Assessing the readiness of central California agricultural educators to teach multilingual learners

This study investigated the pedagogical readiness of United States secondary school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers to educate multilingual learners (MLs) in California's Central Region. The focus of this study addressed SBAE teacher qualifications, language proficiency, professional development experiences, and perceived competence to teach MLs. The theoretical frameworks for this study included culturally responsive teaching and andragogy as the lens when assessing SBAE teacher preparedness. The participants were licensed to teach SBAE with ML, but most needed more specific training and experience. Participants reported limited professional development related to multilingual learners. Findings also indicated that teachers feel most confident addressing the needs of fluent English speakers but need help with beginning-level ML students. Improving opportunities for professional development addressing culturally responsive teaching, academic vocabulary development, and ongoing training for SBAE teachers would help improve SBAE teachers' classroom pedagogy and enhance learning opportunities for MLs. Future research should explore the effectiveness of specific professional development programs and the impact of teacher preparedness on student outcomes for MLs.