Mainstream K-2nd Grade Teachers’ Beliefs Towards Using Learners’ Home Languages in a Multilingual Setting

Abstract

This article reports the quantitative phase results from a mixed-method study conducted with K-2nd grade mainstream teachers in a U.S. district where most teachers and learners are multilingual. The study aimed to capture teachers' beliefs about using learners' home languages (HLs) in classrooms. Previous research on teachers' beliefs towards linguistic minorities (Dixon et al., 2016; Lucas et al., 2014; De Angelis, 2011) suggested that some variables, such as being bilingual and receiving training, could positively impact teachers' beliefs. The results reported here indicated a more complex situation with significant implications for teachers' training courses in multilingual settings. Abandoning a monolingual mindset during instructional time may involve revising teacher training and curriculum development. The results reported here bring valuable insight into the general belief that immersion in a monolingual-only environment would help students learn the language of the school faster, which impeded teachers from using learners' HLs for instructional purposes. Further studies could discuss if and how teachers' training programs on second language acquisition, literacy, and TESOL validate and incorporate learners' HL repertoire and adhere to a monolingual mindset. Moreover, if multilingual learners (MLs) have the right to understand instruction, express their knowledge, and participate in the classroom, it is essential to discuss the role of HL inside classrooms.