Lessons in Sustainable Advocacy From English Language Development Educators

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 3:45 pm - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Teacher Advocacy and Activism to Transgress: Centering Ethnic and Linguistic Identities

Abstract

Advocacy by educators is essential for making schools more affirming and rigorous for English learner-classified students. However, engaging in advocacy can incur personal and professional risks, especially in our current political climate. Informed by interviews with 26 English language development teachers, coaches, and coordinators, this paper highlights risks that educators encounter and the strategies that they develop to mitigate these risks as they advocate for English learner-classified students. These educators’ experiences can inform how teacher educators approach the explicit development of sustainable advocacy strategies for pre-service and early career educators.

Author

• Olivia E. Obeso, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo