Improving Preservice Teachers' Ability to Plan Inquiry-Based Learning for Multilingual Learners in Elementary Social Studies

• In Event: The Who, What, When, Where, and Why of Inquiry in Elementary Social Studies

Abstract

Many teacher education programs do not provide opportunities for consideration of multilingual students (Gándara & Santibañez, 2016), producing inservice teachers who are not prepared for the rapidly changing demographics of public schools (De Jong & Harper, 2005). This paper reports on the impact of a course focused on preparing pre-service teachers to engage multilingual learners in inquiry-based social studies at the elementary level.

This paper is rooted in sociocultural theories that center dialogic linguistic interactions as the basis of learning, which require teachers to validate students’ cultural and linguistic identities through classroom practices (Vygotsky, 1978; Lave & Wenger, 1991) such as pedagogical scaffolding (Walqui, 2006). This experimental design study generated data through the creation of two sections of elementary social studies methods at a primarily White, monolingual university. One section focused on a general education population while the other focused on multilingual learners. Participants (n=24) were randomly assigned to both sections and engaged in the same assignments. The experimental section included a heightened focus on multilingual learners through readings, guest speakers, and in-class conversations. Data was collected through pre- and post- surveys, class notes, and course assignments.

The pre- and post-surveys as well as a comparative analysis of assignments show that the experimental course had a positive effect on teacher candidates’ commitment to working with multilingual learners as well as their ability to critique resources from a multicultural perspective and their overall skill at planning “powerful and purposeful” inquiry. These findings suggest that social studies methods courses would benefit from assuming a multilingual learner rather than a general education one.

As the population of multilingual learners in public schools grows, elementary teachers must be better prepared to engage these students in social studies inquiry that is rigorous, relevant, and appropriate. This paper offers recommendations for teacher educators with regards to the prioritization and incorporation of conversations and strategies focused specifically on multilingual learners in order to prepare them to better serve their future students. This paper demands that social studies teacher educators infuse strategies specific to multilingual learners and support candidates' reflections on how knowledge is culture and language bound (Terrill and Mark, 2000).

De Jong, E., & Harper, C. (2005). Preparing mainstream teachers for English language learners: Is being a good teacher good enough? Teacher Education Quarterly, 32(2), 101-124.

Gándara, P., & Santibañez, L. (2016). The teachers Our English Language Learners need. Educational Leadership, 32-38. Retrieved February 10, 2017.

Lave, J. and Wenger, E. (1991) Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Terrill, M. M., & Mark, D. L. (2000). Preservice teachers' expectations for schools with children of color and second-language learners. Journal of Teacher Education,51(2), 149-155. doi:10.1177/002248710005100209

Vygotsky, L.S. (1978) Mind in society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Walqui, A. (2006). Scaffolding instruction for English language learners: A conceptual framework. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 9(2), 159-180.

Author

• Sarah Pamperin, Iowa State University