Teaching the Complexity of Latinidad in Rural Wisconsin: White Teachers’ Perceptions of Latinx Identity(ies)

• In Event: Considering Race and Context in Rural Education

Abstract

This study explored how two White monolingual content area teachers in rural Wisconsin perceived the complexities of Latinx identity and how these perceptions influenced their instructional strategies. Following a year-long professional development program that focused on the diversity of Latinx communities (e.g., language(s), ethnic and racial backgrounds, country of birth), teachers were asked to reflect these elements in their lessons. Findings indicate that teachers tended to heavily emphasize Latinx students’ need for English language development and increase their sense of belonging to rural Wisconsin, while remaining conflicted over how to address the complexity of other elements of Latinidad. Implications for ways in which rural teachers could discuss the multifaceted nature of Latinidad is presented here.

Author

• Abigail Welch, University of California - Santa Barbara