Facilitator: LuzElena Perez, MPA Literacy Specialist, Escondido Union High School District, CA UCSD...
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Building a Bridge Without a Toll Booth: Addressing the Professional Development Needs of Teachers of Long Term English Learners Facilitator: LuzElena Perez, MPA Literacy Specialist, Escondido Union High School District, CA UCSD & CSUSM Ed.D Candidate
Facilitator: LuzElena Perez, MPA Literacy Specialist, Escondido Union High School District, CA UCSD & CSUSM Ed.D Candidate
Facilitator: LuzElena Perez, MPA Literacy Specialist, Escondido
Union High School District, CA UCSD & CSUSM Ed.D Candidate
Slide 2
The bridge metaphor What does it mean to build a bridge? Whats
on either side of the bridge? Who crosses the bridge? What tools do
bridge makers need?
Slide 3
Goals of this Workshop: To consider and discuss: The
professional development needs of teachers of English Learners. The
research regarding expectations, beliefs and attitudes that
teachers hold of minority students. The role that coaching can play
in addressing the needs of teachers of English Learners. Explore
the potential for meta-studies. Learn about EUHSDs journey.
Slide 4
Professional Development Improved Instruction for English
Learners Teacher Coaching Teacher Beliefs Areas of Research
Slide 5
Your English Learners What data do you collect regarding ELs?
How is the data used? Who uses the data? What additional data would
you like to collect? Who else could benefit from the data
collected?
Slide 6
Latino students score well below their White peers on the NAEP
reading and math assessments. For each age group, the average gap
is more than 20 points in both reading and math. NAEP is the
National Assessment on Educational Progress, it is commonly
referred to as the nations report card. The achievement gap:
Slide 7
Achievement Gap Dropout rates: Latino dropout rates are the
highest of any major ethnic group in the United States. Reason: low
academic achievement. One-third of all Latino students perform
below grade level, this increases their chances of dropping out
from 50% to 98%.
Slide 8
Economic Impact of the Latino Achievement gap: A recent study
found that : The achievement gap was the equivalent of a permanent
national recession. Had the achievement gap between black and
Latino student performance and white student performance been
closed the "Gross Domestic Product in 2008 would have been between
$310 billion and $525 billion higher" (p.17). Health and civic
engagement impacts of the achievement gap. The study concludes that
"lagging achievement is a problem for poor and minority children
and for the broad middle class" (p. 21). McKinsey & Company
(2009). The economic impact of the achievement gap in America's
schools. Retrieved, from
http://www.mckinsey.com/App_Media/Images/Page_Images/Offices/SocialSector/PDF/achievement_gap_report.pdf
Slide 9
Long Term English Learners Long-term ELs have become the
largest EL student population in California. LTEL schooling issues
are very distinct from those of immigrant ELs. After at least six
years of schooling in the United States, these students have not
demonstrated mastery of academic English.
Slide 10
Nativity and generation for Limited English Proficient (LEP)
adolescents The fact that over half (56 %) of LEP children in
secondary schools are U.S.-born makes it clear that many children
are not learning English even after seven or more years in school.
Source: U.S. Census of Population and Housing, 1 percent PUMS, 2000
as cited in Capps et al., (2005)
Slide 11
Deficit views could be part of the problem: Deficit views:
Research regarding teaching practices towards minority students
highlights the deficit views and low expectations held by many
teachers of non-White students (den Brok & Levy, 2005;
Fritzberg, 2001; Tenenbaum & Ruck, 2007). Deficit views have an
adverse impact on the learning environments of minority students
(Rosenthal & Jacobson, 1968). Most reform efforts, professional
development initiatives, or accountability reports fail to focus on
or consider the views teachers hold of their minority students as a
factor.
Slide 12
Theoretical framework on PD and teacher change: Guskey (1986)
Model of Teacher Change What kind? Which practices? Measured
by?Equity beliefs?
Slide 13
What kind of PD? What kind of PD do your teachers of Els
receive? Skill based Address practices Reflective Require active
engagement Foster team work What issues are addressed transactional
ones or transformative ones?
Slide 14
Which Practices? What do you know about the practices your
teachers of ELs employ in their teaching? How could you learn more?
Which practices would you encourage? How? Which practices would you
discourage? How? This is a great starting point in designing
PD.
Slide 15
Measuring student learning How do you measure EL student
learning? How often is their learning measured? What feedback do
students receive? How are Language Development standards
incorporated in the assessment of language development and content
learning?
Slide 16
den Brok & Levy, (2005) Theoretical Framework: Ethnic
backgrounds and student outcomes Teacher ethnic background Student
ethnic backgrounds Teacher behavior towards individuals and class
Student perceptions of teacher behavior (inc. knowledge, beliefs,
etc.) Student outcomes (achievement and motivation)
Slide 17
Professional development can address teacher awareness of
beliefs, expectations and views. Teacher beliefs influence
expectations which impact student achievement. Coaching can provide
an effective approach to addressing teacher beliefs, expectations
and views.
Slide 18
Instructional Coaching Transfer of skills and theory to the
classroom is less than 5% in traditional PD, it is over 80% with
coaching. Coaching is a critical component in PD. Showers, Joyce,
& Bennett, (1987); Garret et al. (2001); Mahn et al. (2005);
Russo (2004) Coaching can improve student learning. (Greene, 2004)
Just as teaching cannot occur in a context free of culture, neither
does coaching. (Lindsey, D. 2010) Instructional coaching can and
should address issues of beliefs, expectations and attitudes with
teachers of Els.
