this study should examined urban elementary school teachers’
abo of their knowledge of science content, science teaching practices, and
support for language development of English language learners or ELL students
simultaneously. Furthermore, unlike the existing literature that has addressed school
organization and student diversity separately, this study examined teachers’
perceptions of organizational supports and barriers associated with their classroom
practices in science. While teachers’ perceptions may distort their actual teaching
practices, their perceptions still need to be taken into account when designing
interventions, as teachers are more likely to enact changes when those changes
reflect their beliefs. Additionally, while it is not possible to produce a fixed list of
recommendations for professional development, understanding current science
teaching practices in the context of organizational supports or barriers is important
for designing and implementing professional development aimed at promoting
reform-oriented practices.