1. Contexts – mainstream education and teacher education in England

2. Teachers and research

3. Co-researching with diverse teachers

4. Outcomes, issues and implications.

The current national sceneThe current national scene About 15% of pupils in mainstream schools speak other

languages besides English at home (‘EAL’ learners) Approximately 23% pupils are categorised as ‘ethnic

minority’

Approximately 350 different languages are spoken by pupils in mainstream schools

75% of primary schools and 100% of secondary have ‘EAL’ learners

About 4% of teachers are identified as bilingual and/or ‘ethnic minority’

PLASC data (Schools Census, 2011) and National Census data, 2011

I have never said, or implied, that lack of fluency in English was in any way directly responsible for the disturbances in Bradford, Burnley and Oldham in the summer of 2001. However, speaking English enables parents to converse with their children in English, as well as in their historic mother tongue, at home and to participate in wider modern culture. It helps overcome the schizophrenia which bedevils generational relationships. In as many as 30% of Asian British households, according to the recent citizenship survey, English is not spoken at home.

(Blunkett, 2002:77)

The National Curriculum - a The National Curriculum - a ‘monolingualising’ ‘monolingualising’

curriculumcurriculumSome key features underpinning language

provision:

• English as an ‘entitlement’, and a legal requirement, for all pupils

• Concern with standard English, accent and dialect, rather than language diversity

• Bilingual teaching and support are seen as important only until such time as pupils are confident in English (i.e. transitional, rather than additive bilingualism.

Bilingualism ‘contained’ in Bilingualism ‘contained’ in mainstream classrooms mainstream classrooms

The role of bilingual support assistants in The role of bilingual support assistants in mainstream schools: mainstream schools: … [to provide] a degree of continuity between the home and school environment by offering psychological and social support for the child, as well as being able to explain simple educational concepts in a child’s mother tongue, if the need arises, but always working within the mainstream classroom and alongside the class teacher.

(DES, 1985: The Swann Report)

Languages in the mainstream Languages in the mainstream curriculumcurriculum

Foundation Stage (3-5 years, not compulsory):• Six areas of learning, including Communication, language and

literacy development• Early training in sound recognition and discrimination as

preparation for phonics teaching

Key Stage One (5-7 years):• Rigorous, discrete training in systematic synthetic phonics (SSP)• National Literacy Strategy – structured, text-based approach to

teaching literacy

Key Stage Two (7-11 years):• teaching of literacy continues• Introduction of ‘PMFL’ (usually French, German, Spanish)

Key Stage Three (11-14 years):• Compulsory ‘MFL’ comes to an end at 14

NC ‘ladder of attainment’NC ‘ladder of attainment’

Foundation Stage (3-5 years, not compulsory):• FS profile – 13 scales, 9 levels

Key Stage One (5-7 years):• Summative assessment at 7 in reading and writing

Key Stage Two (7-11 years):• External summative assessment at 11 in reading and

writing (SATs)

Key Stage Three (11-14 years):• Preparation for GCSE English – no formal tests at end

of KS

A ‘template of ability’A ‘template of ability’

… ability is seen as a genetic inheritance, a given amount of innate, general, cognitive power [which] … is assumed to drive learning, so when young people of different abilities put maximum effort into learning, differences of attainment will inevitably result … [leading to] ability labels which not only explain differences in attainment, but also predict future events.

(Hart et al. 2004: 6)

Language diversity (Language diversity (‘‘EALEAL’’)) as a as a barrier to learningbarrier to learning

A minority of pupils will have particular learning and assessment requirements which … if not addressed, could create barriers to learning. These requirements are likely to arise as a consequence of a pupil having a special educational need or disability or may be linked to a pupil’s progress in learning English as an additional language.

National Curriculum (2000) Statement on inclusion.

ITE – the standards for NQTsITE – the standards for NQTsConfused models of learning and the role of language:

Q18:Understand how children and young people develop and that the progress and well-being of learners are affected by a range of developmental, social, religious, ethnic, cultural and linguistic influences.

• Q19:Know how to make effective personalised provision for those they teach, including those for whom English is an additional language or who have special educational needs or disabilities, and how to take practical account of diversity and promote equality and inclusion in their teaching.

