Bilingual Preservice Teachers Developing Humanizing Relationships With Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: Centering the Knowledge and Language Practices of Bi/multilingual Students and Families in Preservice Teacher Education

Abstract

Research must critically examine existing systems and question current assumptions about preparing bilingual teachers to teach culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Drawing from humanizing pedagogy (Salazar, 2013), this study explores how bilingual pre-service teachers may begin to develop humanizing approaches through a field-based experience with CLD students. Our study examines how two bilingual PSTs (who shared a common home-language with students) built relationships with their CLD students. Findings reveal that PSTs drew on their own distinct backgrounds and checked their assumptions to cultivate trusting and caring relationships in the pursuit of humanization. We discuss implications for research and teacher education in preparing bilingual teachers to work with culturally and linguistically diverse students.

Authors

• Amanda D Cataneo, University of Maryland - College Park

• Melinda E. Martin-Beltran, University of Maryland - College Park