Professional Support Networks in TESOL: Sociolinguistic Approaches to Professional Development in ESOL Teacher Education

Pre-Reading Discussion Questions

• 1.

  Do teachers or education professionals ever feel in need of collaboration with or support from other colleagues? Explain the circumstances they may feel this way when teaching English language learners or when educating English teachers.

• 2.

  What are professional support networks? Discuss what they may entail with a partner.

Background

Researchers in education have long-established the need for continuous professional development for teachers. It has been agreed today that “high-quality professional development opportunities for teachers improve instructional effectiveness and increase student learning” (Vangrieken et al., 2017; U.S. Department of Education, 2014; Wei et al., 2009). Richards and Farrell (2005) have noted the significance of professional development where teachers could be continuously reinventing themselves and expanding their knowledge base. The need for quality professional development exists not only for teacher candidates or novice teachers but also for experienced teachers who need to make instructional shifts required in implementing college and career-readiness standards (Brown & Kappes, 2012). This could be exemplified by general or special education teachers who need to shift to another focus area, such as TESOL, for various reasons. Roy-Campbell (2013) points out that “the actual preparation general education teachers receive for teaching ELL students varies widely across teacher-education programs in the U. S.” (p. 260). The author indicates that this variation is despite the standards put forth by National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), which are basically: candidates’ acquiring pedagogical content knowledge to address English language learners (ELLs); candidates’ understanding the range in diversity among ELLs; and providing qualified faculty and sufficient resources supporting teachers’ learning about ELLs (Roy-Campbell, 2013).