Slide 19
Areas of Research: Learning Environments of Minority Students
Teachers beliefs, expectations and views of minority students: den
Brok & Levy, (2005); Fritzberg, (2001); Rosenthal &
Jacobson, (1968); Tenenbaum & Ruck, (2007) New teachers:
Ladson-Billings, (2000) Schultz, Jones-Walker, and Chikkatur,
(2008) Haberman & Post, (1998)
Slide 20
How can we study teacher beliefs? Teacher beliefs have been
studied in quantitative research projects and have yielded
descriptive findings. Studies that seek to explain a phenomenon are
generally qualitative studies with a grounded theory epistemology.
In order to understand this phenomenon with the goal of theory
building research that synthesizes various studies.
Slide 21
Theory Related Purposes Theory Building Theory Explication
Theory Development Schrieber et al. 1997 p. 315 in Zimmer, L. (2006
p.313)
Slide 22
Qualitative Meta-Study Application of meta-analysis methodology
in the quantitative field is common, quantitative meta- analysis
provides the field with an tool to generalize findings across
quantitative studies. What happens then when a field of research
has generally focused on qualitative studies? How can a researcher
apply a meta-analytical approach to a research question that calls
for meta-analysis of qualitative research?
Slide 23
Goals of Qualitative Meta-Study A meta-study is: The
synthesists interpretation of the interpretations of primary data
by the original authors of the constituent studies. Zimmer, L.
(2006) Qualitative meta-synthesis: a question of dialoguing with
text. Journal of Advanced Nursing 53 (3), 311-318. The goals of
qualitative meta- study are: Theory development,Higher level
abstraction, andGeneralizability Estabrooks et al. 1994, Jensen
& Allen 1996, Sandelowki et al. 1997 in Zimmer, L. (2006
p.313)
Slide 24
Rationale for this methodology: Due to the breadth and scope
provided by incorporating findings from many studies, meta-
synthesis are potentially more reflective of a generalizable
reality than those that single studies alone can provide.
Slide 25
Meta-Synthetic Model Paterson et al. (2001) Analytic steps Step
1: Laying the groundwork Establish a research team Determine the
purpose of the study Develop a research question Select a
theoretical framework Step 2: Retrieval and assessment Inclusion
and exclusion criteria Evaluation of quality of studies Data
management strategies Step 3: Meta-data analysis Hermeneutic and
dialectic approaches System for grouping data Method, Sample, Date
of publication, Issues of the phenomenon of interest Selection of
data analysis method Step 4: Meta-method Comparison of research
design Methodological assumptions Appraisal of themes and patterns
Step 5: Meta-theory Analysis of primary studies for the
implications of their theoretical orientations Future theory
development Step 6: Meta-synthesis Dynamic and iterative process of
thinking, creating, theorizing and reflecting. Purpose is to
deconstruct current ideas about a phenomenon and come to a deeper
more socially responsible theoretical understanding.
Slide 26
Potential of the meta-study Application of a meta-synthesis
will push this methodology in educational research in general,
specifically it will advance theory development regarding teacher
beliefs of minority and language minority students. Theory
regarding teacher beliefs can become instrumental in the design of
PD. Theory regarding teacher beliefs can greatly benefit the work
of instructional coaches.
Slide 27
Theoretical framework on PD and teacher change: Guskey (1986)
Model of Teacher Change What kind? Which practices? Measured
by?Equity beliefs?
Slide 28
Theoretical framework on PD and teacher change: Guskey (1986)
Model of Teacher Change Reflective workshops with coaching.
Transformative teaching. Measured by quantitative and qualitative
data. High expectations, strength based beliefs and affirming
attitudes Professional development Change in Classroom Practices
Change in student learning Change in teachers attitudes and
beliefs.
Slide 29
Returning to the bridge metaphor What does it mean to build a
bridge? Whats on either side of the bridge? Who crosses the bridge?
What tools do bridge makers need? How can you in your role help
build the needed bridges?
Slide 30
Suggested strategies: Collect data that matters. Design PD
based on data. Mandate PD to teachers of ELs. PD must include
reflective inquiry questions that address beliefs, attitudes and
expectations. PD needs to be outcome driven = student achievement.
Support teachers through coaching. Coaches need to be trained in
issues of cultural proficiency.
Slide 31
How EUHSD has done this: 1. Gathered and analyzed disaggregated
data on our high stakes tests (California State Test) for each
content area (Social Studies, Science, Math and Language Arts). 1.
We found that on any given test only 3% of our Els had scored
proficient or higher. 2. We also looked at our placement policies
for EL students. 3. Workshops were designed to enhance Content
Literacy for all science and social studies teachers. 4. The
workshops are compulsory. 5. The workshops are not sit and get
trainings.
Slide 32
How EUHSD has done this, cont.: 6.In each workshop we focus on
how we can apply content literacy strategies to increase student
achievement. 7.Admin teams received an overview of the workshops
and participate in guided walk-throughs of classrooms of
participating teachers to discuss implementation of the strategies
and practices. 8.Reflective questions address teaching practices.
9.Teachers receive support on campus through the literacy coach and
a team of teachers called the Advanced SDAIE team. 10.Advanced
SDAIE teachers have received extensive training in SDAIE, present
strategies at each monthly staff meeting, hold SDAIE lunches and
facilitate SDAIE PLCs. As a group we meet 4 times a year and
participate in book club blog. We are currently reading Culturally
Proficient Coaching. Our district had just finished a 3 year
initiative know as PROMISE prior to the implementation of the
workshops.
Slide 33
Reviewing the goals of this workshop: Did we consider and
discuss: The professional development needs of teachers of English
Learners. The research regarding expectations, beliefs and
attitudes that teachers hold of minority students. The role that
coaching can play in addressing the needs of teachers of English
Learners.
Slide 34
Questions and comments: LuzElena Perez Literacy Specialist
Escondido Union High School District Escondido, CA
[email protected]@ucsd.edu or [email protected]