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theses

World language classrooms in the State of New Jersey are witnessing the enrollment of more students with special needs due to federal regulations requiring public school districts to make all classrooms more inclusive of students with varying levels of physical, cognitive, behavioral, and academic needs. With a push for inclusion in general education classrooms, more students with learning disabilities (LD) are enrolling in courses of world language teachers who have not traditionally had opportunities to work with students with special needs. Research focused on creating methodologies for teaching world languages, specifically for students with LD, has been sparse (Hu 2003; and Reed & Stansfield, 2004). This study investigated the ways that pre-service teachers were being prepared to work with students with LD in world language classrooms. In addition, the study investigated the policies and practices that shape world language teacher preparation program models as well as the ways that graduates from one specific program believed that they were prepared to work with students with LD. A university that allowed students to enroll in a single or dual-track program leading to endorsement in a world language and/or teacher of students with disabilities was the focal site of this investigation. Participants in this two-year case study included pre-service teachers and their cooperating teachers, recent graduates, partner school administrators, and multiple administrators, professors, and staff members at the focal university. Data from interviews and observations were analyzed qualitatively to examine the perceived preparation teachers received compared with their experiences in the preparation program. The study demonstrated that the dual-endorsement program provided teachers with coursework and experiences that helped them to grow in their understanding of teaching students with LD; whereas, pre-service teachers enrolled in the single-endorsement program had little experience in working with students with LD in the classroom upon graduation. This study is significant because it contributes to the field of world language teacher preparation and special education by highlighting some of the practices that led participants to feel more confident in working with students with LD in world language classrooms. The study addresses the existing gap in research on pre-service teachers through a presentation of three findings: first, cooperating teachers help shape pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion; second, the single-track endorsement program is not preparing pre-service world language teachers to work in inclusive settings; and third, personal experiences and relationships foster collaborative efforts between world language and special education teachers.

ETD_6243

Ed.D.

Includes bibliographical references

by David G. Greer

doi:10.7282/T3C53NP6

ETD doctoral

The author owns the copyright to this work.