How Are Teachers Of Multilingual Learners Using Primary Language To Support Student Learning?
Evidence indicated that the use of multilingual learners’ social identity and primary language is beneficial in English language acquisition. (Coady, 2020) Yet, according to Holdway and Hitchcock (2018) “like many countries worldwide, the United States widely believes in the ideology that ‘the more English, the better’ and that the use of any other language while learning English will adversely affect this process”. Therefore, this study aims to find out how both multilingual and monolingual teachers are using multilingual learners’ primary language to support their identity and learning. To understand how teachers used students’ primary language to support their students’ education, I interviewed teachers who have been recognized for their teaching (e.g., state teacher of the year, board certified teachers, instructional coaches) and experience working with multilingual learners. After completing a series of interviews with both monolingual and multilingual teachers of multilingual learners, I found that amongst all of the teachers I interviewed, they recognized their students’ primary language and viewed it as an asset and a tool in the classroom. Every teacher shared ways they use their students' language to support the students’ identity and learning. Alternatively, a few teachers shared their experiences in their students’ language to be an obstacle in the classroom.