Teacher candidates in the bilingual cohort at Champaign-Urbana schools have the opportunity to work with multilingual and multicultural student populations while exploring how their own multilingual identities affect their teaching.
According to retired professor Dr. Lara Handsfield, the cohort was formally formed in 2022 to get Illinois State University students in dual language classrooms, which, until recently, did not exist in the Bloomington-Normal area. She explained, “That goal of having them in dual language classrooms/schools is consistent with our long-standing goal of the bilingual program more generally to have high quality programs.”
The cohort is now led by Dr. Vivian Presiado, a School of Teaching and Learning assistant professor of bilingual/bicultural education and 2024 Teacher of the Year. She explained, “Currently I work with pre-service teachers seeking their ESL or bilingual endorsement. My courses and planned educational opportunities seek to trouble educational ‘norms’ that privilege certain language practices and knowledges over others to constrain educational opportunity, particularly for students of color.”
Prior to joining ISU, Presiado was an early childhood and elementary teacher for 10 years, primarily in bilingual/ELL classrooms, where she incorporated a Funds of Knowledge approach to learning from and with students and their families.
Presiado’s last three years as an elementary school teacher were in Urbana, where she helped initiate the dual language program in 2012. She also trained many of the teachers involved in the Champaign dual language program as undergraduates and finds both programs equally special.
“The environment teachers and students create is impactful and transformative,” she stated.
ISU students in the bilingual cohort are grouped together through coursework about multilingual education and fieldwork with multilingual students, which fosters a sense of community and collaboration.
Laly Herculano, a junior elementary education major earning ESL and bilingual endorsements, discussed working alongside a clinical partner in a fifth-grade classroom at Yankee Ridge Elementary.
“My clinical partner and I would walk around and help during math; some students would actively ask for help, while others would be too shy. I would try to ask students if they needed help or ask them to explain their thinking to me so that they could open up a bit more,” Herculano shared.
Herculano also appreciated how her cooperating teacher, Maggie Byrne, intentionally created opportunities for students to share their culture.
“We had one student give a presentation about Rosh Hashanah; this is something that I was not familiar with, as were most of the students, but they were so respectful and engaged, it was amazing to see. We had another student share about Venezuela, then her mom brought in homemade arepas—super delicious and awesome to try!”
Furthermore, Presiado emphasized, “Many of the cooperating teachers we work with are ISU alumni and our cohorts often create long-lasting professional networks among their members, which can provide ongoing support and collaboration even after the program ends. It is such a joy to those full-circle moments when students I worked with in their undergrad training partner with us as cooperating teachers.”
Presiado appreciates the mutual benefits of these relationships as pre-service teachers bring new perspectives rooted in current theory, while the cooperating teachers provide expert guidance and support.
The presence of ISU teacher candidates in dual language classrooms also benefits the students. Presiado explained, “Many of our bilingual cohort candidates are Latina(o/x), and being in school spaces where they embody representation helps create culturally relevant classrooms where students see their identities represented, valued and celebrated.”
Herculano affirmed that creating a Dia de los Muertos ofrenda was especially meaningful and memorable. “These are things I wish I got to experience as a student; it made me feel closer to my culture to do this, and it was so eye-opening to get to learn about other cultures as well,” Herculano said.
Presiado celebrates how the bilingual cohort fosters both personal and professional development for the next generation of educators.
“Our partnership with Urbana-Champaign ensures that our programs remain mutually robust, relevant, responsive, and effective in promoting bilingualism, biliteracy, and cross-cultural understanding,” Presiado said.
