Sustaining and developing teachers' dynamic bilingualism in a re-designed bilingual teacher preparation program

• Published in: International journal of bilingual education and bilingualism 2023-02, Vol.26 (2), p.97-113
• Main Authors: Collins, Brian A., Sánchez, Maite (María Teresa), España, Carla
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bilingual Education; bilingual teacher preparation; Bilingual Teachers; Bilingualism; Candidates; Code Switching (Language); Culturally Relevant Education; culturally sustaining pedagogies; English; English language; Graduate studies; Language ideologies; Language shift; Language Usage; Learning; Linguistics; Preservice Teacher Education; Preservice Teachers; Race; Second Language Learning; Sociolinguistics; Spanish; Spanish language; Student Attitudes; Student teachers; Teacher education; Teachers; Teaching; Translanguaging; Translation
• ISSN: 1367-0050; 1747-7522
• DOI: 10.1080/13670050.2019.1610354

There is an expectation of bilingual proficiency as a requirement for admission into most bilingual teacher preparation programs, as well as licensing criteria and job requirements for bilingual teaching positions. Nevertheless, we must acknowledge the dynamic nature of bilingualism and that prospective teachers differ in the level of support they have received for developing their linguistic repertoire across institutions, communities, and home. Many bilingual teachers come to the profession with diverse experiences which influence their linguistic ideologies and repertoires. In this study, we interviewed teacher candidates at the end of their Spanish-English bilingual teacher preparation program to investigate their linguistic backgrounds and experiences. We analyzed their perspectives of their linguistic repertoires and dynamic language usage and how this impacts their pedagogy and the students they will ultimately teach. We discovered how linguistically and culturally sustaining pedagogies that integrate translanguaging and raciolinguistic frameworks can shape a graduate program with a long history of preparing bilingual teachers in an urban, linguistically diverse setting. Participants expressed their desire for more opportunities to practice and learn in Spanish. Furthermore, there was a transformation of how participants perceived their own language practices as legitimate and relevant to how they can structure their students' learning.