A critical examination of the attitudes and practices of first year teachers educated in a graduate reading program that emphasized cultural responsiveness

The purpose of this qualitative multi-case study, involving three first year teachers who graduated from a five-year reading program that focused on cultural responsiveness, was to explore the influence of the teacher education program on teachers' attitudes and practices as they attempted to address the literacy needs of their struggling students. A multi-layered analysis using the frameworks of Au's (1998) diverse constructivist, IRA's (2007) literacy content, and Moje and Lewis' (2007) critical sociocultural theory within and across cases allowed for the generation of assertions about influences of the teacher education program and school culture on teachers' beliefs and practices. Implications from the study indicate that teacher education programs must develop a strong foundational knowledge in both theory and practice in the areas of literacy and cultural responsiveness. I propose a cultural linguistic literacy model that integrates Au's framework with IRA's. This includes moving beyond a culturally responsive add-on approach and providing preservice teachers with multiple opportunities to encounter knowledge and theory across courses. Teacher education programs must foster specific qualities in preservice teachers. These include: (1) the habit of critically reflecting upon practices and attitudes because of their impact on student experiences, (2) understanding the influence that school culture has on practice, (3) providing opportunities to enhance restrictive practices with beneficial teaching, (4) promoting teacher advocacy on behalf of students to support best practices, and (5) providing explicit inquiry into the attitudes and practices of teachers who enact different stances such as a diverse or mainstream constructivist, and a knowledge transmitter.