Unbiased but ideologically unclear: Teacher beliefs about language practices of emergent bilingual students in the U.S.

Abstract

Language ideologies are influential on teaching practices and teachers’ beliefs and attitudes toward linguistically and culturally diverse students. This multiple case study investigates the beliefs and experiences of two content-area teachers and focuses on their language ideologies regarding the home language use of emergent bilingual (EB) students in the United States. We collected data from our interviews and informal meetings with them as well as observations of their participation in a workshop. Our cross-case analysis reveals that they seemed to have positive beliefs about tapping into the home language of EB students as a resource but were simultaneously guided by normative language ideologies. Although the teachers were aware of their power of negotiating and resisting normative language ideologies, they were guided by the liberal ideology of home languages, which states that they should be used with restriction. They did not seem to demonstrate the ideological clarity of critically incorporating home languages into teaching practices. We concur that there is a need for preparing teachers to be more critical to challenge taken-for-granted assumptions about EB’s use of language.