Date of Award
Summer 7-2019
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Education
First Advisor
Dr. Kathy Grover
Second Advisor
Dr. Sherry DeVore
Third Advisor
Dr. Cliff Davis
Abstract
Professional development for mainstream classroom teachers to meet the influx of diverse learners is not adequately met by most school districts (Quintero & Hanson, 2017). The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to gain information from English learner program directors about English learner program practices and professional development specific to the needs of English learners in Missouri school districts. Mainstream classroom teachers from different-sized schools with high- and lowincidence of English learner students were interviewed to gather the perceived level of understanding of best practices for the implementation of research-based strategies. The Missouri Professional Learning Guidelines for Student Success guided this study (Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education [MODESE], 2013). The quantitative phase population included all English language program directors in Missouri public and charter school districts who reported serving 10 or more English language learners during the 2017-2018 school year. Quantitative data included survey responses from 26 English learner program directors. A purposive stratified random sample was used in the qualitative phase. Mainstream classroom teachers’ names were placed in four strata, high-incidence in kindergarten through sixth grades, low-incidence in kindergarten through sixth grades, high-incidence in seventh through 12th grades, and low-incidence in seventh through 12th grades. Nine mainstream classroom teachers participated in the interview phase. The findings revealed a lack of understanding of the role of an English learner teacher. Additionally, the English learner program directors and the mainstream classroom teachers agreed teachers are not receiving adequate training in the use of effective strategies for English learners.
Recommended Citation
Clinkenbeard, Merica Schoen, "Teaching English Learners: A Study of Procedures and Perceptions of Missouri Program Directors and Mainstream Classroom Teachers" (2019). Dissertations. 80.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/dissertations/80
Rights
Copyright 2019