ESL and content teachers’ collaboration

Abstract

This paper reviews the earlier studies to synthesize the benefits and challenges of ESL and content teachers’ collaboration and discusses Amanda’s recent experiences of collaboration in a middle school in the Southeastern U.S. Previous studies document the collaborative benefits (DelliCarpini, 2018), which include teacher learning, increased ESL students’ participation, and strengthened professional partnerships. However, ESL and content teachers’ collaboration has yet to become a routine teaching practice in the U.S., particularly in secondary mainstream classrooms, because of the reported challenges (Dove & Honigsfeld, 2018), such as teachers’ incompatible personalities and beliefs (Arkoudis, 2003), conflicting schedules (Peercy, Ditter, & DeStefano, 2016), inconsistent administrative support (Villa, Thousand, Nevin, Liston, 2005), and the ESL teacher’s relegated role compared to the content teacher (Ahmed Hersi, Horan, & Lewis, 2016). In order for ESL and content teachers’ collaboration to be a pathway for equitable learning outcomes for ESL students, educational stakeholders, namely content teachers, ESL teachers, and school administrators, need to share responsibility for planning for and teaching ESL students. This begins with school administrators who can foster a culture of collaboration, and content and ESL teachers who can take steps to build and strengthen collaborative partnerships. More specific recommendations are discussed in the conclusion.

“You’re Not an Island”: A Middle Grades Language Arts Teacher’s Changed Perceptions in ESL and Content Teachers’ Collaboration

“…Previous research on ESL and content teachers' collaboration reports that this teaching partnership can be a space for content teachers' professional development in planning for and teaching ESL students (Baecher, Rorimer, & Smith, 2012;Giles & Yazan, 2019;Martin-Beltrán & Peercy, 2014;Peercy, Ditter, & DeStefano, 2016;Peercy et al, 2017). The outgrowth of this collaboration can ultimately contribute to favorable ESL students learning outcomes (Giles & Yazan, 2019;Gladman, 2015;Spezzini & Becker, 2012).…”

“…In engaging in collaboration to promote professional growth, content and ESL teachers learn from each other's expertise as they use shared tools (e.g., technology and rubrics) (Baecher et al, 2012;Martin-Beltrán & Peercy, 2014;. That is, content teachers can better understand ESL students' language needs in the content classroom (Giles & Yazan, 2019), recognize how to scaffold the content material appropriate to the ESL students' language needs, and develop new ideas related to ESL instruction (Peercy et al, , 2017. ESL teachers can also learn age-appropriate strategies for students and refine their understandings about sustaining collaboration in the content classroom .…”

“…In addition to teachers' professional development, earlier work also shows that ESL and content teachers' collaboration can influence ESL students' learning outcomes positively (Giles & Yazan, 2019;Gladman, 2015;Spezzini & Becker, 2012). This collaborative partnership can increase students' participation because ESL students perceive teachers' collective effort in accomplishing a shared teaching goal (Giles & Yazan, 2019;Gladman, 2015).…”

“…In addition to teachers' professional development, earlier work also shows that ESL and content teachers' collaboration can influence ESL students' learning outcomes positively (Giles & Yazan, 2019;Gladman, 2015;Spezzini & Becker, 2012). This collaborative partnership can increase students' participation because ESL students perceive teachers' collective effort in accomplishing a shared teaching goal (Giles & Yazan, 2019;Gladman, 2015). Additionally, ESL and content teachers' collaboration can contribute to higher graduation rates, specifically when students participated in a summer reading program in which ESL and content teachers worked together to provide equitable learning opportunities for ESL students (Spezzini & Becker, 2012).…”

“…Furthermore, analyzing how ESL and content teachers' collaboration influences the content teachers' perceived roles sheds light on the possibility for collaboration to be a potential space for content teachers to reimagine and renegotiate their teaching practices. As the content and ESL teachers engage in collaborative planning and teaching, they ultimately work together to provide equitable learning outcomes for ESL students in the content classroom (Giles & Yazan, 2019;Peercy, Martin-Beltrán, Yazan, & DeStefano, 2017).…”