Week 16 Towards a transformative and empowering teacher education agenda: Revisioning TESOL

This weeks readings included McKay & Bokhorts-Heng Chapter 7: Towards a socially sensitive EIL pedagogy and Lin, A et al. (2002) Appropriating English, expanding identities, and revisioning the field. Decolonizing TESOL. 

In Appropriating English the authors discuss "their collective story". All four of the authors have learned and used English since childhood in different parts of Asia and met in Canada during their doctoral studies in English language education. The article reflectively analyzes the authors’ experiences linking them to current discourses of language learning and identity. One comparable storyline they found within their different stories involves learning English in contexts where English is not a language used in daily life. In all of the authors’ learning contexts, English was not used for daily communication with families or communities. Instead it was encountered as an academic subject in school. Wendy states that English was foreign to her Chinese upbringing and in school children saw it as irrelevant and uninteresting. Angel also found English was only relevant or appropriate in the school setting.

An ELL student from Japan has told me, that he was unmotivated to use English while living in Japan because he didn’t see a need for it. He knew he needed to study English for university purposes but it wasn’t until he came to the United States was he really motivated to improve his English speaking skills.  English only being seen as a school subject for academic grades and not seen as having much of a communicative purpose may lead to a lack of motivation among students.  I know from my own experiences learning a second language how this perspective can directly affect your motivation to learn a language.  I was very excited to learn Spanish when I took my first whole year course.  Once I was in the class my perspective quickly changed. My teacher was very strict and taught language as a strict set of rules and memorization. For me, learning is much more of a social process and I was not getting this from my class. I stopped doing my homework and participating in class. I spent so much time struggling with the class during school I had no motivation to work on it at home.

           

What’s interesting is the authors stated that while English seemed like just another school subject to them at the time, some teachers helped appropriate English and engage students in practices explaining their horizons and identities. I really like how they said “those moments were experienced as self-transforming, culturally enriching and also at times psychologically liberating”. I believe this quote really shows the relationship between language and identity. While I continued to take Spanish courses upon the request of my parents throughout high school I wasn’t very motivated. I enjoyed learning the language but something was missing, I wasn’t getting the experience I wanted. I was unmotivated to learn Spanish until I met my first Spanish professor in college. Her class provided us with opportunities to communicate with our peers and use our Spanish in real life situations. It wasn’t until I went to a community in Chicago and was able to use my Spanish did bilingualism become a true goal of mine. I liked reading an excerpt of Nobu’s story. After he failed to enter a prestigious high school he began meeting with an English tutor which led him to become an English teacher. My Spanish professor had changed my perception of language development as well. I began to see Spanish not as a set of skills to memorize and but as this interesting dynamic concept which serves a communicative and cultural purpose.

Both Wendy and Angel’s anticlimax where suddenly their English tool became not enough for them in an English speaking community broke my heart. As a teacher working with second language learners I hope I can teach my students to always value their bilingualism. Wendy’s later quoted “I no longer considered English as their language. It was mine”. This is such a confident and enduring statement.  We should be teaching students how to have this type of attitude towards acquiring a language. While the authors’ experiences vary from their students, they still work with their students to become confident English speakers and reach their potential.  

Chapter 7 of McKay and Bokhorst-Heng states that because many English bilingual speakers use English on a daily basis with one or more other languages English is influenced by these other languages. There are different lexical items, grammatical standards, pronunciation patterns for certain sociocultural and socio linguistic contexts. These contexts produce varieties of English “custom fit” for what they need. I like how the book states that these variations should not be seen as interlanguages, errors or fossilized forms of English acquisition. However these are forms of World Englishes and are languages in their own right.

Another interesting point I found in the book was the discussion of rejection of Westernization. In some countries there is a lot of pressure to learn English. There is a large debate on whether or not learning English should include the Western culture. A Japanese best-selling book by a sociolinguistic discussed why teaching English should not be paired with information about Western cultural values.  Many do reject explicit teaching of Western culture in teaching English while others promote it. What is Western Culture? Should it be included in teaching EIL?   

