Applying an Intersectional Framework to the Literacy Worlds of Preservice Teachers

Department of Language and Literacy Education at the University of Georgia. 315 Aderhold Hall, Athens, GA 30602. Tel: 706-542-7866; Fax: 706-542-3817; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://jolle.coe.uga.edu

Y

23

Preservice Teachers; Intersectionality; Social Justice; Student Projects; Self Concept; Reading Motivation; Literacy; Sociocultural Patterns; Race; Sex; Religion; Disabilities; Preservice Teacher Education; Books

1559-9035

Within social justice literacy teacher education, there has been a lack of attention to the framework of intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1991) and how it can be used to prepare teachers to work in diverse settings. In this case study, we examine six multimodal literacy identity projects created by preservice teachers (PTs) as part of their required reading coursework. Using Boveda's (2016) notion of intersectional competence as an analytic frame, we found that PTs named sociocultural identities, such as race, gender, religion, and dis/ability, in connection to texts from their childhood and early experiences with reading motivation. Additionally, PTs exhibited an understanding of systems of oppression related to race, religion, and ability, but lacked an emphasis on the intersections of multiple markers of difference. These findings illuminate the process of identity fracturing as one way PTs disaggregate and reaggregate their own identities to deepen their understanding of interlocking systems that appear within literacy curriculum and instruction. Implications for future teacher preparation coursework are discussed. [Note: The issue number (1) shown on the PDF is incorrect. The correct citation for this article is v18 n2.]

As Provided

2023

EJ1375126