Date of Award:
12-2019
Document Type:
Dissertation
Degree Name:
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department:
School of Teacher Education and Leadership
Department name when degree awarded
Education
Committee Chair(s)
Kathleen A. J. Mohr
Committee
Kathleen A. J. Mohr
Committee
Karin de Jonge-Kannan
Committee
Eric Mohr
Committee
Courtney D. Stewart
Committee
Susan A. Turner
Abstract
English language learners (ELLs) are the fastest growing student group in U.S. public schools. ELLs also consistently lag behind their native-English speaking peers in academic achievement. These facts set the stage for the study that evaluated one school district’s program to prepare their teachers to effectively educate ELLs. This program included a year-long series of six professional development courses that covered ELL-specific topics. The study’s evaluation tools included an online survey completed by teachers who took the courses, teachers’ feedback on course evaluation forms, interviews of district-level officials familiar with the program, and an examination of the homework assignments from each course.
The program evaluation showed that teachers and district officials thought the courses helped prepare the teachers to instruct ELLs. However, the teachers’ feedback about the program’s influence included some specific references to teaching ELLs, but more examples from general education settings. The evaluation also found that only about 10% of the homework assignments required direct instruction of students. These evaluation results suggest that the program could be strengthened to include more opportunities for teachers to practice instructing ELLs. This additional practice could increase teachers’ confidence to serve the needs of ELLs in their classrooms.
Checksum
a2e2a418e70179dff2b31c67519ddf61
Recommended Citation
Scott, Dinah, "The Influence of an English-as-a-Second-Language Professional Development Program on Perceptions of Teacher Efficacy for Instructing English Language Learners" (2019). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 7662.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/7662
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