Eliciting critical literacy narratives of bi/multilingual teacher candidates across U.S. teacher education contexts

Abstract

This paper examines critical literacy narratives of bi/multilingual preservice teachers across contexts in the United States. It draws upon empirical data from two studies—a narrative inquiry with Latino teacher candidates in the Midwest and a participatory action research project with bilingual preservice teachers in Hawaii—to examine participants’ identities and experience in academia. Preservice teachers in both studies resisted the labeling practice of “minority” and challenged simplistic notions of “bilingual teacher identity.” This cross-examination argues for further ways to explore how teacher preparation programs should create dialogic spaces for making the voices of diverse preservice teachers heard.