Keywords
STEM Teachers
Multilingual Learners
Equitable Practices
Teacher Readiness
How to Cite
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate STEM teachers' perceptions of their knowledge, attitudes, and practices following participation in continuing professional development (CPD) and their readiness to implement equitable practices for multilingual learners (MLs) in their classrooms. A mixed-method research design was employed, utilizing both quantitative descriptive and qualitative data collected through structured and unstructured questionnaires. The study was conducted in Prince George’s County Public Schools, Maryland, focusing on teachers who had engaged with MLs in their STEM classes and completed CPD between 2010 and 2015. Participants included ten STEM teachers who were selected based on specific eligibility criteria regarding their teaching experience and CPD participation. The findings revealed that participants predominantly taught Mathematics and Technology, with a significant focus on Grades 9 and 10. Most teachers had an average of 6.1 years of teaching experience, contributing to their ability to integrate new knowledge from CPD into their practices. A substantial number of participants engaged in various CPD programs, particularly Sheltered Instruction training. Participants reported significant gains in knowledge related to identifying and supporting MLs, along with positive shifts in attitudes toward working with these learners. Additionally, participants demonstrated an increase in effective instructional practices aimed at enhancing the learning experiences of multilingual students. The study underscores the importance of targeted CPD in equipping STEM teachers with the necessary skills and confidence to implement equitable practices for multilingual learners effectively. The positive changes in knowledge and attitudes suggest that professional development can lead to meaningful improvements in instructional strategies. By employing a mixed-method approach, this research provides a comprehensive understanding of how CPD impacts STEM educators' readiness to support multilingual learners, highlighting the need for ongoing professional development tailored to meet the diverse needs of educators and their students.References
Aguirre-Muñoz, Z., & Pando, M. (2021). Conceptualizing STEM teacher professional knowledge for teaching ELs: Initial impact of subject matter and disciplinary literacy PD on content knowledge and practice. Bilingual Research Journal, 44(3), 335-359.
August, D., Artzi, L., & Barr, C. (2016). Helping ELLs meet standards in English language arts and science: An intervention focused on academic vocabulary. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 32 (4), 373-396.
B Bigsby, J. B., & Firestone, W. A. (2017). Why teachers participate in professional development: Lessons from a schoolwide teacher study group. The New Educator, 13 (1), 72-93.
Bacon, C. K. (2020). “It’s not really my job”: A mixed methods framework for language ideologies, monolingualism, and teaching emergent bilingual learners. Journal of Teacher Education, 71(2), 172-187.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological review, 84(2), 191
Besterman, K. R., Ernst, J., & Williams, T. O. (2018). Developments in STEM educators’ preparedness for English language learners in the United States. Contemporary Issues in Education Research (Online), 11 (4), 165-176.
Burner, T., & Svendsen, B. (2020). A Vygotskian perspective on teacher professional development. Education, 141 (1), 11-20.
Cheatham, G. A., & Hart Barnett, J. E. (2017). Overcoming common misunderstandings about students with disabilities who are English language learners. Intervention in School and Clinic, 53 (1), 58-63.
Chen, X. (2015). STEM attrition among high-performing college students in the United
Cheng, L. (2021). The implications of EFL/ESL teachers' emotions in their professional identity development. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 755592
Cho, S., Lee, H. J., & Herner-Patnode, L. (2020). Factors influencing preservice teachers’ self-efficacy in addressing cultural and linguistic needs of diverse learners. The Teacher Educator, 55(4), 411-429
Clark, S. K., & Andreasen, L. (2020). Exploring elementary teacher self-efficacy and teacher beliefs: are we preparing teachers to teach culturally diverse students? Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 1-15.
Comstock, M., Litke, E., Hill, K. L., & Desimone, L. M. (2023). A culturally responsive disposition: How professional learning and teachers’ beliefs about and self-efficacy for culturally responsive teaching relate to instruction. AERA Open, 9, 233.
