MATSOLMay 8, 2014
BEYOND RETELL: FOSTERING
COLLABORATION IN TEACHER EDUCATION
PROGRAMS
MELANIE GONZALEZJULIE WHITLOW
SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY
Attitudes and perspectives of teacher educators and contributing factors
Need for a collaborative instructional model approach to preparing teacher candidates to work with ELLs
Methods of providing continuing leadership and support for content-area faculty teacher educators in infusion techniques
Frameworks for generating professional development opportunities for teacher educators to learn more about building their candidates' ESOL knowledge base
Discuss how other institutions are implementing professional development.
DISCUSSION OUTLINE
WHAT DO TEACHERS NEED?
Positive attitudes
Knowledge of SLA
processes
Support from
admini-stration
“They are all gang-bangers.” (Markos,
2012)
“Many don't seem to value education as a way to make progress in this
society.”
“It’s just good
teaching.”
“programs mandated by the state and
federal government
often run afoul of
agreements with the teachers’ union.”
DESE Survey of ELL-Dedicated Courses in Massachusetts Educator Preparation Programs 2012
SSU SurveyOf 20 full-time faculty in the Education Unit who attended 2-day workshop on SEI:88% reported having had NO prior formal coursework in TESOL/ESL issues
55% have NEVER attended a session at a conference or workshop on working with ELLs
ARE WE PREPARED?
Tensions I have are…“Time to cover strategies in our current methods (in all courses) without adding more required courses. Training needed - we have unwieldy rubrics that we now have to add language objectives too.”
This is a problem for me because…“My students are already overwhelmed.”
One way to balance this tension…“Is to possibly through sharing and integrating SEI + ESL training across all EDU minor courses in sec. ed. minor programs. More training funded for all education faculty.”
RESPONSES FROM FACULTY SURVEY
A tension that I have is…“We are just beginners in learning about SEI.”
This is a problem for me because…“I want to know more than my students.”
One way to balance this tension…“Is to learn more and take small steps.”
RESPONSE FROM FACULTY SURVEY
Growing number of language-minority speakers
Lack of training for mainstream classroom teachers
Immigrant settlement in less populated areas overwhelming schools and teachers
Federal legislation holding schools and teachers accountable for the academic achievement of ELLs – possible backlash against the very students the legislation is supposed to help (Walker et. al., 2004).
FACTORS AFFECTING TEACHER ATTITUDES
Ongoing professional developmentOngoing discussionsOngoing infusion of ESOL content into other
coursesMaster SLA/linguistics contentStart paying attention to languageChange of attitudes from deficit to
opportunity
WHAT WE NEED
Develop an “infusion model”Reduces the number of required ESOL courses for
studentsIncorporates content from ESOL courses into other
classes and field experiences Make ESOL content an INTEGRAL part of ALL
curriculum and instruction (Nutta & Stoddard, 2004)Systemic functional linguistics approachFocuses on the language component (semantic,
lexicogrammar, phonological)Explain language variation across contentWork with ESL faculty to perform discourse analysisLanguage objectives (WIDA, CCSS, SIOP)
RECOMMENDED MODELS
1
Foundations
2Science, mathematics,
geography
3Language Arts, Elementary
INFUSION
The One Plus Model (Nutta, Mokhtari, & Strebel, 2012)
Focus on the learner/class
contexts1+
assignment Focus on curriculum/assessm
ent in content 2+ assignments
Focus on literacy development
3+ assignments
LANGUAGE
OBJECTIVE
Field (what)
Mode(how)
Tenor(who)
SFL
Will need:
TimeEnergyTrustFocusNegotiation
ConflictAttitude Administrative modelPD opportunitiesCollaboration
CAN WE DEVELOP A TRUE INFUSION/SFL MODEL IN COURSES?
Summer syllabus workshopsPresentations and workshops on SEI
strategiesDelivery of SEI course content through
Faculty Learning CommunityGuest speakers
PD INITIATIVES FOR FACULTY AT SSU
FUNDED BY PROJECT SAEL
Book Club Brown Bag LunchesInter-departmental presence of ESL facultySupport for adjunctsAdministrative support and oversightClassroom observationsPeer mentoring
NON-FUNDED/LOW-COST INITIATIVES
University faculty not trained in TESOL can be unprepared to infuse SEI/ESL content
Early childhood providers are not well-versed on the models
K – 12 content teachers are overwhelmedESOL Faculty/Teachers can’t do it all
CHALLENGES
How can we support each other?
Turn & Talk:
What are the successes you’ve experienced at your institutions in implementing the mandates of RETELL?
What are the challenges you face?How can we foster an attitude of shared
responsibility and collaboration in order to sustain RETELL initiatives?
DISCUSSION
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