The chapter ends with some principals for a socially sensitive EIL pedagogy. There are many factors that contribute to English as an international language.  The key principles were really interesting. The book suggests EIL curricula to be relevant to the domains in which English is used in the particular learning context and teachers should strive to alter language policies that promote English only among the elite of the country. They state EIL curricula should also include diverse examples of English varieties used today. There is no one English and this should be represented in the classroom. EIL curricula  also needs to focus of the interaction of two second language speakers and full recognition needs to be given to all the other languages spoken by English speakers. Lastly, EIL should be taught in a way that respects the local culture of learning. What did you think of these principals? How do you plan on incorporating them in your future classroom?

Globalization, migration and English spreading across the world has created very diverse social and educational contexts where individuals are learning English. English may be an international language and pedagogical decisions and practices need to consider these many social contexts. We should be working for the benefit of all out students. 

Globalization and language teaching

This week’s readings included Kubota’s The impact of globalization on language teaching in Japan and World Englishes and the Teaching of Writing by Matsuda and Matsuda.

Kubota’s article recognizes the effects globalization has on Japan today. Kubota points out two growing trends in Japan. First he discusses Americanization, how today many American values and customs can be found in Japan. He also discusses an increase in nationalism.  So how does globalization, the influence of cultures outside of Japan affect language learning and language teaching? 

Kubota looks at three dimensions of language learning and teaching in Japan related to globalization first, ethnic linguistic and cultural diversity in local communities and second the prevalence of English. Both of these dimensions threaten national identity and lead to Kubota’s third dimension- nationalism endorsed by linguistic and cultural essentialism, a resistances to Anglicization. Can what Kubota talks about in these three dimension be applied to the U.S.?? What affects could this have on language policy?

Japan is actually a very ethnically and linguistically diverse country and continues to grow.  I thought the term “Koskusaika” was very interesting. Kokusaika means understanding people and culture in international communities via social cultural and educational opportunities. Kokusaika embraces globalization, transforms social and institutional conventions and adapts from the effects globalization has. While this idea embraces globalization it does not embrace total assimilation into the western culture, instead it seeks to maintain Japanese identity and share it with the world. I think there is very important for countries and communities affected by globalization. How can groups of individuals embrace globalization without costing them their own identity? How can you promote the assimilation into a different culture while retaining your own values and identity? While kokusaika attempts to claim power in globalization Kubota points out that it also tends to neglect the diversity within Japan in language education policies and practices.

The article discusses a few reforms in recent years and their effects on the learning English in Japan. The educational reform from the 1980s pushed by Rinji Kyoiku Shingikai believed that students needed to learn English to think in a “linear” English logic. Reforms like this one can have a profound effect on Japanese culture and the perception of English.  The article went into detail about English as a foreign language, how the model for English is seen as being standard North American or British varieties , how learning English leads to an international, intercultural understanding and how national identity is fostered through English that while moving towards English a national identity can still be maintained.  Kubota discusses some perceptions of English in Japan today. A he discusses how there is a strong feeling that being a bilingual speaker of Japanese and English is a good thing while being a bilingual speaker of Japanese and another language is not as appreciated. This ideal English/Japanese bilingual child is promoted within the school system.

 Another point that stuck out to me is an idea that English language teachers must be white and American to teach the “correct” form for English. Kubota mentions the problems some teachers face by not “fitting” this idea. One Australian woman was asked to lose her accent and speak Standard English. This results in racist practices in hiring English teachers within the country. Do we do this with languages other than English here in the U.S? How about our perceptions of non-native English speaking English professors? For those of you who plan on teaching English as a foreign language, how do you feel about this?

Kubota also discuss how learning English increases international and intercultural understanding, stating that it builds bridge across multiple cultures. However, he believes learning English with an emphasis on inner circle white middle class varieties does not. Instead this promotes a narrow view of the world’s cultures and essentialized images.

The Matsuda &Matsuda article, discusses the dominance of English around the world. English is not a one size fits all but World English is much more complex. Some argue that we need to teach a variety appropriate for different local contexts.  The use of English vary depending on where and function.  The traditional model of teaching one single target variety is not appropriate. This does not only apply for spoken English but writing as well.  I liked how the article stated teachers are not left with no choice but to impose dominant varieties. It suggested that while you teach dominant codes and conventions, you can help your students understand the different varieties. That some deviations are more marked than others and some are important to social meaning. Your job does not have to be imposing this one single “World English” but to teach your students to better understand the English as language and evolves.

