The Teaching Using Technology Studio: Innovative Professional Development to Meet the Needs of English Learners

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of an innovative professional development initiative on teachers' ability to use technological resources to improve English learners' academic language. The Teaching Using Technology Studio, a collaborative effort between school district and university personnel, was designed as a responsive professional development program for 16 upper elementary teachers in California. Pre-post scores on a knowledge/use scale and a Teacher Technology Proficiency Assessment, as well as teacher reflections, interviews, classroom observations, and field notes, showed significant changes in the teachers' knowledge of and ability to use technology to develop activities and lessons designed to impact academic language development. Student scores on district benchmark assessments and on the annual state assessment suggest that teachers' participation in this professional development initiative led to positive academic language outcomes for the English learners in their classrooms.

A Synthesis of Professional Development Targeting Literacy Instruction and Intervention for English Learners

“…Five studies used PD programs to train early elementary teachers (i.e., Grades K–2; Amendum et al, 2018; Babinski et al, 2018; Ehri & Flugman, 2018; Tang et al, 2020; Tong et al, 2010); five trained upper elementary teachers (i.e., Grades 3–5; Hart & Lee, 2003; Lara-Alecio et al, 2012; Matsumura et al, 2010, 2013; O’Hara et al, 2013). Five studies included secondary teachers teaching middle school exclusively (i.e., Grades 6–8; Aguirre-Muñoz et al, 2009; Burstein et al, 2014; Echevarria et al, 2011; Green et al, 2013; McGriff, 2015), whereas Kim and colleagues (2011) and Olson et al (2017, 2020) trained teachers in Grades 6 through 12.…”

“…In mixed-method studies, qualitative data sources tended to represent teachers’ perceptions of and satisfaction with PD programs (Aguirre-Muñoz et al, 2009; Hart & Lee, 2003; Tang et al, 2020). The quantitative data sources in these studies described the effects of the PD program on teachers’ practice and knowledge (Aguirre-Muñoz et al, 2009; Hadjioannou et al, 2016; Hart & Lee, 2003; O’Hara et al, 2013) or their fidelity when implementing the intervention package (Echevarria et al, 2011; Tang et al, 2020). The majority of student outcomes ( n = 7) in quantitative studies were standardized assessments, whereas three studies used a researcher-created writing measure to monitor student writing progress (Kim et al, 2011; Olson et al, 2017, 2020).…”

“…Olson et al (2017, 2020) had teachers who were previously trained to implement the intervention deliver coaching to new implementers, whereas Matsumura et al (2010, 2013) trained coaches in the intervention before they worked directly with teachers. Finally, three studies incorporated district staff into their PD (Kim et al, 2011; O’Hara et al, 2013; Olson et al, 2020).…”

“…This pairing allowed the investigation of whether teacher knowledge was related to their instructional practices. In four of these six studies (Aguirre-Muñoz et al, 2009;Ehri & Flugman, 2018;Hart & Lee, 2003;O'Hara et al, 2013), knowledge appeared to be associated with instructional practice, whereas the remaining two studies (Burstein et al, 2014;Hadjioannou et al, 2016) reported changes in teacher knowledge without changes in practice.…”

Parental Involvement in a Program for Preschoolers Learning a Foreign Language

“…As a result, children are more likely to have increased motivation, to be actively involved in the lesson and to have a more positive attitude towards the culture of the 'other' country (Wong, 2014). Also parents can effectively enhance language learning of young children by providing them with authentic material (Choi, Chang, Kim & Reio, 2015;O"Hara, 2012) and appropriate language input, in terms of their needs and their age, in cooperation with the classroom teachers. Korosidou,Griva,Pavlenko 114 Therefore, in the present study emphasis was placed on strengthening bounds between school and parents.…”