“Honestly, I Had a Very Strong Reaction to this Reading”: Social Studies Pre‐Service Teachers’ Application of Literacy Frameworks While Engaging with a Graphic Textbook

Abstract

Because social studies educators are expected to incorporate literacy into their instruction, it is important to consider how prospective teachers interact with literacy frameworks as they engage with social studies content. This qualitative case study examines two pre‐service social studies teachers enrolled in a teacher preparation course at a Hispanic‐Serving Institution as they read and reacted to Zinn's (2008) graphic textbook, A People's History of the American Empire. The study examines how these pre‐service teachers employed three literacy frameworks—disciplinary, critical, and racial literacy—when reading social studies material. Data sources included student‐produced written responses, researcher’s field notes from whole‐class discussions, and semi‐structured interviews. Findings demonstrate how readers sometimes use parts of frameworks, entire frameworks in isolation, and multiple frameworks simultaneously. Neither participant addressed the socio‐emotional aspect of racial literacy. This study suggests how teacher educators can better prepare social studies teachers to incorporate literacy while using graphic texts.