Teaching literacy skills that require critical reading and linguistic output can feel like an insurmountable challenge when presented with students of varying language proficiencies. One valuable but often unused tool to surmount these challenges is wordless picture books (WPBs). WPBs can be used to develop literacy skills more equitably among…

This qualitative study investigated seven teachers participating in a professional development (PD) series on translanguaging pedagogies. The purpose was to better understand how teachers adapted translanguaging strategies into their classroom practice and how they perceived challenges and benefits of these approaches. Analysis of PD videos,…

This article presents select findings from a case study about applied theatre at a school for girls with refugee backgrounds in the United States. The data were collected through direct observations, semi-structured interviews, and analysis of students' work. The study uses an intersectional analysis to explore relationships between gender, race,…

Despite the growing number of English learners in the United States, teachers continue to report that they do not feel well prepared to support English learners. It is critical to offer quality professional development accessible for all teachers and to engage teachers in exploring teaching applications involving English learners. In this study,…

Despite the robust literature about teaching intercultural competence, little has been written on exploring culture in community-based English as a second language (ESL) settings, such as classes for adults with immigrant and refugee backgrounds. Educational materials about culture designed for these contexts tend to be prescriptive and…

Intensive English programs (IEPs) help speakers of other languages gain necessary language, cultural, and educational skills to succeed in an English-speaking environment (Hamrick, 2012; Toner, 2017). Whereas previous research investigated factors influencing student choice of IEPs in the southeastern United States (Williams, 1994) and in…

The purpose of the present study is twofold: (1) to investigate the relationship between the efficacy of teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) and their self-reported practice of communicative language teaching (CLT) and (2) to examine the impact of an in-service teacher education program on teachers' efficacy and self-reported and…

This article describes the effects of participation and collaboration in an in-service professional development project for secondary content area teachers referred to as "turnaround training." The participating teachers were experienced, skilled practitioners in their content areas (math, science, social studies, or English language…

This study investigated the impacts of an undergraduate experiential service-learning course on the development, attitudes, and perceptions of the co-learners involved in the experience. The context of the study was the American University in Cairo (AUC), and the participants in both groups were Egyptian native speakers of Arabic. The participants…

Secondary English as a second language (ESL) curricula that address four levels of ESL proficiency and prepare students for the English language arts (ELA) curricula and state-mandated ELA tests are not common. A curriculum jointly developed by two districts is even rarer. Yet two urban districts in Rhode Island undertook such a curriculum…

This survey study explored perceptions and use of language learning strategies among English as a second language teachers and English-learning students (Grades 3-8, 10, and 11). The sample comprised 1,057 students (651 elementary, 275 middle, and 131 high school) and 54 teachers (31 elementary, 11 middle, and 12 high school) from 38 schools…

The purpose of this article is to describe the Quality Educators Academy (QEA), a year-long training for K-8 classroom teachers that was funded by a NC ESEA Title II-A Improving Teacher Quality (NC QUEST) Grant. Key features of the project as well as the design and content of the training contributed to success in recruiting, retaining, and…

When professional learning communities (PLCs) are developed to promote the academic achievement of English language learners (ELLs), the results can benefit not only ELLs but the whole school. This article examines the ventures of three high schools that implemented PLCs as part of a Title III National Professional Development Project. The authors…

A self-study of the English-as-a-Second-Language program at the English Language Institute at the Hawaii campus of Brigham Young University is reported. Lessons learned related to customizing guidelines, administrative support; feedback loops, creating implementation plans, including outsiders, etc. (23 references) (LB)