The Asian Absence in EL Curriculum: Asian Teacher Childhood EL Experiences in U.S. Schools Exposed

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Centering Multilingual Perspectives in Teacher Education (Table 5)

Abstract

The purpose of this multiple case study is to reflect on the experiences of teachers of Asian descent and their EL experiences in U.S. schools to highlight the curricular, cultural, and linguistic absence of the Asian in teacher education and how their perceptions of these experiences influenced their sense of self through the four stands of identity conceptualized by Gee (2007). Results of the semi-structured focus interviews suggest a lack of Asian EL curriculum and cultural competence in schools and patterns of language shame and loss through institutional and personal macroaggressions affecting identity development as well as heritage language retention methods. Recommendations include teacher education curriculum, literature, and pedagogy responsive to Asian EL students.

Authors

• Wendi J. Otto, California State University - Fullerton

• Lisa Winstead, California State University - Fullerton