| dc.description.abstract | The introduction to this dissertation provides an overview of the three studies. The introduction is followed by the first study which examines previous research on PST preparation and efficacy development for writing and ELL instruction. The review identifies several barriers to the development of teaching efficacy for writing and ELL instruction: prior experiences with writing, lack of content knowledge, and insufficient methods coursework for writing/ELL instruction. Within these studies, several suggestions are made to increase PST preparation: field experiences teaching writing to ELL, writing and second language acquisition content instruction, language shock experiences, and self reflection and opportunities to write.
The second study investigates the development of teaching efficacy of six PSTs who participated in an extracurricular enrichment program, Becoming Teachers of ELL Writing (BTEW). Qualitative data were collected from the participants over the course of two semesters, including survey data, interviews, journals, reflection forms, and video observations. Results show that participants perceived that their content and pedagogical efficacy increased for ELL writing instruction, which was reflected in the higher quality of their pedagogical moves later in the intervention.
The final study follows four of the participants of BTEW into their clinical and beginning teaching experiences, to investigate how they positioned writing and ELL writing in their classrooms, and the tensions they experience when attempting to enact writing instruction. Using journal and interview data gathered over the course of one semester, results show that all but one participant worked in schools where little priority is given to writing or ELL modifications. They struggled to enact instruction on the writing process, and disagreed with their mentor teachers and administration over writing pedagogy. Additional research is needed to better understand how ELL writing instruction is positioned in schools, particularly schools of varying income levels, and the long-term influence of teacher preparation programs.
The dissertation concludes with recommendations for future writing researchers and teacher educators. Specifically, it encourages the concentrated integration of ELL writing methods courses into teacher education programs, coupled with more purposeful and rigorous clinical teaching placements. | en |