Cooke, A., Smith, D., & Booth, A. (2012). Beyond PICO: the SPIDER tool for qualitative evidence synthesis. Qualitative health research, 22(10), 1435-1443.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2020). Accountability in teacher education. Action in teacher Education, 42 (1), 60-71.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2020). Accountability in teacher education. Action in Teacher Education, 42(1), 60-71.
de Araujo, Z. (2017). Connections between secondary mathematics teachers’ beliefs and their selection of tasks for English language learners. Curriculum inquiry, 47 (4), 363-389.
Djonko-Moore, C. M., Leonard, J., Holifield, Q., Bailey, E. B., & Almughyirah, S. M. (2018). Using culturally relevant experiential education to enhance urban children’s knowledge and engagement in science. Journal of Experiential Education, 41 (2), 137-15.
Dodo Seriki, V. (2018). Advancing alternate tools: Why science education needs CRP and CRT. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 13 (1), 93-100.
Dodo Seriki, V. (2018). Advancing alternate tools: Why science education needs CRP and CRT. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 13 (1), 93-100.
Dougherty, S. M., & Harbaugh Macdonald, I. (2020). Can growth in the availability of STEM technical education improve equality in participation? Evidence from Massachusetts. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 72 (1), 47-70.
Dwomoh, R., Osei‐Tutu, A. A., Chhikara, A., Zhou, L., Oudghiri, S., & Bell, T. (2023). Critical understanding of English learners: Experience and practice of educators in a professional development course. TESOL Quarterly, 57(4), 1401-1433.
Dwomoh, R., Osei‐Tutu, A. A., Chhikara, A., Zhou, L., Oudghiri, S., & Bell, T. (2023). Critical understanding of English learners: Experience and practice of educators in a professional development course. TESOL Quarterly, 57(4), 1401-1433
Early, M., & Kendrick, M. (2020). Inquiry-based pedagogies, multimodalities, and multilingualism: opportunities and challenges in supporting english learner success. Canadian Modern Language Review, 76 (2), 139-154.
Every Student Succeeds Act, 20 U.S.C. §6301 (2015) https://www.congress.gov/114/plaws/ publ95/PLAW-114publ95.pdf.
Gardner, K., Glassmeyer, D., & Worthy, R. (2019, ). Impacts of STEM professional development on teachers' knowledge, self-efficacy, and practice. In Frontiers in Education (Vol. 4, p. 26). Frontiers Media SA.
Garibay, C., & Teasdale, R. M. (2019). Equity and evaluation in informal STEM education. New Directions for Evaluation, 2019 (161), 87-106.
Hernandez, S. (2021). Exploring secondary teachers’ willingness to differentiate instruction for ELLs. INTESOL Journal, 18(1), 75-112
Hiatt, J. E., & Fairbairn, S. B. (2018). Improving the focus of English learner professional development for continuing professional development teachers. NASSP Bulletin, 102 (3), 228-263.
Hidayati, S. (2018). Exploring novice EAP teacher’s self-reflection as a platform for professional development. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 8(2), 441-451
Hinojosa, D. M. (2023). Professional development program designed to support prospective teachers’ enactment of instructional strategies to differentiate instruction for English learners. The Teacher Educator, 58(1), 49-71.
Horn, M., & Staker, H. (2011). The rise of K-12 blended learning. International Association for K-12 Online Learning. Retrieved from http://www.innosightinstitute.org/innosight/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/The Rise-of-K-12-Blended-Learning.
Howard, T. C. (2021). Culturally responsive pedagogy. Transforming Multicultural Education Policy and Practice: Expanding Educational Opportunity, 137.
Huerta, M., Garza, T., Murukutla, M., & Zhang, X. (2022). Pre-and in-service teacher attitudes related to English Learner instruction in the content-areas: A mixed-methods study. Teaching and Teacher Education, 119, 103867.
