Studies have documented the contribution of vocabulary knowledge in second language acquisition and have shown the benefits of repetition, creating context, and the use of multimodal instruction across visual and verbal modalities. This study examined instructional strategies used to teach French vocabulary in an inclusive, prekindergarten foreign language exploratory (FLEX) program using data from observations, videorecordings, and assessments of student learning. Results showed that students of all ability levels were able to learn French vocabulary, although students’ scores varied across the three classrooms. Assessment results were highest in the classroom in which students received the most opportunities for repetition, engagement, and use of language in context where meaning was constructed through a community of practice. Implications of this study highlight the importance of the teacher and student engagement and the role of meaningful input.

This article presents results of a study examining the effects of workshops presented to a small group of elementary student teaching interns with English learners mainstreamed in their classes. The focus of the workshops was to provide the interns with training in strategies to support their English learners including instruction on teaching language objectives according to the SIOP model. Results show that the interns' teaching of language objectives was limited to teaching vocabulary by creating context and using visual supports. Discussion suggests that although the teaching of key vocabulary is an important component of the SIOP model, language objectives cannot be limited to teaching word meaning. Teachers who are not trained to think linguistically may not be able to design language objectives beyond vocabulary. In order for teachers to take full advantage of the strategies presented in the SIOP model, they must be trained to think linguistically and to see themselves as experts of the language of their content.

This preliminary study examined a prekindergarten multimodal French program conducted for students in an inclusion charter school. Due to the age and varied ability levels of the students, media such as video and songs combined with kinesthetic activities served as the primary instructional approach. Data on children's ability to understand and use simple language were obtained from videorecordings as well as from vocabulary recognition and recall measures. Additional data from teacher questionnaires showed that students of all abilities developed basic communication skills in French and demonstrated enjoyment of the French program.

This study examined a teacher's prompting strategies and the use of dynamic assessment (DA) in an inclusive prekindergarten French program. Prior research has shown that DA is an effective method to assess both foreign language learning and first language development for typically developing students and for students with special needs, as well as for identifying bilingual students with language impairments. Data were collected from videorecordings of class sessions, DA scores, and a questionnaire on which the French teacher reported her classroom prompting strategies and predicted students’ needs for prompting on the DA. Scores on the DA and the French teacher's predictions of student prompting needs were analyzed through independent t tests. In addition, 30 videorecordings of class sessions were analyzed for prompting strategies. The results indicated that DA can provide insights about the learning of typically developing students and special needs students in a prekindergarten French program. Although students with special needs required both more prompting and more practice time than typically developing students, all special needs students in this study were able to provide at least one second language response during the DA.

This study examines a classroom simulation workshop designed for teacher candidates (TCs) to practice questioning strategies with English learners (ELs) at various English proficiency levels, through the lens of sociocultural theory. Data was collected from an assignment in an ESOL methods course consisting of questions that TCs prepared before the simulation, revised after the simulation, and responses to an open-ended questionnaire. Findings show that TCs made their questions comprehensible for beginner level ELs, however, overextended their question modification to both the intermediate and advanced levels. Implications highlight the importance of practicing questioning strategies that are appropriate for all proficiency levels.

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The purpose of this chapter is to provide guidelines to education college and university faculty members who are considering the implementation of an international service-learning experience for their teacher candidates. The chapter begins with a review of literature supporting the benefits of service-learning for teacher candidates. Next is a description of a service-learning trip to Costa Rica planned and implemented by an education faculty member in conjunction with a cultural diversity course designed to prepare candidates to meet the needs of English Learners (ELs). Following the description of the Costa Rica service-learning trip, the author provides guidelines and a list of questions for consideration. The guidelines are designed to assist faculty members who are considering implementing a similar service-learning experience for their teacher candidates. Finally, the chapter concludes with quotations provided by participants of the Costa Rica service-learning experience that show the overall benefits of the service-learning experience.

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