Teaching as Apprentices and Learning in Communities : Novice Social Studies Teachers’ Development of Critical Literacy Practices

Abstract

Informed civic participation is vital to the maintenance of our democracy. Critical literacy, as part of citizenship education, gives students the tools to question the status quo, consider multiple perspectives, and think for themselves to create a more just and equitable society. Novice teachers need to be able to transfer critical literacy stances and practices to the secondary social studies classroom. For novice social studies teachers, the learning and practicing of critical literacy skills begins in teacher preparation programs and continues to varying degrees through student teaching and the first years of teaching. This longitudinal multiple case study focuses on two research questions: How, why, and under what circumstances do novice teachers’ critical literacy practices change over time? What conditions influence novice teachers’ successes or struggles in implementing critical literacy practices? Analysis of data gathered from 16 participants over a nine-month period revealed that novice teachers’ implementation of critical literacy stances and practices was influenced by their status as apprentices, their communities of practice, and their developing identities as teachers. Recommendations are provided for teacher preparation programs and K-12 schools to support novice teachers’ critical literacy practices and stances as novice teachers work to develop students’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions for engaged citizenship.