Towards culture: beginning teachers and read-alouds

Despite the importance teacher educators attach to culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP), few examples of CSP can be found in existing research. Our study attempts to deepen our understanding of beginning elementary teachers' practice and development of the ideology and methodology of CSP. We conducted a qualitative case study using read-alouds as a pedagogical method designed to help preservice teachers practice CSP. We explored their understanding and implementation of CSP, their students' responses to the read-aloud, and how practicing CSP through a concrete pedagogical method influenced their use of CSP in read-alouds into their first year of teaching. Our findings provide insight to us as teacher educators and to schools about how to support new teachers in developing and continuing CSP.