Term

Summer 2019

Capstone

Thesis

Degree Name

MALED

Primary Advisor/Dissertation Chair

Michelle Benegas

Secondary Advisor/Reader One

Amy Stolpestad

Peer-Reviewer/Reader Two

Jenny Leroux

Abstract

Due to rising numbers of English Learners (ELs) nationwide, mainstream teachers are increasingly called upon to meet the needs of their ELs without adequate preparation to do so (Correll, 2016). In an effort to address these needs, the English Learners in the Mainstream (ELM) Project trains English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers to assume a leadership role in their buildings. Through a model of peer instructional coaching, ESL teachers provide professional development for their mainstream colleagues. The goal of this study was to answer the following questions:

1) After being trained as teacher leaders, do ESL teachers experience a shift in their professional role? If yes, how?

2) After being trained as teacher leaders, do ESL teachers experience a shift in their professional identity? If yes, how?

This qualitative study used a survey, the transcripts of two focus groups and three interviews with ESL teacher leaders to collect data. The data suggest that ESL teacher leaders successfully assume the role of professional development facilitator but assume the role of one-on-one coach with varying levels of comfort. The data also indicate that when ESL teachers are positioned as leaders, they identify as professionals and experience an increase in collaboration with their colleagues. The findings have implications for the field of teacher leadership related to work with diverse learners, an under-research area of study. The findings also suggest the need for ESL teachers to receive professional development that supports leadership.

Research Methodology

Focus Group, Interview, Survey (attitude scale, opinion, questionnaire)

Keywords

ESL/ ELLs, Leadership, Staff Development, Teachers/ Teaching

dc_type

text

dc_publisher

DigitalCommons@Hamline

dc_format

application/pdf

dc_source

School of Education Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

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