Teaching - Further Research Questions:

Educators agree that more solid, empirical research on the development, implementation and effects of professional development is greatly needed.

• Research is needed to identify the origins of the components/attributes of teacher certification and professional development programs (theory, empirical evidence, expert judgement?) and assess the strength of the evidence that supports them.
• Research is needed to examine the effects of matching teachers and students on cultural and linguistic characteristics.
• Research is needed to develop effective methods for use in preparing teachers of English-language learners.
• Research is needed to evaluate current teacher education programs and staff development efforts to determine how well they have incorporated theory-based conceptions of effective teaching, as well as how well they have helped teachers acquire the skills and knowledge they need.
• Descriptive research on current teacher exams is needed to determine how well they assess teacher skills and knowledge characteristic of effective teaching for English-language learners.
• The relationship between knowledge gained in professional development and its implementation in the classroom requires empirical investigation.
• Studies need to go beyond fidelity (Are teachers doing what we taught them?) to analysis of what the professional development field can learn from teachers in school and classroom contexts.
• Research is needed to learn how to increase the number of teachers skilled in working with English-language learners.
• More research is needed to examine new teacher credentialing systems and professional development efforts that attempt to serve all teachers who come into contact with English-language learners.
• Research on how to prepare teachers to work with culturally and linguistically diverse students with disabilities is much needed.  Research on professional development activities for these teachers is also needed.

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Questions from:
Improving Schooling for Language-Minority Children: A Research Agenda, edited by Diane August and Kenji Hakuta, 1997.
Chapter 8 – Preparation and Development of Teachers Serving English-Language Learners