New school, new method: a study of an ESL teacher in her first year at an American international school and the use of the collaborative method in the second grade classroom

The author answers the following questions: What is the collaborative method regarding teaching English as an additional language? In the ESL context, what are the best practices of this method? Upon determining the best practices of this teaching method, what are the challenges teachers face when implementing the practices in their teaching? The literature review synthesizes case studies employing the collaborative method in the ESL context from a variety of authors. Based on these case studies, a list of best practice methods was compiled. Through a qualitative case study, the implementation and success of these practices were documented. Finally, the author discusses the successes and limitations of the collaboration between an ESL specialist and a second grade classroom teacher. Findings include that efficient implementation and success of the method are dependent on several variables, including teacher relationships and comprehensive support from the school community