TeacherInsight and the Selection and Hiring of Bilingual Speakers of English

Abstract

Although the use of structured interview protocols for selecting and hiring teachers is not new, the use of online screeners such as the TeacherInsight interview is relatively recent and becoming more common. These online tools are being used not only to screen candidates for full‐time teaching positions but also to filter out candidates for substitute teaching and student teaching internships. This article traces the development of the TeacherInsight interview, examines studies linking high performance on the interview to student achievement and successful teaching, and discusses its impact on prospective teachers, especially bilingual and second language users of English. The proprietary nature of the TeacherInsight, lack of feedback to applicants, and its use as a high‐stakes assessment tool lead to questions about the predictive validity of this tool, the consequences of its use, and its place in the teacher selection and hiring process.