Preparing Teachers With Sociocultural Knowledge in Literacy: A Literature Review

Abstract

Although the call for teachers to address the demographic imperative has existed for decades, recently, there has been an uptake of frameworks of multicultural education, culturally responsive pedagogies, critical literacy, and others into literacy teacher preparation. In this study, we examine connections that pre-service teachers make as a result of experiences focused on sociocultural knowledge and literacy and barriers they face in building these connections. Areas of connection include examining one’s past; recognizing students’ lives and resources in literacy teaching; considering race, racism, and students’ racial identity; drawing on multilingualism as a strength of students for literacy learning; and engaging actively and inquiring into literacy.

Literacy Teacher Educators Creating Space for Children’s Literature

“…Correspondingly, the LTEs recognized that teacher trainees often entered their teacher education studies with deficit assumptions about children and families from economically marginalized and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, based, in part, on a lack of sustained interactions with individuals who's lived realities are different than their own. This finding is consistent with previous research [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. Sonia, for instance, actively considered the potential influence teacher trainees' lived experience may have on their ability to foster meaningful relationships with young learners and their families.…”

“…Literacy education is a central component of teacher preparation for, as beginning teachers assume teaching positions at either the elementary, middle, or secondary grade level, they will be responsible for some aspect of literacy instruction. A pedagogy of literacy teacher education that strives to prepare teachers for the demands of contemporary literacy teaching should take into account the experiences with and perspectives on literacy that they bring with them [4,6,[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]25]. Inquiring into the pedagogies and practices of LTEs can contribute to our understanding of the role literacy teacher education plays in the lives of beginning teachers.…”

“…Teacher trainees often enter teacher education with restricted conceptions of literacy and deficit assumptions about students from economically marginalized and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. These filters and beliefs can hinder their appreciation of literacy as a multifaceted and dynamic social practice.…”

Preservice Literacy Teachers “Bringing Hope Back” Through Practice-Based Research

“…Practice-based research can help teachers fulfill their goals. Many literacy teachers experience teacher preparation that emphasizes cultural relevance and centers questions of social justice (Wetzel et al, 2019), however, “even among teachers who adopt critical practices within their classrooms, many fail to act as organizers outside of their classrooms” (Riley & Solic, 2017, p. 181). By providing a way to understand the systemic nature of challenges and communicate the power of their teaching with others, practice-based research holds promise as a tool for activism.…”

“…Oftentimes, research highlights a tension in practice, the “goal of which is to research a ‘tender spot’ in teaching” (Amir et al, 2017, p. 242), which PTs may avoid. Although PTs’ resistance to sociocultural topics (Wetzel et al, 2019) is well-documented, studies have demonstrated that research can be a space for PTs to question their assumptions about children and develop more appreciative stances toward racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse communities (Lysaker &Thompson, 2013; Scherff, 2012).…”