Where language and content intersect: Implementing a system of supports for middle school content area classroom teachers who also serve ESL students.

Abstract

English as a second language students continue to make up the fastest-growing group among students in public schools today (Garcia, 2012). Teachers are not adequately prepared to teach both content and language acquisition simultaneously, but this is the reality in many classrooms. The purpose of this design-based qualitative research study was to develop a robust intervention with a collaborative team, that will identify and define the characteristics of a system of supports that can be put in place for content area teachers of ESL learners. The questions guiding this study are: (1.) What does instruction currently look like for ESL students in general education content area classrooms at Skylark Middle School and what changes are needed for improvement in instructional practices? (2.) What are the characteristics of a system of supports that are needed for classroom teachers, at the middle school level, who serve English as a Second Language students in general education mainstream content area classrooms? This study is set in a large suburban middle school in Middle Tennessee. While ESL students are distal actors in this research, the primary participants are mainstream middle school academic content area teachers, and a collaborative team called the EDIT. The findings suggest that in our context there were inconsistencies in student scheduling that needed to be addressed as well as understanding the various levels of background knowledge and English language acquisition that ESL students have. Based on this finding, the support systems for teachers will address scheduling and various forms of ongoing professional development to increase levels of content knowledge and pedagogy specific to ESL student needs.