An Untapped Resource

Bilingual paraeducators are often seen as peripheral figures in the classroom, working closely with bi/multilingual youth in English immersion contexts. But this perception overlooks the central role they play in a class’s success. According to new dissertation research from Ph.D. candidate and National Academy of Education Spencer Dissertation Fellow Elizabeth Castro, paraeducators contribute to learning environments, offer mediating instructional dialogue to bilingual and multilingual students and encourage participation in classrooms and with teachers.

“Paraeducators are constantly pivoting and adapting to meet all students’ needs,” said Castro. “They’re a valuable resource for making classrooms accessible and inclusive.”

Not Just Classroom Support
Castro’s one-year research study used ethnographic methods to monitor bilingual paraeducators as they worked with students in secondary school contexts. Through ongoing observations and interviews, she uncovered that their duties spanned well beyond their job descriptions to include tasks such as:

• Translating—For emergent bilingual learners, paraeducators translate curriculum material across languages and support students with understanding academic activities. They can also help students communicate their ideas to their teacher and peers during group discussions.
• Advising—Paraeducators work closely with new students, helping them acclimate to the school and learn the schedule, rules, and expectations.
• Mentoring—Paraeducators are often acutely aware of students’ social or emotional experiences and attend to their needs during school hours.

Castro also observed that, in addition to their work in the classroom, bilingual paraeducators can in some cases serve as career paraeducators and, in other cases, they go on to become bilingual classroom teachers. They contribute to school culture and provide institutional knowledge on evolving programs. Plus, many of them live in the same communities as their students and build strong ties with their families and friends.

A Personal Connection to Paraeducators
Castro’s research isn’t only academic—it’s deeply personal. She became interested in the role of paraeducators while watching her mother serve as a preschool classroom aide and “going where she was needed” throughout the school. “She was often working closely with preschool teachers and her role came with a distinct set of activities,” said Castro. “Her contributions have remained important in the formative experiences of young children from immigrant and farm-working families like our own.”

Castro later worked in a high school Migrant Education Program, where she collaborated closely with her paraeducator colleagues. She learned that bilingual paraeducators can receive limited opportunities for professional development, however; there are opportunities to support teacher-paraeducator collaborations in classrooms to promote greater student success. Castro decided to go back to graduate school for her Ph.D. in education so that she could better inform school systems about ways to build inclusive learning environments and engage all staff as subject matter experts.

“I’m from a rural community, and a big part of my work has always been to support rural livelihoods,” Castro said. “Education is a big part of that goal. It’s an important avenue for thinking about our community strengths and how we can build our local economy. That’s why I wanted to get more training and preparation—so that I can come back and support rural educators”

Changing Perceptions, Strengthening Schools
Building on her findings, Castro aims to spark real-world change in school systems. She plans to share her research with school districts as part of strengthening school infrastructure to support bilingual and multilingual youth. Castro hopes this will include clarifying paraeducator job descriptions, creating more professional development opportunities for paraeducators, and increasing dialogue about how staff at all levels can support each other.

Ultimately, Castro’s goal is to change how paraeducators are perceived and valued. “Their role is often seen as a stepping stone to teaching,” she said. “But this perspective overlooks the unique expertise that paraeducators already bring to the school. We need to acknowledge that being a teacher is not the only career pathway to supporting student success, or we’re going to continue overlooking paraeducators as valuable resources to improve learning environments.”