This suggestion is followed with a few others to incorporate in your future classrooms. “Teaching the boundary between what works and what does not”- helping students understand the boundary, variations and the errors in contexts. “Teaching principles and strategies of discourse negotiation”- teaching whats acceptable and unacceptable in a given concept.  “Teaching the risks involved in using deviation features”- discussing the issue of power. Students should be encouraged to understand how language is complex in writing and speaking. It is our job as language teachers, when working with non-native English speakers to help our students understand the language, embrace the complexity of English and prepare them for globalization, and various language-contact situations. 

Week 14 Language Variations, Language Ideologies

This week’s blog post looked at chapter 5 of McKay and Bokhorts-Heng and also Lippie and Green’s English with an Accent: Language ideology, and discrimination in the United States.

The book discusses Platt’s idea that when a variety of a language develops it doesn’t happen in isolation but depends on the communicative needs of those who speak and write it. I heard a statistic that today there are actually even more L2 English speakers than native speakers. Brutt-Griffler uses the term macroacquisition to describe the process of SLA by speech communities in their own local contexts. English is in contact with so many other languages and used by bilinguals on a daily basis. English is a feature in cultures that have very different food, garments, cultural ceremonies etc. It’s really interesting and logical that language is going to need to vary to be relevant to the people using it. Why would we expect people from all around the around the world to adopt our idea of “Standard English” when there are variations of English within our own country? Variations of English through words and expressions help fulfill communicative needs in cultural contexts in which they act. English is not a “one size fits all” but needs to serve the speakers in the best way it can.  I like the example the book provides about South African communities where the word “sister” is used for any female regardless of the relationship. I feel like this use of English says a lot about the South African culture.

The chapter also discusses standard language ideology which we have talked about in class before. How this term refers to a variety of a language that is seen as the norm and is used in schools, like Standard English. Randolph Quirk said that variation in language use is educationally damaging in Anglophone countries. Kachru had argued that the spread of English means we need to reexamine traditional notions of standardization and codification. Why do we believe Standard English is correct and not damaging? If we are now the minority of English speakers, should this standard be revisited?  

The article English with an accent defined a word a lot of us use without a second thought. But what are we really saying when we say “he had a thick accent” or “it was hard to understand her because her accent”. Accents are said to distinguish stress in words or this term is used to define a specific way of speaking. While the article defines this definition of an accent as loose bundles of prosodic and segmental features over geographic and/or social space it also distinguishes between first language and second language accents. L1 accents are structured variation in language. Each one of us is a speaker of a variety whether it is geographic, associated to our gender, race, ethnicity, income or religion or other elements of social identity. Have you ever been told you have an “accent”?  Why do you think this happened? The article also discusses dialect. I liked how it was said that “language is a dialect with an army and a navy”. That dialects are languages that get no respect. After watching the documentary American Tongues last semester I realized how many people who speak dialects that are variations of Standard English feel like it negatively affects them. Some even feel like they need to lose this dialect, the way the speak to succeed, to be taken seriously and to gain respect. If none of us are truly speakers of Standard English why do speakers like the ones in the documentary need to change how they speak?

L2 accent is also discussed and said that when a native speaker of a language other than English acquires English sometimes their native language phonology shows up in the target language and is seen as an accent. Khakua is a bilingual speaker of English and Hawai’ian Creole English (HCE) who didn’t get a job he was qualified for because of his “hawai’ian accent” and when he sued the employer under Title Vii of the civil rights act, he lost because the judge believed it was reasonable for people to want radio announcers to speaks standard English and possible for speakers to control their language. Can we really correct this? Our author discusses if speakers are able to correct it, it is only temporary. He states that children are born with the ability to produce the entire set of possible sounds but restrict themselves over time to the ones they hear around them. In English 344 we looked at a study which exposed children to sounds outside their native language regularly, specifically children of Japanese and English speakers. It showed when children were exposed to say the l and r sound which are unfamiliar to Japanese they responded better to these sounds later on, opposed to children not exposed to these sounds early on, and later id not respond to these English sounds.

I really like the author’s idea of a sound house, that as children we build a sound house with the materials available to us and we imitate those around us.  The author proposes that if people are exposed to more than one sound hose as a child they have the resources and tools to make them but we are unable to do so when we’re older because the materials to build these sound houses are no long available.

