Critical Pre-service Intersections: Parental Engagement in EAL/D Contexts

Preparation of pre-service teachers for parental engagement has struggled to find a consistent foothold within teacher education programs. A focus on EAL/D contexts brings many of the barriers and opportunities affecting parental engagement preparation into sharp focus, especially aspects confounded by neoliberal influences in teaching and learning such as the development of teacher professional capabilities requiring deeper relationality. This chapter draws on staple educational theories in teacher education programs, research literature, and relevant policy to contextualize the perspectives of three teacher educators on the place of parental engagement in addressing the demands of classrooms characterized by linguistic diversity. Issues at the intersection of these two important areas of teacher education, parental engagement in EAL/D contexts, are foregrounded and opportunities are identified for embedding effective preparation of preservice teachers to engage with these issues through a thematic approach.