Learning about Teaching English Language Learners through Case Studies of the Inquiry of Exemplary New Teachers

Abstract

Studies of teacher quality have tended to either ignore or underplay the importance of teachers' competence in teaching academic language and literacies (AL) to all learners, but especially English language learners (ELLs). One critical issue is that the construct of AL is still a subject of intense debate among scholars. Therefore, teachers must build their understanding of this complex construct within the context of the disciplines they teach, the exigencies of policies in their schools, and the community of learners in their classrooms. In this chapter, teacher educators at one university explore how two exemplary new teachers (ENTs) working with ELLs identified and addressed the language demands of classroom tasks in instruction as seen through the lens of their inquiry projects conducted as part of a Credential/MA program. In this study, the authors used a nested case study design to investigate "critical" optimal cases at the upper range across cohorts. They provide an overview of two cohorts from two different years and illustrate with examples from exemplary cases nominated by the faculty, across disciplines at the elementary and secondary level. They then present two cases targeting language arts in classrooms with high numbers of ELLs for a more extensive illustration of the development of the inquiry studies. They focus on the way these ENTs address AL in their classrooms with all students and most especially with Ells. One advantage of targeting new teachers is that these recent graduates provide an opportunity to unpack how their rapidly evolving construct of AL is understood and actualized in instruction. (Contains 1 table.)