Chapter 47
Imperatives for Teacher Education:
Findings from Studies of Effective
Teaching for English Language Learners
Alison L. Bailey and Margaret Heritage
47.1 Introduction
The teacher is the key actor in addressing the learning needs of students who are
acquiring English as an additional language in school. This chapter examines the role
of the teacher in addressing these needs and the imperatives for teacher education in
fulfilling that role. While this chapter focuses on how best to support teachers in the
United States(U.S.) in this endeavor, the issues we raise are relevant to a broader range
of contexts in which teachers, worldwide, face similar realities. First, we discuss
current contexts for the education of students acquiring an additional language in
school. This is followed by a consideration of factors that impact the preparedness of
teachers to effectively meet the needs of students who are learning English as an
additional language. We then draw from two research studies to suggest potential
ways forward in improving teacher education programs in the U.S. Finally, we pro-
pose some directions for future research to inform teacher-preparation programs.
47.2 Current Context
We begin by considering current educational contexts of learners who are schooled
in a second or additional language, specifically with reference to three main issues:
(1) mobility of populations; (2) linguistic and academic achievements of English
language learners (ELL students); and (3) teacher preparedness and effectiveness.
A.L. Bailey (&)
University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
e-mail: [email protected]
M. Heritage
WestEd, San Francisco, CA, USA
e-mail: [email protected]
©Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2017
M.A. Peters et al. (eds.),A Companion to Research in Teacher Education,
DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-4075-7_47
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