Reading this article and hearing Khakua 's story reminded me of my mom. While my mother is a native speaker of English, she is from a region of the U.S. where speakers have very prominent and noticeable speech patterns opposed to us here in the Chicago area. When she moved from her hometown and to the Chicago area she was placed in speech therapy. While she had not been seen as having any speech problems at her previous school, suddenly her speech was a deficit. Today, you wouldn't doubt that she is a Chicago native. However, when she speaks to anyone from her hometown it’s like a light switch and she uses terms and pronunciation different from her everyday speech. Would this apply to the idea that modification to our speech are only temporary? Is it different because she speaks varieties of the same language?

Language Planning and Policy Post

This blog post is a reflection on this week's readings including Chapter four of International English in Its Sociolinguistic Contexts by McKay & Bokhorts-Heng and the article, Language idealistic and policies. Multilingualism and education. Language and linguistics compass by Farr and Song. 

This week’s readings discussed the relationship between language ideologies and education. I agree that linguistic culture, our beliefs on a language are in fact inseparable from education and as educators we must understand these language ideologies. So what exactly is a language ideology? The article defines this term as explicit or implicit representations that construe the intersection of language and human beings in a social world. These language ideologies connect linguistics to a social construction. The article also discusses two specific language ideologies relevant for education including the belief in language standardization and monolingualism. These two ideologies relate to language policies which may determine a number of things including what language is used and learned in schools and language choices at home and in the community. Language policies also influences what languages are used where, when, by whom, and what choices in grammar, vocabulary and genre and style are appropriate in certain contexts. The relationship between education and language policies is complex but needs to be recognized by educators for their students.

The article mentions that not only can language policies be stated explicitly via official documents including standardized tests and laws, but it is also derived implicitly by de facto practices including the status of English language. The U.S. Prop 227 is a statement of a language policy. As a pre-service bilingual educator Prop 227 is something that I am familiar with. Prop 227 would require all public schools to provide instruction in English only. This ignores the language differences and needs of minority languages and will make a major impact on language use and the overall education of these students. As the article later states- teachers need to feel empowered as agents in interpreting and implementing language policies affecting their teaching practices (660). I absolutely agree with this statement. I think it is important to recognize that you are more than an educator but an advocate for your students. I will be more than a bilingual educator but also an advocate for bilingual education. This requires an understanding of these ideologies and an understanding of our roles in the classroom, community and in the nation. We need to do our best to provide an equitable education despite students' culture, sexual orientation, race, sex,or English proficiency.  

McKay and Bokhorst-Hengy discuss the English-only movement in the U.S. Including the 1981 proposed constitutional amendment “Senate Joint Resolution 72” which would make English the official language of the United States and make creating or implementing any law which requires the use of any language other than English by the federal or state government unlawful. While languages other than English could be used in educational instruction, ultimately bilingual ballots would not be allowed and maintaining one’s L1 would not be a goal of bilingual education. I found the comment by Hawakaya supporting English as the official language to be ironic. He was quoted as saying “a common language unifies, multiple languages divide”.  How does not allowing someone the right to vote, or not giving them equal opportunities “unite” us? How does discriminating against a group of individuals based on their English-speaking abilities “unite” us? Not providing bilingual ballots or an equitable education for linguistically diverse individuals does not unite us as a nation, it divides us and discriminates.  

Later, the article mentions another hot topic in bilingual education; codeswitching between languages. While some teachers see codeswitching as a lack of competence in one or both languages, codeswitching does serve a purpose. Yes, mixing languages is not random. Codeswitching could occur within a change of topic, participants or setting or have a communicative effect. Codeswitching is strategic and holds social meaning. I thought of a few instances in which a student may codeswitch. For those of you who speak more than one language, you are aware that things don’t always translate exactly. In one of my bilingual education classes, we discussed students that codeswitch as a means of effective communication which I believe should be seen positively. Some students may codeswitch for social reasons. We read an article earlier this semester about a student who got in trouble for saying “I love you” to a peer in her native tongue. Some students even speak in their L1 without even noticing it. One bilingual educator was happy when her student codeswitched. The student spoke Spanish at home with his family and with his close friends. Spanish is a language that is close to his heart which he speaks it to the people he loves and his codeswithching should be taken as a compliment of how comfortable he feels with the teacher. Teachers need to see that codeswitching has a number of purposes and embrace codeswithcing in the appropriate manner.

