The Needs of Educators in Intercultural and Bilingual Preschools in Chile: A Case Study

Authors

  • Rukmini Becerra-Lubies Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
  • Aliza Fones University of Washington

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18251/ijme.v18i2.1147

Keywords:

teacher education, intercultural and bilingual education, Indigenous language, preschools, Mapuche people

Abstract

Several studies have examined the lack of or the insufficient preparation of K-12 educators to work in intercultural and bilingual (IBE) schools in Chile, but little is known about the preparation of educators to teach in IBE preschools. Even less is known about teachers’ perceptions of their own preparation. This work contributes to a growing body of literature that examines the experiences and practice of second language teachers in Indigenous language education settings from a sociocultural perspective. This qualitative case study focuses on teachers’ perceptions of their preparation to teach Mapudungun, the language of the Mapuche people, in urban IBE preschools in Chile. Three research questions guide this study: What are teachers’ perceptions of their needs regarding their preparation to teach Mapudungun in urban IBE preschools? What are the current challenges that teachers face teaching Mapudungun in urban IBE preschools? Which experiences fostered their ability to teach Mapudungun? The findings of this study have implications for the incorporation of more complex notions of Indigenous language learning that are linked directly to Mapuche culture and its sociopolitical context, as well as the inclusion of teachers’ experiential knowledge in the preparation of teachers for work in IBE schools.

Author Biographies

Rukmini Becerra-Lubies, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Rukmini Becerra-Lubies received her Ph.D. from the College of Education at the University of Washington in Seattle. Originally from Chile, she earned a professional degree as a language teacher and a master’s degree in Linguistics, both from University of Chile. In 2015, she joined the Pontificia Universidad Católica of Chile, Campus Villarrica, and the Center for Intercultural and Indigenous Research in the same institution, where she is currently an Assistant Professor.

Her main areas of research interest are intercultural and bilingual education, teacher education, indigenous language revitalization and applied linguistics.

Aliza Fones, University of Washington

Aliza Fones is a doctoral candidate in the College of Education at the University of Washington in Seattle.  Prior to her doctoral studies, she earned her master’s in education and teaching certificate from the University of Oregon and worked for several years as a K-12 teacher of English learners in a rural U.S. public school district. 

Her main areas of research interest are language education policy, ELL teacher preparation, and issues of immigrant education in the United States.

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Published

2016-06-20

How to Cite

Becerra-Lubies, R., & Fones, A. (2016). The Needs of Educators in Intercultural and Bilingual Preschools in Chile: A Case Study. International Journal of Multicultural Education, 18(2), 58–84. https://doi.org/10.18251/ijme.v18i2.1147

Issue

Section

Articles (Peer-reviewed)