Critical and Culturally Efficacious Bilingual Pedagogues: The Nautilus Shell as a Metaphor for Transformation and Transcendence in Biliteracy Practices

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Friday 7:45 am
  In Poster Session: Innovating Curricular Designs for Bilingual Teacher Education in the US: Programs, Policies and Partnerships

Abstract

Objectives: This presentation explores the transformative journey of Bilingual Teacher Residents (BTRs) within a community of practice situated in Dual Language Community Lab Schools, in partnership with a university’s Signature Bilingual Education Teacher Residency. We will share how BTRs acquire knowledge and skills in biliteracy development and bilingual instructional practices while evolving into culturally efficacious, critical pedagogues.
Theoretical Framework: Guided by critical and culturally efficacious bilingual pedagogy (Flores et al., 2022), expansive learning theory (Engeström, 1994), and communities of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991), the study is grounded in a social justice and transformative lens. The Culturally Efficacious Framework (UTSA COEHD, 2020) informs the development of core teacher competencies—being knowledgeable, community-based, and professional. These competencies encompass deep content knowledge, sociocultural awareness, critical reflexivity, and collaborative leadership.
Methods: A qualitative research design using hybrid (deductive and inductive) thematic analysis was employed to explore how BTRs engaged in expansive learning. To ensure credibility and trustworthiness, data analysis incorporated triangulation and member-checking.
Data Sources: Data were drawn from culturally efficacious reflections, assignments, clinical and mentor feedback, co-planned lessons, student artifacts, walkthroughs, and observations. These multiple data points offered insight into BTRs’ instructional practices and evolving identities.
Findings: The nautilus shell metaphor captures the BTRs’ expanding knowledge, moving from theoretical understanding to advanced biliteracy instructional practice and sociocultural competence. BTRs grew through mentorship, collaboration, and reflection, becoming educators who embody positive cultural identity, critical consciousness (son concientizadas), and bicultural-bilingual transformative praxis. Thematic findings reveal that biliteracy development is complex and must be supported through intentional strategies across three domains: community-based learning, biliteracy instruction, and sustained collaboration. These themes highlight the integrated nature of teaching and learning in DLBE classrooms and underscore the importance of systematic strategies, community engagement, and ongoing professional collaboration for the successful development of BTRs and the implementation of DLBE programs and partnerships.
Co-planning, co-teaching, and ongoing feedback proved vital for creating rigorous, culturally responsive learning environments. The study reveals the need for teacher educators to reflect on their own practices and continuously evaluate how well teacher education programs (TEPs) equip BTRs to meet the linguistic, academic, and sociocultural needs of bilingual learners (BLs).
Significance: This work offers a model for preparing transformative bilingual educators through culturally efficacious, community-rooted, and justice-oriented teacher preparation. It emphasizes the importance of responsive, reflective TEPs that empower BTRs to become confident, capable, and collaborative leaders in Dual Language Bilingual Education. Like the expanding spiral of the nautilus shell, this model envisions continuous growth and evolution—preparing BTRs not only for today’s classrooms but for long-term impact in bilingual education.

Authors

• Claudia T Garcia, University of Texas San Antonio

• Belinda Bustos Flores, University of Texas - San Antonio

• Juanita Santos, University of Texas - San Antonio

• Claudia Cabrera, University of Texas - San Antonio