Closing the Classroom Door and the Achievement Gap

Teach for America Alumni Teachers’ Appropriation of Arizona Language Policy

Datos Bibliográficos

ID9728899
AutoresAmy J Heineke (0000-0002-4219-3600, Loyola University Chicago, IL, USA, autor de correspondencia), Quanna Cameron (Teach for America, Phoenix, AZ, USA)
Año2013
Volumen45
Número4
Páginas483-505
Fecha de publicación2013-07-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaEducation and Urban Society (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0013-1245 • E-ISSN: 1552-3535
EditorialSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0013124511413123
OpenAlexW2158707587
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas7
Referencias citadas12

This qualitative study explored Teach for America (TFA) alumni teachers’ discourse on Arizona language policy, conducted with eight teachers in the Phoenix metropolitan area who received their professional teacher preparation from TFA, a national organization that uses alternative paths to certification to place teachers in low-income schools. During the 2009-2010 school year, we investigated how TFA alumni teachers described the state-mandated English-only language policy, which requires all labeled English language learners (ELLs) to enroll in English language development (ELD) classrooms for 4 hr of daily skill-based English instruction. In addition to their open evaluation and critique of the language policy, teachers’ discourse revealed language policy appropriation, as the teachers tweaked and stretched the language policy directives to match their ideology, pedagogy, and classroom context. Findings from our discourse analysis of the interview data demonstrate that the teachers’ discourse reflected their TFA preparation regarding recognizing the flaws in the educational system and taking action to make change within the four walls of their urban classrooms. The research holds implications for language education reform through recognizing the active role of the teacher in language policy formation and implementation

Alternative teacher certification · Appropriation · Certification · Context (archaeology · Ell · English language · English-language learner · Language assessment · Language policy · Linguistics · Mathematics education · Medium of instruction · Pedagogy · Political science · Professional development · Sociology · Teacher education · Teaching method · Vocabulary development · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Multilingual Education and Policy · Psychology · Second Language Learning and Teaching