Talking About Transitioning: Preservice Teacher Discourses Around Multilingual Students' Transition From Elementary to Middle School

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: Improving Teacher Education for Linguistically Diverse Students

Abstract

The transition from elementary to middle school is often challenging, particularly for multilingual students who receive English Language (EL) services. This paper examines a sub-set of data from an ongoing, three-year longitudinal study exploring the impact of a new Teaching English Learners Certificate program on pre-service and in-service teachers’ attitudes and practices while teaching linguistically-diverse students. This study uses critical discourse analysis (Bergström et al., 2017; Rogers et al., 2005; Wodak & Meyer, 2016) to examine undergraduate pre-service teachers’ discourse around EL students’ transition from elementary to middle school. Findings highlight significant implications for supporting pre-service teacher adoption of culturally- and linguistically-supportive discourses and practices to support students' transition from elementary to middle school.

Authors

• Kate Allman, Towson University

• Patricia Rice Doran, Towson University

• Gregory Knollman, Towson University