A longitudinal case study of a Latina bilingual teacher promoting academic literacy through social studies instruction

This longitudinal case study explores the evolutionary practices of a newer biliterate teacher who uses social studies to promote academic literacy across bilingual contexts. Grounded in Dall'Alba and Sandberg's (2006) alternative stage model theory, and drawing from Scarcella's (2003) academic literacy framework, this study explores the embodied understanding of a social studies teacher to unveil how the case teacher navigates and enacts academic biliteracy through practices that are substantively influenced by educational policies, and her own cultural and linguistic experiences.;This investigation is guided by three research questions: (1) How does a newer teacher's identity and embodied understanding of how to promote academic literacy for English learners across contexts evolve from pre-service preparation through the first three years of teaching? (2) What influences shape the social studies instructional decisions of a newer elementary teacher, and how are these decisions actualized into practice across contexts? (3) What strategies are enacted by a newer Latina teacher to promote academic literacy and biliteracy in the social studies to elementary English learners in two different bilingual school contexts?;Using a qualitative case study design, data were collected and analyzed over a four-year span. In year one, university artifacts, questionnaires, and lesson plans revealed the case teacher was influenced by personal and schooling experiences toward teaching English to Latino students, and toward social justice advocacy within the social studies. In year two, audiotaped lesson observations and interviews revealed that case teacher used Spanish and English to promote literacy to 6th grade students in an alternative bilingual classroom; however, she taught social studies in a limited manner due to influences from state policy and program restrictions. By year four, lesson plans, interviews, and audio- and videotaped observations in a 5th grade dual language immersion classroom provided evidence that the case teacher evolved in her practices as a Latina social justice educator of English learners. She displayed an advanced degree of embodied understanding in her commitment to using Spanish to promote academic biliteracy and social studies content knowledge, largely due to a context that supported primary language use within the discipline of social studies.