RURAL RESOURCE: Bringing Professional Development in ESL to Teachers at a Distance... Jane Carol Manner, Ed.D. Diane Rodriguez, Ph.D. East Carolina University

RURAL RESOURCE...  Historically isolated from mainstream  Self-sufficient  Rich local heritage  Family ties  Archival pride  Revered local culture  Revered “old country”

RURAL RESOURCE...  Changing times  Globalization  Local opportunities  Occupational goals  Shrinking population  Economic decline  85% of rural students not prepared for success (Herzog & Pittman, 1995)

RURAL STUDENTS...  Are not competitive with respect to college attendance and completion  “ COMPETITIVE DISADVANTAGE” (Jimerson, 2003)  Shortage of appropriate teachers  Three prong: Shortfalls in recruitment Shortfalls in retention Poor compensation

RURAL CHALLENGES...  More under-prepared teachers  More “out of field” assignments  Less experienced staff  Compromised professional development

A NEW WRINKLE...  Growing Number of Second Language Learners (SLLs) in rural schools  Formerly migrant  Now permanent  Eastern NC many low-skilled jobs  Encourage f&f

RURAL CHALLENGE...  Historically impacted areas have developed resources  Rural schools are not ready  Teachers need training  Colleges of Education are not ready

RURAL RESOURCE...  Some challenges are common to most areas Pupils are becoming more diverse The teaching staff is not diversifying as rapidly Lack of highly qualified faculty

RURAL RESOURCE...  Some challenges are unique to the rural environment Lack of training in rural districts Distance from professional development at Colleges of Education for teachers

RURAL RESOURCE...  Another Challenge... Preservice teachers aren’t seeing good instruction for SLLs in field experience

RURAL RESOURCE...  PROJECT LEAP (Leading Exceptional Annual Progress)  Funded by the U.S. Department of Education (Professional Development Grant)  OELA OELAOELA

RURAL RESOURCE...  “TRICKLE DOWN” System... Start with teachers Immediate impact for children Immediate impact for student teachers Eventual impact for IHE faculty TEACHERS STUDENT TEACHERS CHILDREN IHE FACULTY

RURAL RESOURCE...  START with INSERVICE TEACHERS  IMPACT CHILDREN  MODEL for INTERNS  *SHARE with IHE FACULTY Service to Children MODEL For INTERNS ESL Training For Teachers

HOW?  Fund tuition for five courses representing the five domains of NCATE / TESOL Standards Methods Assessment Linguistics Culture & Language Professionalism

HOW?  Fund fees and materials including: Graduate Registration CLASSIC MODEL from CIMA at Kansas State University CIMACIMA Provide Textbooks and DVDs

HOW?  Provide fully online access to professional development...  Facilitate asynchronous team- based education via Blackboard...  We go to them for two meetings...

WHEN?  FIVE YEAR PERIOD...  COHORT MODEL by COUNTY OVER FIVE SEMESTERS...

OUTCOME?  PASSING GRADE ON PRAXIS II...  “ADD-ON” LICENSURE in N.C. for Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL).

FIRST STEPS...  Our Students in Action....BbBb

NEXT STEPS...  More COUNTIES with cohorts...  PROJECT ECU LEAP website LEAPLEAP

Questions?  Jane Carol Manner  Diane Rodriguez  East Carolina University  