaches taken by instructors to qualify and engage future educators.




Handbook of Research on Engaging Immigrant Families and Promoting Academic Success for English Language Learners


Book Description

In the past few years, there has been an influx of immigrant children into the school system, many with a limited understanding of English. Successfully teaching these students requires educators to understand their characteristics and to learn how to engage immigrant families to support their children’s academic achievements. The Handbook of Research on Engaging Immigrant Families and Promoting Academic Success for English Language Learners is a collection of innovative research that utilizes teacher professional development models, assessment practices, teaching strategies, and parental involvement strategies to develop ways for communities and educators to create social and academic conditions that promote the academic success of immigrant and English language learners. While highlighting topics including bilingual learners, family engagement, and teacher development, this book is ideally designed for early childhood, elementary, middle, K-12, and secondary school teachers; school administrators; faculty; academicians; and researchers.




Powerful Practices for Supporting English Learners


Book Description

Highlight the assets of English Learners in your classroom Students do better in school when their voices are heard. For English Learners, that means not only supporting their growing language proficiency, but also empowering them to share their linguistic and cultural identities. This practical guide, grounded in compelling research and organized around essential questions and answers, is designed to help all educators build on their current competencies to authentically harmonize home languages and cultures in the classroom. Inside you’ll find • The emotional, social, linguistic, cognitive, and academic rationale for incorporating cultural and linguistic assets • Creatively illustrated powerful practices with concrete examples of successful implementation • Myth-busting reflections to spark critical thinking about diversity, inclusive education, and family engagement • Curriculum connections tied to American and Canadian standards By recognizing and validating every student’s linguistic and cultural assets, you create a supportive environment for academic success.