Post-Grant Reports

Title

Estoy Aquí Para Servirles: Pre-service Teachers Reflect on Advocacy and Service for English Language Learners (ELLs) through a Semester Study Abroad

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

4-21-2015

Disciplines

Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | Teacher Education and Professional Development

Abstract

The teaching of English Language Learners (ELLs) is often deeply affected by political agendas and sociocultural beliefs rather than sound pedagogical rationale. While all teaching is a political act, current legislations in the U.S. make it clear that skillful responses are needed for ELLs. For this reason, it is essential to teach future teachers how to identify and interpret different agendas in order to respond as their students’ advocate. “Estoy Aquí Para Servirles” focuses this advocacy work as an act of service. This grant funds two students who participated in a semester-long study abroad program in Oaxaca, Mexico. As a result of living, studying, and volunteering in Mexico, these students have deeply examined these issues. They developed advocacy projects based on their readings, service, class discussion, and interviews. This grant funds Fall and Jan term student work to analyze their work and experiences, and prepare presentations for selected conferences.

Comments

This research was conducted as part of a Linfield College Student-Faculty Collaborative Research Grant in 2014-2015, funded by the Office of Academic Affairs.

Student collaborators were Morgan Seymour and Vesta Namiranian.

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