TY - JOUR

T1 - Pre-service teachers’ ability to identify academic language features

T2 - the role of language-related opportunities to learn, and professional beliefs about linguistically responsive teaching

AU - Brandt, Hanne

AU - Ehmke, Timo

AU - Kuhl, Poldi

AU - Leutner, Detlev

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - In order to reduce language-related disparities in educational attainment, teaching standards in many (Western) countries nowadays request teachers of all subjects and grades to focus on their students’ academic language development: Especially second language learners and socioeconomically disadvantaged students need continuous and systematic language support (linguistically responsive teaching) in order not to be left behind. To be able to act accordingly, (prospective) teachers need to acquire pedagogical language knowledge and develop positive beliefs about linguistically responsive teaching practices. Our cross-sectional survey among German pre-service teachers (n = 115) shows that–despite positive beliefs towards linguistically responsive teaching–hardly any of the participants had acquired a solid knowledge base in the area of educational linguistics: The majority could not identify a substantial amount of academic language features (known to be challenging especially for second language learners) in a content-specific explanatory text. This ability, however, is the basis for planning and carrying out linguistically responsive lessons. Although latent profile analyses show differences among the participants, many of them did not have opportunities to learn in the area of linguistic diversity during their studies. The results give rise to the question whether and how pedagogical language knowledge could become compulsory in teacher training.

AB - In order to reduce language-related disparities in educational attainment, teaching standards in many (Western) countries nowadays request teachers of all subjects and grades to focus on their students’ academic language development: Especially second language learners and socioeconomically disadvantaged students need continuous and systematic language support (linguistically responsive teaching) in order not to be left behind. To be able to act accordingly, (prospective) teachers need to acquire pedagogical language knowledge and develop positive beliefs about linguistically responsive teaching practices. Our cross-sectional survey among German pre-service teachers (n = 115) shows that–despite positive beliefs towards linguistically responsive teaching–hardly any of the participants had acquired a solid knowledge base in the area of educational linguistics: The majority could not identify a substantial amount of academic language features (known to be challenging especially for second language learners) in a content-specific explanatory text. This ability, however, is the basis for planning and carrying out linguistically responsive lessons. Although latent profile analyses show differences among the participants, many of them did not have opportunities to learn in the area of linguistic diversity during their studies. The results give rise to the question whether and how pedagogical language knowledge could become compulsory in teacher training.

KW - Academic language features

KW - initial teacher education

KW - linguistic diversity

KW - linguistically responsive teaching

KW - opportunities to learn

KW - teacher beliefs

KW - Educational science

KW - Empirical education research

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85153613744&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/9e59924b-1966-3caa-a4b9-8e6634e9f744/

U2 - 10.1080/09658416.2023.2193409

DO - 10.1080/09658416.2023.2193409

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:85153613744

VL - 33

SP - 70

EP - 93

JO - Language Awareness

JF - Language Awareness

SN - 0965-8416

IS - 1

ER -