Designing Classroom Museums Through Arts-Integration Units to Nurture Multiliteracies and Cultural Appreciation

• In Event: Funds of Knowledge at the Center: A Co-Teaching Model for Arts Integration and Language Diversity

Abstract

1. Objectives
In this session, we present the work of thirteen pre-service teachers (PSTs) and their English Language Learners (ELLs) as they created classroom museums that formed part of a school-wide “Spring Celebrations Around the World” project. Using a multi-modal approach, painting, poetry, digital arts, sculpting, dancing, drama were used to contribute to student learning.

2. Theoretical Framework
Research findings on bilingual students’ learning are rarely included in regular teacher education programs, and fall outside of the classroom teacher’s knowledge base. Without this knowledge, teachers hold low expectations and design curriculum for students they neither know nor understand. Cummins (1993) argues that moving beyond functional teaching and including cultural/critical literacies are necessary. His idea of critical literacy is not unlike that of Feire and Macedo’s (1987) notion that students should learn to not only “read the word,” but also to “read the world.” Cummins suggests that educators teach from a collaborative critical inquiry orientation to encourage ELLs to develop their voice through reflection. One way to do this is to use the arts in instruction. Chappelle and Faltis (2013) assert that the arts are natural avenues for emergent bilinguals to share their “funds of knowledge” (Moll et al., 1992) and that showing others through arts removes boundaries, which allow bilinguals to express complexities of their language skills in public.

3. Methods.
The overarching goal of the Spring Celebrations Around the World Project was to encourage our student teachers to take risks with their students to use multimodal approaches (dance, art, music, gardening, poetry, timelines, etc.) to share with the rest of the school, their inquiry-based knowledge and artworks about Chinese New Year, Basant Kite Festival, Earth Day, Cinco de Mayo, and Carnaval. In analyzing our data, we attempted to uncover specific strategies used for lesson planning, fostering academic knowledge, and personal expression.

4. Data Sources
Data collection was limited to interviews, lesson plans, observations, and examination of program documents, videotaped presentations, and bilingual/ELL student art products. For data analysis, the researchers turned to the work of Merriam (1998) and LeCompte and Schensul (1999) to code and construct themes with the explicit purpose of understanding student teacher and children’s growth and the value of arts expression.

5. Results
According to Craig and Paraiso (2008), ELLs grow more comfortable and proficient speaking English when they discussed their artworks. This was evident in the classroom children’s narratives as they explained their findings to several visiting classrooms in two languages. PSTs wrote and executed lesson plans that required use of the arts to share meaning about their project.

6. Scholarly Significance
Students who experience high arts participation in school, but especially students living in poverty, second language learners, and students requiring special education, are more likely to show measureable improvement in academic performance (Catterall, et. al, 2012), self-confidence (Craig and Paraiso, 2008), engagement and persistence (DeMoss and Morris, 2002), problem solving and reasoning (Winner et. al., 2006), communication skills and creative thinking (Burton et al., 2000), and cultural awareness (Krensky, 2001).

Authors

• Leila Flores-Duenas, University of New Mexico

• Nancy S. Pauly, University of New Mexico