Challenging Pre-service Teachers’ Dominant Conceptions of Language: Scaffolding as an Approximation of Sociocultural Practice

• In Event: Tensions and Opportunities in the Preparation of Teachers of Multilingual Learners: Countering Dominant Language Perspectives

Abstract

This paper reports on a study examining the complex relationship between mainstream secondary content-area teachers’ conceptions of language and their emerging pedagogical practices surrounding “scaffolding” multilingual learners’ participation in disciplinary practices. We argue that a sociocultural approach to scaffolding (Authors, 2022; Hammond, 2022) provides an opportunity for content area teachers to challenge dominant approaches that simplify language and content for multilingual learners and that teacher candidates need frequent and varied opportunities to envision and approximate scaffolding in their subject areas. Situated within a pre-service teacher education course designed to introduce secondary content area teacher candidates to a sociocultural approach to language, language development, and academic support, we describe a series of learning activities that invited pre-service teachers (PSTs) to design, enact, and reflect on ways to scaffold challenging content area concepts and practices for multilingual learners. We describe the course’s efforts to present a vision of scaffolding that centers teachers’ disciplinary expertise and agency in designing lessons to best meet the needs of their multilingual learners.

The conception of teacher learning that framed the course at the center of this study also draws explicitly from a socioculturally informed vision of both language development and teacher preparation. Consistent with innovative teacher education programs studied in the literature, the course focused on teacher learning situated in structured, intentional practice (Ball & Cohen, 1999; Hammerness et al., 2005), reflection (Philip, 2019; Schön, 1987; Zeichner & Liston, 1996) and approximations of practice such as rehearsals (Baldinger & Munson, 2020; Kazemi et al., 2016; Lampert et al., 2013).

Data sources for the study included PSTs’ writing on scaffolding before and after instruction, communication with the instructor as small groups of PSTs developed their activities; instructional materials groups created and utilized during eight scaffolding demonstrations; field observations from the demonstrations; individual written reports from PSTs reflecting on their demonstrations; and transcripts from focus groups with six candidates after completion of the course.

Our analysis of candidates’ writing on scaffolding at the beginning of the course indicated that in line with traditional views and inconsistent with sociocultural approaches, a majority viewed scaffolding as help provided by the teacher, differentiating instruction, and breaking tasks down. In contrast, analysis of group scaffolding demonstrations toward the end of the course revealed that candidates instantiated aspects of sociocultural approaches, signaling shifts from their initial conceptions of scaffolding. For instance, all eight demonstrations engaged students in disciplinary content, provided structured opportunities for peer dialogue, and included open-ended questions or tasks that afforded students varying degrees of agency. Complicating this evidence of shifting perceptions, however, analysis of individual reports completed after their demonstrations revealed variation in how PSTs understood scaffolding for multilingual learners, including among members of the same small group designing and enacting each scaffolding activity. Findings suggest that, while the scaffolding demonstrations functioned as “approximations of practice” for candidates to begin to develop an understanding of scaffolding for multilingual learners, teacher candidates need further opportunities to design, enact, and reflect on lessons that both center disciplinary practices and maximize opportunities for meaningful language use.

Authors

• George C. Bunch, University of California - Santa Cruz

• Nora W. Lang, San Jose State University

• Benjamin M. James, University of Delaware