“I Feel Our Situation is Completely Different!” Persisting Monolingual Ideologies Among International School Egyptian Teachers

• In Event: Language Across Borders: Multilingual Realities and Linguistic Justice in Global Classrooms

Abstract

Monolingual ideologies are widespread among teachers globally (Alissari et al., 2019; Anderson et al., 2024; Kiramba, 2018; Manan, 2017; Onivehu, et al., 2022; Sah, 2024). Many educators believe that increased immersion in English leads to better proficiency in the language. While often regarded as common sense, such monolingual ideologies lack empirical support and are not considered pedagogically sound (Auerbach, 1993). Moreover, English-only policies, despite being promoted pedagogically, are often rooted in political and colonial agendas (Auerbach, 1993; Macedo, 2000). International schools in Egypt, many of which rely on western consulting agencies for teacher training, are no exception to this trend. Thus, this study examines middle-class Egyptian teachers’ language ideologies and how these beliefs influence their pedagogical decisions.
Kroskrity (2006) defines language ideologies as “beliefs about how languages are acquired” (p. 497). Among the most pervasive language ideologies globally are monolingual assumptions (Alissari et al., 2019; Anderson et al., 2024; Auerbach, 1993; Kiramba, 2018; Manan et al., 2021; Sah, 2024). Many teachers believe that second language instruction should be conducted exclusively in the target language (English), an idea Cummins (2007) termed the direct method assumption. This study draws on Cummins' critiques of the direct method and the no translation assumptions, both widely promoted as “best instructional strategies”. The no translation assumption entails that using translation causes students to “tune out” their weaker language, hindering development, whereas the direct method assumes second language instruction must exclude students’ first language completely (Cummins, 2007).
Using a case study methodology, this paper examines language ideologies upheld by five middle-class Egyptian teachers in three international schools in Cairo. Data sources include five professional development discussions, ten interviews, and five reflective entries. Thematic analysis showed that despite exposure to bilingual education research, teachers continued to uphold the direct method and no translation assumptions. Teachers justified their stance by arguing that since students speak Arabic outside school, limited classroom English exposure should be fully immersive. They also shared that their own immersive experiences with English media growing up were more effective for acquisition than formal approaches used in schools. Some of the teachers’ beliefs were informed by administrative feedback and training that reinforced the no translation assumption.
These ideologies shaped teachers’ pedagogical choices. For example, some teachers shared allocating regular periods for English-only conversations to enhance students’ fluency. Additionally, they demanded school-wide events requiring students to speak exclusively in English before larger audiences. Finally, teachers viewed strict enforcement of English-only policies as essential for preparing students to confidently converse with native English speakers.
This study is the first to investigate Egyptian teachers’ language ideologies and their pedagogical implications. Its findings offer significant implications for further research in Egypt and other Global South contexts, where English holds power over majority/native languages (Pervez, 2025). Given the scarcity of language education research in Arabic-speaking contexts (Afikra, 2023) including Egypt, it is crucial to consider contextual specificities while drawing on decades of research from the Global North to avoid uncritically importing research from the west (Pervez, 2025).

Author

• Alia Shalaby, Pennsylvania State University