International School Teachers’ Language Ideologies: An Exploration through Methodological Pluralism

Abstract

Critical scholars have recently drawn attention to hegemonic language ideologies across various educational contexts. International schools, despite often being rich with linguistic diversity, typically promote proficiency in an accepted standard variety of English as the desired and favored outcome for students. When educators hold hegemonic language ideologies that are consistent with practices that marginalize and devalue linguistic diversity, it is detrimental for students’ learning and their linguistic identity formation.

Research that documents international school teachers’ language ideologies is scarce. In this article, the authors re-examine two of their recent empirical studies exploring teachers’ language ideologies within international schools. Through a mixed methods approach grounded in a critical theory framework, the authors explore what personal factors and professional experiences influence teachers’ language ideologies. Key findings indicate three factors or experiences that align ideologies with hegemonic beliefs, and four factors or experiences that align with counter-hegemonic beliefs. The study concludes with key considerations for how educators might shift toward more counter-hegemonic beliefs in support of multilingual students, families and communities.