Developing English Language and Literacy through Teacher Achievement (Project DELTA ): survey findings

1. Developing English Language and Literacy through Teacher Achievement (Project DELTA): survey findings Ester de Jong, Ed.D. (PI) Maria Coady, Ph.D. (Co-PI) Candace Harper, Ph.D. (Co-PI) University of Florida

2. Overview • Project DELTA is a five-year US DOE grant-funded research study. • The study broadly seeks to • (a) understand the relationship between teacher preparation pathways and achievement of English language learners (ELLS); and • (b) use information to inform teacher preparation programs / professional development

3. The Florida Context: Demographics • Florida has the third largest population of speakers of languages other than English in the U.S. (24% of 5-17 year olds are ELL) • In Florida about 8.7% of K-12 students are identified as ESOL/ELL (2006-2007) • Districts report about 239 languages, though Spanish dominates (~77%) (2000-01) • Geographical differences among groups between north and south Florida

4. Background • The majority of ELLs are taught by un- or under-prepared teachers (Gándara, Rumberger, Maxwell-Jolly, & Callahan, 2003) • Few states have guidelines for general education teacher preparation to work with ELLs (changing in response to No Child Left Behind reforms) • Florida is an exception with a mandate since 2002

5. The Florida Context: Legal Requirements • 1990 Florida Consent Decree - Professional development requirements for practicing teachers • Five areas: • Applied Linguistics • Cross-Cultural Communication • Language Assessment • Methods • Curriculum and Material Development • Number of hours required varies according to assignment: • Elementary teachers: 300 hours (equivalent of five (5) 3-credit university courses) • Secondary content teachers: 60 hours (equivalent of one (1) 3-credit university course)

6. The Florida Context: Teacher Preparation Programs • In 2001, new mandate that all candidates in a teacher preparation program must graduate with an ESOL endorsement • Guiding documents: 25 ESOL Performance Standards & (later added) 11 ESOL Competencies • Florida Department of Education allows options • Full endorsement - all five courses • Endorsement through Infusion • Minimum of two ESOL courses

7. The Florida Context: Teacher Preparation Programs • Main “Infused Program” requirements • Demonstrate where and how ESOL Performance Standards are addressed in an approved teacher preparation program in a matrix (syllabus) • Qualified ESOL faculty for ESOL courses • 45 hours Professional Development for faculty teaching “infused” courses

8. Our Context • Two-course ESOL Infused elementary teacher preparation program • Course I TSL 3526: Foundations of Language and Culture in the Elementary Classroom • Course II TSL 5142: Curriculum, Methods and Assessment • Infusion across the program (ProTeach)

9. Project Delta Rationale • Despite several years of ESOL-Infused program graduates we do not know whether Infusion effectively prepares mainstream teachers to work with ELLs • Studying Teacher Education: The Report of the AERA Panel on Research and Education (Cawthorne & Cochran Smith, 2005)

10. Theoretical Model of Survey Teacher Preparation, Background, Experiences Teacher Efficacy ELL Student Achievement

11. Project Delta Research • Education Warehouse Database • Teacher Variables • Student Variables • Surveyof Elementary Teacher Preparation Program Graduates currently teaching in Florida • Case Studies (n=12) of Elementary Teacher Preparation Program Graduates across north Florida

12. Project Delta Activities and Accomplishments • Survey • Development fall – spring 2007-8 • Distributed late spring to all graduates contacted (n=1,200; 70% in Florida) • September 2008 – 85 viable respondents

13. Survey Design • Five sections of the survey with 10-12 items each section: • Social and cultural dimensions of teaching ESOL students • Content area teaching for ESOL students • Language and literacy development for ESOL students • Curriculum and Classroom organization • Assessment Issues in teaching ESOL students

14. Survey-Preliminary Findings • In what instructional areas related to ELLs do teacher education program graduates feel most and least prepared? • In what instructional areas related to ELLs do teacher education program graduates feel most and least effective? • Is there a significant difference in teacher education program graduates’ ratings of their effectiveness and preparedness? • What experiences as part of their teacher preparation program did teacher education program graduates consider most effective in helping them work with ELLs? • Are there significant differences in responses based on teacher background characteristics?

