












































 

ISSN #2331-6845 

 

Welcome from the Senior Editor 
By Gertrude Tinker Sachs 
Georgia State University 

gatesolinaction2020@gmail.com  

 

 

The Pen is Mightier than the Sword – Countering Deficit 

Perspectives in Theory and Practice 

During our presentation at the annual GATESOL conference this past 

October, our webmaster, Elizabeth (Beth) Wallace and I spoke on the theme of 

countering deficits in our work as bi/multilingual educators.   We chose the 

title, “The Pen is Mightier than the Sword - Countering Deficit Perspectives in 

Theory and Practice,” and I recycle that title for this editorial because I wanted 

to reiterate its importance and centrality to our work as critical educators and 

because our three papers for this edition directly address the countering of 

deficit perspectives.  Bravo to our writers for being bold and audacious in 

describing the ways they counter deficit perspectives in their teaching and 

research projects! 

1                                                                      GATESOL in Action, Vol. 1, Fall 2015 
 



In the abstract for our conference session, we had proposed the 

following: 

. . . When everywhere in the news it is reported that in general children 
of color and English language learners are less than, not as good as, need 
this/need that, and are impoverished, what is your response?  In this 
session we will talk and write about responses to deficit perspectives 
and how those responses can be published in GATESOL in Action along 
with tips on writing for publication that gives voice to informed, 
research-based, and theoretical perspectives and practices . . . 
 

During our two sessions we used the following example of deficit and 

countering - the repression and destruction of language and culture in schools 

and the need for the conspicuous promotion of pride in being bi/multilingual 

particularly for black and brown children – to spur discussion.   Our attendees 

were wonderfully engaged and excited to talk as we elicited from them the 

many strategies and activities that teachers could and do employ.  After 

talking, we allowed them time to write.   It is such a precious art, the capacity 

to write and portray our thoughts.   Recognizing that time is also such a rare 

commodity for teaches to reflect on their work, we allowed at least fifteen to 

twenty minutes during our allotted sessions for attendees to craft an opening 

response to the theme.  We targeted Pk-12 teachers for our session in 

particular because we are eager to tap into the rich reservoir of teacher 

knowledge, skills and experiences to report to a wider audience precisely 

2                                                                      GATESOL in Action, Vol. 1, Fall 2015 
 



those activities that they are doing at the ground level to counter deficit 

perspectives.  We do not expect this task to be accomplished by those solely in 

the universities sometimes referred to as “the ivory tower.” Therefore, we 

pushed for attendees to be engaged in writing during our session. After 

attendees had crafted their initial ideas, they shared a few pieces of their 

writing and then we went on to talk about the challenges of writing as PK-12 

educators.  We also considered the necessity of writing as PK-12 educators 

because indeed, sometimes, the Pen is Mightier than the Sword to uplift 

ourselves out of some of the prevailing negativity that surrounds the 

educational endeavor!  But, fellow educators, we need to write! 

As part of our work to encourage writing about important topics and 

themes, in our session we used an exemplar article written by Ana Maria 

Villegas and Tamara Lucas in Educational Leadership (2007).  The university 

professors discussed in very clear and comprehensible terms in a few pages 

how we need to see students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds 

as capable learners.  They elaborate on the qualities that teachers need to 

exhibit and the strategies teachers need to embrace to affirm those language 

learners particularly those historically marginalized. 

3                                                                      GATESOL in Action, Vol. 1, Fall 2015 
 



In our own papers for this edition, Aubrey Southall, a former PK-12 social 

studies teacher and current doctoral student, describes how she used 

historically-based children’s literature in the high school ESOL social studies 

classroom. Southall describes some of the strategies that she used and 

provides us with a listing of some of the texts.   Maria Montalvo Balbed and 

Bernadette McCormack Musetti help us to understand the often unspoken 

aspects of “capital” through analyses of the lives of four immigrant women 

from the Dominican Republic.  We learn from their lived experiences how to 

counter some of the prevailing deficit perspectives that abound in the 

community and in educational settings.  Writers, Pedro Portes, Rolf 

Straubhaar and Paula Mellom describe work that is being done at the Center 

for Latino Achievement and Success in Education at the University of Georgia.  

The authors describe their research project and the practices that teachers 

can adopt to provide the support that is needed to bridge the divide in U.S. 

schools that serves to hamper the success of language learners.   

All the writers in this edition emphasize the need for the preparation of all 

educators to work with culturally and linguistically diverse students.  Failure 

to do so will only serve to increase the educational gap.   At GATESOL in Action, 

we encourage all educators to use the pen (aka keyboard) to tell the stories of 

4                                                                      GATESOL in Action, Vol. 1, Fall 2015 
 



successful teaching and research that serve to promote pride in 

bi/multilingualism and draw on the deep funds of knowledge that reside 

within the our learners’ language and culture.  Pick up the pen and let us know 

about the good work you are doing! 

Gertrude Tinker Sachs, Senior Editor 

 

 

Reference 

Villegas, A. M.  & Lucas, T. (March, 2007).  The culturally responsive teacher.   

Educational Leadership, 28-33.    Retrieved from: 

http://worldview2.web.unc.edu/files/2014/02/Required-reading1-The-
Culturally-Responsive-Teacher.pdf 

 

 

 

 
 

5                                                                      GATESOL in Action, Vol. 1, Fall 2015 
 

http://worldview2.web.unc.edu/files/2014/02/Required-reading1-The-Culturally-Responsive-Teacher.pdf
http://worldview2.web.unc.edu/files/2014/02/Required-reading1-The-Culturally-Responsive-Teacher.pdf

