Centering Transnational Knowledge: International Visiting Teachers in Oregon Dual Language Bilingual Education Classrooms

• In Event: Transnational Perspectives: International Teachers Advancing Bilingualism & Inclusive Education Amid Teacher Shortages

Abstract

Objectives
With a growing demand for dual language bilingual education (DLBE) and an ongoing shortage of bilingual teachers, Oregon school districts increasingly rely on international visiting teachers (IVT), who often come to the U.S. through temporary exchange programs. While a growing body of research documents the challenges faced by DLBE teachers generally, little is known about IVTs. This study explores the journeys of IVTs and is guided by the following research questions: (1) How do IVTs describe their integration process into U.S. K-12 DLBE programs? (2) In what ways do IVTs perceive their cultural and linguistic backgrounds impact their teaching in these programs? (3) What strategies can be implemented to better support IVTs spatial and professional transitions?

Theoretical Framework
This study is guided by the concept of transnational funds of knowledge, which highlights the linguistic, cultural, and experiential knowledge that migrants hold through sustained connections across borders (Dabach & Fones, 2016; Kim & Kwon, 2024). This perspective values IVTs lived experiences of transnational journeying and community membership (Dabach & Fones, 2016). While this framework has often been used by scholars to study migrant teachers, we draw on this lens to explore the unique positions of IVTs, as this framework recognizes border-crossers as knowledge holders whose transnational experiences can enrich schooling in the U.S.

Methodology
We engaged in semi-structured interviews with twelve current or former international visiting teachers, three K–12 DLBE administrators, and two Oregon Department of Education employees, to better understand IVTs journeys and experiences in becoming K–12 DLBE teachers in Oregon. Data sources included two interviews with each IVT and one with state and district leaders. Data were transcribed and collectively coded using a thematic approach with multiple cycles of coding (Miles et al., 2019). Our approach was both deductive and inductive; it was deductive in seeking the broader themes in our research inquiries of international teacher experiences, and it was inductive in recognizing patterns and themes that we observed in the data.

Findings
IVTs often encountered limited professional support, unfamiliar curricula, and acculturative stress. Temporary visa conditions created insecurity. Emotional challenges, including homesickness and separation from family, compounded the difficulties of adapting to a new educational and social environment. However, IVTs proved resilient and drew on peer networks to navigate spatial and professional transitions. Despite numerous integration challenges, IVTs highlighted how their transnational journeys fostered deeper empathy for migrant students navigating family separation and poverty, thus, engaging with students in DLBE programs reshaped their practice. Some teachers adjusted their teaching to meet heritage speakers where they were, and adopted translanguaging pedagogies even many had been resistant to fluid language use prior to working in the U.S.

Scholarly Significance
This study addresses a critical gap in research on IVT in U.S. DLBE programs. Using a transnational framework, it recognizes IVTs as cultural and linguistic knowledge holders whose cross-border experiences enrich classrooms. This work advances bilingual teacher education by showing how IVTs navigate barriers while sustaining students’ cultural assets, underscoring the need for policies that value transnational expertise.

Authors

• Soria E. Colomer, Oregon State University

• Nelly N. Patiño-Cabrera, Oregon State University

• Amanda Kibler, Oregon State University

• Vanessa Mejia-Hutchison, Oregon State University

• Colin Cole, Independent Scholar