Teacher Education and the Cultural Imagination

Dialoging About English Learners: Preparing Teachers Through Culturally Relevant Literature Circles

“…This study confirms extant educational research that demonstrates the efficacy of social interaction in teacher learning communities (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1998;Grossman et al, 2001;Little, 2002), including the specific constructs of book clubs and literature discussions with chapter books (Martínez-Roldán & Heineke, 2011;Florio-Ruane, 2001;Monroe-Baillargeon & Shema, 2010); however, the significance of this study is the specificity in how this learning occurs.…”

“…Whereas past research indicates the efficacy of children's and adolescent literature to impact candidates' perceptions of cultural diversity (Florio-Ruane, 2001;Labbo, 2007;Lohfink & Curtis, 2011;Nathenson-Mejia & Escamilla, 2003), results from this study demonstrate how texts serve as windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors (Bishop, 1990) for exploration of the lives and realities of linguistically diverse children and families. In addition to the theme of immigration (Gregor & Green, 2011), literature circle participants collaboratively explored themes and ideas specific to linguistically diverse students, such as (a) students' social and emotional uncertainties about learning and not learning English when starting in U.S. schools, as reflected in teachers' dialog about Amada (Pérez, 2009), (b) students' and families' social and emotional circumstances related to immigration, such as discrimination and extended time away from families and friends, as represented in various texts (Anzaldua, 1997;Medina, 2001;Pérez, 2009), (c) students' and families' negotiation of cultural differences between schools in their native countries and in the U.S., as exhibited in discourse about Jorge (Medina, 2001), (d) students' complex roles as translators and language brokers and the corresponding benefits and demands, emergent from the conversation about Shota (Bateson-Hill, 2001), and (e) teachers' deficit-based perspectives that can pervade expectations of ELs, as well as the importance of native language support and assessment in academic instruction, exhibited in responses to culturally relevant poetry (Medina, 2001).…”

“…Scholars share and promote various small-group contexts to promote teacher learning, including communities of practice (Little, 2002) and study groups (Birchak et al, 1998), as well as book clubs (Florio-Ruane, 2001;Rodgers & Mosely, 2008) and literature circles mediated by chapter books (Martínez-Roldán & Heineke, 2011;Monroe-Baillargeon & Shema, 2010). Focused specifically on teacher learning about culturally diverse students, studies demonstrate the efficacy of book clubs with adolescent literature (Florio-Ruane, 2001;Rodgers & Mosely, 2008).…”

“…When spanning out to consider empirical studies of teacher preparation for culturally diverse students, research finds the efficacy of culturally relevant texts to build cultural awareness and sensitivity (Labbo, 2007;Wood et al, 2001) and mediate conversations around issues of culture through book clubs, typically utilizing chapter books written for adolescents (Florio-Ruane, 2001;Martínez-Roldán & Heineke, 2011;Rodgers & Mosely, 2008). In this empirical study on teacher preparation for ELs, I seek to close multiple gaps in the literature by investigating culturally relevant literature circles with picture books, typically a pedagogical approach reserved to support children's reading and meaning making (Barone & Barone, 2012;Latendresse, 2004;McElvain, 2010), with characters and plots that merge the social, emotional, cultural, linguistic, and academic dimensions of EL student development (Heineke et al, 2012;Herrera, 2010;Wrigley, 2000).…”

Dialectical Practices in Education

“…Thus, the special education system straddles the figured worlds of families, students, and communities because it is charged with finding children who are disabled and providing services and supports that will address their needs and counter the disadvantages they may experience without support (Florio-Ruane, 2001). Therein lies one of the most profound conundrums facing special educators: at what cost is the help that might be offered and what is that help?…”