Identifying professional dissonance: teacher learning in job-embedded contexts and English-learner (EL)-focused teacher leadership

Abstract

Many US schools and districts employ teacher leadership and professional development to improve English learner (EL) student education, yet less is known about teachers’ perspectives and learning with EL-focused teacher leaders. Drawing on data from a yearlong qualitative study, this article examines the learning processes of two elementary classroom teachers as they engage in job-embedded professional development with two EL-focused teacher leaders. The findings show that the teachers’ differing beliefs and perceptions of their EL students and their own role in teaching EL students heavily influenced how and to what extent the teachers engaged in work with the EL-focused teacher leaders. Teacher learning occurred when (1) teachers recognized their existing pedagogical knowledge was insufficient to teach their EL students – or ‘professional dissonance’; (2) professional dissonance disrupted existing beliefs regarding EL students and instruction; and (3) this work was done collectively with colleagues alongside the pedagogical work. The findings imply grounding professional learning in teachers’ classrooms helped teachers identify their professional dissonance through engaging with self-identified EL-focused problems of practice. This study shows the potential of job-embedded, teacher leader-led professional development for building a collective sense of urgency and responsibility for EL student education needed for instructional change.