Ann Martinelli and Roxanna Senyshyn from The Pennsylvania State University presented on “Learning to Support and Sustain Cultural (and linguistic) Diversity: Perspectives of Preservice Teachers.” They teach at the Abington College, a component of Penn State University and they are a “minority majority student community” located outside of Philadelphia. The elementary education program includes the opportunity for an ESL certification. Senyshyn explained that they focus on culturally and linguistically responsive practices and multicultural children’s texts and culturally responsive practices. Their goal is to “build understanding and connection.” Martinelli described the research questions they used to drive their engagement with students: (1) how do preservice teachers’ beliefs and understandings in relation to linguistic and cultural diversity change from the start of the semester to the end? and (2) what do preservice teachers learn from the interclass collaborative experience of reading and analyzing multicultural children’s literature?
The presenters obtained grant funding to select and purchase culturally diverse books. They used a series of questions to guide their literature selection decisions. The participants were 26 teacher candidates. They used a mixed methods case study approach. For their study, they started with a pre-semester survey and a survey at the end of the semester. They analyzed children’s literature discussion and written reflections. The findings of the study were summarized by item evaluated and most showed significant differences. The analysis of participant reflections highlighted how teacher candidates were thinking critically about their perceptions and openness to adjusting their practices. I thought it was interesting to hear how they brought students in for collaborative analysis of children’s literature and then reflect on the experience. Student quotes were telling: the analysis of these texts and thinking critically about diversity of children’s literature helped teachers improve. The presenters called on “filling these teacher education gaps.” This presentation made me think about how we select texts for courses and often don’t participate in discussions with other instructors about the selections. How do we justify the choices is often determined by how easily the text can be adapted to our course activity. This approach while effective often does little to fill the diversity gap.
