ERIC Number: EJ1487591
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 28
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0034-527X
EISSN: EISSN-1943-2348
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Framing Educators' Orientations to Standardized English via Language Ideological Justifications
Kate T. Anderson; Farnaz Avarzamani; Jieyu Jiang
Research in the Teaching of English, v59 n4 p413-440 2025
In this study, we examine educators' orientations to the teaching of "standardized English" (SE)--an idealized form often associated with academic and professional contexts. The perceived status of SE is reinforced by normative standard language ideologies and is often oriented as "correct" and necessary for success in education and employment. SE is also a primary focus in English language arts (ELA) classrooms, with educators often positioned as gatekeepers. In this study, we analyze discussion posts from 91 educators enrolled in an online master's level sociolinguistics course in which they describe how they would define SE for their students. Through iterative, multi-level qualitative collaborative coding of participants' discussion posts, we interpret six ideological orientations to SE, ranging from standard language ideology to critical language awareness, with varying degrees of acceptance of linguistic diversity and criticality regarding societal sociolinguistic power relations. Importantly, we discuss the messiness of language ideologies, especially as they pertain to ELA. This study highlights the prevalence of hybrid orientations to SE, indicating that educators' views on SE are complex and often integrate multiple, sometimes conflicting, language ideologies. We argue for the need for teacher preparation and continuing education programs to address language ideologies, promoting strategies that go beyond respecting linguistic diversity to challenging standard language norms as inroads toward dismantling raciolinguistic and colonial legacies in English language education.
Descriptors: Standard Spoken Usage, Ideology, Masters Programs, Sociolinguistics, Language Usage, Language Arts, English, Teacher Attitudes, English Teachers, Power Structure, Social Influences
National Council of Teachers of English. 1111 West Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801-1096. Tel: 877-369-6283; Tel: 217-328-3870; Web site: http://www.ncte.org/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A

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