ERIC Number: EJ1112619
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1366-4530
EISSN: N/A
Exploring the Interplay of Cultural Capital, "Habitus," and Field in the Life Histories of Two West African Teacher Candidates
Park, Gloria; Rinke, Carol; Mawhinney, Lynnette
Teacher Development, v20 n5 p648-666 2016
This paper captures the life histories of two West African pre-service teachers pursuing their education in the United States. Based on a larger study examining the life histories of 45 undergraduate pre-service teachers, these narratives focus specifically on international student experiences in the US. Grounded in Bourdieu's theory of "habitus," capital, and field, the life histories of Bakar and Selma illustrate how their capital and "habitus" become contingent on the field(s) (i.e. sites, time, and agents within a specific context) in which they are situated. The narratives of Bakar and Selma captured their early educational experiences, teacher preparation practices, and future possibilities as they moved in and out of different fields where the exchange of capital occurred, which then led to restructuring and/or de-valuerization of certain "habitus." The experiences of Bakar and Selma heighten our awareness of the capital and "habitus" deployed in a variety of contexts--fields--in the US and elsewhere. We conclude by incorporating discussion focused on working with international teacher candidates.
Descriptors: Cultural Capital, Preservice Teachers, Educational Experience, Foreign Students, Personal Narratives, Teacher Education, Undergraduate Students, Social Capital, Correlation, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Pennsylvania
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A