Understanding the Baseline: Mainstream Educators' Preparation to Teach Multilingual Learners

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Understanding the Baseline: Mainstream Educators' Preparation to Teach Multilingual Learners
Language: English
Authors: Adrian Pasquarella (ORCID 0000-0001-5434-7016), Nigel Caplan, Bita Moradi, Jamie Janick, Audin Francois
Source: TESOL Journal. 2025 16(1).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 8
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) (ED)
Contract Number: T365Z220105
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingual Students, Multilingualism, Faculty Development, Communities of Practice, Instruction, Teacher Student Relationship, Self Efficacy, Instructional Effectiveness
DOI: 10.1002/tesj.915
ISSN: 1056-7941
1949-3533
Abstract: Our project intends to transform the experiences of teachers of multilingual learners (MLL) through professional development and professional learning communities. Concurrent with our programmatic efforts, we are evaluating changes in confidence and self-efficacy in working with MLLs, teacher knowledge of MLLs' needs, and the implementation of supportive classroom practices for MLLs. Seventy-nine educators were recruited to participate in a randomized wait-list controlled design. In this paper we unpack teacher confidence, support needed, and self-efficacy at the baseline. Our analysis demonstrated that the status quo of MLL professional development for teachers needs significant bolstering. We found that elementary and secondary teachers reported similarly low levels of confidence and self-efficacy, and high levels of support needed, while working with large numbers of MLLs daily. Our project is working towards measuring the multifaceted nature of teacher knowledge and self-efficacy when teaching MLLs and the dynamic nature of using effective classroom practices to support MLLs. Our work echoes the community of researchers and practitioners who are calling for statewide approaches to scaffolding MLLs for success in every lesson of every day.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1461216
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:Our project intends to transform the experiences of teachers of multilingual learners (MLL) through professional development and professional learning communities. Concurrent with our programmatic efforts, we are evaluating changes in confidence and self-efficacy in working with MLLs, teacher knowledge of MLLs' needs, and the implementation of supportive classroom practices for MLLs. Seventy-nine educators were recruited to participate in a randomized wait-list controlled design. In this paper we unpack teacher confidence, support needed, and self-efficacy at the baseline. Our analysis demonstrated that the status quo of MLL professional development for teachers needs significant bolstering. We found that elementary and secondary teachers reported similarly low levels of confidence and self-efficacy, and high levels of support needed, while working with large numbers of MLLs daily. Our project is working towards measuring the multifaceted nature of teacher knowledge and self-efficacy when teaching MLLs and the dynamic nature of using effective classroom practices to support MLLs. Our work echoes the community of researchers and practitioners who are calling for statewide approaches to scaffolding MLLs for success in every lesson of every day.
ISSN:1056-7941
1949-3533
DOI:10.1002/tesj.915