The Stories Teachers Believe Matter: Preservice Teachers and Their Ideology of Emergent Bilingual Students

• In Event: Developing Preservice Teachers' Identities to Support English Language Learners

Abstract

This study seeks to understand the interactions between White, female preservice teachers’ personal lived experiences and their professional ideology of English Language Learners. Narrative research using interviews, document analysis, and metaphor analysis was utilized. Six White, female preservice in teachers in Western Pennsylvania were studied during their student teaching of English Language Learners. Critical Race Theory, and in particular Yosso’s Theory of Community Cultural Wealth, was used. In addition to the eight stock stories represented in the literature, three additional stories of (a) ELLs should strive to fit in, (b) ELLs are shy, unintelligent, and unable to speak in English, and (c) ELLs must prove and advocate for their first languages, were uncovered.

Author

• Tina Marie Keller, Messiah College