This article draws on an ethnographic case study on a Turkish community-based school in New York, and discusses relationship building within this community. The larger study investigated the following research question: What is the role and function of a Turkish Saturday school in developing and maintaining Turkish language and constructing a Turkish cultural identity in the United States? It employed a conceptual framework combining language shift and maintenance, linguistic identity and ideology. Ethnographic data were analyzed following Gee’s (
This chapter examines the process of increased awareness and identity transformation of teachers who were enrolled in a graduate Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) program as they worked with English language learners (ELLs) in the field. The authors analyze two different fieldwork-based projects, an ELL's language analysis and a case study, that teacher candidates completed as a requirement of two graduate courses. Drawing on culturally relevant pedagogy conceptual framework, the authors examine participant teacher candidates' identity transformation as they engage in reflective practice. Through focusing on candidates' narratives and analyzing data qualitatively, the authors discovered that most teacher candidates experienced identity transformation as a result of connecting with their students' learning experience. They developed an awareness of linguistic diversity, came to view it as a valuable resource, and defined the teachers' roles as advocates for their students and families.
This chapter investigates professional development for ESOL teachers and shows the importance of building systems of support for teachers through professional support networks and sociolinguistic perspectives. It aims to raise awareness about existing professional networks for the education of bilingual educators and ESOL teachers in NY. It introduces some initiatives at a NY college that address such challenges and make NYS's various professional networks accessible to candidates. The chapter suggests that it is important for college educators and teacher trainers to get the teacher-in-training more involved in working with professionals. Growing the professional network in multimodal ways would help create a sense of community and belonging in the profession of teaching ESOL students.
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