Abstract
Commonly held beliefs about language and its implications in educational contexts are questioned in this research and theory-based book. The main purpose of this piece is to expose the intersection between language, ideology, and power in education policy and practice that result in learning settings where students from non-dominant linguistic and cultural backgrounds are viewed from a deficit perspective. McKinney intends to make the reader aware that being cognizant about pervasive language ideologies is a critical step in achieving social justice where all learners are positioned as powerful languagers and holders of knowledge. Decolonizing classrooms through the disruption of discourses that portray languages as distinct entities with boundaries between them is proposed as a solution.
McKinney introduces the concept of Anglonormativity as the imposition of a single language and register in formal learning settings. Students who do not meet the expectation of being proficient in the standardized forms of communication, characterized as ‘White’ English, are considered deficient and deviant. This concept is tied to power, as only privileged registers are perceived as valuable and acceptable forms of discourse in school contexts.
In Chapters 1 and 2, McKinney exposes paradigm shifts in the study of language and intends to make them accessible to educators and policy makers. A list of myths and their powerful influence on education are revealed: Monolinguism is the desirable norm, the standard variety of a language is superior, linguistic purity should be maintained and hybrid practices avoided, and multilingualism is problematic. Through vivid examples of South African schools, McKinney intends to show a connection with these commonly held standard language ideologies in US education. Language is presented in this section as a heteroglossic social practice with multiple varieties even within a single named language. Through this argument, the notion of mother tongue is problematized, since it invokes a single standard language. While the use of mother tongue for instruction may be a tool for liberation, it is also a political tool of subjugation used as a strategy for restricting access to the English language. While the hegemony of English has been countered through additive approaches in contexts such as South Africa, they do not acknowledge the heteroglossic nature of language and the complexities of mother tongue.
In Chapters 3, 4, and 5, monoglossic and Anglonormative language ideologies and their role in maintaining the cultural ethos of whiteness are analyzed through ethnographic research conducted in four South African schools. In Anglonormativity, the use of English is normalized and what is perceived as ‘White’ English is valued at the expense of ‘Black’ English. The ‘Black’ label is recognized in this book as a politically and culturally constructed category. The superiority granted to mainstream ethnolinguistic repertoires in the cases presented in these chapters deny Black students a space in the school context where they may feel valued and free to access their entire linguistic repertoire. The normativity of whiteness is reproduced through teachers’ discourses and classmates’ policing of ‘proper’ pronunciation and use of words. Students’ discourses revealed the stigma associated with Black varieties of English and the appreciation for what they call ‘White’ or ‘Louis Vuitton’ English.
Vivid examples of South Africa students’ language and literacy practices that resist dominant monoglossic norms and transformative pedagogical approaches are presented in Chapters 6, 7, and 8. Hybrid discursive practices are evident in students’ translanguaging and use of diverse semiotic resources for meaning making. Several instances are presented where heteroglossic language practices take place signaling students’ agency even within restrictive environments. In this manner, the limitations of language ideologies that position certain linguistic practices as pure and desirable are exposed. Students are only able to make sense of the content at hand when all their linguistic resources are utilized as tools. McKinney also provides detailed examples of transformative pedagogical practices implemented by educators in South Africa that position all students as competent and resourceful. Students are encouraged to draw creatively on their linguistic and multimodal repertoire.
The concept of Anglonormativity presented by McKinney accurately depicts dominant language ideologies in education in which non-dominant groups are positioned as deficient. Through multiple detailed examples, the book is clear in providing evidence of whose knowledge is visible and whose is invisible. Even though McKinney argues that there are parallels between post-apartheid South Africa and the United States (US), the vast majority of the ethnographic studies presented in this book were conducted in South Africa. It is argued that the complex history of the US embodies dynamics of imperial power and post-colonial contexts. It can certainly be argued that the education system in the US is, in fact, characterized by Anglonormativity, yet minimal evidence was presented to support this argument.
Social justice through education is a goal many educators, scholars, and researchers strive to attain. This book urges teachers and students to become change agents and activists by envisioning innovative classrooms in which transformative practices and opportunities to learn about language and relations of power are in place, such as the classroom examples presented. This book is effective in providing evidence of transformative approaches to language in which Anglonormativity and monolingualism are disrupted through students' and educators’ agency even when restrictive educational policies are in place. This book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning about language ideologies in South Africa. It incorporates the new concept of Anglonormativity to expose and discuss various issues in educational systems.