Teaching “in their best interest”: Preservice teachers’ narratives regarding English Learners

Abstract

In the United States, teachers are increasingly working with English Learners (ELs) in mainstream classrooms. Several areas of focus have been proposed to guide the preparation of teachers for working with ELs, including: language related knowledge, skills, and dispositions. This narrative study examined how field-based experiences shaped 49 preservice teachers' dispositions toward ELs. An iterative and thematic analysis of collected narratives found that preservice teachers often completed their practicum in classrooms that did not model positive dispositions or pedagogical practices toward ELs. These findings have implications for the tasks and experiences given to preservice teachers during their preparation sequence.

Reference

Sugimoto, A. T., Carter, K., & Stoehr, K. J. (2017). Teaching “in their best interest”: Preservice teachers' narratives regarding English Learners. Teaching and Teacher Education, 67, 179-188.

Journal

Teaching and Teacher Education

Analysis

Is this article part of a larger project or series of studies?

yes

Does this study draw on a large, preexisting data set?

unclear

Research Approach

Narrative Inquiry

Geographic Setting

not stated

Institutional Context

University based

Certification Level

Elementary
Generalist

Programatic Focus

Elementary

Research Location Context

Elementary school
General Methods Course

Preservice Participants

undergraduate preservice teachers

Preservice Sample Size

Duration of Data Collection

1 semester

Data Sources

narrative journals

Data Analysis Tools

narrative analysis

Researcher Positionality

inside (staying their own students)

Research Questions

How do preservice teachers conceptualize English Learners and/or mainstream teachers during recalled events from their field-based observations?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes

What is the nature of the experiences that preservice teachers remember involving English Learners?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes

How do these experiences shape preservice teachers’ developing orientations toward working with English Learners?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes