The impact of a school-university multicultural read-aloud project on pre-service teachers’ pedagogical understandings
Abstract
This school-university partnership research explored how multicultural literature read-alouds impacted the pedagogical understandings of elementary pre-service teachers. The study explores the intersection of multicultural education, Professional Development School standards, and the achievement gaps of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students in the partnership. Participants included 54 convenience-selected pre-service teachers in a methods course who read aloud books to urban, CLD students in field-based classrooms. Analysis of reflective responses revealed the participants' pedagogical understandings most often related to (a) sociocultural learning/ teaching practices utilized in delivering the read-aloud, (b) students' efferent responses in taking away cultural knowledge, and (c) knowledge gained from multicultural literature. Discussion of the partnership role in facilitating the participants' understandings included (1) the role of diverse field placements, (2) the co-teaching model of mentoring, and (3) multiculturalism content in the methods course. This research demonstrates a need for examining how multicultural read-alouds might also impact cooperating teachers' pedagogical understandings.
Reference
Lohfink, G. (2014). The impact of a school-university multicultural read-aloud project on pre-service teachers’ pedagogical understandings. School-University Partnerships, 7(2), 34-47.
Journal
School-University Partnerships
Analysis
Is this article part of a larger project or series of studies?
no
Does this study draw on a large, preexisting data set?
no
Research Approach
Geographic Setting
Institutional Context
Certification Level
Programatic Focus
Research Location Context
- Elementary Methods Course
- field placements (not related to methods courses)
Preservice Participants
- Undergraduates (university based program)
Preservice Sample Size
54
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
- Written reflections (prior to program entry)
- written responses
Data Analysis Tools
- Qualitative Analysis
- Triangulation
Researcher Positionality
- Inside (studying their own practices)
Research Questions
How does reading aloud multicultural literature impact the
pedagogical understandings of pre-service teachers?’’
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes