Understanding the Baseline: Mainstream Educators' Preparation to Teach Multilingual Learners
Date
2024-12-30
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
TESOL Journal
Abstract
Our project intends to transform the experiences of teachers of multilingual learners (MLL) through professional development and professional learning communities. Concurrent with our programmatic efforts, we are evaluating changes in confidence and self-efficacy in working with MLLs, teacher knowledge of MLLs' needs, and the implementation of supportive classroom practices for MLLs. Seventy-nine educators were recruited to participate in a randomized wait-list controlled design. In this paper we unpack teacher confidence, support needed, and self-efficacy at the baseline. Our analysis demonstrated that the status quo of MLL professional development for teachers needs significant bolstering. We found that elementary and secondary teachers reported similarly low levels of confidence and self-efficacy, and high levels of support needed, while working with large numbers of MLLs daily. Our project is working towards measuring the multifaceted nature of teacher knowledge and self-efficacy when teaching MLLs and the dynamic nature of using effective classroom practices to support MLLs. Our work echoes the community of researchers and practitioners who are calling for statewide approaches to scaffolding MLLs for success in every lesson of every day.
Description
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Pasquarella, A., Caplan, N., Moradi, B., Janick, J. and Francois, A. (2025), Understanding the Baseline: Mainstream Educators' Preparation to Teach Multilingual Learners. TESOL J, 16: e915. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.915, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.915. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.
© 2024 TESOL International Association.
This article will be embargoed until 12/30/2026.
Keywords
confidence, English as a second language, English learners, multilingual learners, professional development, self-efficacy, teacher preparation
Citation
Pasquarella, A., Caplan, N., Moradi, B., Janick, J. and Francois, A. (2025), Understanding the Baseline: Mainstream Educators' Preparation to Teach Multilingual Learners. TESOL J, 16: e915. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.915