'Being a Writer Is Not Something I Wear Right Now': The Writing Identities of Pre-Service Social Studies Teachers

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Bibliographic Details
Title: 'Being a Writer Is Not Something I Wear Right Now': The Writing Identities of Pre-Service Social Studies Teachers
Language: English
Authors: Andrew O. del Calvo (ORCID 0009-0003-0272-5574), Amy Guillotte (ORCID 0009-0003-1591-4606)
Source: Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice. 2025 74(1):424-446.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 23
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Secondary Education
Elementary Secondary Education
Descriptors: Writing (Composition), Preservice Teachers, Social Studies, Self Concept, Secondary School Teachers, Writing Instruction, Student Experience, Influences, Elementary Secondary Education, Language Arts
DOI: 10.1177/23813377251360804
ISSN: 2381-3369
2381-3377
Abstract: Writing is an integral part of social studies; however, teaching writing in both disciplinary and culturally sustaining ways to build students' repertoires is complex work for new teachers. This multiple case study investigates the writing-related identities of six secondary social studies teacher candidates (TCs) in a yearlong, university-based teacher education program. It operationalizes the Dynamic Systems Model of Role Identity (DSMRI) to illustrate relationships within and across TCs' past, present, and emerging writing-related role identities (e.g., elementary school student, emerging social studies teacher). Our analysis identified four patterns and three tensions within and across TCs' writing-related role identities; these may serve as both resources and obstacles for developing TCs' social studies teacher role identities around cultivating students' disciplinary and culturally sustaining repertoires of writing. An important implication for this work lies in designing social studies methods instruction that supports TCs to explore their writing-related identity systems and negotiate tensions between their role identities and the kinds of disciplinary and culturally sustaining writing instruction they hope to enact with their future students.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1486094
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:Writing is an integral part of social studies; however, teaching writing in both disciplinary and culturally sustaining ways to build students' repertoires is complex work for new teachers. This multiple case study investigates the writing-related identities of six secondary social studies teacher candidates (TCs) in a yearlong, university-based teacher education program. It operationalizes the Dynamic Systems Model of Role Identity (DSMRI) to illustrate relationships within and across TCs' past, present, and emerging writing-related role identities (e.g., elementary school student, emerging social studies teacher). Our analysis identified four patterns and three tensions within and across TCs' writing-related role identities; these may serve as both resources and obstacles for developing TCs' social studies teacher role identities around cultivating students' disciplinary and culturally sustaining repertoires of writing. An important implication for this work lies in designing social studies methods instruction that supports TCs to explore their writing-related identity systems and negotiate tensions between their role identities and the kinds of disciplinary and culturally sustaining writing instruction they hope to enact with their future students.
ISSN:2381-3369
2381-3377
DOI:10.1177/23813377251360804