Pathways to Becoming a Culturally Responsive Teacher: Narrative Inquiries into a Translanguaging Read Aloud

Abstract

The increasing mismatch between the cultural backgrounds of teachers and students has caused teacher education programs (TEPs) to scramble to identify effective pedagogy that will prepare preservice teachers (PSTs) to work with diverse populations. One unexamined technique is the use of translanguaging books, which intertwine two languages for a myriad of social, emotional, and cognitive benefits. The present narrative inquiry follows two PSTs, Kathleen and Laura, who engaged in shared readings of translanguaging books within an after-school literacy program for struggling second grade English language learners (ELLs). Data include journal reflections and individual interviews. Results show that the translanguaging books shattered their perceptions of the linguistic boundaries between English and Spanish, and illustrated how language can be used to alienate students. However, Kathleen and Laura had contrasting views about the purpose of the translanguaging read alouds which illustrate implications for TEPs: a) authentic experience is essential to enable PSTs to challenge current monolingual ideologies; b) PSTs must be given the opportunity to engage in tasks that challenge their underlying assumptions; and c) TEPs should focus on the importance of cultural responsiveness, so that PSTs develop a prominent belief system that can be quickly recalled and enacted in the classroom.