Case Study of the Classroom Culture that Impacts Teacher Efficacy of Secondary Level Teachers of English Language Learners

Throughout the United States a dramatic shift in demographics is taking place, similar to the changes of the early 20th century, as thousands of immigrants cross the threshold of Ellis Island (Karathanos, 2009). Undergoing a greater makeover is the culture of classrooms and American teachers who have seen, firsthand, an increase of more than 60% of English language learner (ELL) students over the past decade (Ballantyne, Sanderman, & Levy, 2008). The purpose of this study was to develop a more in-depth understanding as to whether mainstream teachers from a school district located in upstate South Carolina perceived themselves to be able to effectively teach ELLs. The first of two research question addressed by the study asked about the identifiable differences in the perceived levels of self-efficacy of secondary mainstream teachers with ELLs pertaining to classroom culture. The second research question addressed the components of professional development for teachers with diverse classrooms have had the most impact on the classroom cultures that contain diverse learners. A mixed methods research design was utilized to conduct the study. Quantitative data was collected and analyzed with the Teaching Efficacy for Teaching the English Language Learner (TETELL) scale (Yough, 2008). Qualitative data was collected using open-ended response questions added to the survey instrument as well as from a focus group of survey participants facilitated by the researcher. This allowed the researcher to gain a more in-depth perception of secondary mainstream teacher’s self-efficacy regarding ELLs.