Culturally and Linguistically-Sustaining Pedagogies in Future Bilingual Teacher Professional Development: Successes in Countering Erasure

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Sunday 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Strengthening Latine Bilingual Teaching Pathways Through Inter-Institutional Partnerships: Lessons From a Federally Funded HSI Grant

Abstract

Objectives: This paper shares 1) the careful design of culturally and linguistically responsive (Gay, 2000), relevant (Ladson-Billings,1995), and sustaining (Paris & Alim, 2017) programming for future Latine bilingual teachers (FLBT) through the GP that explicitly counters the colonial act of erasure and 2) the oral and written testimonios of FLBT that participated in the programming to demonstrate its impact. Specifically, this paper draws on data from two unique programs centered on countering erasure of language and culture, one through writing testimonios and the other through a university seal of biliteracy project. The goal of this presentation is to share learning that can support other projects committed to critical and decolonial approaches to educational programming for FLBT specifically, and Latine comunity college students in general.

Perspectives and Theoretical Framework: Drawing on LatCrit Theory (Acevedo, 2001; Anzaldúa, 1987), Community Cultural Wealth (Yosso, 2005), and decolonial perspectives on education (Patel, 2015), we view our collective work as responsive and urgent as it has implications on the livelihoods of Latine communities who have been systematically underserved and marginalized in educational spaces specifically, and society in general. These frameworks help us identify our collective minoritized social identities–including racio-ethnic, linguistic, and migratory statuses–of both the leaders of the GP and the FLBT, as essential components tied to the careful and intentional design and implementation of the programming. This allowed for the linguistically and culturally-affirming nature of the project to explicitly counter the colonial act of erasure.

Methodology & Data Sources: Our study utilized qualitative analysis drawing on existing datasets from two unique programming offerings: a university bilingual seal (UBS) and a writing professional development through testimonios (WPDT). The UBS program included 16 participants across two iterations of the program and data sources include 16 cultural competency narratives. The WPDT program included 19 participants across two iterations of the program and data sources include 19 FLBT written testimonios, nine “I am” poems, and 10 visual presentations. Data were analyzed using a coding scheme that included Yosso’s CCW framework and codes tied to linguistic and cultural affirmations and reclamation.

Findings & Scholarly Significance: This study identifies critical insights regarding language and cultural practices within professional development programming that serve to heal and repair systematic harm experienced by the FLBT in the GP. The findings highlight the significance of disrupting monolingual spaces on university campuses by normalizing bilingual linguistic practices and countering status quo dynamics that are transactional. The intentional relationship and community focused commitment of the project assisted students in transforming their relationships with education. In particular, when FLBT have opportunities to reclaim language, culture, and bilingual/bicultural identities, decolonial practices that counter erasure can support with healing. This is critical preparation work for FLBT so that they can avoid status quo educational experiences that have harmed them and their families, especially as we face the risk of additional monolingual, racist, and anti-immigrant policies at the federal level.

Authors

• Sera Jean Hernandez, San Diego State University

• Javier Diego Jacinto, Our Lady’s School