Universal Journal of Educational Research Vol. 7(5), pp. 1247 - 1254
DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2019.070510
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Teacher Candidate Immersion into Bilingual/ Dual Language Classrooms in Largest Urban District in Texas

Bobbette M. Morgan ^*, Criselda Garcia , John Jauregui
Department of Teaching and Learning, College of Education and P-16 Integration, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, United States

ABSTRACT

Prevailing teacher education reform initiatives call for preservice preparation to be "clinically rich" shifting the primary locus, and therefore location, of learning from within university walls to schools (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, 2010; New York State Department of Education, 2011; U. S. Department of Education, 2009, 2011). In an effort of the largest school district in Texas to recruit our bilingual preservice teachers and for us to expose our students from the Rio Grande Valley to a highly populated urban setting, our students are invited to spend one week with host families and shadow an experienced teacher in dual language classrooms. As they are immersed in urban classroom's activities and community events, bilingual teacher candidates are exposed to a full array of a teacher's role and responsibilities. This experience is in addition to their field-based assignments as part of their educator preparation program and student/ clinical teaching. Although teacher candidates pend completion of clinical teaching, graduation and state certification, they receive letters of intent from district officials at the end of their week-long visit Journals and essays kept by the students were analyzed through three qualitative processes by the researchers: NVivo, Excel, and color-coding of themes and sub-themes. Qualitative findings suggested central phenomena was identified relating to bilingual/ dual language practices in the classrooms along with relating common subthemes of diversity, instructional strategies, routines, differences from the Valley, feelings/ emotions, bonding, and classroom management.

KEYWORDS
Clinical Practice, Teacher Candidate, Preservice Teacher, Qualitative Study

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Bobbette M. Morgan , Criselda Garcia , John Jauregui , "Teacher Candidate Immersion into Bilingual/ Dual Language Classrooms in Largest Urban District in Texas," Universal Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 7, No. 5, pp. 1247 - 1254, 2019. DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2019.070510.

(b). APA Format:
Bobbette M. Morgan , Criselda Garcia , John Jauregui (2019). Teacher Candidate Immersion into Bilingual/ Dual Language Classrooms in Largest Urban District in Texas. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 7(5), 1247 - 1254. DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2019.070510.