USING EQUITABLE ELL PEDAGOGY TO SUPPORT ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS IN ACADEMIC CONVERSATIONS

Abstract

In the participatory action research (PAR) study, teachers in a professional learning community (PLC) acting as Co-Practitioner Researchers (CPR) used the methodologies of the improvement science (Bryk et al., 2015) and the community learning exchange (CLE) to implement instructional practices that incorporate equitable academic discourse and culturally responsive pedagogy for English language learners. Together, the PLC members created space to collaborate, cultivate relational trust, learn and practice ELL pedagogies, study and implement talk moves, and, as a result, improve instructional practices. This study took place in a large urban district in an elementary K-5 school over an 18-month period and three cycles of inquiry. The findings indicate that (a) relational trust contributes to collaborative decisions about instructional practices; (b) teachers play a crucial role in academic conversations; and (c) teachers use ELL-specific pedagogical tools to increase access and rigor. Classroom observations were a fundamental component of the research methodology with a specific focus on confirming that teachers were employing strategies that encouraged equitable access and rigor. The combination of observations with post-observation conversations provided dedicated support for PLC members to reflect on their pedagogical decisions and further refine their practices. The power of iterative reflection and using evidence from our work together informed our iterative next steps as we diagnosed and designed based on conversations, reflection, and evidence (Spillane, 2011). The study has implications for practice, policy, and research at the school and district levels for teachers and leaders who support English Language Learners.