Windows Into Their Worlds: Teacher Observations of English Learners With Disabilities Through Remote Instruction

Abstract

Culturally relevant pedagogy is as much about what teachers do in the classroom as how they think about students and their students’ social environment. There remain critical gaps in research on teacher knowledge of student lives outside of school and how this knowledge informs instructional decisions. This study investigates teacher observations of the lives of English learners with disabilities through remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed qualitative interviews with 21 teachers from 20 schools in seven districts in the U.S. state of New Mexico, approximately two-thirds of whom taught in rural community schools. Interviews were conducted during the pandemic, when participants had a unique opportunity to peek into the lives of their students onscreen. We reported what they learned through this proverbial window into student lives and how they responded to support their students. These findings contribute to the research on culturally relevant pedagogy and critical place pedagogy for English learners with disabilities in rural communities.