Culture, Autobiography, and the Education of Literacy Teachers.

A study addressed two challenges in American teacher education: (1) the differences in background between a largely Euro-American teaching force and the diverse pupils it serves; and (2) the difficulty of teaching about literacy and culture in responsive ways. Working with a group of teachers, the study used ethnic autobiographies, written by authors to illustrate cultures other than late 20th century white America, combined with a context for discussion around these books new to many teachers--"Literary Circles." Results indicated that, for the teachers who participated in Literary Circles, the ethnic literature and autobiographies became the means for conducting autobiographical studies of their own lives and, in turn, led to changes in teachers' beliefs about literacy, schooling, and cultural identity. Findings suggest that the combined activities of reading, writing, and discussion have the potential to simultaneously foster personal and professional development. Contains 20 references and a 24-item list of works studied in the Literary Circles. (RS)