Making it count: a narrative inquiry into one teacher's experiences supporting middle school EAL students

• Main Author: Neudorf, Jacquelyn Elizabeth
• Other Authors: Li, Yi (Curriculum, Teaching and Learning)
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Middle School; EAL; Coteaching; iPad; strategies; culture; collaboration; Narrative Inquiry
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/30583

This autobiographical narrative inquiry explores the teaching, learning and leadership experiences of a middle school teacher in Manitoba. My early experiences as a classroom teacher reflect my uncertainty and unpreparedness of a teacher who struggled to meet the needs of the English as an Additional Language (EAL) students who entered my classroom. As the EAL student population increased within my middle school, I began the journey of a Masters program to seek knowledge in order to support my EAL students and to help guide my colleagues towards an inclusive environment. As I explored how my experiences as a graduate student had influenced my classroom practices, and then how my experiences as an EAL specialist and school leader had influenced the school community, five main themes emerged: The use of the iPad in a mainstream classroom, the use of effective instructional strategies, the role of culture in the classroom, co-teaching practices and collaboration in a Middle School setting. Through narrative inquiry I investigated these themes and discovered new pathways to support EAL students and guide my colleagues while moving toward a more inclusive classroom and school environment.