Uncovering Bias Against Emerging Bilingual Students in Language Arts Methods Textbooks for Preservice Teachers

• In Event: 58.045 - Fostering Critical Attitudes and Beliefs of Preservice Teachers Toward English Language Learners

Abstract

For students of linguistically underserved groups to experience equal opportunity for success in public education, they need to be taught by teachers who understand ELA pedagogy from bilingual or multilingual perspectives, rather than merely from a monolingual standpoint. This critical textual analysis of five popular language arts methods textbooks examined the representation of emerging bilingual students (EBs) to ascertain the philosophical underpinnings in the labeling and depiction of these students, the soundness of the types of instructional materials and strategies recommended and the appropriateness of assessments presented for language learning across multiple linguistic identities. The findings reveal multiple forms of curriculum bias suggesting that knowledge about teaching EBs was less valued than knowledge about teaching native English-speakers.

Authors

• David Alan Mann, Florida Atlantic University

• Dilys Schoorman, Florida Atlantic University