Integrating Multilingualism and Asset-Based Pedagogies in Literacy Education: Preparing Preservice Teachers Through Family Learning

Abstract

As teacher educators, we integrated the Family Learning Observation and Analysis (FLOA) project into elementary and early childhood literacy courses to better prepare preservice teachers (PSTs) for the diverse educational landscape of a Southern State. This initiative connects traditional monolingual teacher preparation to the multilingual realities of today's classrooms. The gap underscores the critical need to educate teachers in asset-based approaches and eradicate raciolinguistic bias in their teaching. Collaborating with local museums, the FLOA project enabled PSTs to research the language and literacy practices of multilingual children in their communities. After documenting and analyzing family learning, PSTs were asked to incorporate these insights into lesson planning. Analysis using in vivo and axial coding revealed that while PSTs improved their understanding of family learning and cultural literacy, their lesson plans continued to reflect dominant deficit perspectives and perpetuate raciolinguistic ideologies. These findings highlight the necessity of teacher preparation programs to better prepare PSTs to address ingrained raciolinguistic ideologies and promote inclusive practices. This incorporates critical reflection practices and professional development centered on asset-based and multilingual teaching methods.