Teacher Perceptions of Training to Teach English Learners

Do teachers feel they have been adequately prepared to meet the needs of English learners? This study was conducted with 99 volunteer multiple subject interns to ascertain their perceptions of the effectiveness of their training to work with English learners in the classroom. All participants were the teacher of record in a classroom of children within the grade levels of K-6. Three measures were utilized to obtain information: the Preparation Effectiveness for Teaching English Learners Survey, which consisted of basic demographic information of each intern, 45 Likert type questions pertaining to specific aspects about the effectiveness of their teacher preparation for working with English learners and four narrative questions allowing elaboration on their preparation of their training to effectively teach English learners; a subset of an administrator survey given to the principal who supervises an intern to compare perceptions of administrators with those of a corresponding intern; and a subset of classroom observations conducted by the researcher to compare to the surveys. Results indicate a need to revamp teacher preparation.

Dr. Kathy Fuller has been in the field of education for thirty years, both as a teacher and as a trainer of teachers. She has a background in early childhood, elementary education and special education. She currently lives with her daughter in California, teaching and researching alternative learning experiences for at risk students.