Abstract
In this study, we investigate how professionals in early childhood education (ECE) reason about multilingualism. Empirical data are analyzed in terms of ‘traditions of argumentation’ which proposes that we cannot argue for something without, explicitly or implicitly, arguing against something else. The analyses use transcribed data from two focus groups conducted with teachers in two preschools in Sweden. These teachers had experience teaching culturally and linguistically diverse groups of children. The reoccurring rhetorical strategy used by the teachers to talk about their work with multilingual children used a set of contrasts. Three contrasts were identified: (1) I/we versus them (others); (2) here-and-now versus there-and-then; and (3) building ECE on research versus personal experience. The study has implications for teachers and students in preschool teacher education to understand the possible tensions and contrasts inherent in teaching culturally and linguistically diverse children. Rather than simplifying professional practice to either side of a dichotomy, teachers should be encouraged to understand and verbalize the bases of their professional knowledge, and understand the different positions from which they draw knowledge to inform practice.
Highlights
The interests of this study are twofold: empirically, how do early childhood education teachers respond to contemporary multilingualism and methodologically, in research, how to analytically account for what is implicitly stated in teachers’ responses rather than what is explicated
We explore what and how participating preschool teachers, who work in a multilingual area of Sweden, argue about the challenges posed by multilingualism
Across different topics discussed in the focus groups over time, three emerging tensions or contrasts were identified across excerpts and these are illustrated across the presented excerpts: (1) I/we versus them; (2) Here-and- versus there-and-; and (3) Building early childhood education (ECE) on research versus personal experience
Summary
The interests of this study are twofold: empirically, how do early childhood education teachers respond to contemporary multilingualism and methodologically, in research, how to analytically account for what is implicitly stated in teachers’ responses rather than what is explicated. One theoretical premise is that how teachers speak about the use of language by children in ECE groups has consequences for how they relate to the children. We respond not necessarily to what is explicitly said, but what we take to be the intended meaning. In research, this poses a challenge about how we can examine analytically what is metaphorically said, beyond the words that are spoken
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