Normalizing English language learner students: a Foucauldian analysis of opposition to bilingual education

Abstract

This article uses Foucault’s (1977/1995) concept of normalization to analyze contemporary opposition to bilingual education in the United States. These contemporary movements have ‘normalized’ English language learner (ELL) students by appropriating the technology of language in order to become ‘Americanized.’ This has become urgent and emergent in educational research, in part, because of the growing number of ELL students in United States’ public schools. English‐language proficiency is an essential element for academic success in the US’s current English‐only, high‐stakes testing environment. This analysis questions the notion of an ideal American as the standard for how educators implement English‐only curriculum and pedagogy for ELL students. The article concludes with a critique of the impact and implications of ‘normalizing’ ELL students with an English‐only education.