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CATESOL Book Review: Teacher Leadership for School-Wide English Learning
06/19/2020

Christie Sosa

Teacher-Leadership for School-Wide English Learning

By Kara Mac Donald and Sonia Estima

The importance of language for survival regardless of the context is raised at the beginning of the Introduction with an example among animal species. This is linked to the importance of English Learners (ELs) having the appropriate language skills to participate in the English-speaking communities in which they live. However, the concern is raised that ELs spend much of their instructional day with teachers that are not trained in working with learners of English. The argument presented is that educators in ESL need to be trained to not only teach ELs language, but also serve a guides and mentors of general subject matter content teachers. The Introduction moves the discussion of how investment in one U.S. state EL legislation (i.e. English Learners in the Mainstream [ELM]) relevant to the author/s, then developed into a school-wide English learning (SWEL) model that offers guidance for teacher leading other educators.


The importance of language for survival regardless of the context is raised at the beginning of the Introduction with an example among animal species. This is linked to the importance of English Learners (ELs) having the appropriate language skills to participate in the English-speaking communities in which they live. However, the concern is raised that ELs spend much of their instructional day with teachers that are not trained in working with learners of English. The argument presented is that educators in ESL need to be trained to not only teach ELs language, but also serve a guides and mentors of general subject matter content teachers. The Introduction moves the discussion of how investment in one U.S. state EL legislation (i.e. English Learners in the Mainstream [ELM]) relevant to the author/s, then developed into a school-wide English learning (SWEL) model that offers guidance for teacher leading other educators.

‘The Need for a School-Wide English Learner Model’ is the focus of Chapter 1, and the discussion is based on the foundations of SWEL through distributed leadership, not only senior management is leading but all stakeholders taking responsibility ad leaders. Again the discussion begin with a poignant example of the value of language, specifically an academic/schooling register, and how if one does not possess such there is lack of capital. Then, the types of ELs are outlined, as well as second language teaching approaches. The authors highlight the need for EL educators to be equipped beyond labeled models of instruction for ELs, and points to the TESOL Inc. guidelines for ELs K-12 teacher/preparation programs. The chapter closes by addressing how shared responsibility for ongoing teacher development for hard and soft skills is essential.

Chapter 2 addresses the common practice of K-12 teachers being assigned to deliver professional develop opportunities to school faculty, but may struggles to effectively provide such training as the degree K-12 program most likely did not address best practices for teaching adults, nor designing and delivering in-service training. The chapter describes distributing leadership to colleague mentoring as well where all members through coaching share expertise provide a network of support. Principles of peer mentoring/coaching are described, with a focus on how to guide without assessment and open up a dynamic dialogue for learning.

The need for ELs to acquire the appropriate academic language is the focus of Chapter 3 to make learners walk-and-talk the dialects of their content classes (e.g. math, science). The chapter offers a guided approach to support content subject teachers to design and deliver lessons develop subject/field specific language along-side course content. The guided explanation addresses building world-level terminology, syntax and sentence development and discourse structure.

Chapter 4 is the first of three chapters that moves the discussion from the foundations of building a SWEL to developing teachers’ skills through in-service professional development. Chapter 4 highlights the essential need for teacher empathize with and be cognizant of ELs immigration experiences and the effects they have on learners. Various activities are provided for professional development opportunities for teachers to reflect, unpack assumptions and understand the ELs’ immigration experiences.

Chapter 5 focuses on the knowledge needed by general education teachers to effectively serve the needs of Els.  This chapter provides a list of professional development activities designed to help general educators better understand the second language learning process by connecting it to their own learning experiences. The knowledge areas covered range from the stages of second language acquisition, to how to scaffold content area materials, understanding translanguaging and the benefits of bilingualism. General education teachers must know who these immigrant kids are; the make-up and context of the communities in which they live and teach, their reality, their history and how the systems of power and oppression present in the community affect learners, including the legal requirements for serving the EL community. 

Chapter 6 shifts attention to the skills needed by general educators who need to teach content and language simultaneously.  The authors look at how to provide the support these teachers need in order to best work with and enhance the experience of English language learners in their classroom. The chapter identifies six skill areas that are critical for all educators of Els, moving from planning to assessment of academic language and content-area objectives; discussing how to enable teachers to differentiate instruction to suit the specific needs of individual EL students; and the need to provide support and create spaces for first language literacy, inclusion of culturally relevant content and providing advocacy and support for the students’ families and immigrant community.
 
Next, the application and on-going nature of peer coaching begins in Chapter 7. Chapter 7 introduces two tools needed for the implementation of the SWEL model, delineating the steps to set up and get started with the peer coaching cycle, and how to conduct academic language teacher observations.  The peer coaching model involves seven steps, starting with setting the goals and conducting classroom observations, including the pre- and post-coaching observations, discussions, and strategy sharing. Central to the SWEL model and the peer coaching cycle is the need for continuous and relevant professional development opportunities for the entire school community. This chapter includes a lesson plan inventory and observation form that provide practical examples for those who may wish to implement the SWEL model in their schools.

Finally, Chapter 8 and 9 turn the focus to implementing SWEL on the ground in the school. To begin, Chapter 8 guides the reader through the process of developing a SWEL implementation action plan that can be adapted and molded to the needs of each different school community. The SWEL action plan starts with needs analysis, looking at not just the teachers’ challenges, but also the learners’ needs and attending to goal setting; then moving through the steps for successful implementation. Chapter 8 also presents the types of support mechanisms and structures needed from the administration as well as a list of potential obstacles that should be taken into consideration. The chapter ends with a list of resources and a sample timeline for implementation within the school year.

The final chapter, Chapter 9, offers some final deliberations for implementation of the SWEL model.  The authors stress the need to consider how to change and maintain the cultural shift so that the SWEL model does not become limited to the first-year implementation, but rather becomes a self-sustaining approach to continuous professional development and improved opportunities for ELs. Chapter 9 offers key considerations for getting started, how to measure program progress and success and the need to remain flexible to allow for adjustments as the year progresses.  The goal for the authors is to go beyond a single initiative to creating a systemic structural change needed to make SWEL a part of “How Things Are Done” at every school.

The text offers a comprehensive way of better supporting ELs across the school though the SWEL model, and provides essential discussion from the initial stages of implementation to assessing improvement to establish long term practices for sustainability. It also includes various appendixes with sample documents to support such planning and implementation. It is valuable resources for any educators with ELs, K-12, community college, and adult education, where learners are engaging with ESL instruction as well as content instruction.