“ Walk It Like You Talk It! ” the Freedom School National Training as a Cultural Immersion Experience for Preservice Teachers Grappling With Understanding the Intersections of Culturally Relevant Teaching and Social Justice in Literacy Education

ABSTRACT This qualitative critical case study investigates how preservice teachers (PSTs) working within Freedom School (FS) (a national K‐12 six‐week summer and afterschool literacy program) develop an understanding of social justice, culturally relevant teaching (CRT), and conceptions of literacy development, as well as explores the impact of them attending the Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools Program (CDF FSP) National Training (NT). According to research, there is a need for PST programs to prepare educators using CRT approaches. Researchers utilized reflexive thematic analysis to analyze observational and interview data collected from 4 PSTs before, during, and after the CDF FSP NT. Findings revealed PSTs gained a deeper understanding of CRT, social justice, and students' literacy assets. This research informs teacher educators about ways to engage PSTs in more meaningful and authentic experiences, specifically within literacy instruction. Benefits include an increased understanding of CRT, social justice, and literacy more broadly, which equips PSTs to work within diverse communities. This study highlights the CDF FSP as a tool in providing immersive training experiences to prepare culturally relevant educators.