Reaching teachers of early multilingual learners through professional development: a systematic literature review

Abstract

This systematic literature review synthesises 49 studies exploring teacher professional development (PD) focused on the education of multilingual learners (MLs). Specifically, we examined PD design for in-service mainstream classroom teachers serving MLs in early elementary grades. We followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines for transparent reporting in systematic reviews, including the four phases of identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion. Findings show that although the content of PD has covered foundational literacy areas, such as vocabulary and comprehension, more attention is needed on integration of culture and MLs’ linguistic repertoires. Results also show that PD with positive outcomes is ongoing, collaborative, and includes multiple stakeholders. However, there is room for the inclusion of family and teacher voice. We conclude by arguing that future research on PD within the context of ML education should explore long-term impact of interventions on teachers and students and focus on leadership roles to expand instructional capacity for MLs.

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