Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications
The national dual language education teacher preparation standards
Document Type
Report
Publication Date
2018
Abstract
A variety of factors have collectively created the impetus for the proposed set of National Dual Language Education Teacher Preparation Standards (NDLETPS). PK-12 student growth among non-English speaking learners has steadily increased and is projected to do so throughout the 21st century in the United States. Continued national growth of dual language education programs is also evident, buttressed by empirical studies that show how well implemented dual language programs gradually and steadily close the achievement gap between emergent bilingual children and their monolingual English-speaking counterparts. Given student growth, the proliferation of dual language programs, and program effectiveness, the need for well-prepared dual language education teachers (and other related school personnel) is clear. However, to date there are no national standards that might provide guidance for the preparation of such educators, and very few states provide such guidelines.
The present document draws from a variety of sources in presenting six Standards to fill this void. First, the established three central pillars that undergird the implementation of effective dual language education programs are integrated. A fourth pillar, aimed at addressing program related inequities, has recently been justified and has also been integrated across the proposed six standards and their components. The document also draws on contemporary theory, research, and practice to give the standards substance and integrity.
The NDLETPS are intended to provide guidance while allowing for the flexibility to address myriad local contextual realities and language groups, inclusive of and also beyond Spanish-English programs. Moreover, the reader will notice that the framing of these Standards entails certain characteristics that are anchored to the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Aligning the NDLETPS to CAEP is intentional in order to leverage this iv reputable accrediting entity, from a supportive stance for the greater merit of dual language education. Dual Language Education of New Mexico (DLeNM) recognizes the need for a set of standards that will not only provide guidance to educator preparation programs but also create a sorely needed vehicle leading to program accreditation. From this vantage point, the prospect of having access to visiting examiner teams that are experts in the field of dual language education to help support the design, development, and evaluation of educator preparation programs across the United States has formidable potential for moving the profession forward and better serving all learners.
Recommended Citation
Guerrero, M. D., & Lachance, J. R. (2018). The national dual language education teacher preparation standards. Dual Language Education of New Mexico, 1-84.
Comments
Copyright © 2018 DLeNM All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review, with the exception of reproducible figures which are identified by DleNM copyright.