Being Prepared: Prospective Teachers' Expectations of Addressing Indigenous Students' Needs in a Critical Literacy Framework

The education of Indigenous students in Ontario's publicly-funded schools remains concerning. Given the socio-historical marginalization of Indigenous student epistemologies in public education, it is necessary for teachers to address Indigenous students' learning needs while critically examining their own assumptions as teachers. Prospective teachers also need to be aware of and responsive to Indigenous students' experiences in public schools. This mixedmethods study focused on the expectations of over 200 prospective teachers prior to any practicum-related experiences in the classroom. It investigated prospective teachers' perceptions of the extent to which they believe their professional teacher education program is preparing them to address Indigenous students' learning needs. Using a critical literacy framework, the research also examined their assumptions as teachers of bicultural students.