It is difficult to see how teaching can be improved or how curricular proposals can be evaluated without self-monitoring on the part of teachers. A research tradition which is accessible to teachers and which feeds teaching must be created if education is to be significantly improved.

(Stenhouse, 1975: 165)

The general decline in active teacher involvement in research over recent years has led many to feel that research is an ‘ivory-towered’ pursuit, something done to or perhaps for teachers, but not with them.

The philosophy of evidence-based practice and the quest for ‘what works’ has led educational research to be seen as the quest for the panacea which can solve all problems in all settings …. This view is no doubt reinforced by the growth in control over teachers’ work, particularly in primary schools.

Conteh at al. 2008

TeachersTeachers’’ knowledge – tensions between knowledge – tensions between ‘‘diversitydiversity’’ and and ‘‘inclusioninclusion’’

…. I’m interested in the children, I mean I enjoy sort of finding out about

them as well, you know they tell me things about their family and their

background and their trips, I mean I‘m interested in the children, you know

the Asian children.. I mean that was my interest when I was at college …

that was actually my long study, you know .... I wanted to teach in an inner

school where there were lots of children from different cultures, I mean

that’s something that I really like ….

…. the children are not working at the level that would be expected .. it’s

difficult, I think we have had a change in the ... um ... we seem to be getting

more children who have been .. um .. you know, who have some sort of

difficulties or .. um .. with whatever .. um .. it’s difficult for me to say really,

at this point .. um .. I mean we’ve got .. I suppose we’ve got an increasing

number of Asian children as well .. um ... with the language difficulties but

it’s not that, it’s not necessarily that I don’t think .. um ….

TeachersTeachers’’ knowledge – preparation for knowledge – preparation for teaching in diverse schoolsteaching in diverse schools

EAL a ‘major gap’ in ITE – most newly-

qualified teachers (NQTs) report in

surveys and interviews that they do

not feel adequately prepared to work in

multilingual classrooms.

Cajkler, W. and Hall, B. (2009) Language and

Education, 23:2, pp. 153-170

Action research in ITEAction research in ITE

Professional knowledgeProfessional knowledge

Outcomes – shifts in perceptionOutcomes – shifts in perception

… it’s a lot more complicated than you think ...

… the pupils’ level of English was much more advanced than I had expected. They were very aware of the range of languages within the school and I found it really interesting how they discussed this ..

… the children were extremely proud to speak both English and their first language ..

… the children felt a quite complex range of emotions when using languages other than English, ranging from pride to shyness and sadness in possibly excluding friends ..

… the insight of the children’s different languages was excellent, I was amazed by the variety of languages the children were familiar with, most children spoke three or four languages ..

… children can speak many different languages and this can be an asset rather than a difficulty to overcome ..

… there was a strong sense of community in the school and the children were forthcoming with information about their languages. It was interesting to see how many different languages they spoke and the impact EAL had on their learning ..

… the people are the same here and in the sub-continent because we’re all human ..

Understanding how the intersections and spaces between research, policy and practice influence the learning experiences and contribute to the successes and challenges faced by bilingual (EAL) learners and teachers in primary education in England.

SomekhSomekh’’s model of action s model of action researchresearchAction research:

• integrates research and action in cyclical, holistic and flexible ways;• is conducted by a collaborative partnership of participants and researchers, who take on

roles where there is a clear recognition of how power is constituted and accessed by all involved;

• involves the development of knowledge and understanding of a unique kind, leading to change and development in natural ways;

• starts from a vision of social transformation and aspirations for greater social justice for all – seeking change while understanding its limitations in particular contexts;

• involves a high level of reflexivity and sensitivity to the importance of understanding the role of the self in the research process;

• involves explanatory and critical engagement with a wide range of existing knowledge in the field of social science;

• engenders powerful learning through combining research with reflection on practice;• locates the inquiry in an understanding of broader historical, political and ideological

contexts.

Somekh (2006) pp. 6-8, adapted

Linguistic ethnographic research processes, which allow researchers to:

• engage with the ways in which ‘language practices are socially and politically situated’;

• recognise the ways in which global factors intersect with and impact on the local;

• explore the subjectivities and viewpoints of all participants;

• critique the ‘monolingual mindset’ ideologies which prevail in education policy in England.

