The Challenge of Altering Elementary School Teachers' Beliefs and Practices Regarding Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in Science Instruction

Autor/inn/en	Lee, Okhee; Luykx, Aurolyn; Buxton, Cory; Shaver, Annis
Titel	The Challenge of Altering Elementary School Teachers' Beliefs and Practices Regarding Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in Science Instruction
Quelle	In: Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44 (2007) 9, S.1269-1291 (23 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0022-4308
DOI	10.1002/tea.20198
Schlagwörter	Urban Schools; Intervention; Focus Groups; Academic Achievement; Cultural Pluralism; Teacher Workshops; English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Elementary School Teachers; Professional Development; Science Instruction; Units of Study; Interviews; Questionnaires; Language of Instruction; Teaching Methods; Teacher Attitudes + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Urban area; Urban areas; School; Schools; Stadtregion; Stadt; Schule; Schulleistung; Kulturpluralismus; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Elementary school; Teacher; Teachers; Grundschule; Volksschule; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Lerneinheit; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; Fragebogen; Teaching language; Unterrichtssprache; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Lehrerverhalten
Abstract	This study examined the impact of a professional development intervention aimed at helping elementary teachers incorporate elements of students' home language and culture into science instruction. The intervention consisted of instructional units and materials and teacher workshops. The research involved 43 third- and fourth-grade teachers at six elementary schools in a large urban school district. These teachers participated in the intervention for 2 consecutive years. The study was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative methods based on focus group interviews, a questionnaire, and classroom observations. The results indicate that as teachers began their participation in the intervention, they rarely incorporated students' home language or culture into science instruction. During the 2-year period of the intervention, teachers' beliefs and practices remained relatively stable and did not show significant change. Possible explanations for the limited effectiveness of the intervention are addressed, and implications for professional development efforts are discussed. (Contains 4 tables and 6 notes.) (Author).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10