This study examined Spanish-English dual language (DL) K-6 teachers in collaborative professional development as they worked towards achieving the bicultural goal of DL education, beyond traditional interpretations, and incorporating sociopolitical consciousness as a fourth goal. These two principles are part of the transformational DL educational framework. Classroom observations and teachers’ documents relevant to these objectives were recorded and analyzed, and teaching practices were categorized according to James A. Banks’ classic model of levels of integration of multicultural content. Findings show teachers’ trajectories varied throughout the school year. This article shows examples of multicultural teaching practices in three lessons, highlighting elements classified as contributions, additive, transformative, and social action, acknowledging hybrid forms. Results show that, when the principles of biculturalism and sociopolitical consciousness are intentional, educators can begin meeting these goals for equitable DL education.
Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/WPVXZZ6JMBRMPV9WERDI/full?target=10…

Utah’s state planned model of dual language education has grown and spread rapidly. Drawing on critical race theory and LatCrit, we examined state policy documents and promotional materials for their discursive portrayal of Latinas/os. Our analysis revealed a pattern of centering the interests of the White, English-dominant majority and those without an ethnic connection to the target language, while marginalizing or silencing Latina/o interests. Implications for dual language education stakeholders are discussed.
See article: http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/UzAMFxCUz7FKCt2AbUTn/full

Utah’s dual language education (DL) initiative, officially introduced in 2007 and backed by unique state-level planning, is touted as a new “mainstreaming” of DL and is sparking interest across the U.S. Using a critical language policy lens and a mixed method approach, we asked which student groups were positioned discursively and materially to benefit the most from this policy across three types of privilege: white racial privilege, wealth, and English privilege. A critical discourse analysis conducted of five main Utah DL policy texts pointed toward already privileged student groups being discursively targeted for DL participation. Analysis of the demographics of schools housing DL programs between 2005 and 2014 showed a statistically significant drop in access for those without the three forms of privilege under study. We argue these findings are consistent with a larger trend toward the metaphorical gentrification of DL by students of more privilege than those it historically served. We discuss our concerns that as the Utah model spreads nationwide, the gentrification process threatens to position DL as the next wave in a broad pattern of inequitably distributed enrichment education within U.S. schools. We recommend steps toward avoiding this inequitable outcome.

Language education policies in the United States have affected the education of Latina/o
students, especially those en la frontera, including those enrolled in dual language education.
Pre-service and in-service teachers in the field of dual language education can benefit from
viewing Latina/o students as nepantleras/os when examining language education policies. In
addition, it is necessary for those educators to develop sociopolitical consciousness in order to
advocate for their students and to contest restrictive language education policies affecting
nepantlera/o students in the physical and/or psychological borderlands. Similarly, dual language
teachers need to support their students’ development of sociopolitical consciousness in order
to empower them to contest oppressive language education policies impacting their educational
lives. For this, there is a need to transform dual language education and include sociopolitical
consciousness as one of its goals.