Special Report: Staff Development: The Most Crucial Component of Successful Inclusion

In a recent issue of the American Language Review (September/October 1999), four components of an inclusion model for ESL in the elementary school were outlined. These four components, staff development, adapting instruction and curriculum, adequate resources, and positive attitudes are interdependent and essential for successful inclusion. This article will focus on the first and most crucial component: staff development.

Three years ago, Spokane Public Schools changed from a self-contained center model to an inclusion model. Many teachers had, for the first time, non-English and limited-English speaking students in their classrooms. Feeling overwhelmed and unprepared, teachers greeted this change with anger and frustration. There was a general outcry for more support. Grade-level teachers tend to rely on hearsay, misinformation, and "naïve notions of language proficiency" (Clair 1993), if they lack a knowledge base for addressing the needs of English language learners. The importance of teacher training and qualifications is further underscored in a study comparing similar student populations among schools in New York City. In this study, teacher qualifications accounted for nearly 90 percent of the variation in student achievement in reading and mathematics at all grade levels tested (Greenwalk, Hedges, and Laine 1996). Clearly, well-trained teachers are invaluable to student success. Although limited tutor support is provided in an inclusion model, the grade-level teacher, not the support staff, will spend the most time with ESL students in the classroom and will therefore have the greatest impact on their success or failure.

Recognizing the need for staff development, Spokane Public Schools hired a full-time ESL facilitator during the first year of the inclusion model, and a second facilitator the next year. The facilitators’ primary role is to offer training to teachers and support staff through inservices, one-on-one, or small group consultations. For staff development to succeed, training must be offered at a variety of times in a variety of settings. Although the target audience is grade-level teachers, all district staff should be encouraged to attend, including Title I staff, school psychologists, speech language pathologists, counselors, tutors, etc. Offering college credit or clock hours, which impact salary and certification, is essential in providing an incentive for staff to attend. The challenge of getting the word out can be met by distributing brochures and flyers to all staff, as well as asking principals to remind their schools of upcoming staff development opportunities.

In Spokane Public Schools, four foundational areas for training are offered: Second Language Acquisition, Instructional Strategies, Modifying the Curriculum, and the Effects of the First Language and Culture on Learning. All four inservices focus on practical connections and applications to curriculum and the classroom.

Grade-level teachers, despite their competency in the classroom, may have little understanding of the dynamics of learning a second language. The key information provided in the inservice on Second Language Acquisition is the notion of BICS or Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills and CALP or Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency, introduced by Jim Cummins. This information is intended to answer questions such as, "Why is this child so quiet?" or "How come this child can speak English so well, but can’t read or write?" Once teachers understand that non-English speakers will begin developing social language first, and this language will be primarily aural/oral, expectations can be adjusted to focus on language development rather than grade-level objectives.
The inservice on Instructional Strategies is based on the premise that good teaching is good teaching, and that there are no strategies unique to teaching English language learners. Teachers, however, are often unaware that many strategies they use in the classroom are appropriate for all students, including ESL.

Modifying the Curriculum presents the area of greatest controversy among teachers. The perception exists that modifying is too time-consuming. Yet, teachers spontaneously modify all the time by adjusting curriculum to meet the needs of individual students, and in this inservice, teachers become aware of the relevancy of these modifications for ESL students as well.
The Effects of the First Language and Culture is intended to familiarize participants with potential areas of transfer and interference from a child’s primary language to English. Given this information, teachers have a better understanding for assessing language errors.

Staff development opportunities and topics continue to evolve. The Special Education Prereferral Process for ESL Students was included in the 1999-2000 offerings. Other topics in the planning stage are Developing Literacy and Alternative Assessment.
Educators, accepting of all students in their schools, will view English language learners, not as deficient in English, but rather as children who are capable of learning another language and succeeding in school.