15. In what instructional areas related to ELLs do teacher education program graduates feel most prepared? Sociocultural domain: grouping strategies to facilitate student interaction Content area: provide sufficient wait time, use of graphic organizers, grouping Language and literacy development: model the use of English; differentiate reading instruction; and teach reading comprehension strategies Curriculum and classroom: organize a ready-to-learn classroom environment Assessment: provide accommodations

16. In what instructional areas related to ELLs do teacher education program graduates feel least prepared? • Overall, lowest preparedness means were in the sociocultural domain overall • Particularly items related to teacher knowledge of and use of ELLs’ home language • Language and Literacy: Teachers also related their preparation in oral language particularly low

17. In what instructional areas related to ELLs do teacher education program graduates feel most effective? Sociocultural: making my students feel valued in my classroom; using grouping to make them feel comfortable; help them interact with other students Content area: providing wait time; pairing or grouping students from the same language background; supporting comprehensive oral language by writing key words on the board Language and literacy: modeling the use of English; differentiating reading instruction; decoding skills and vocabulary strategies

18. In what instructional areas related to ELLs do teacher education program graduates feel most effective? Curriculum: organize my curriculum so that my students feel ready to learn; locate materials at different reading levels to supplement textbooks; teaching to grade level standards to modify my instruction through demonstrations and visuals Assessment: provide accommodations; adjusting instruction based on assessment results; assessing my students based on intended meaning

19. In what instructional areas related to ELLs do teacher education program graduates feel least effective? Sociocultural: using L1 as resource in teaching; learning about students’ L1s; helping my students with circumstances affecting their lives outside the classroom Content: addressing grammatical demands; setting language objectives; addressing vocabulary demand of content area Language and Literacy: teaching pronunciation; teaching key aspects of English grammar; teaching pragmatics

20. In what instructional areas related to ELLs do teacher education program graduates feel least effective? Curriculum / Organization: locating bilingual materials; simplifying or adapting materials; selecting activities to build background knowledge Assessment: simplifying or adapting assessments; assessing students’ achievement by matching with familiar classroom learning tasks; actively monitoring comprehension during instruction

21. Is there a significant difference in teacher education program graduates’ ratings of their preparedness and effectiveness? Yes. There is a statistically significant difference on all but six (6) items on the survey (n=49) p=<.01

22. What experiences as part of their teacher preparation program did graduates consider most effective in helping them work with ELLs? The top three experiences were directly related to ESOL: ESOL classroom observations, direct teaching of ESOL students, and tutoring ESOL students

23. Are there significant differences in responses based on teacher background characteristics? Yes. Overall, we found that teachers who spoke a Language Other Than English (LOTE) felt both more efficacious and prepared to work with ELLs. Forthcoming are data from six case study teachers , three of whom speak a language other than English with some fluency.

24. Interpretation and Discussion • Teachers feel most prepared and efficacious in creating a welcoming and affirming (valued) atmosphere in the classroom • Teachers feel most prepared and efficacious using graphic organizers • Teachers feel less prepared in addressing specific linguistic issues, such as grammar • Teachers feel least prepared and efficacious in areas related to using students’ first language as a resource for learning (bilingual materials, home resource) • Implications for the development of bilingualism and learning theory (connecting background to new learning)

25. Implicationsfor Teacher Preparationand Future Research The ProTeach program places emphasis on cultural diversity and fostering learning in diverse settings However, linguistic knowldege and issues of the use of L1 as a resource for learning and communicating with families has not been sufficiently fostered (according to these preliminary findings) This information can connect with ProTeach and teacher prep programs in FL and nationally

26. Contacts Ester de Jong (PI) edejong@coe.ufl.edu Maria Coady (co-PI) mcoady@coe.ufl.edu Candace Harper (co-PI) charper@coe.ufl.edu