Closing the Gap: New Research Confirms Specialized Teacher Training Helps English Learners Succeed

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A graph of a test score AI-generated content may be incorrect.

The achievement gap between English Learners (ELs) and native English speakers has persisted for decades in American schools. But what if I told you that how we prepare teachers could make a significant difference in closing this gap?

New research from the University of Central Florida provides compelling evidence that specially trained teachers can dramatically reduce achievement disparities, helping all students reach their potential regardless of their language background.

The Challenge: Understanding Achievement Gaps

In American classrooms, English Learners consistently score below their English-speaking peers on academic assessments. This isn't because these students lack ability—it's a complex educational challenge requiring innovative solutions.

Our recent study published in the Florida Journal of Educational Research investigated whether a specialized teacher preparation program called the "One-Plus model" could help address this persistent gap.

What Is the One-Plus Model?

The One-Plus model is an innovative approach to teacher preparation that "infuses" EL-focused training throughout the entire teacher education curriculum. Unlike traditional approaches where only language specialists learn techniques for teaching English Learners, this model ensures ALL future teachers develop these critical skills.

The program includes:

  • Specialized coursework focused on language development and culturally responsive teaching
  • Service-learning projects where teacher candidates work directly with English Learners
  • Simulation experiences in virtual environments with ELs at different proficiency levels
  • Enhanced field experiences in diverse classrooms

Our Research Design and Findings

Our study examined 236 pre-service teachers (student teachers) who taught 5,561 K-12 students during their internships. We compared students' test scores before and after being taught by these specially prepared teachers.

What we found was remarkable:

  • English Learners showed significantly greater improvement than their peers
  • The achievement gap between ELs and non-ELs narrowed by approximately 40%
  • The gap between low-income and higher-income students decreased by about 80%
  • Male and female achievement differences reduced by roughly 28%
  • The gap between minority and non-minority students shrank by approximately 65%

All student groups showed improvement, but the students who traditionally score lower (ELs, low-income students, and minority students) made the most dramatic gains, effectively closing the achievement gap.

Why It Works: Breaking the Pattern

The One-Plus model breaks the traditional pattern where language development is seen as the exclusive domain of language specialists. Instead, it prepares all teachers to support language development while teaching their content, whether it's math, science, social studies, or language arts.

When teachers understand how language works and how to make content accessible, ELs can participate meaningfully in classroom learning, accelerating both their language development and content knowledge.

Key aspects that appear to make this approach effective include:

  1. Linguistic awareness: Teachers learn how language functions and how to identify potential linguistic barriers in their instruction
  2. Scaffolding strategies: Teachers develop techniques to make content comprehensible while supporting language development
  3. Inclusive practices: Teachers create classroom environments where all students can participate regardless of language proficiency
  4. Assessment knowledge: Teachers learn how to accurately assess content knowledge without language proficiency obscuring results

What's Particularly Interesting

Intriguingly, our research found that the teacher's specific program of study (elementary education, math education, English language arts, etc.) made no significant difference in their ability to reduce achievement gaps. Even with varying levels of EL-focused coursework, all One-Plus trained teachers were effective in narrowing the gaps.

This suggests that even modest amounts of targeted preparation in teaching English Learners can significantly impact teacher effectiveness. The One-Plus model requires all teacher candidates to take at least two courses addressing EL teaching skills and complete a service-learning project with ELs—and this baseline level of preparation appears to make a substantial difference.

Implications for Teacher Education

Our findings have significant implications for how we prepare teachers for today's diverse classrooms:

  1. All teacher preparation programs should include EL-focused content - Not just for ESOL specialists but for EVERY future teacher
  2. Field experiences with ELs are essential - Teacher candidates need hands-on experience working with linguistically diverse students
  3. Teacher education impacts student outcomes - How we prepare teachers directly affects their ability to create equitable classrooms
  4. Linguistic awareness benefits everyone - Teaching strategies that support ELs often benefit all students

The Bottom Line

The persistent achievement gap between English Learners and their peers is not inevitable. Our research shows that when teachers receive proper preparation to work with linguistically diverse students, these gaps can be dramatically reduced.

This is especially important as our classrooms become increasingly diverse. According to recent statistics, approximately one in ten students in U.S. schools is classified as an English Learner, and this percentage is much higher in many states and urban areas.

By transforming how we prepare teachers, we can create more equitable educational opportunities for all students, regardless of their language background.

Citation:

Ghimire, N., Purmensky, K. L., & Regmi, S. (2022). Does infused ESOL teacher preparation hold promise towards narrowing the English Learner achievement gap? An analysis of the One-Plus model. Florida Journal of Educational Research, 59(3). https://journals.flvc.org/fjer/article/view/130222

Pull Quotes:

"The achievement gap between English Learners and native English speakers narrowed by 40% when students were taught by teachers prepared through the One-Plus model."

"Teaching strategies that support language development benefit all students—not just English Learners."

"Even modest amounts of targeted preparation in teaching English Learners can significantly impact teacher effectiveness in creating equitable classrooms."

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