Poster #10 - Teachers' Beliefs Concerning Teaching Multilingual Learners: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Between the United States and Germany

• In Event: 25.087 - MTCC Poster Session Four
  In Poster Session: 25.087-2 - Teachers' Lives and Lived Experiences Poster Session

Abstract

We analyzed the beliefs of in-service teachers from the US (n = 60) and Germany (n = 65) concerning the teaching of multilingual learners utilizing a survey originally developed in German/Germany that was adapted and translated into English. Results show that teachers from both samples on average agree (strongly) that a person’s identity is connected to their language and culture. However, we found significant differences in scale mean values between US teachers and German teachers concerning their beliefs about academic language, home languages, and content teachers’ responsibility for language teaching. Our results provide insight in cross-cultural differences of German and US teachers’ beliefs as well as a strong instrument in two languages to measure teachers’ beliefs about multilingualism in schools.

Authors

• Svenja Hammer, University of Lüneburg

• Kara Mitchell Viesca, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

• Timo Ehmke, Leuphana University - Lüneburg

• Brandon Heinz, University of Nebraska - Lincoln