Bridging Testimonio Pedagogy with Dual Language Bilingual Education in a K/1 Classroom

Abstract

Recent literature has made calls to focus on the development of critical/sociopolitical consciousness in dual language bilingual education (DLBE). Testimonios are related to critical consciousness since testimonios encompass the struggle, survival, and success of many in a particular community. Because testimonio pedagogy merges the classroom content with unequal sociopolitical realities, we propose and bridge testimonio pedagogy with DLBE as an ideal form of facilitating students’ critical consciousness. We draw on a case study of a Mexicana DLBE teacher of a kindergarten/first-grade mixed class in the borderlands. Since this teacher was studying in a master’s program, we illustrate the objectives and activities of one of her courses that facilitated the development of her critical consciousness. One of the course activities we discuss is the planning and implementation of a unit plan on im/migration supported by a children’s book in which she enacted testimonio pedagogy towards the development of her students’ critical consciousness. We include a composite testimonio by one of the students.