One last point I found interesting from the article brought was English as an official second language in order to promote economic and political positions in the world. One example of a country that sees English in this way, where English has been adopted as a tool but where local values and traditions are still valued is Japan. I speak with Yuki, my Japanese conversational partner every week. Last Thursday we actually talked about how common English is in Japan. He told me while they must learn English in Japan for college entrance exams and his friends all spoke at least some English- Japanese men and women rarely use English outside of those contexts. He told me there is low motivation from students to learn English. While he stated English was not needed in Japan in everyday life he did discuss the economic and political advantages of English in Japan when he told me that studying English at an American university will help him prove his English proficiency and get a job in Japan. 

Week 12

This week’s reading discussed social contexts for EIL learning and examined multilingual societies. Both chapters are by Sandra Lee McKay and Wendy D. Bokhorst-Heng.

The first chapter discussed issues found in English teaching and learning. Early on the chapter presents Kachru’s seminal model of English use contexts viewed in three concentric circles; inner circle, outer circle and expanding circle countries. While there are arguments raised to modify Krachu’s concentric circles and the authors agree with Bruthiauz, Yanu and other’s versions which present cylinders to represent English speakers, the authors use Krachru’s seminal model in the chapters.

The first is the Inner Circle where English is the primary language. Language diversity is seen as a problem leading programs to encourage the acquisition of English and quickly. This process often times ignores the student’s first language. As a pre-service bilingual educator I know the importance of using a first language in language acquisition. The book also mentions the effects being a language minority can have on a student socially. While students may be seen as outsiders by their peers, unfortunately sometimes educators view these students as having deficient cognitive abilities. I have heard of teachers doing this before. In some cases teachers will refer to an ELL student as “dumb” because they don't speak in class or participate because they are not provided with appropriate materials or instruction. When I first heard of a peer's experience of a teacher referring to a student's cognitive abilities because of their status as an ELL I was shocked. As embarrassing of a reference as this is, I thought of the movie Holes. One character never talked at the camp and the camp counselor teased the boy and called him "stupid". Many times with ELL students understand what is going on around them but focus on the input there are receiving. In learning Spanish, while I can understand what is being said around me and am proficient in reading and writing I still find it very difficult to speak especially around native speakers. In classes where I need to speak in Spanish I find myself participating much less than a classroom conducted in my first language. Being able to clearly express your ideas and thoughts is difficult at first for L2 learners and develops overtime. Putting students down during this difficult time is damaging to their progress and success in their second language. 

In outer circle countries, English serves as a second language in a multilingual country like Singapore, India and the Philippines. Sometimes it’s hard to provide equal access to English education. While the country may be promoting multilingualism the design of the programs creates problems. In expanding circle countries, English is widely studied as a foreign language like in China, Germany and Korea. In expanding countries, teachers may have difficulty motivating their students. Because they are monolingual, many learners may not see a reason in learning English.  The book defines integrative motivation as the motivation that is based on a desire to participate in social groups in which the target language is used. Instrumental motivation is the motivation that drives English language learning to achieve some gain like a job or entrance into a university. I think understanding our student’s motivation to learn English is very important in our instruction and connecting with our student for their progress.

I also thought the section discussing teacher competence was very interesting as many studies have found a lack of confidence among bilingual English teachers. It was also interesting to think about the effects requiring English may take on instruction as fewer teachers may be prepared and that their overall lack of confidence affects their teaching skills.

