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This 2-year case study is a phenomenology of belief-change resulting from a specific curricular re-configuration. It follows Álvaro, a Master of Arts in Teaching Spanish student, from the first week of classes until graduation, as he completed a 4-semester program. Seeking to stimulate a move toward conscientização, the pilot curriculum included a translanguaging approach to three graduate courses, readings and group discussions on translinguistics, and shadowing an undergraduate Spanish class (for ‘heritage speakers’) that adopted a translanguaging approach. Additionally, opportunities for professional development (e.g. preparing and presenting an original paper at a national bilingual education conference) were provided. Following an iterative approach, data were collected via interviews and written reflections throughout the program; datasets were transcribed (when necessary) and analyzed after collection. Manen’s (1990) guidelines for phenomenological analysis were adopted, and member checking was used for validation of findings. Results chart out a baseline of beliefs held by Álvaro prior to entering the program, and three types of belief-shift he experienced during his studies; these regard the dynamic nature of Spanish, the link between race and language, and the value of multilingual practices in society and education. Critical awakening/despertar crítico is introduced as a metacategory.
