A Phenomenology Study of Teacher Best Practices Supporting Emergent Bilingual Students in the Classroom

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the lived experience of teachers' implementation and perception of strategies supporting Emergent Bilingual students in the classroom. A purposeful sample of eight high school teachers at Southeast Texas school districts were interviewed in an attempt to provide a more in-depth understanding of high school teachers' lived experiences. Qualitative data were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed into common and overarching themes: (a) teacher experience and their struggles in the classroom, (b) Emergent Bilingual students in the classroom, and (c) professional development. The qualitative analysis provided supporting evidence of the importance of the high school teacher's experience, the SIOP model as best practices, and effective professional development.