Jez, R. J. (2020). Examining Equitable Practices Within Teacher Preparation. Teacher Education Quarterly, 47 (4), 100-106.
Kareva, V., & Echevarria, J. (2013). Using the CPD model for effective content teaching with second and foreign language learners. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 1 (2), 239-248.
Kaya, F., Borgerding, L. A., & Ferdous, T. (2020). Secondary Science Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Implementation of Inquiry. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 1-15.
Kelley, Geoffery, Holland, & Han, 2020.
Kelley, T. R., Geoffery, K. J., Holland, J. D., & Han, J. (2020). Increasing high school teachers' self-efficacy for integrated STEM instruction through a collaborative community of practice. International Journal of STEM Education, 7(1) 323.
Kim, S., & Park, J. Y. (2024). Critical awareness toward Content-Language Integrated Education for Multilingual Learners (CA-CIEML): a survey study about teachers’ ideological beliefs and attitudes. Language Awareness, 33(2), 261-283.
Kim, S., Park, J. Y., & Zhao, M. (2024, March). Content teachers’ beliefs and attitudes toward working with multilingual learners through integrative approaches. In Frontiers in Education (Vol. 9, p. 1282936). Frontiers Media SA.
Lapp, S., & Ariza, E. N. W. (2018). Technology and MLs in middle school. The TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching, 1-6.
Lau, W. S., & Shea, M. (2022). Empowering English learners in the classroom through culturally responsive social-emotional teaching practices. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 1-18.
Lavadenz, M., Kaminski, L. R., Armas, E. G., & López, G. V. (2021, April). Equity leadership for English learners during COVID-19: Early lessons. In Frontiers in Education (Vol. 6, p. 636281). Frontiers Media SA.
Leonard, J., Mitchell, M., Barnes-Johnson, J., Unertl, A., Outka-Hill, J., Robinson, R., & Hester-Croff, C. (2018). Preparing teachers to engage rural students in computational thinking through robotics, game design, and culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 69(4), 386-407.
Leonard, J., Mitchell, M., Barnes-Johnson, J., Unertl, A., Outka-Hill, J., Robinson, R., & Hester-Croff, C. (2018). Preparing teachers to engage rural students in computational thinking through robotics, game design, and culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 69(4), 386-407.
Li, L., Gow, A. D. I., & Zhou, J. (2020). The role of positive emotions in education: A neuroscience perspective. Mind, Brain, and Education, 14(3), 220-234
Li, N., & Peters, A. W. (2020). Preparing K-12 teachers for ELLs: Improving teachers’ L2 knowledge and strategies through innovative professional development. Urban Education, 55(10), 1489-1506.
Lie, R., Selcen Guzey, S., & Moore, T. J. (2019). Implementing engineering in diverse upper elementary and middle school science classrooms: Student learning and attitudes. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 28 (2), 104-117.
Liggett, T. (2014). The mapping of a framework: Critical race theory and TESOL. The Urban Review, 46(1), 112-124.
Llosa, L., Lee, O., Jiang, F., Haas, A., O’Connor, C., Van Booven, C. D., & Kieffer, M. J. (2016). Impact of a large-scale science intervention focused on English language learners. American Educational Research Journal, 53(2), 395–424.
Lowe, N. (2015). Creating professional learning programs that recognize teachers as adult learners (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (UMI No. 3688017)
Maarouf, S. A. (2019). Supporting Academic Growth of English Language Learners: Integrating Reading into STEM Curriculum. World Journal of Education, 9 (4), 83-96.
Mahmood, M. I., Mobeen, M., & Abbas, S. (2020). Language and context in mathematical problem solving: A threat to students’ performance and assessment. SJESR, 3(3), 252- 263.
Mahmood, M. I., Mobeen, M., & Abbas, S. (2020). Language and context in mathematical problem solving: A threat to students’ performance and assessment. SJESR, 3(3), 252- 263.
