| The continual increase of English Language Learners (ELLs) in schools, along with the ongoing teacher shortage across all grades point to the critical need for investigating variables that influence how well teachers understand and address the needs of ELLs. This study explored how secondary content-area teachers' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding English Language Learners related to the amount of professional development, ESL certification, and teacher participation in an ESL program.;Data were collected through a mix-method approach. Quantitatively, the data was obtained through a 47-item Likert-scale survey instrument specifically developed and piloted for the purpose of this study and supplemented with qualitative, structured, open-ended interviews. A multivariate analysis of variance allowed the testing of multiple dependent and independent variables, and thus examined relationships among these variables, differences across groups, and interactions.;Descriptive statistics results show teachers held overall positive attitudes towards second language acquisition (SLA) and learners while holding neutral and uncertain beliefs and knowledge about SLA , confirming results from other researchers in the field. In regards to the hypotheses tested, inferential statistics found a statistically significant relationship between attitudes towards second language acquisition and learners and ESL certification. Lastly, the data revealed that teacher participants had little, if any, professional development related to ELLs suggesting a connection to the neutral and uncertain responses in regards to beliefs and knowledge about SLA. |
