Professional Development Implications of

Teachers Beliefs and Attitudes Toward

English Language Learners
Stuart A. Karabenick & Phyllis A. Clemens Noda

Ally Baltas
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Article Sharing #2

Karabenick, S. A., & Noda, P. A. C. (2004). Professional development

implications of teachers beliefs and attitudes toward English
language learners. Bilingual Research Journal, 28(1), 55-75.
 Purpose/General Rationale

The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of

teachers beliefs, attitudes, practices, and needs related
to English Language Learners and determine how to
provide a quality education for an increasingly diverse
population of students.
 Specific Rationale
Increase in enrolled students who are linguistically and
culturally diverse

Focused on teachers from two perspectives:

1. District wide assessment of teachers beliefs, attitudes,
and practices on ELL-related issues
2. Differences between teachers who were more vs. those
who were less accepting of having ELLs in their
classrooms
 Participants
729 teachers surveyed in one Midwestern suburban
district recently impacted by high numbers of immigrant
and refugee ELLs
These teachers make up 98% of the population of teachers
in the districts three high schools, seven middle schools,
and 16 elementary schools
Most teachers had been teaching for +20 years
 Steps in Sequence

Three Phases:
Identification Piloting and
of research- Refinement of psychometric
based individual refinement of
conceptual survey items the final
frameworks version
 Data Collected
District-wide assessment of teachers beliefs, attitudes,
and practices on ELL-related issues

Assessment examining differences between teachers

who were more accepting of ELLs vs. those who arent
as accepting

Data collection of teachers needs for professional

development to target issues requiring PD and training
This data was also used to determine the effectiveness of
interventions
 Analysis
Assessment of teachers beliefs, attitudes, and practices
on ELL-related issues

Determination of how important it is for professional

developments to assist in teaching ELLs
 Results
Focus:
Overall trends and typical responses
Differences between teachers with more positive attitudes
versus those with less positive attitudes toward having ELLs
in their classes

Favorable attitudes toward having ELLs in their classes

Substantial number of teachers were uncertain or had

unfavorable attitudes about whether theyd like to have
ELLs in their class
 Conclusions
It would be beneficial and is necessary to require
systematic professional development for the teachers of
ELL students

Many teachers dont feel confident teaching ELLs

Need for training focused on building skills, expanding
resources, and enhancing teachers sense of efficacy and
confidence lack of motivation to work with ELLs

Need for updated information on assessment tools and

procedures used to identify and place ELLs eligible for
services
 Cautions
Some teachers who participated in this study had not
had any experiences with ELLs in their own classrooms,
therefore, they gave data based on how prepared they
feel if they were to have ELLs in their class
 Discussion
I found the results of this study to be very interesting.
Many other articles I read also had similar data in that
teachers often dont feel prepared to teach ELLs. I think
these studies are necessary to help administration see
that teachers dont feel theyre equipped to teach ELLS.
Its important that teachers are properly prepared to
teach ELLs and give those students a fair chance to learn
by having a teacher who has the tools necessary to teach
them.