Gender, language, and power: exploring elementary teacher candidates’ ideologies and pedagogical approaches

Abstract

Using a single-case study design, this research aims to understand the ideologies of preservice teachers pertaining to the equity issues of gender and sexual diversity (GSD). In the US, GLSEN school climate surveys (Kosciw et al., 2020, 2019), along with Canada’s first national school study, Every Class in Every School (Taylor & Peter, 2011), have consistently shown that GSD students face daily adversity in Canadian schools from both peers and teachers. While the Ontario Ministry of Education has created various policy and training frameworks to focus on this concern, previous research has found a gap between teachers’ beliefs and practices in addressing topics of GSD with students and colleagues. Primarily, this study concentrates on the context of the language learning classroom and the anti-discrimination framework on which the Ontario Language Curriculum is founded. Investigating how preservice teachers approach their selection of language literature and discussion with students can illuminate how they perceive GSD as an equity issue and how they might use their future roles as teachers to perpetuate or combat social differences. This study also elucidates how Bachelor of Education programs play a role in equipping teachers with evidence-based practices and knowledge to be prepared to face such issues in their future classrooms.