English learners account for 21.7% of the Texas public school system (Texas Education Agency, 2022). This qualitative study was conducted to examine how teachers of English learners in a dual language program perceived the educational supports they received affected student achievement in science. Teacher participants were asked about their…

Existing research has suggested that multilingualism is an asset in many regards (e.g., cognitively, socially, culturally), yet many U.S. schools have created linguistically exclusive environments for multilingual learners (MLLs) by prioritizing/centering English language instruction and perpetuating deficit views of multilingualism for students…

Adichie asserts that "stories matter" because they help us to humanize and empower one another. Stories allow us to make sense of our experiences or the "lived stories" of our lives. This qualitative case study draws from a federally funded, multiyear mixed-methods study focusing on an alternative route to teaching program…

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in the academic growth in mathematics and reading for elementary Spanish-speaking English language learners, in relation to teacher certification and training in teaching English as a second language (ESL). The study was conducted in a Midwestern urban public elementary charter school. A…

In 2016, California voters approved state Proposition 58, repealing an almost 20-year ban on bilingual education for English Learners (ELs), who represent nearly 20% of the state's public school students. The state's reversal on bilingual education reflects a national trend of promoting bilingualism and expanding bilingual (also referred to as…

Parent involvement has been shown to have a positive effect on second language acquisition, student motivation and academic achievement. This is particularly true for the almost five million English learners (ELs) in our PK-12 schools today and has important implications for the preparation of pre-service teachers. This study investigated how a…

Guided by constructive epistemology and grounded in Greenwood's place-conscious education theory and critical race theory in education, (CRT), this narrative-informed qualitative study critically examines how the lived experiences of three bilingual educators shape their work with English Learners (ELs or multilingual learners, MLs) in a Florida…

Multilingual students arrive in classrooms with rich language knowledge and funds of knowledge. Educators must recognize that emergent bilinguals speak multiple languages. They have one unitary language system; their language is bilingualism. Whether in a monolingual classroom setting or a multilingual setting, when working with emergent…

This study investigated the impact on Hispanic pre-service teachers' self-efficacy toward parental involvement as a result of having been engaged in a unique form of professional development (PD) that merged authentic field experiences with direct interactions with parents of ELs. Thirty (n=30) pre-service bilingual generalists were engaged in…

Across the United States, many districts find themselves short on bilingual teachers. More than half of the states face a shortage of such teachers, with shortages most acute in states that provide bilingual education to the greatest numbers of English learners. Bilingual and dual-language education have proven to have a positive effect on the…

A shortage of Spanish/English bilingual educators exists in Texas with large numbers of emergent bilingual students concentrated in high poverty areas. The goal of this study was to examine how six Latino/a bilingual teachers narrated their professional lives while negotiating the power relations within the school system. Data was collected via…

This qualitative phenomenological research study was used to interview bilingual teachers on their perception regarding the referral process for Spanish-speaking students in emergent bilingual programs. Creswell's (2009) six-step method for analyzing phenomenological studies was used to analyze the interviews. The study results support that…

This narrative inquiry study sought the voices of bilingual teachers through their lived experiences in relation to the success of Hispanic emergent bilinguals in schools. Two research questions guided the study: (1) What practices do bilingual educators consider important in helping Hispanic emergent bilingual students succeed in schools? and (2)…

The qualitative descriptive phenomenological study aims to identify, describe, and analyze educational processes and best practices from the bilingual teachers' perspectives; that help improves the teaching of reading in the elementary level of English Language Learners classrooms in Puerto Rico. This research assessed the contribution of…

This brief is the first of a four-part series that focuses on bilingual education, bilingual educators, and addressing the bilingual teacher shortage in contexts across the United States. This research was commissioned by the New Jersey State Department of Education, which is committed to providing quality bilingual education to its linguistically…