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National
Directory of Teacher Education Programs for Teachers of Linguistically
and Culturally Diverse Students
Contents
Directory Home Page
Introduction
History and Methodology
How to Read Profiles
State Education Agency contacts
Downloads
Introduction
The link between the preparation of teachers and student learning and achievement has been the focus of much educational debate during the last decade. As a result, the professional preparation of teachers has emerged as one of the top national educational reform priorities. Although the literature on the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs and how they ultimately impact student achievement is sparse, discussions of how teachers are prepared to translate rigorous standards, enhanced curriculum, and innovative pedagogy into teaching and learning for all students is now part of the national educational policy and research agenda. How to meet the various needs of an increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse K-12 student population is central to these discussions. This directory has been developed to provide educational audiences basic information about current teacher education programs that prepare teachers to teach specifically in linguistically and culturally diverse school settings.
There is no single source that provides a comprehensive description of programs that prepare teachers to teach linguistically and culturally diverse students. The National Directory of Teacher Preparation Programs for Teachers of Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students was designed to help fill that need. The purposes of the National Directory is to help prospective and current teachers locate nationally recognized programs of teacher preparation that are addressing, promoting, and implementing professional preparation for teachers who teach or plan to teach in linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms. The National Directory offers a broad picture of teacher education and professional development programs, ranging from those that emphasize multicultural education to those that prepare teachers to teach English language learners (ELLs) through English as a Second Language (ESL) and/or bilingual education strategies.
The Directory contains information about university, college, and state department-based or supported programs. It provides the reader with information about the requirements, organization, content, pedagogical practices and context of programs. The individuals who will benefit the most from this directory are:
- Prospective teacher candidates who are pursuing teacher preparation and certification for the first time and interested in the educational issues related to the growing diversity of the student population.
- Teachers with any number of years of classroom experience who are interested in furthering their own professional development in multicultural education, ESL, or bilingual education. They will find this directory useful for identifying specialized programs.
- Teacher educators, university teacher supervisors, staff and professional developers, employers (principals, superintendents) who hire teachers, and policymakers.
The directory contains information about theoretical orientations, that are being implemented by teacher education and professional development programs, and practices specific to culturally and linguistically diverse educational contexts. The directory is intended to be comprehensive, inclusive, and provide the most recent information to help users locate programs and learn about the available types of teacher preparation programs.
