EL Teacher Preparation: Zooming In On Maryland's Eastern Shore – Part 1 (September 2020)

Research on teacher preparation identifies the recruitment, preparation, induction, and retention of teachers as challenges in providing high-quality instruction for English learners (ELs). Compounding these challenges are the varied educational and geographical landscape that teachers of ELs work in, which necessitates attracting teacher candidates with specialized pedagogical and linguistic skill sets. As of 2018, the Learning Policy Institute reported that 10 states had Grow Your Own programs, with more states exploring the development of such programs

In Part I of this conversation, Jessica Swan, an Education Program Specialist at OELA and Dr. Anjali Pandey, the principal investigator of the National Professional Development Grant: TARGET Training and Retraining Grades K–12 Eastern Shore Teachers discuss the impetus for the TARGET program, the steps taken for its implementation, and its outcomes.