Maries, A., Whitcomb, K., & Singh, C. (2022). Gender Inequities Throughout STEM Breadcrumb. Journal of College Science Teaching, 51 (3).
Master, B., Loeb, S., Whitney, C., & Wyckoff, J. (2016). Different skills? Identifying differentially effective teachers of English language learners. The Elementary School Journal, 117(2), 261–284
Mendoza, C., & Wu, P. Y. (2022). Targeted English Language Development Professional Development Matters: The Impact of English Language Development-Content Based Teaching and Learning (ELD-CBTL) on Teachers’ Self-Efficacy in Teaching Secondary Level English Learners. Journal of Social and Political Sciences, 5(4).
Merriam, S. & Bierema, L. (2014). Adult Learning: Linking Theory to Practice. Jossey Bass: San Francisco, CA.
Migliarini, V., & Stinson, C. (2021). Inclusive education in the (new) era of anti-immigration policy: enacting equity for disabled English language learners. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 34 (1), 72-88.
Mills, T., Villegas, A. M., & Cochran-Smith, M. (2020). Research on preparing p reservice mainstream teachers for linguistically diverse classrooms. Teacher Education Quarterly, 47 (4), 33-55.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018). multilingual learners in STEM subjects: Transforming classrooms, schools, and lives. Washington, DC: The N national Academies Press.
National Assessment of Educational Progress (2015). 2015 National Mathematics & Reading Assessment. Retrieved from http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading_math_2015/
National Assessment of Educational Progress (2019). 2019 National Mathematics & Reading Assessment. Retrieved from https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/science/nation/achievement/?grade=12 2022/
National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition. (2019).
National Science and Technology Center. (2018). Charting a course for success: America’s strategy for STEM education. Committee on STEM education. National Research Council (2012)
Nolan, A., & Molla, T. (2019). Supporting teacher professionalism through tailored professional learning. London Review of Education, 17 (2), 126-140.
Olayemi, M., & DeBoer, J. (2021). Enacting culturally relevant pedagogy for underrepresented minorities in STEM classrooms: Challenges and opportunities. 2021 CoNECD
Oliveira, A. W., Weinburgh, M., McBride, E., Bobowski, T., & Shea, R. (2019). Teaching science to English language learners: Current research and practices in the field of science education. The Handbook of TESOL in K-12, 277–290.
Pajares, F. (1996). Self-efficacy beliefs in academic settings. Review of educational research, 66(4), 543-578
Pentón Herrera, L. J. (2020). Social-emotional learning in TESOL: What, why, and how. Journal of English Learner Education, 10(1), 1.
Pereira, N., & de Oliveira, L. C. (2015). Meeting the linguistic needs of high-potential English language learners: What teachers need to know. Teaching Exceptional Children, 47(4), 208-215.
Petray, M. J., Shapiro, R., & Vega, G. M. (2021). Foundations of Linguistics and Identity in L2 Teaching and Learning: Agency through Linguistic Enrichment, Differentiated Instruction, and Teacher Identity. International Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, 13(3), 2101-2127.
Polat, N., Zarecky-Hodge, A., & Schreiber, J. B. (2016). Academic growth trajectories of ELLs in NAEP data: The case of fourth-and eighth-grade ELLs and non-ELLs on mathematics and reading tests. The Journal of Educational Research, 109 (5), 541-553.
Raimjanovna, I. U. (2023). English Learner Classification Status and Stem Access. Web of Synergy: International Interdisciplinary Research Journal, 2 (1), 34-40 Tennant, M. (2019). Psychology and adult learning: The role of theory in informing practice. Routledge.
Riera, J., & De Lira, C. (2021). Advancing math word problem instruction for English language learners to enhance their prospects in STEM disciplines. Academia Letters, 2.
