HOW DO ADD-ON K-12 CERTIFIED ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT (ELD) URBAN TEACHERS DESCRIBE THE RELEVANCE OF THEIR TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION? A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Abstract

The English Language Learner (ELL) population has increased by 10.6% in the past 15 years, while the number of ESL/ELD instructors has decreased by 10.4% during the same period. Prior studies have found that 61% of ESL/ELD teachers have not received sufficient training in the teaching of ELL students. States that require training and certification have higher educational outcomes for ELL students, but there are concerns about the variation in requirements among states and whether or not certification alone is sufficient to meet the challenges of ELD teaching. Furthermore, there is a need to better understand what training and preparation is missing and what ELD teachers see as the most relevant preparation experiences for success in the ELD classroom. To do this, this study was framed as a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews with a convenience sample of ELD, add-on certified teachers (n = 17) and their school leaders (n = 7) as the primary data collection approach. Like other studies, this study found that most teachers feel that the certification process is insufficient for ELD classroom preparation. The need for in-service professional development was key, as many add-on certified teachers did not attend ELD classes in universities. It should be focused on the following areas: theories of language acquisition, literacy instruction for students and families, parental involvement for ELL parents, dropout prevention, and paperwork completion.