Experiencing Tensions When Integrating Language Diversity into Mathematics Teacher Education

Abstract

ABSTRACT Mathematics teacher educators experience tensions when developing their practices in order to integrate social justice issues, such as language diversity. Research on what in fact causes the experiencing of these tensions and how to navigate them to improve professional practice is yet limited. As part of an action research project, I investigate my reflections on planning to integrate language diversity issues into mathematics teacher education. I discuss three main tensions to do with: focusing on my teaching or the pre-service teachers’ teaching; wanting to change my practices but struggling to let go of control; identifying alternative activities but struggling to choose from them. The analysis revealed that each of these tensions was connected to different moments of my planning and to the uncertainties of wanting to achieve multiple aims simultaneously. Understanding the characteristics and implications of the tensions I experienced provides insights into the complexities of planning, such as the blind spots of aiming to be responsive to pre-service teachers’ needs, whilst at the same time contradicting my assumptions about good practice. Knowledge about these complexities can support future research about what aspects of practice might influence the improvement of integrating language diversity issues into mathematics teacher education.