Attitudes and Beliefs of Teacher Candidates Regarding Heritage Language Maintenance

Abstract

This paper reports on the findings of an investigation that explored teacher candidates’ (TCs) attitudes and beliefs about heritage language (HL) maintenance and variables that may predict their attitudes and beliefs. The participants were 270 TCs in Southwest Florida who completed an on-line survey with Likert-type statements and open-ended questions. Quantitative data was analyzed using factor analysis followed by linear multiple regression analyses. The constructs of TCs’ attitudes and beliefs toward HL maintenance were used as dependent variables in the multiple regression models. The level of preparation in multicultural and bilingual education was a statistically significant predictor of TCs’ views in regard to active teacher practices to maintain HL, benefits of HL at school, and the role of the schools. TCs’ ability to speak more than one language was found to predict their attitudes and beliefs about the benefits of HL at school. In addition, experiences with diverse cultures and languages outside the U.S. influenced TCs’ attitudes toward bilingualism. The qualitative analysis of TCs’ responses to the open-ended questions showed increased awareness of HL maintenance for TCs at the end of the teacher education program compared with those at the beginning. However, descriptions of teaching strategies in HL maintenance indicated TCs’ limited understanding of appropriate ways for supporting the HL. This gap between awareness and expected teacher behavior suggests the need for further preparation in the area of HL support.