“We Weren't Really Welcomed”: Navigating Deficit Ideologies Toward Multilingual Learners Within Community-Based Field Experiences

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Abstract

This study explores how teacher education programs can better equip pre-service teachers to support multilingual learners by incorporating community-based field experiences into coursework. Although research highlights the benefits of these experiences, limited studies focus on pre-service teachers working with multilingual, immigrant/refugee youth. We conducted a collaborative project between a teacher education program, an ethnic-based community organization, and a high school. Through a qualitative approach rooted in critical language teacher education and culturally sustaining pedagogy, the study uncovers challenges faced by participants, who perceived the school environment as hostile to them and the youth. This study contributes to critical language teacher education that centers and sustains the linguistic and cultural identities of multilingual students amid pervasive deficit ideologies.

Authors

• Fatma Ryad, University of Northern Iowa

• Carmen Durham, Yardi

• Aliza Fones, University of Northern Iowa