Long Term ESL Students in the US: Annotated Bibliography Updated April 2019

DeCapua, A., Marshall, H. W., & Frydland, N. (2017). The transformational learning journey of a novice ESL teacher of low-literate adults. Journal of Transformative Education, 16(1), 17-38. doi:10.1177/1541344617704645

This case study qualitatively documents a specific instructor’s journey as she struggled to appropriately teach adult ESL students. Though the specific population in this article differs from secondary school students, this empirical source is nonetheless useful in gaining insight into the pedagogical and personal struggles under-prepared ESL teachers may face. The particular instructor within this case study implements innovative, culturally-responsive pedagogies in order to facilitate learning, thereby demonstrating the value of transformational approaches to leadership and teaching when preparing mainstream and ESL teachers to address the needs of a growing ESL population.

Finn, H. B. (2018). Articulating struggle: ESL students’ perceived obstacles to success in a community college writing class. Journal of Second Language Writing, 42, 101-106. doi:10.1016/j.jslw.2018.09.001

Fin (2018) sheds light upon the struggles ESL students encounter when attempting to succeed academically within the context of US classrooms, many of which are underprepared to meet the needs of a growing ESL student population who are immigrating in large numbers. Fin (2018) documents the fact that although students’ attribute learning challenges to multiple factors, instructors have an enormous influence over students’ perception of learning obstacles.

He, Y., Journell, W., & Faircloth, J. (2018). Preparing teachers for English learners: Integrating academic language and community service projects. The Social Studies, 109(1), 13-26. doi:10.1080/00377996.2017.1403874

He, Journell, & Faircloth (2018) discuss critical factors necessary for ESL teachers to practice culturally appropriate pedagogy and respond effectively to ESL students’ varied linguistic abilities. This case study is useful within the present study due to its focus on exploring teaching practices and experiences of a secondary social studies instructor. The article specifically evaluates what practices were helpful in improving ESL students’ learning, thereby offering insight to educators regarding how ESL teacher preparation may be improved from a pedagogical and practical standpoint.

Larsson, P. (2018). Stimulating reading among upper secondary ESL speakers through a cooperative approach. Hogskoland Halmstad. Retrieved from http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1213665/FULLTEXT04

Larsson (2018) evaluates the efficacy of improving Swedish secondary school ESL student’s reading abilities using a cooperative approach, thereby suggesting the importance of cooperation and pedagogical collaboration in the realms of teacher preparation and classroom practices. Thought the study was conducted in Sweden, the student population parallels many US ESL classrooms and offers valuable insight regarding the importance of and need to use a collaborative theoretical approach to learning and teacher training when preparing ESL instructors. 

Moser, K., Zhu, D., Nguyen, H., & Williams, E. (2018). Teaching English language learners. International Journal of Teacher Education and Professional Development, 1(1), 58-75. doi:10.4018/ijtepd.2018010105

This study explores the lived experiences encountered by secondary preservice instructors across rural areas of the US, who used varying approaches to instructing ESL and ELL students. This article is especially valuable for its strong documentation and assertion of the fact that many ELLs are placed in classroom contexts lacking teachers otherwise well-prepared to instruct ELL students. Exploring the efficacy of simulated experiences in perpetuating teachers’ perceptual inclusivity towards instructing ELLs, Moser, Zhu, Nguyen and Williams (2018) intended to contribute to the development of more functional teacher training and preparation in ESL contexts.

Mueller, P., & Walqui, A. (2018). Language education policy and practice in the U.S.: Emerging efforts to expand all teachers’ understanding of language development and learning. Language Policy, 111-133. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-75963-0_7

Mueller and Walqui (2018) explore US policy efforts to bolster professional development programs across America in a way that better meets the needs of increasing ESL and multicultural populations. This study is valuable within the context of the present literature review due to its focus upon improving teacher training to better meet ESL student’s needs, by increasing the efficacy of teachers’ instructional practices for diverse learners as well as pedagogical knowledge. Furthermore, this study recognizes the need for dramatic shifts in US teachers’ preparation and practice in order to facilitate the academic advancement of ESL students and close language-characterized achievement gaps. 

Sato, T., Miller, R. T., & Delk, D. W. (2018). Secondary physical educators’ positioning of teaching English language learners at urban schools. Urban Education, 004208591878974. doi:10.1177/0042085918789747

Sato, Miller, and Delk (2018) conducted this study seeking to explain secondary school (physical ed.) instructors’ perspectives and positions surrounding ESL and ELL instruction in urban school districts—specifically exploring potential fearful attitudes of teachers towards multicultural contexts. Due to this study’s focus on an exploration of teacher perceptions, Sato et al.’s (2018) study are valuable in uncovering potential barriers to effective ESL teacher-student engagement, sufficient teacher preparation, and ultimately, language-characterized learning gaps.

Villegas, A. M., SaizdeLaMora, K., Martin, A. D., & Mills, T. (2018). Preparing future mainstream teachers to teach English language learners: A review of the empirical literature. The Educational Forum, 82(2), 138-155. doi:10.1080/00131725.2018.1420850

Because this literature review explores and documents the need for mainstream preservice teachers to be better prepared for ESL contexts, it is useful in justifying the present study’s purpose and context. Using Feiman-Nemser’s theoretical perspective, Villegas, SaizdeLaMora, Martin and Mills (2018) explore the discrepancies between how preservice teachers are currently addressing ELL students, and how they may more effectively be prepared to address ELL students.

References

DeCapua, A., Marshall, H. W., & Frydland, N. (2017). The transformational learning journey of a novice ESL teacher of low-literate adults. Journal of Transformative Education, 16(1), 17-38. doi:10.1177/1541344617704645

Finn, H. B. (2018). Articulating struggle: ESL students’ perceived obstacles to success in a community college writing class. Journal of Second Language Writing, 42, 101-106. doi:10.1016/j.jslw.2018.09.001

He, Y., Journell, W., & Faircloth, J. (2018). Preparing teachers for English learners: Integrating academic language and community service projects. The Social Studies, 109(1), 13-26. doi:10.1080/00377996.2017.1403874

Larsson, P. (2018). Stimulating reading among upper secondary ESL speakers through a cooperative approach. Hogskoland Halmstad. Retrieved from http://www.diva-.org/smash/get/diva2:1213665/FULLTEXT04

Moser, K., Zhu, D., Nguyen, H., & Williams, E. (2018). Teaching English language learners. International Journal of Teacher Education and Professional Development, 1(1), 58-75. i:10.4018/ijtepd.2018010105

Mueller, P., & Walqui, A. (2018). Language education policy and practice in the U.S.: Emerging efforts to expand all teachers’ understanding about language development and learning. Language Policy, 111-133. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-75963-0_7

Sato, T., Miller, R. T., & Delk, D. W. (2018). Secondary physical educators’ positioning of teaching English language learners at urban schools. Urban Education, 004208591878974. oi:10.1177/0042085918789747

Villegas, A. M., SaizdeLaMora, K., Martin, A. D., & Mills, T. (2018). Preparing future mainstream teachers to teach English language learners: A review of the empirical literature. The Educational Forum, 82(2), 138-155. doi:10.1080/00131725.2018.1420850