Listening to Teachers of English Language Learners

A Survey of California Teachers' Challenges, Experiences, and Professional Development Needs

By: Patricia Gandara, Julie Maxwell-Jolly, Anne Driscoll

Produced by: The Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at WestEd

This report is based on a survey of more than 5,000 California teachers that examined their experiences, challenges, and professional development needs in teaching English language learner students.

The report:

• Presents background on the issues facing teachers of English language learners
• Highlights the qualities teachers need to have in order to teach English language learners effectively
• Describes how the study was conducted
• Reviews and summarizes survey findings
• Provides recommendations for policymakers

This report, written by Patricia Gándara, Julie Maxwell Jolly, and Anne Driscoll, is a collaborative project of the Policy Analysis for California Education, the University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute, and the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at WestEd.

Visit the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at WestEd website for more information about the Center and its publications.