Classroom Practices and Conversations About Race, Ethnicity, and Heritage in Elementary Bilingual and Monolingual Classrooms

• In Event: Poster Session 7
  In Poster Session: Human Development 1

Abstract

This study examined how elementary school teachers talk about race and ethnicity in dual-language immersion and monolingual classrooms. Participants were 64 racially and ethnically diverse 3rd grade students and their teachers. Interviews and classroom observations were conducted to better understand how conversations and lessons about racial and ethnic heritage occur in school. Teachers reported using strategies such as children’s literature and incorporating multiple perspectives to engage students in discussions about race and ethnicity. The results suggest more in-depth conversations and lessons were evident in the dual language immersion classroom than the monolingual classrooms. Thus, documenting teacher practices and classroom conversations about race, ethnicity, and nationality is important for developing future interventions to promote healthy intergroup attitudes and identity formation.

Authors

• Taylor Hazelbaker, University of California - Los Angeles

• Rashmita Mistry, University of California - Los Angeles