| This narrative research study explored how general education teachers describe their ELL professional development experiences. Specifically, this project revealed general educators' reflective practices in terms of how they translated completed professional development training into the learning environment of their own classrooms. The theoretical framework that guided this study was Schon's (1987) theory of the reflective practitioner. In particular, the concepts of reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action were used to frame the study. Eleven educators from one PK-12 public school district in Massachusetts participated in the study. The researcher collected data through semi-structured interviews with participants via video conferencing software. Inductive and deductive analyses were used to develop thirteen themes within three categories. From the findings, five conclusions were drawn. First, teachers were better equipped to identify and respond to student needs as a result of their professional development training. Second, teachers acknowledged that professional growth and development occurred as a result of their professional development training. Third, teachers employed reflective processes to facilitate planning, problem-solving, and assessment and aid in future implementation. Fourth, teachers recognized the impact that the professional development training had on the learning environment of their classrooms. Fifth, the professional development training offered a platform for reflection, collegial support, feedback, and collaborative learning. Findings from this research present a number of implications for practice at the local, state, and national levels of education. These implications include collaborative educator training, development of preservice partnerships, and updated standards of accountability and assessment. |
