Teacher beliefs regarding bilingualism in an English medium reading program

Abstract

Reading classes in schools where English is the medium of instruction are increasingly servicing a linguistically diverse population; however, teacher-training for English teachers lacks a focus on bilingualism. Using the context of Singapore, this paper analyses beliefs on bilingualism of English teachers in an early intervention reading program. It is based on the results of a survey sent to 270 teachers, in-depth interviews with 5 of the surveyed teachers, and observations of their classes. In keeping with the focus of their training program most teachers believe in an immersion approach though, ironically, they also believe that L1 can aid in learning English. The more experience the teacher has the more likely she is to believe that the L1 can aid in the teaching of English. There is an overlap of beliefs regarding immersion and bilingualism. On the basis of these findings I suggest implications for teacher education programs.