Chapter 5: Teaching Across the Community: Using Service-Learning Field Experiences to Develop Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teachers

A June 2012 presentation from the external evaluator of Project BRITE (Brown’s Response to Improving Teacher Education) reported a statistically significant finding that states: “Direct interaction with an ELL student affects the growth of the teacher candidate.” Given the increase in the numbers of ELLs in the United States, it is crucial that preservice teachers are prepared to be culturally and linguistically responsive. The challenge is to find field experiences that provide meaningful experiences with ELLs. At our university, one BRITE-related initiative was to collaborate with school and community partners to advance opportunities for teacher candidates to work with ELLs through service-learning field experiences. By embracing service-learning, the teacher education program offers meaningful opportunities for individual interactions with ELLs. In this essay, we provide a conceptual framework for distinguishing between traditional field experiences and service-learning field experiences. Additionally, we offer guiding questions regarding the efficacy of school- and community-based service-learning experiences.