Restorying Preservice ELA Teachers’ Beliefs about Climate Literacy Pedagogy

• In Event: The Potential of English Language Arts Education for Restor(y)ing Hopeful Socioecological Futures

Abstract

In this study, we explore the ways preservice English Language Arts teachers see possibilities for their own future climate literacy pedagogy at the intersection of artifactual writing practices (Pahl & Rowsell, 2010; Schick & Lo Bello Miller, 2020) and climate pedagogy, which we refer to as artifactual climate writing. Across elementary and secondary programs, as well as urban and rural spaces within our state, we notice an eagerness to bring climate literacy practices to teaching with a tension in navigating boundaries around curriculum. This tension is aligned with research highlighting how preservice and practicing ELA teachers feel a need to self-censor their teaching practices (Sullivan & Ortmann 2025). In response to this tension, we engaged in intentional, systemic changes to our ELA methods courses, expanding opportunities for written reflection as a place to imagine and restory what is possible for writing and climate pedagogy. This manuscript highlights artifactual climate writing practices shifts in preservice teachers’ beliefs about bringing climate literacy practices to their future classrooms. Our research question asks: How does embodied artifactual climate writing support preservice teachers in moving toward implementing climate action in their teaching?

As we engage in this study, we draw on feminist theories of embodiment (Minh-ha, 1989; Forgasz & McDonough, 2017; Nguyen & Larson, 2015) around writing at the intersection of artifactual writing (Pahl & Rowsell, 2010; Schick & Lo Bello Miller, 2019) and climate literacy pedagogy. The use of materials and a recognition of preservice teachers’ embodied experiences in nature through writing provide an opportunity for teachers to revisit and restory how they engage with environments and how their future students might (Schick & Lo Bello Miller, 2019). In this way, we see artifactual writing as a way for preservice teachers to engage with objects and texts to reimagine what is possible in their teaching. Our research methodology is both qualitative and interpretive (Erickson, 1986). In order to understand the shifts that teachers’ experience through artifactual climate writing, we collected syllabi, assignment descriptions, and writing assignments. For the purpose of this manuscript, we are focusing our analysis on the written responses of preservice teachers.

Our analysis of writing aligns with Iedema’s (2003) conception of resemiotization, drawing attention to how meaning is changed as mediational means are translated across social and contextual sites. Within this research we look to resemiotization to understand the change that happens as preservice teachers utilize the resources available within their complex sociocultural environments to take up climate literacy in their pedagogy.

Based on our analysis, we have identified three interpretations that highlight how preservice teachers are making space to incorporate climate writing pedagogy through their own artifactual climate writing:

“My experiences matter“ (Embodied Climate Writing as an access point for curriculum building)
“But can I do it within my curriculum?” (Climate writing as confidence toward navigation)
“This is not a red state issue” (Climate Writing as recognizing challenges across boundaries)

As preservice teachers engage in artifactual writing composition, they are finding space to restory and find openings for curriculum, conversation, and connection.

Authors

• Stephanie Rollag Yoon, Minnesota State University - Mankato

• Jana Lo Bello Miller, University of Minnesota