In search of immersion teacher educators’ knowledge base

Abstract

Abstract Although it has long been touted as a key ingredient to successful immersion practice, no research to date has examined immersion teacher educators’ (ITEs) knowledge base as it relates to the work of content, language, and literacy integration in curriculum planning and teaching. Thus, it is difficult to know whether or not ITEs are ready and able to support the pedagogical transition toward better-integrated practice in the immersion classroom. This qualitative study set out to fill this gap in our knowledge by exploring ITEs’ understanding of the nature and role of language and literacy in the context of their discipline of expertise through the use of an analytic framework designed to examine ITEs’ knowledge base. Key findings point to the need for the elaboration of a professional development (PD) program specifically dedicated to supporting ITEs’ continuous knowledge growth, particularly when it comes to the issue of pedagogical integration.