The population in the United States has become more diverse, but the number of teachers in public schools who are fluent in another language is limited. Furthermore, statistics attest that few teachers have adequate training to work with English language learners (ELLs). Teachers who lack training and have not struggled to learn another language may not realize the complexity faced daily by ELLs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to apply instructional methods, which mirror experiences faced by real children in real classrooms, in order to allow pre-service and/or in-service teachers to be subjected to the mixed emotions experienced by English language learners in their class. In six different classes, the researchers immersed a total number of 155 undergraduate and graduate students in a 15-minute oral presentation in Dutch.Data from a post-survey indicated that teacher candidates developed empathy and extrapolated the message that ELL students in classrooms in the United States face serious but surmountable challenges that take time to overcome. As a result of the findings, we recommend teacher preparation programs include language requirements and interactions between teacher candidates and language learners.

Through content analysis of research conducted during the last 25 years, this paper identifies five vital uses of imagination within literacy instruction. First, readers use imagination to comprehend text. Second, readers use imagination to engage in the world depicted through the text. Third, readers use imagination to make sense of both narrative and expository texts. Fourth, readers use imagination to learn about self and others. Finally, readers benefit from instruction regarding the use of imagination to enhance reading. A compilation of instructional methods is presented. This analysis establishes the need for classroom instruction connecting imagination and literacy.

As a response to the need of systematic teacher performance assessment, tecently the Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) has been developed and implemented in over 600 teacher preparation programs across nearly 40 states in US (Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity, 2015). However, little research has been conducted investigating ways teacher preparation programs improve the quality of their programs while helping their teacher candidates be well prepared for the edTPA. This study investigated perspectives of student teachers and their college supervisors regarding (1) the effectiveness of the teacher preparation program in a middle-sized public college in relation to edTPA completion and (2) the perceived value of the edTPA as preparation for becoming an effective teacher when New York State began to require successful completion of the edTPA for initial certification. Ninety-nine student teachers in both inclusive elementary and adolescence education programs and fourteen student teaching supervisors participated in the study. A teacher perception survey data including Likert Scale items and open-ended questions was collected as a main data source. Mixed methods were utilized to analyzed both quantitative and qualitative data during the academic year of 2014-2015. Based on the results, suggestions are discussed to better prepare teacher candidates for edTPA and the teaching profession. Lastly, implications about assessment systems of teaching practice in the context of South Korea are discussed.