Fostering Pre-Service ESOL Teacher Candidates' Advocacy Through the Funds of Knowledge Approach

Abstract

This chapter overviews a pilot research study intended to document pre-service elementary education students' perspectives concerning a course unit on the funds of knowledge approach embedded within a culture and education ESOL course. The course unit consisted of a variety of readings, activities, and assignments designed to familiarize teacher candidates with the theory and practice of the funds of knowledge approach followed by a mixed-methods post-course questionnaire which collected information regarding students' views of the strengths and weaknesses of the course unit along with suggested areas for improving the course unit moving forward. Preliminary results suggest that, while students valued learning about the funds of knowledge approach and appreciated learning about different strategies and techniques they might use with English learners in their future classrooms, they would also like to have participated in more activities and seen more examples of the approach in action in K-5 classrooms.