Blackledge and Creese, 2010

Cultural and community Cultural and community resourcesresources

Funds of knowledge – working with parentsFunds of knowledge – working with parents

Diverse teachersDiverse teachers’’ perspectives – perspectives – culture and identityculture and identity

• I am a bilingual teacher. My bilingualism is an important part of who I am.

• I think my background influences me to the extent that I can relate to those children who feel they have dual identities and unsure about where they belong.

• I use bilingualism a lot and I feel that the children do appreciate that … I don’t know somehow, but their behaviour changes, … they’re much more accepting towards you because you’re identifying their identity, their culture … you’re at one with the children.

My experiences as a bilingual learner allow me to empathise with children who feel the need to leave their home languages (thus part of their identity and culture) at home because they want to conform to school’s expectations of them. However as a bilingual teacher I strongly promote a bilingual approach to teaching and learning in my classroom so that children can bring their home experiences and their complete identities to school.Furthermore, I like to share my experiences as a bilingual learner and teacher with both my monolingual and bilingual colleagues as a way of addressing misconceptions about bilingualism amongst teachers but also to show that a bilingual approach to teaching is not exclusive to bilingual teachers only.

.. I just feel that the bilingual teachers are not being supported enough …. monolingual teachers tend to think they know better than bilingual teachers, how to teach the kids …

I do feel that the children are put down because of that … they’re always saying, ‘Oh, their English isn’t good enough….

I just feel that bilingual teachers are just put down most of the time ..

Interviews as ‘structured conversations’ (Conteh and Toyoshima, 2005)

… … and the monolingualising and the monolingualising mainstreammainstream

Perspectives on Perspectives on ‘‘monolingualisingmonolingualising’’systemssystems

It was only after embarking on my degree that I began to challenge my personal attitude towards my mother tongue and I started to make a conscious effort to break down the language barrier which years of schooling had created between me and my parents. Only when I realised that my mother tongue deserves the same respect as any other language did I begin to have respect for my culture and feel a sense of belonging within my language community.

Saiqa Riasat in Conteh, 2003: 139

01 Meena: When you … I know that … jilay thusa rai ami thayabbajanay na dukarnay par paysay ar vacth danay ..

Dukarndaray .. koi .. jraay khusa nay kolWhen your mum and dad go to the ‘corner shops’

and they pay05 the shopkeepers, do they pay the shopkeeper there and then .. I mean the shops that are near you

Child 1: No, they can give ….Meena: Kay karnai?

What do they give?10 Child 2: Paysay daynay na

They give moneyMeena: Paysay sarai day nay?

Do they give all the money?Child 3: No … (unintelligible)

15 Meena: Who said ‘no’? What does your mum do when she goes to the

shop? Paysay daynay … kai kithabay par liknay saab kithab

Do they pay (upfront) or do they write it in a book, i.e. ‘all your goods’

Child 2: Paysay daynay nah20 They pay

Child 3: Liknay thay paysay daynayThey write it and pay

Meena: I know … I know ..

TeachersTeachers’’ strategies - translanguaging strategies - translanguaging

Saiqa: The smallest number I can get is 1 and 1 and 1 is doh (two) . . . isn’t it? Saraya nal bara namber kai? (What is the biggest

number you can get?) Ayisha: Baraa (twelve)Saiqa: Baraa . . . thako Ayisha sunee peeay na (Twelve . . . look, Ayisha

is listening, isn’t she?) Baraa (Twelve) . . . because if I throw this dice,the two dice together, I can get six and six, can’t I? If I add them together chay tay chay melo thay baraa (six and six makestwelve). You are going to think of four numbers . . . chaar

namber . . . koi vee meeki chaar deyo . . . jaray doh thay baraa nai darmeyan nah (four numbers . . . can you give me four numbers which are between two and twelve?)

