Does Infused ESOL teacher preparation program hold promise toward narrowing the English Learner achievement gap?

An analysis of the One-Plus Model

Abstract

This study examined the ESOL Infused One-Plus pre-service teacher (PST) candidates’ (N = 236) effectiveness in narrowing K-12 English learners’ (N= 5469) academic achievement gaps. PSTs’ effectiveness was measured using the value-added model of teacher evaluation utilizing reported pre- & posttest scores through teacher work samples (TWS). The data included K-12 students’ achievement scores on tests designed and administered by One-Plus PSTs before and after teaching a unit in the content area and language arts courses during their internship. The procedure involved measuring students’ existing/baseline knowledge of a unit using the pretest scores later compared to their posttest scores to assess the learning gains and achievement gap among students of various demographic characteristics, including ELs. In addition, the study measured the interactional effects of student-level variables on the achievement gap and how teacher-level variables moderated such gaps. The findings suggested that the students had variable degrees of prior knowledge in all subject areas based on gender, socio-economic status, English learner status, and the class size. The results showed increased learning gains among all groups, the smaller achievement gap between students, and comparatively higher learning gains among historically low-performing K-12 students.