The second chapter looked at multilingual countries characterized by diglossia and those characterized by widespread English bilingualism. In those societies with diglossia there is an H status to English language learning which leads individuals to acquitting the language in hopes of social mobility.  English is given the status of an official language and other policies encourage learning English.  Whereas non-diglossic multilingual societies the status of English is seen clearly and other languages are seen to threaten national identity- a society of English-speakers.  There is a push towards monolingualism desire despite diversity within the group of people. This is a very important factor in the debate of bilingual education. Many times people see bilingual education as a means of learning English as quickly as possible which they may assume to mean as putting students in a monolingual classrooms in a “sink or swim” fashion. Many times parents share this idea. Supporters and proponents of bilingual education both challenge the idea of learning English. While this idea that multilingualism threatens our national identity promotes the use of bilingual classrooms, some people develop an irrational fear of bilingual education and believe that English is part of our identity as the United States. Many people have told me how unsuccessful bilingual programs are and how they damage the United States. What they are missing, as the authors point out in this chapter is that there is research that consistently support bilingual programs. Students are successful and often times outperform peers. Personally I have encountered a number of people who have told me that if someone immigrates to the United States they MUST learn English. This idea is damaging towards our view of bilingual students as outsiders threatening our identity and not the diverse and important part of our society. I believe as a pre-service bilingual educator is necessary to not only keep a learner’s first language in tact but use that first language as a resource and tool in learning.  We need to support these students and promote the quality of their education. 

Week 11: English in an era of globalization

International English in Its Sociolinguistic Contexts by McKay and Heng, Chapter one: English in an era of globalization.

The reading for this week focused on English as a global language and how it has developed this status overtime.  What does it mean to be a global language? The article defined the commonly used term globalization as the reformulation of social space in which the global and local are constantly interacting with one another and that neither one should be afforded a dominant position. 

The chapter also discussed colonialism's effect on the spread of English allowing English to become a language of power and prevalence. English spread along with the empire and became associated with power because the individuals who spoke English often had more access to better jobs. This encouraged more to learn English and  unfortunately began marginalizing non-English speakers as "others". Looking at the history of English with colonialism and exploring why this language has become a global language, I for some reason kept connecting English as a global language with teaching about Christopher Columbus in schools. I believe topics like these, which may "other" a group of people is an opportunity for students to critically think and analyze. We should avoid teaching our students; "Christopher Columbus is a hero who discovered America" or that "English is the most important language globally today and everyone desires to learn it". We should have students challenge these statements, the people these statements affect and reflect.

The book also discusses the alchemy of English. It states on page 7, “English is seen as a key to knowledge and personal success”. The paragraph continues to relate English to Aladdin’s lamp- once you have it allows you to open many doors to new opportunities. English is widely spread and spoken by people around the world. Three quarters of the world’s mail is even written in English. My sister recently came home from studying abroad and while she knows a second language, she found English everywhere she went. Other friends of mine have told me they have had trouble speaking their second language abroad. Often times the person they are communicating with will begin to speak to them in English. The chapter also discussed how vital English can be in the global economy- which made me think of a movie I saw years ago. In the movie The Terminal, Tom Hanks plays an eastern European immigrant. What stuck with me from that movie, were the scenes where he struggled to communicate with those around him. It’s interesting to see that this movie showed that not being able to speak English, or Speak English to a certain degree is a disadvantage even in an airport where thousands of people from all around the world  go in and out of every day.

The chapter continued to talk about incentives for learning English including those relevant to me as a pre-service bilingual educator; economic, education and mass media incentives. I am familiar with the economic incentive to learn English. English has become very important in the world market. Even outside of the United States English is helpful for employment as we outsource and individuals attempt to enter the competitive world market. As for education incentives, English is found in classrooms around the world and there are pressures from scholars to publish their work in English first. In some cases as the chapter points out there is an extreme pressure to learn English from the government. In Chinese language-in-education policies, China requires students to study English and methods promoted in English language classrooms. These government policies also leads to pressure from parents to introduce English to their children.  In other areas English learning is in standardized tests for entry of institutions of higher education (page 14). The book uses Japan as an example as English is many times a de facto requirement for higher education. During my interview from our assignment my conversational partner who moved here from Japan last May actually brought this up. He told me that he felt pressured to learn English and that it was required because he needed to learn English to enter a university in Japan. I thought this was really interesting and was excited to see this idea in the book. Finally, the book discussed the final incentive of learning English, mass media including advertising, music, movies and electronic communication. These are great resources to use in our classrooms as ESL teachers. Much of this media is conducted in English- for example 75% of the world film making is controlled by the United States and connected with the English language. English has a great hold on many different types of media and often times these forms connect well with students and would be great to use in the classroom.  I know a family friend who learned Japanese solely because of her interest in Japanese films. Eventually she lived in japan, taught there and is now married and speaks fluent Japanese!  While pop culture is a great resources in language acquisition, the fact that English controls much of the media today is unfortunate as it ostracizes other languages.