Roncoroni, J., Hernandez-Julian, R., Hendrix, T., & Whitaker, S. W. (2021). Breaking barriers: Evaluating a pilot STEM intervention for Latinx children of
Rowan, L., Bourke, T., L’Estrange, L., Lunn Brownlee, J., Ryan, M., Walker, S., & Churchward, P. (2021). How does initial teacher education research frame the challenge of preparing future teachers for student diversity in schools? A systematic review of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 91(1), 112-158.
Schunk, D. H. (1998). Teaching elementary students to self-regulate practice of mathematical skills with modeling. In D. H. Schunk & B. J. Zimmerman (Eds.), Self-regulated learning: From teaching to self-reflective practice (pp. 137–159). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Shafiei Rezvani Nejad, H. (2024). Differentiated instruction for English learners: Teachers' understanding and practices. TESOL Journal, e817.
Smets, W., & Struyven, K. (2020). A teachers’ professional development programme to implement differentiated instruction in secondary education: How far do teachers reach?. Cogent Education, 7(1), 1742273.
Smith, S. (2015). A sense of place: Place, culture and tourism. Tourism Recreation Research, 40, 220-233.
Song, K. H. (2016). Systematic Professional Development Training and Its Impact on Teachers’ Attitudes Toward ELL s: CPD and Guided Coaching. Tesol Journal, 7 (4), 767-799.
Spanish-speaking families. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 45, 1-13.
Stairs-Davenport, A. (2023). “Where Do I Start?” Inquiry into K-12 Mainstream Teachers’ Knowledge about Differentiating Instruction for ELLs in One US School District. Education Inquiry, 14(2), 163-177
States: Scope and potential causes. Journal of Technology and Science Education, 5 (1), 41-59.
Stewart, C. (2014). Transforming professional development to professional learning. journal of adult education, 43 (1), 28-33.
Suh, E. K., Hoffman, L., & Zollman, A. (2020). STEM inclusion research for English language learners (ELLs): Making STEM accessible to all. In Handbook of research on STEM education (pp. 311-322). Routledge.
Sun, X., & Zhang, W. (2023). Teacher emotions and professional development: A case study of three first-year EFL teachers. Issues in Educational Research, 33(3), 1190-1209.
Thompson, K. D. (2017). multilingual learners’ time to reclassification: An analysis. Educational Policy, 31 (3), 330-363.
Tong, F., Irby, B. J., Lara-Alecio, R., Guerrero, C., Tang, S., & Sutton-Jones, K. L. (2019). The impact of professional learning on in-service teachers’ pedagogical delivery of literacy-infused science with middle school English learners: A randomised controlled trial study in the US. Educational Studies, 45(5), 533-553
Torff, B., & Murphy, A. F. (2020). Teachers’ beliefs about English learners: Adding linguistic support to enhance academic rigor. Phi Delta Kappan, 101(5), 14-18.
Turgut, R., & Huerta, M. (2022). Examining Secondary Content-Area Teachers' Identity Positionings as Teachers of ELs. Journal of Research in Education, 31(1), 92-123
Vogt, M., & Echevarria, J. (2015). Reaching multilingual learners: Aligning the ELA/ELD Framework with CPD. California Reader, 49 (1).
Watson, S. L. & Reigeluth, C. M. (2016). The learner-centered paradigm of education. In R. West (Ed.), Foundations of learning and instructional design technology . Provo, UT: EdTech Books.
Wiggan, G., Smith, D., & Watson-Vandiver, M. J. (2021). The national teacher shortage, urban education and the cognitive sociology of labor. The Urban Review, 53, 43-75.
Zhou, X., Padrón, Y., Waxman, H. C., Baek, E., & Acosta, S. (2024). How do School climate and professional development in multicultural education impact job satisfaction and teaching efficacy for STEM teachers of English learners? A path-analysis. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 22(2), 447-468
Zhou, X., Shu, L., Xu, Z., & Padrón, Y. (2023). The effect of professional development on in-service STEM teachers’ self-efficacy: a meta-analysis of experimental studies. International Journal of STEM Education, 10(1), 37