Teaching English language learners: a reconsideration of assimilation pedagogy in U.S. schools

ABSTRACT

I posit that while U.S. public school teachers who use assimilation pedagogy apparently believe they open educational opportunities for immigrant children, they instead cause immigrant children to lose their identities by alienating them from their cultures, families, and themselves. To demonstrate my claim, I analyze an educational autobiography through the theoretical lens of literary, theory of myth and the concept of constructivist representation. After summarizing Rodriquez’s educational autobiography, positioning it within contemporary studies on teaching immigrant children in U.S. public schools, I define and explain the theory of myth and constructivist representation. I then analyze an autobiography through the theoretical lens of myth and constructivist representation to illuminate assimilation myths about immigrant children in U.S. schools. I explore the significance of the myth that some educators have constructed from U.S. cultural representations of immigrants; teachers’ beliefs that assimilation pedagogy opens opportunities to immigrant children. I conclude by encouraging educators to embrace culturally relevant design approaches to teaching English language learning children.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jessica Watts

Jessica Watts is a Graduate Teaching Assistant and a Ph.D. Candidate in Curriculum Studies at Oklahoma State University.