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The Reading Professor

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Urban teachers (N=142) completed a survey assessing how placement of English learners in common pedagogical settings that vary in ESL models (self-contained, pull-out, push-in, bilingual, and dual language) was associated with teachers' beliefs about rigor of curriculum. Teachers significantly favored low-Critical Thinking (CT) curricular activities over high-CT ones consistent with "rigor gap" research showing that teachers tend to view ELLs in need of low-CT curriculum. Beliefs consistent with the rigor gap also emerged within the ELL population, based on placements. Teachers preferred curriculum tilted toward low-CT instruction for students with the greatest challenges--those given the most ESL-sequestered placements (self-contained and pull-out). Teachers preferred a more moderate blend of low-CT and high-CT for students in dual language, a less ESL sequestered placement based on building upon the first language to enhance academic content and language learning. The results point to inequities in education within the ELL population heretofore overlooked by educators and researchers. The results lend support to the theory that persistent ELL achievement gaps are exacerbated by folk beliefs about learning and teaching that de-emphasize rigorous curriculum for placements that solely use the target language while supporting more rigorous curriculum for placements that build upon students' home language.

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