Date of Award

2025-07-22

Degree Name

PhD Education for Social Justice

Dissertation Committee

James Fabionar, PhD, Chairperson; Jose Lalas, PhD, Committee Member

Keywords

bilingual teacher pipeline, early preservice teachers, California Mini-Corps, critical race theory (CRT) & Community of Cultural Wealth (CCW) framework, language policy, development of critical consciousness and teacher identity, critical case study, teacher education

Abstract

Restrictive language policies and practices in schools have racialized the experiences of bilingual Latinx early preservice teachers (EPSTs), leading many to internalize the belief that their language and culture are not valued. These deficit-based messages often influence their personal development and emerging professional identities. Despite the volume of scholarship about this pattern, little research has explored how this internalization shapes EPSTs’ perspectives as they move from being multilingual students educated in English-only environments to future credential program students and bilingual teachers. This critical qualitative case study examined this process as students engaged in school-based fieldwork through the California Mini-Corps program (CMC). Through analysis of semistructured interviews and focus group data, the study captured how students from this distinct background reconciled their histories of linguistic marginalization with their roles as tutors under the Multilingual Education Act. Grounded in Yosso’s (2005) community cultural wealth (CCW) framework, this investigation found a powerful shift in participants’ identities emerged due to reflective dialogue and inclusive practices cultivated in the research setting. Specifically, students moved from internalizing deficit ideologies to embracing their linguistic and cultural assets and developing a sense of agency as future educators. Findings underscored the need for teacher education pathways to create affirming spaces where bilingual Latinx EPSTs’ lived experiences are validated. Such spaces develop critical consciousness among future educators and prepare them to serve multilingual PK–12 students with empathy, cultural responsiveness, and advocacy. By focusing on identity affirmation and critical reflection early in the teacher formation process, programs like CMC can better equip bilingual Latinx EPSTs to challenge systemic inequities and reimagine educational spaces rooted in empathy, justice, and inclusion.

Document Type

Dissertation: Open Access

Department

Learning and Teaching

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