The impact of an English as a second language professional development program on teacher practice

The number of students who are English language learners (ELLs) in our schools has been growing on an average annual rate five times that of the total enrollment for over a decade. It has been estimated that by the year 2026, non-White and Hispanic students will make up 70% of the K--12 total student population. Although the non-native English speaking student population is increasing yearly, few teachers have been formally trained to meet their needs. Therefore, there is a great need for training all teachers to be qualified to work with ELLs.;This study, conducted during the 2003--2004 school year in a Northwest Arkansas school district, used a mixed methods approach to provide evidence of the impact of a 12-day English as a Second Language (ESL) professional development program on teacher practice. The quantitative instrument used was a questionnaire while a case study, open-ended survey questions, semi-structured interviews, document collection, and a researcher journal lent themselves to the qualitative methods.;Analysis of the data revealed four central findings: (a) Teachers had a greater understanding of second language acquisition theory; (b) Participants demonstrated the methodology of increasing comprehensible input through the use of visuals, diagrams, graphic organizers, and pre-teaching vocabulary; (c) The ESL Project, a self-designed classroom application project, was a key dimension to the learning process; and (d) Critical self-reflection was an important element to understanding classroom practice. A cycle of validation, application, and reflection emerged indicating that learning is an active process in which learners construct new ideas based upon their current/past knowledge. A majority of the teacher participants stated that the training was overwhelmingly intense and they would have preferred to have taken the courses over a period of time with follow-up sessions related to their content and grade levels.;It was concluded that even though the program initiative affected teacher practice, professional development participants would benefit from on-going training, differentiation in the delivery of the material presented, an observational classroom feedback component, encouragement and support with collaborative efforts at the building level, and time for critical self-reflection to facilitate personal and professional change.