Research Report

Understanding Educators’ Experiences Teaching Multilingual Learners

Understanding Educators’ Experiences Teaching Multilingual Learners: A Qualitative Research Study about Educator Preparation, Classroom Experiences, Institutional Barriers, and Requests for State Support
Shilpa Ram
December 2022 | Public Advocates
Understanding Educators’ Experiences Teaching Multilingual Learners: A Qualitative Research Study about Educator Preparation, Classroom Experiences, Institutional Barriers, and Requests for State Support

This report from Public Advocates provides the findings of a qualitative research study focused on understanding the experiences of educators teaching multilingual learners and of authorization program faculty. It shares educator insights and recommendations to improve support for educators teaching multilingual learners. Twenty-five educators, including faculty from bilingual authorization programs and current and former k–12 educators across California, were interviewed to gather their observations and recommendations with respect to working with multilingual learners and coordinating bilingual authorization programs. This report is divided into two sections. The first section focuses on the experiences of current and former k–12 educators of multilingual learners, and the second section discusses the landscape of bilingual education. Both sections include state-level recommendations and requests for support.