Racializing ESOL Teacher Identities in U. S. K—12 Public Schools

Motha, Suhanthie

doi:10.2307/40264541

Cited by 130 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 34 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…One of the studies in the Kubota & Lin special issue is that of Motha (2006), who observed that 'school and classroom practices provide the terrain in which meanings of racialized identities are dynamically and continuously constructed and negotiated ' (2006: 497). Motha's research with four American teachers attempting to create anti-racist pedagogies illustrated the complexities such a commitment involved.…”

Section: Identity Categories and Language Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identity, language learning, and social change

Norton¹,

Toohey²

2011

Lang. Teach.

802

466

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this review article on identity, language learning, and social change, we argue that contemporary poststructuralist theories of language, identity, and power offer new perspectives on language learning and teaching, and have been of considerable interest in our field. We first review poststructuralist theories of language, subjectivity, and positioning and explain sociocultural theories of language learning. We then discuss constructs of INVESTMENT and IMAGINED COMMUNITIES/IMAGINED IDENTITIES (Norton Peirce 1995;Norton 1997Norton , 2000Norton , 2001, showing how these have been used by diverse identity researchers. Illustrative examples of studies that investigate how identity categories like race, gender, and sexuality interact with language learning are discussed. Common qualitative research methods used in studies of identity and language learning are presented, and we review the research on identity and language teaching in different regions of the world. We examine how digital technologies may be affecting language learners' identities, and how learner resistance impacts language learning. Recent critiques of research on identity and language learning are explored, and we consider directions for research in an era of increasing globalization. We anticipate that the identities and investments of language learners, as well as their teachers, will continue to generate exciting and innovative research in the future.

show abstract

Section: Identity Categories and Language Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identity, language learning, and social change

Norton¹,

Toohey²

2011

Lang. Teach.

802

466

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Given the privileged position of the native speaker in defining language pedagogy (McKay, 2002); the problematic intertwining of the English language and race (Motha, 2006in Ruecker & Ives, 2014; as well as the fact that intelligence and competence is often based on physical appearance (Moore, et al 2011;Verhulst, et al, 2010), it is easy to propose that the so-called Native Speaker Fallacy is a type of halo effect surrounding NESTs as defined in this study, at least in Indonesia. Especially when considering the high rates of students who think they are essential to the learning process (Murtiana, 2011).…”

Section: The Halo Effectmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…1.1), who used English from birth, and whose nativeness is biologically inherited. Though this usage is narrow and quite possibly discriminatory, (Rampton, 1990;McKay, 2002;Cook, 2013), Motha (2006, in Ruecker & Ives, 2014 claims that due to historical factors, "English and Whiteness are thornily intertwined " (p. 496). This can be seen in the discourse in how English teacher job advertisements in East and Southeast Asia seem to focus a lot on nativeness and even having the correct Caucasian look (Ruecker & Ives, 2014).…”

Section: English Language Teaching In Indonesiamentioning

confidence: 99%

The Halo surrounding native English speaker teachers in Indonesia

Kramadibrata¹

2016

Indonesian J. Appl. Linguist

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Native Speaker Fallacy, a commonly held belief that Native English Speaker Teachers (NESTs) are inherently better than Non-NESTs, has long been questioned by ELT researchers. However, this belief still stands strong in the general public. This research looks to understand how much a teacher's nativeness affects a student's attitude towards them, as well as the underlying reasons for their attitudes. Sixty seven respondents in two groups were asked to watch an animated teaching video, after which they completed a questionnaire that used Likert-scales to assess comprehensibility, clarity of explanation, engagement, and preference. The videos for both groups were identical apart from the narrator; one spoke in British English, while the other, Indian English. In addition, they were also visually identified as Caucasian and Asian, respectively. The video was controlled for speed of delivery. The quantitative data were then triangulated using qualitative data collected through open questions in the questionnaire as well as from a semi-structured interview conducted with 10 respondents. The data show that there is a significant implicit preference for NEST teachers in the video, as well as in respondent's actual classes. However, when asked explicitly, respondents didn't rank nativeness as a very important quality in English teachers. This discrepancy between implicit and explicit attitudes might be due to a subconscious cognitive bias, namely the Halo Effect, in which humans tend to make unjustified presumptions about a person based on known but irrelevant information.

show abstract

“…Specifically, MLE converges with critical language studies in which scholar-teachers challenge the traditional discourses of language teaching and learning. Critical studies recognize the symbolic function of English around the world as it relates to local practices and membership in various communities (Alim, Ibrahim, & Pennycook, 2008;Pennycook, 1994Pennycook, , 2007, language policies and ownership (Phillipson, 1992;Widdowson, 1994), and social structures that privilege some groups over others (Benesch, 2001;Kubota & Lin, 2006Morgan, 1998;Motha, 2006;Nelson, 2009). Through this critical lens, we know that language-learners have culturally complex identities that are constructed in communities and cultures.…”

Section: Comme Suite à La Saturation De Nos Environnements Culturels mentioning

confidence: 99%