Promoting Sociopolitical Consciousness and Bicultural Goals: The Transformational Dual-Language Educational Framework

• In Event: 66.057 - Establishing Sociopolitical Consciousness as the Fourth Goal of Dual-Language Education

Abstract

Objectives
This presentation examines results of a collaborative professional development with Spanish-English dual language (DL) K-6 teachers in an urban school. This paper asks:
1) What specific practices do eight DL teachers learning culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) through collaborative professional development implement to meet the existing bicultural goal of DL education and add sociopolitical consciousness as a new objective?
2) How can these DL teachers’ practices be classified and analyzed under Banks’ (2016) model of the levels of integration of multicultural content?

Theoretical Framework
This work is framed by the principles of biculturalism and sociopolitical consciousness of the transformational DL educational framework (Author, 2014). Drawing on Darder’s (2012) theory of biculturalism, Paulo Freire’s (1997) work, and Ladson-Billings’ (2006) three tenets of culturally relevant pedagogy: academic achievement, cultural competence and sociopolitical consciousness. The transformational DL educational framework strengthens the bicultural goal, beyond traditional interpretations, and adds the fourth goal of sociopolitical consciousness.

Methods
Eight DL teachers participated in a 1-school-year collaborative professional development. Classroom observations and documents, such as teaching rubrics, relevant to the objectives of biculturalism and sociopolitical consciousness were recorded and analyzed. Teaching practices were categorized according to Banks’ (2016) model of levels of integration of multicultural content: 1) The contributions level, 2) the additive level, 3) the transformative level, and 4) the social action level. Teachers’ documents were analyzed following a content analysis approach with the same four categories from Banks’ model.

Findings
Although these teachers had already been trained in local, state and/or national DL training, this training had missed the principles of biculturalism and sociopolitical consciousness as laid out in the transformational DL model. They had not practiced these principles before. Throughout the school year, their teaching practices varied and teachers sometimes failed and sometimes succeeded in practicing these principles. Findings showed that when these teachers had the opportunity to become familiar with these principles, they were able to start implementing practices towards these goals. This paper shows examples of multicultural teaching practices based on three lessons, which feature elements classified according to Banks’ levels: contributions, additive, transformative, and social action, acknowledging hybrid forms. An example of a sociopolitical teaching practice is illustrated by a Latina teacher who engaged four Latina students in social justice issues concerning race, immigration, citizenship, and language, accompanied by activist efforts. She encouraged her students to fight for justice and then told them: “Todos podemos experimentar racismo: colombianos, venezolanos, mexicanos. Pero no tenemos por qué cerrar la boca” [We can all experience racism: Colombians, Venezuelans, Mexicans. But there’s no reason for us to shut our mouths].

Scholarly Significance
This paper details the transformational DL educational framework to meet the social justice needs of DL students. I argue that when these principles are intentional in the field, educators can begin meeting these goals for equitable DL education. This paper also calls for greater efforts to develop biculturalism as an intentional goal moving away from superficiality of getting along with the “other,” and to incorporate sociopolitical consciousness as a fourth goal of DL education.

Author

• Juan A. Freire, Brigham Young University