ERIC Number: EJ1355939
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1479-0718
EISSN: EISSN-1747-7530
Available Date: N/A
Beyond 'Two-Solitudes' Assumption and Monolingual Idealism: Generating Spaces for Multilingual Turn in Pakistan
Manan, Syed Abdul; Tul-Kubra, Khadija
International Journal of Multilingualism, v19 n3 p346-367 2022
This study problematises the folk theories of ELT practitioners, and critically views the limits of their monolingual idealism and guilty multilingualism in the context of Pakistan. Drawing on interviews of 18 English teachers and classroom observations in a provincial capital of Pakistan, the study analyses their 'two solitudes' assumptions, in which they essentialize English-only teaching without any recourse to L1/native/local languages. Results show that practitioners' current theoretical positioning is underpinned by the TESOL orthodoxy, which means that they treat English learning as a hermetic process, and emphasise on rigid separation of L1s from the target language. The study finds that narrow theoretical base and orthodox orientations towards TESOL/SLA holds teachers from liberal use of multiple languages. Inferiority syndrome about the value of native/indigenous languages also causes their lack of confidence in bi/multilingual TESOL. The study proposes that to negotiate meaningful spaces for multilingual turn, there is a need to soften teachers' hard-core orthodox beliefs about English learning, and foster theoretical/conceptual transition from their fractional view to understanding bi/multilingualism as a dynamic cognitive system. The study concludes that scholarly activism could act as a catalyst for transforming teachers' orthodox beliefs, and help generate ideological and implementational spaces for multilingual/ TESOL/SLA.
Descriptors: Monolingualism, Multilingualism, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Language Teachers, Foreign Countries, Teacher Attitudes, Language Usage, Classroom Communication, Native Language, Teaching Methods, Language Attitudes, Educational Theories, Bilingualism, Activism, Attitude Change
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Pakistan
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A