The rest of the reading discusses the dangers of this wide spread English phenomenon. For one, widespread English leads to growing monolinguals among English speakers and an economic divide in English learning. I think these are two very important points clearly discussed in the article.Overall, I really enjoyed the readings this week as they allowed me to reflect on how my own future classroom and how I will have students view the English language and what I can do as a teacher to address student’s connotations of the English. 

Blog Post Week 10- Race, language and identity: Critical multiculturalism in TESOL

Arab TESOL Student’s Experiences of Racialization and Othering in the United Kingdom looked at five male Muslim Saudi Arab learners in a TESOL graduate programme at a University in the United Kingdom. The study looks at racialization defined as “ways in which the idea of race might contribute to an experience of Othering” for learners. Specifically, how the image of Arabs and Muslims affect their experiences in the learning community.

The article states that TESOL classes reflect important institutional, societal and global discourses. I think this is a very important statement. TESOL practice is neither value-free nor apolitical. As TESOL teachers this is very important for us to remember and address in our own classrooms. This can affect our learners in a number of ways and can be very dangerous when students are subjected to Othering, marginalizing or inferiority based on their cultural to ethnic backgrounds. Unfortunately race has a significant impact on social organization and identity formation. People see race as a REAL thing and not a social construction which excludes certain groups in our society.

The article also uses the term “Islamphobia”. This is designed as an “irrational fear of Muslims and what Islam represents” this has been around for years but since 9/11 has increased in academia, journalism and all other forms of media. Many individuals are affected by the discrimination post 9/11 on account of their religious affiliation, physical appearance and cultural norms and values. This article really made me reflect on my own conceptions and realize how many of images reinforcing Islamophobia I have seen in the media. During our last class we watched the documentary discussing the popular, racist and hurtful image of Arabs in popular media specifically in films. Aladdin is one of my favorite movies from my childhood. As many other twenty year olds Disney movies in general were a "right of passage". I remembered waiting at the door for my mom to return with the newest Disney movie on VHS tape. Before she was even able to take off her coat my sister and I would have the movie out of her hand and into the tape player sitting only a couple inches away from the flickering screen.

    We were Disney zombies.

Even today I still enjoy Disney films more than the average six year old. However, I have recognized and even written papers on the many controversial topics in these Disney films. It's surprising that I have researched, read articles on and written essays on the many things wrong in these Disney films but I have never seen anything that discusses the image of Arabs in Aladdin. As we watched the clip in class I could not believe how I hadn’t seen it before and how hurtful this image is. These ideas are unheard of in other films as well and very popular. These movies reflect an image of Arabs, a stereotype that it is rarely challenged.

"Irish Crossing"

The article also included some very personal experience of participants in their findings. One participant, Saif discussed how he is many times questioned by others especially about the treatment of women and marriage. I found his comment shocking and quite sad. For strangers to be questioning him based off of stereotypes and their preconceived notions is ridiculous. I tried to think of an example that would be applicable for my own heritage. I am Irish.  A popular image of the Irish that I have seen through media is that an Irishman is a drunk man, many times getting into arguments with other drunken Irish man. We even celebrate a holiday in the United States which while it embraces the Irish heritage, is celebrated with heavy drinking in green clothes. While I have never been to Ireland, I don't believe this one image accurately reflects the entire culture from my own experience with my family members that are recent immigrants and better judgment. If a stranger were to question me about my heritage and family members using only these stereotypes I'm sure I would be offended much like Saif as a Muslim Saudi Arab.

Becoming Black by Ibrahim was also a very interesting article to read. This article, like the others, discussed the interrelation between identity and learning. The article looked at a group of French-speaking immigrant and refugee continental African students entering a school in Canada where they were expected to fit in the social imaginary already in place. I found this article very interesting and had not considered this situation before. The research study examined the high school for over six months. I thought the student background info was presented in a really interesting way. Students experienced a lot in regards to identity formation. I think this article encourages us to understand, as teachers, student’s identities and help them. We should incorporate their own voices in our classrooms, not the prescribed ones and allow them to challenge the status quo while including their own personal identities in curriculum.