Farhat: Jamah karsa? (Are we adding?)Saiqa: Jamah karsa . . .meeki namber deyo (Are we adding. . . give me

a number) . . . give me a number . . . doh namber deyo doh hay baraa

cha darmeyan nah (give me two numbers between two and twelve)

Farhat: Paanj (Five) Saiqa: Paanj (Five) [writes on whiteboard] Tariq, thu meeki ik aur

namber deyo jara doh thay baraa cha darmeyan (Tariq, you give me one more number between two and twelve) That is between two and twelve . . . Koi vee namber deyo doh thay . . . (Can you give me a number between two and . . . )

Tariq: FourSaiqa: Chaar . . . shabash! (Four . . . Good!) [writes on whiteboard]

Conteh, 2007a: 467

3 ch. tog: (spelling out) khargosh ... khargosh

JC: the rabbit ..

Yasmin: khargosh ..sh ..sh ..em.. gha .. gha

Nahida: ghu .. ghu ..

05 Yasmin: khargosh .. gha ..

Nahida: heh .. spell it out .. gha ...

Yasmin: what’s carrot in Urdu? ... ghajar

Nahida: ghajar ..

Anwar: ghajar ...

10 Yasmin: ghajar ...

Yasmin)

Nahida): ghajar .. sh .. shawk se kah raha hai ...

Yasmin: it means .. rabbit is eating ..

Nahida: the rabbit is eating happily the carrot

15 JC: the rabbit is happily eating the carrot

Yasmin)

Nahida): eating the carrot

Yasmin: yeah .. miss

 

Children translanguaging – transfer of Children translanguaging – transfer of literacy skillsliteracy skills

Children translanguaging – Children translanguaging – ‘‘performing identitiesperforming identities’’

We had to count in fives, so I did it in my head in Punjabi then I said it out in English …. Eek, do, teen, cha … twenty-five … chey, saat, aat, nor …. Thirty …. Eek, do, teen, cha ….. thirty-five …

(Sameena, aged 8)

Translanguaging to share funds Translanguaging to share funds of knowledgeof knowledge

• Diverse teachers’ language and cultural knowledge are professional resources, which need fuller exploration, both for their own identities as teachers, and for teachers generally.

• There is a need to continue developing research methodologies which recognise the different kinds of knowledge and power brought to the questions by all participants.

• There are potential benefits for all pupils in a system where the implications of diversity are taken into account in policies and pedagogies.

• Changes in national policy don’t necessarily lead to changes in local practice – there is a need for sustained conversations with policy-makers, rather than the collection of ‘vignettes’ and case studies.

• There is an urgent need to develop a more coherent and theorised approach in ITE and CPD to developing teachers’ understandings of the links between language, culture and learning.

• Identity negotiation and performance as a vital aspect of educational success for both teachers and learners (Cummins, 2001; Garcia, 2009), and

• identities as ‘produced and legitimised in discourse and social interaction’ (Blackledge and Creese, 2010)

• Languages as ‘sets of resources called into play by social actors’ (Heller, 2007) in order to ‘make possible the social reproduction of existing conventions and relations as well as the production of new ones’, and

• language repertoires as ‘indexical biographies’ (Blommaert and Backus, 2011)

• A sociocultural model of learning, linked to activity theory (Daniels, 2004; Roth and Lee, 2007), which supports :

• the theorising of classroom practices;

• the understanding of classrooms and schools as communities of practice with dialogically constructed cultures;

• the development of conceptual tools with which to analyse the dialogues from the perspectives of all participants.

Ecological models of learningEcological models of learning

community

school

teacher

child

Two parts of the same whole, related to each other inextricably and recursively:

… there is a unity between practice and theory in which both are

constructed, shaped and reshaped in constant movement from

practice to theory, then back to a new practice.

(Freire, 1985:124)

Culturally responsive teachingCulturally responsive teachingCulturally responsive teachers:

• recognise that there are multiple ways of perceiving reality that are influenced by one’s location in the social order;

• have affirming views of students from diverse backgrounds, seeing that all students have resources for learning, rather than viewing differences as problems to overcome;

• see themselves as both responsible for and capable of bringing about educational change that will make schools responsible to all students;

• understand how learners construct knowledge and are capable of contributing to the processes of knowledge construction;

• know about the lives of their students (including funds of knowledge in their communities)

• use their knowledge about students’ lives to design instruction that builds on what they already know while stretching them beyond the familiar.Villegas and Lucas (2002), adapted

For further discussion, please get in For further discussion, please get in touch:touch:

j.conteh@leeds.ac.uk

Thank youThank you