The Intersection of Educator and Student Linguistic Ideologies Within the Middle-Grades Classroom

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: Exploring Linguistic Diversity and Critical Consciousness for Preservice and In-Service Teacher Development

Abstract

Educator language ideologies play a significant role in the implementation of classroom language and discourse practices, while learner language ideologies contribute to the ways in which those practices are taken up. Previous research has examined the language ideologies held by both educators and students, but rarely has the intersection of the two been investigated, particularly in the middle grades. Drawing on teacher interviews and student focus groups, the present study offers a framework for examining the ways in which educator and learner ideologies align or misalign within the middle-grades classroom. Findings highlight perceived linguistic hierarchies, educator concerns about native language usage in the classroom, and misalignment of understandings regarding the purposes of academic conversation.

Authors

• Heather M Meston, Vanderbilt University

• Emily Phillips Galloway, Vanderbilt University