A Bakhtinian Lens for Understanding Preservice Teachers’ Reflections on Literacy Instruction at Their Host Schools

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 8:00 a.m. Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Constructing Knowledge Through Dialogue: Languaging and Reflection in Educational Practice (Table 3)

Abstract

This paper uses Bakhtin’s concept of double-voiced discourse to explore preservice teachers' (PSTs) understandings of their early childhood field placements. Through studying PSTs’ written reflections on literacy instruction at their host schools, we analyze how they wrestle with differing perspectives between their university coursework and their host teachers’ practices. We categorize instances of double-voiced discourse into unidirectional, vari-directional, and active variants. Findings highlight the importance of fostering critical reflection in teacher preparation programs and enabling PSTs to develop their own pedagogical beliefs. This research offers insights into the complex process of teacher identity formation in the context of the "reading wars," and how a Bakhtinian perspective can shed light on PST identity development.

Authors

• Andrea Sanchez, Kent State University

• Jackie Ridley, Kent State University