| SARASOTA, Fla. (Oct. 20, 2021) – Two University of South Florida College of Education instructors have released a fourth edition of their popular college textbook “Preparing the Way: Teaching ELs in the Pre-K—12 Classroom” (Kendall Hunt). The book, a teacher-preparation guide for ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages), came out this summer after an earlier update in 2017. Authors Jane Govoni and Cindy Lovell, instructors on the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, said they wanted the new edition to reflect recent social changes and advances in scholarship. “Much has changed in the past five years with regard to social and cultural norms and not just on college campuses but across the country,” said Lovell, an adjunct who first teamed up with Govoni on the book’s first edition in 2010. Scholarship around ESOL has grown substantially the past 10 years, and while English learners constitute the fastest-growing population in U.S. schools, wide gaps remain in ESOL teacher training. The book focuses on five areas: ESOL federal and state legislation; cultural proficiency, diversity and equity; fundamentals of applied linguistics; theories of second language learning and ESOL testing and evaluation. Each chapter has been updated, and 65 “activity” pages, or teaching scenarios, added to further prepare future ESOL teachers. The authors say they’re already hearing positive feedback about the book, which took about a year to complete. “This edition is succinctly written for pre-service and classroom teachers to reflect on second language theory and research in a hands-on, practical way to support students from diverse backgrounds and at varied English proficiency levels,” Govoni said. “(USF Associate Professor) Dr. Joyce Nutta really says it all in her review: ‘The book is very reader friendly, with a structure that allows for finding facts and resources easily and graphics that reflect the book’s message of comprehensible instruction for all students.’ Educators will find strategies, activities, and resources to support good teaching.” Instructors who want to use the book in their classrooms can request a desk copy from the publisher. Visit here. For more about the USF College of Education, visit www.usf.edu/education.### |
| About the University of South Florida The University of South Florida is a high-impact global research university dedicated to student success. Over the past 10 years, no other public university in the country has risen faster in U.S. News and World Report’s national university rankings than USF. Serving more than 50,000 students on campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee, USF is designated as a Preeminent State Research University by the Florida Board of Governors, placing it in the most elite category among the state’s 12 public universities. USF has earned widespread national recognition for its success graduating under-represented minority and limited-income students at rates equal to or higher than white and higher income students. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu. |