Publication Date

1992

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Orem, Richard A.

Degree Name

M.S. Ed. (Master of Education)

Legacy Department

Department of Leadership and Educational Policy Studies

LCSH

Adult education--Philosophy; English language--Study and teaching--Foreign speakers

Abstract

There are large numbers of children who speak a first language other than English entering public schools in Illinois. Many regular classroom teachers are not prepared to effectively meet the needs of these students. For this reason, a quasi-experimental study was done to determine the effect of delivering the Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI) in the classroom as a staff development model. This study also seeks to demonstrate the effectiveness of applying adult learning principles to staff development for mainstream K-12 teachers of limited English proficient (LEP) children through a model known as peer collaboration and peer coaching. Ten teachers from the Gower School District in Illinois were chosen by convenience sampling. Five were chosen as the control group and the other five served as the experimental group. The control group followed the traditional pull-out program already in effect at Gower. The students were pulled from their mainstreamed classroom and instructed away from their regular teachers. The research group however had the TPI instruction delivered to the LEP students in the classroom. Peer collaboration and peer tutoring strategies were implemented as a staff development model using the basic principles of adult education. After careful analysis of all the responses from the pre- and post-treatment surveys and interviews, there is evidence to support the in-class "peer modeling" as an effective means of staff development. Even though all the teachers did not feel better able to meet the needs of the limited English proficient students in the classrooms, some of the teachers showed positive gains in confidence, shared responsibility and collaboration strategies.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references (pages [73]-75)

Extent

v, 79 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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