Proceedings of ‏The 3rd International Conference on Research in Education, Teaching and Learning

Year: 2020

DOI:

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Preparing Educators to Provide Culturally and Linguistically Evidence-Based Practices to Multilingual Students

Silvana M. R. Watson

ABSTRACT: 

This project, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, developed and implemented a high quality in-service professional development program to prepare school teams of three to five teachers, administrators, and specialists in high-need school divisions to improve the assessment, identification, and instruction of multilingual learners with and without disabilities. We created a 12-hour graduate credit Special Education/English as a Second language certificate program. Forty educators completed the program. Using mixed methods and multiple measures, results show that 81% rated the program as effective in preparing them to serve multilingual students; 91% rated the program as effective in increasing their knowledge and skills related to parent, family, and community engagement; 94% indicated they are proficient in using and interpreting multiple methods of assessment and data sources to guide educational decisions; 94% reported they are knowledgeable about the seven sociocultural factors that may influence the students’ linguistic and academic development ; 93% reported increase in collaboration to better serve students in their schools; and 81% reported they had provided professional development to other educators in their schools. This evidence indicates that the professional development program prepares highly effective teachers in the use of evidence-based practices with multilingual students.

Keywords: language acquisition; multilingual students; professional development; teacher
preparation; teams of educators.