Running head: PROFESSIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS

Professional Staff Development for Teachers of English Language Learners is Imperative

Tabita Rudder
University of St. Thomas

PROFESSIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS

Abstract
This study seeks to persuade readers of the importance of professional staff development for
teachers of English language learners. Professional staff development for ESL teachers that
reflect innovative and effective instructional strategies, promote the use of structured language
support programs and establish effective learning communities is necessary to meet the needs of
the growing number of ELLs in the United States. Given the nature of the increasing ELL
population in the U.S., there is a need for preparing teachers to work effectively with every
student.

PROFESSIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS

Professional Staff Development for Teachers of English Language Learners is Imperative

America's future depends on its teachers. An effective teacher has multiple
responsibilities and ensuring that all students receive a quality education is the primary
responsibility. The No Child Left Behind or NCLB Act of 2001 changes public school and
teacher accountability and this has resulted in school reforms created by legislators here in Texas.
These reforms have made it difficult to effectively teach English language learners or ELLs,
because of the many factors, such as family and health, which contribute to the low achievement
scores that are common with ELLs. English as a second language or ESL teachers play a critical
role in bridging the learning gaps of ELL students. In order to meet the requirements set out by
NCLB, these teachers need to be highly qualified and this requires additional researched based
professional development. Valds, Kibler &Walqui, (2014) in their recent Teaching English to
Speakers of Other Languages or TESOL report, examined the concerns for ESL teaching
profession in the United States and their research emphasized the need for consistency in training
teachers (p. 2). The role of ESL teachers in different settings and the limited number of ESLspecialized teachers were some of the key issues in this report. The concerns presented
demonstrate the pressing need for professional staff development for ESL teachers. With school
and district support, teachers trained on implementing innovative and effective instructional
strategies, using structured language support programs and establishing effective learning
communities on school campuses may be considered highly qualified. With new knowledge and
skills, ESL teachers can effectively address the achievement gaps experienced by ELLs and teach
them English.

PROFESSIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS

Impact of education reform and NCLB

NCLB requires states to adopt or implement a series of reforms to their academic
standards, student assessments, and accountability systems for schools and educators. Texas
adoption of English Language Proficiency Standards or ELPS, reflect practices that students are
expected to engage to complete the new state standards for Math and Reading. All teachers
including ESL instructors face many implications from the shift in standards. The differences in
ways that the ELPs standards conceptualize and measure language growth influence the
approach to instruction. If for example, language is viewed as listening, speaking, reading and
writing, ELP standards will instead scaffold the order in which particular sub skills will be
acquired and directly or indirectly inform the corresponding instruction that is responsible for
developing such skill, (Valds, Kibler &Walqui, 2014, p. 9).
ESL teachers now have to be reeducated on what to teach, how to teach and how much
time to spend teaching their students. To demonstrate, Aldine Independent School District in
Houston, Texas uses a method of sheltered instruction known as SIOP or Sheltered Instruction
Observation Protocol. SIOP includes building on students experiences and familiar content,
providing hands-on interactive learning opportunities, and providing instruction differentiated by
students English language proficiency (Goldenberg, 2013, p. 6-7). At the beginning of the
school year new teachers must be trained and experienced teachers must receive a refresher
course and get updated information on use of the program. Previous teacher training is no longer
sufficient for ESL professionals with the new standards like the Common Core in some states
and the Readiness and Supporting Standards that exist here in Texas. Aldine ISD has internal
Math staff development at its district training center during the 2014 to 2015 academic school
year to provide additional support for its teachers who teach the brand new Texas Essential

PROFESSIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS

Knowledge and Skills for Math introduced the same year. Further training is also offered in
Houston at the regional education center for teachers. Helping ESL teachers understand the
school reforms and the implications for districts, schools and teachers themselves is essential.
Improving Instructional Strategies
Highly effective teachers promote student success using differentiated instructional
strategies which are acquired through professional staff development. According to Kim (2010),
ELLs experience success in learning English as a second language when they have teachers,
peers and community members, who support their cognitive and linguistic capacities and provide
support, (p. 110). Kims research highlights the fact that teachers themselves also need to
understand how and why language is used in various disciplines and create opportunities for
learners to engage in language-rich disciplinary practices in ESL and content-area classroom
setting, rather than to develop language relevant only to ESL settings. Students are often like
sponges. They soak up anything and learn from things that appeals to them. Researchers have
identified that multimedia-enhanced instruction (videos used as part of lessons) and use of
graphic displays and organizers facilitate and support learning for ELLs. Professional staff
development demonstrates effective ways to implement the research through the use of visual
vocabulary, storytelling, audio and technology that appeals to ESL students.
After surveying countries where there were small differences between achievement of
second language learners and other students, Christensen & Stanat recommended teacher
training that is aligned with the approaches implemented in practice (2007, p. 11). One approach
is having highquality monolingual programs instead of bilingual programs that support students
in acquiring the language of instruction. Effective teaching training involves implicit and
explicit language support. In order to provide explicit language support, teachers need to have

PROFESSIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS

strong linguistic knowledge, so that they can effectively teach grammatical structures. An
awareness of the language structures that can be main hurdles in secondlanguage acquisition is
important as well as knowledge on how they can be overcome (Christensen & Stanat, 2007, p.
11). Some of these language structures include phonemes, morphemes, syntax and context.
Along with semantics (the branch of linguistics and logic concerned with meaning) and
grammar, these structures work together to create meaningful communication which is essential
when teaching ELLs. Despite the importance of teachers having quality instruction and
acquiring innovative techniques, what is significant is how it translates in the classroom.
Incorporating the new teaching styles and strategies in the classroom will encourage student
engagement, learning and eventual understanding.
Providing content teachers with a starting point and direction with which to teach ELLs is
important (Carrier, 2005). Despite the wealth of resources available, Carrier (2005) cautioned
teachers about using excessive strategies without a thorough understanding of ELLs and their
distinctively different learning needs. Carriers research indicates that time to learn a second
language and the multiple modes of input and output (ways in which content is presented that are
less dependent on language) are factors that affect learning needs of ELLs and teachers need to
understand this from the very beginning.
Effective learning communities
Effective learning communities, created with help from teacher trainings, have a positive
impact on closing the achievement gap among ELLs. Cross collaboration between general
education teacher, ESL teacher and content area teachers is key to bridging the learning gaps
between ELLs and other students. In fact, providing professional development for content
teachers in the theories of second language acquisition and best practices for supporting ELLs

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enhances the quality of instruction these teachers provide to their students. Students are taught
the same information but benefit from language that is simplified and concepts that are presented
in a manner that makes it easier to understand and retain. In Broward County, Florida, one
district has created an online professional staff development digital resource in addition to face to
face learning. Teachers in school-based professional learning communities engaged in watching
the webinars together and discussing strategies and supports they can use for all students
(Maxwell, 2013). All teachers need an opportunity to develop mutual understandings of ELLs
learning needs, learn techniques for effective teacher collaboration, and attempt various forms of
collaboration in a supportive environment. Cultural awareness workshops for teachers within a
district may further assist teachers by exposing them to different cultures.
Resistance
The implementation of teacher accountability standards has impacted considerably on
ESL instruction. A recent study by Whitenack & Swanson (on pre-service teacher education and
in-service professional development initiatives in a school district facing tensions related to the
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001) indicated that teachers struggled to implement all the
strategies and content present in the new curriculum and were not consistent in the use of pacing
guides (how much time to teach) (2013, p. 9). While it was a difficult transition, some teachers
recognized that compromise and consistency were beneficial. It is important to note that there is
no research done on whether teachers are effectively using the teacher training in their
instruction.

Many teachers believe that the new standards are considerable and it is difficult to

proceed at the same rate of instruction for ELLs who are not at the same level as other students.
One study highlighted that teachers need strong organizational support at the school level, in
addition to strong efficacy beliefs, to effectively implement their knowledge and skills, (Eun &

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Heining-Boynton, 2007, p. 43). One part cannot exist without the other. In addition, SIOP helps
to close the achievement gap between ELLs and other students and without such a structured
program, ELLs do not benefit from activities that integrate language and instruction in English
nor do they have provide opportunities for discussion and language use. Teachers will be lacking
in language supports for instruction.
What will work?
As Seymour Sarason (1990) warned: Teachers cannot create and sustain the conditions
for the productive development of children if those conditions do not exist for teachers. With
the era of new standards, ESL teachers are worried about how they are expected to handle
materials that are more demanding than what already seems difficult.

With quality well-

researched professional staff development for teachers, ELLs may be able to improve second
language acquisition skills and shorten the achievement gap that currently exists. As indicated in
this study, a greater emphasis on quality training during pre-service and professional staff
development may also clarify the roles and responsibility of ESL teachers and promote
collaboration with content area teachers to support ELLs. Given the nature of the increasing
ELL population in the U.S., there is a need for preparing teachers to work effectively with every
student. Teachers need a portfolio of professional development opportunities that allows them to
reflect on and develop their practice. To put it briefly, the educational future of the children of
current and new immigrants is in the hands of the school administrators, districts and most
importantly, ESL teachers who provide support in acquiring English.

PROFESSIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS

References
Carrier, K. A. (2005). Key Issues for Teaching English Language Learners in Academic
Classrooms. Middle School Journal, 37(2), 4-9.
Christensen, G., & Stanat, P. (2007). Language policies and practices for helping immigrants and
second-generation students succeed. The Transatlantic Taskforce on Immigration and
Integration, Migration Policy Institute (MPI) and Bertelsmann Stiftung. Retrieved from
http://www.naldic.org.uk/Resources/NALDIC/Research%20and%20Information/Docume
nts/ChristensenEducation091907.pdf
Eun, B., & Heining-Boynton, A.L. (2007). Impacting of an English-as-a-Second-Language
Professional Development Program. Journal of Educational Research, 101(1), 36-49.
Goldenberg, C. (2013). Unlocking the Research on English Learners: What We Knowand
Don't Yet Knowabout Effective Instruction. American Educator, 37(2), 4-11.
Kim, Y. (2010). Scaffolding through questions in upper elementary ELL learning. Literacy
Teaching And Learning, 1(1-2), 109-136.
Maxwell, L. (2013, October 28). ESL and classroom teachers team up to teach Common Core.
Education Week. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/ articles/2013/10/30/10cceslteachers.h33.html
Sarason, S.B. (1990) The Predictable Failure of Educational Reform. San Francisco: JosseyBass.
Valds, G., Kibler, A., & Walqui, A. (2014, March). Changes in the expertise of ESL
professionals: Knowledge and action in an era of new standards. Alexandria, VA:
TESOL International Association.
Whitenack, D.A., & Swanson, P.E. (2013). The Transformative Potential of Boundary Spanners:
A Narrative Inquiry into Preservice Teacher Education and Professional Development in
an NCLB-Impacted Context. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 21(57)