Preservice Teachers’ Developing Conceptions of Teaching English Learners
Abstract
In this study, 12 preservice teachers in a community college English as a second language (ESL) K–12 teacher education program drew pictures and wrote descriptions of teachers teaching English language learners (ELLs) at the beginning and end of an ESL methods course. Using content analysis, the researcher analyzed the drawings and descriptions with respect to the role of the teacher, the role of the students, the teaching strategies shown, the instructional content, and how the drawings changed over the semester. Preservice teachers depicted more and varied teaching strategies in end‐of‐course drawings, but overall findings showed that preservice teachers viewed teaching ELLs as a teacher implementing direct instruction in basic literacy to passive students at both the beginning and end of the course. The article discusses the importance of impacting preservice teacher beliefs through teacher education and explores the benefits and limits of using drawings for this purpose.
Reference
Kelly, L. B. (2018). Preservice Teachers’ Developing Conceptions of Teaching English Learners.
TESOL Quarterly,
52(1), 110–136.
https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.375
Journal
TESOL Quarterly
Analysis
Is this article part of a larger project or series of studies?
no
Does this study draw on a large, preexisting data set?
no
Research Approach
Geographic Setting
- Southwestern United States
Institutional Context
Certification Level
Programatic Focus
Research Location Context
Preservice Participants
- 2-year Community College Students
Preservice Sample Size
12
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
- drawings
- written responses
Data Analysis Tools
Researcher Positionality
Research Questions
What is the teacher’s role in the classroom?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes
What are the students (ELLs) doing?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes
What teaching strategies does the teacher employ?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes
What are the students (ELLs) learning?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes
How do the drawings change over the course of the semester?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes