Social Justice in WLE: Intersection of Place-Based and Personal Identities

770 

Research-Oriented Paper 

Non-language specific 

English 

Kelly Moser  
Mississippi State University

Kelly Moser  
Mississippi State University

James Coda  
University of Tennessee

Dr. Carly Bahler  
Mississippi State University

WL instruction has always been entangled with social and political contexts. Although social justice approaches are needed more than ever due to parental rights bills that aim to censor discussions of identities, the role of place as a critical factor influencing instructional decisions has been underexplored. Place, the context within which educators live and work, influences teacher identities and ultimately how they enact their practice. This mixed-methods study is grounded in intersectionality. It aims to uncover how teachers negotiate their own instructional practices and if/how personal and place-based identities are reflected in their pedagogical decisions. The study is grounded in the following research questions:
What is the relationship between teachers' place-based identities and their likelihood to integrate instructional practices in line with social justice principles?
What factors influence teachers' decisions to embrace/avoid social justice in the WL classroom?

This session presents the findings of a mixed-methods study that explored the intersections between WL educators' social justice practices and their identities. It provides concrete examples of teachers' instructional decisions with implications regarding how identities and purposeful reflection can influence practice.

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