Abstract
Purpose. This study examined new bilingual teacher support practices as perceived by beginning high school bilingual teachers considering: (1) the method of delivery used by districts to provide training; (2) pedagogical skill and content training areas; (3) the personnel providing the training and support; (4) the frequency and usefulness of the training and support practices; and, (5) the perceived helpfulness of the support. Additionally the study determined the level of understanding by those teachers of the bilingual programs in which they were engaged; satisfaction perceived by the beginning level high school bilingual teachers and the intent of these teachers to return for a second year of teaching; and, suggestions for other training experiences which beginning high school bilingual teachers believed would have been useful. This was a replication of David Baker's 1994 study of support practices of new elementary bilingual teachers; however, this study surveyed beginning high school bilingual teachers. Similarities and differences of the two studies were reflected in a comparison of the key findings and conclusions. Methodology. This study used descriptive research, surveying 78 beginning high school bilingual teachers in Los Angeles County. The study population included teachers who were: (1) teaching in high school bilingual classrooms (Spanish-English Learning) for their first year; and, (2) assigned to classrooms serving the Limited English Proficient (LEP) student for at least one period/section during the day. The New Bilingual Teacher Support Inventory was used. This inventory was formulated from the Southwest Regional Laboratory (SWRL) assessment materials and the Teachers Needing Teachers (TNT) Project which was utilized in gathering data regarding new teachers and support practices. Three case study type interviews also provided additional data in developing key findings, conclusions and next steps. The data were presented in tabular and narrative format. There was a 67 percent response rate by beginning teachers in the study sample. Findings and conclusions. The data indicated the following: (1) a high percentage of beginning high school teachers were employed without appropriate bilingual authorization--77 percent; (2) Principles of Learning category in staff development was the training most often attended--59 percent; (3) most workshops and new teacher meetings attended were voluntary--43 percent, and additional compensation for attendance was not provided--40 percent; (4) the experienced teacher buddy was rated the most helpful--3.41 average rating (1-5 Likert scale); (5) the bilingual program that was most clearly understood by the beginning teacher was a program of basically a six-period day with LEP students receiving almost all English instruction--58 percent; and, (6) overall, beginning teachers were highly satisfied with teaching procession as a whole--71.2 percent, and beginning teachers intended to return to their second year of teaching at their same school--89.6 percent. In almost all cases, key findings and conclusions were similar to Baker's 1994 study, except this study indicated more bilingual preparation for the beginning teacher was necessary regarding training. Implications. School districts need to create a greater awareness among beginning high school bilingual teachers regarding their role and responsibility in the area of bilingual education and overall teaching assignment. Projects like the California New Teacher and Teachers Needing Teachers provide a research base for orientation, training and other support practices to meet the needs of our beginning teachers. This, additionally provides a beginning teacher more ability to better assess bilingual education, the district's induction program and their own teaching performance.