A second set of eyes and ears: Observation protocol boosts skills for teachers of ELL students

In a large suburban school district with a growing English language learner (ELL) population, teachers were often heard asking the rhetorical question, “How do I help children who do not speak a word of English?” To create a solution, the district approached faculty at a nearby college seeking partners to provide professional development to teachers in grades 6 and 7 (for a total of six middle school teams) to help them address the needs of their ELL students. According to Zeichner, “While federal and state policies have placed increasing demands on teachers, professional development opportunities focusing on the education of ELLs have not kept pace” (as cited in Gebhard & Willett, 2008, p. 42).