The CATESOL Journal

Research has indicated that heteronormativity in ESOL classrooms may prevent lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ+) students from producing meaningful language output and negotiating their identities in new social contexts (e.g., Liddicoat, 2009). This study aimed to understand (a) how LGBTQ+ students perceive the framing of sexual diversity in classrooms and (b) the subsequent effects on their language and identity development. Qualitative interviews with 4 LGBTQ+ former ESOL learners in the San Francisco Bay Area were conducted and thematically coded. Results indicated that the strong desire for professional advancement dovetailed with the desire to affirm an LGBTQ+ identity, yet the ESOL classroom provided few opportunities to construct an LGBTQ+ identity. However, expertly facilitated LGBTQ+ content provided numerous benefits to learners. Teachers should reframe classroom discussions to be maximally inclusive and should choose an approach to discussing LGBTQ+ content that allows students to empower themselves.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children and Head Start have clearly articulated their position on the provision of high-quality instruction for the 4 million dual language learners (DLLs) enrolled in early childhood (EC) programs nationwide. Professional development (PD) provides a way for educators to increase their knowledge and skills; however, teacher practices in the classroom are strongly influenced by implicit beliefs about how children learn. This study examined the influence of 6 PD sessions related to high-quality instruction for DLLs and examined other influential factors related to beliefs and practices. Participants were 98 early childhood educators serving 3- and 4-year-old DLLs in an urban area in the Southwest US. Quantitative findings indicate educators’ beliefs and practices shifted after PD. Qualitative findings suggest that educators’ empathy, expectations, and external factors also influenced their beliefs and practices. Implications for PD and program design are discussed.

English language learners (ELLs) experience linguistic, cultural, and cognitive shifts that can be challenging and at times lead to isolation for ELLs. While education technology may be an instructional resource and engage learners, devices alone do not shift instructional practices or lead to student gains. This case study was performed at an international school in Europe to investigate the experiences of 4th-grade ELL students and their teaching in a 1-to-1 iPad device classroom. Three main findings emerged from the study: iPads have specific functionalities that can be used to support ELL students; ELL students were engaged with using the iPads in content lessons; and study participants, including teachers and students, perceived language and cognitive growth in ELL students when using the iPad. However, there were also challenges found in the study. To mitigate some of these challenges and build on the success of this study, the researcher suggests developing a common vision for technology integration, using collaborative models of ELL teaching and investing in professional development.

This article tackles the questions around the efficacy of the English language in educational contexts.The author argues that the answer to these questions has nothing to do with whether English is a more viable language of instruction or whether it promises non-English–speaking students full participation both in school and the society at large. This position, in the author’s view, would point to an assumption that English is, in fact, a superior language and that we live in a classless, race-blind society. He proposes, instead, that the attempt to institute proper and effective methods of educating non-English–speaking students rests on a full understanding of the ideological elements that generate and sustain linguistic, cultural, and racial discrimination, which represent vestiges of a colonial legacy in our democracy

The colonial legacy of English instruction has become especially relevant within the field of TESOL. While it is promising that increasing attention is being paid to the issue of colonialism and its historical and contemporary impact on the teaching of English, educators might be left without a clear sense of how to traverse the precarious path of English teaching given the realities of the colonial context. The purpose of this article is to present a brief overview of the different proposed strategies for addressing the enduring influence of colonialism in English language teaching. Specifically, it provides a research review of the various methods and pedagogical applications for addressing colonialism in English instruction. This article is intended as a resource to aid practitioners in working reflectively with the continuing effects of colonial English while moving toward decolonial options for English language teaching.

This manuscript draws from a 2-year multiple-case ethnography on the educational experiences of immigrant families with California middle schools. The article explores the influence of the political landscape and raciolinguistic ideologies surrounding the nature and implementation of a dual language bilingual program, and it shares ethnographic snapshots from both a school- and home-based perspective of (in)equity issues related to the program. Data sources include home and school observations, and interviews with students, parents, administrators, and teachers. Findings suggest that though all students are treated as language learners, educational-reform policies and practices may be undermining the school’s effort to implement an equitable bilingual program. Implications for practice include the interrogation of educational policies and practices that can further marginalize students across race and class in the process of becoming bilingual in the US.