Understanding Transnational Preservice Teachers' Lived Experiences and Sense of (Un)Belonging During Their Mentored Teaching Practice

• In Event: Leveraging Transnational Funds of Knowledge for More Equitable Education for Multilingual Learners

Abstract

Objectives
There is increased focus on preparing pre-service teachers (PSTs) to engage in culturally sustaining practices pertaining to teaching transnational multilingual students in US schools (Skerrett, 2015). Despite a growing number of transnational PSTs in US universities, there is absence of individuals’ transnational experiences and knowledge in its curriculum (Vellanki & Prince, 2018). Transnational multilingual teachers bring diverse ethno-linguistic and sociocultural capital (Li, 2021). Therefore, we seek to explore the experiences of transnational pre-service teachers (T-PSTs). We focus on understanding T-PSTs' sense of belonging in their teaching preparation program (TPP) and US schools.

Theoretical Framework
This paper is informed by theoretical constructs of transnational funds of knowledge (TFK) and raciolinguistic ideologies. Developed from funds of knowledge (Moll et al., 1992) and transnationalism (Basch et al., 1994) theories, TFK highlights the importance of recognizing the knowledge that immigrants bring through their border-crossing experiences (Kwon et al., 2022). Thus, we build on earlier work of immigrant children and youth’s transnational funds of knowledge (e.g., González et al., 2005; Kleyn, 2017; Nunez & Urrieta, 2021) and also include a raciolinguistic perspective to observe T-PSTs experiences and language practices (e.g., Flores & Rosa, 2015). A raciolinguistic perspective allows us to observe the influence of mentor teachers’ “white gaze” in T-PSTs linguistic practices, in other words how T-PSTs language practices are judged by their ethnicity and/or race.

Methods
Data is drawn from a larger qualitative study aimed at investigating T-PSTs experiences in an ESL methods course at a large university in the US Midwest. Students completed 30-hours of fieldwork in elementary or high schools under the mentorship of an ESL teacher. We report on data collected from four transnational PSTs with different immigration trajectories. Data sources included PSTs’ weekly reading responses, major assignments related to their mentored teaching practice, written reflections and phenomenological interviews after their completed fieldwork. Data was analyzed using a constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1965).

Results
Analysis of data revealed that T-PSTs had mixed experiences towards their mentored teaching practices. They reported being hesitant and anxious of having open conversations about pedagogy with their (white) mentor teachers and their white English speaking peers in the TPP due to their lack of familiarity with US school contexts. More importantly, they felt inferior to their peers and doubted their own linguistic and pedagogical experiences. As surfaced in the interviews, this can be attributed to lack of support and preferential treatment for white PSTs from their mentor teachers. Overall, T-PSTs reported not being comfortable and prepared to teach in US classrooms as their own transnational funds of knowledge were not included in curriculum.

Significance
The study provides valuable insights into T-PSTs’ field experiences in US teacher education programs as they participate in mentored teaching practices.We found that T-PSTs experienced bias causing discomfort, stress and anxiety based on their linguistic and cultural experiences. Therefore, the study calls for action on the part of the teacher education program to create a more transnational and culturally sustaining approach for T-PSTs’ overall success (Paris and Alim, 2017).

Authors

• Laxmi Prasad Ojha, Michigan State University
  Presenting Author

• Luqing Zang, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
  Presenting Author

• Lucia Cardenas Curiel, Michigan State University
  Presenting Author