Expanding EAL expertise: Taking a multilingual stance

Ester J. de Jong

doi:10.21153/tesol2019vol28no1art907

Authors

Ester J. de Jong University of Florida, USA http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6165-3828

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21153/tesol2019vol28no1art907

Keywords:

pre-service teacher education, EAL, English language learners, multilingual pedagogies

Abstract

English as an Additional Language (EAL) students are increasingly taught by non-specialist, mainstream teachers. This trend calls for a reconceptualization of teacher education to explicitly and purposefully include linguistically and culturally responsive pedagogy in their curriculum. In the United States, several frameworks have been proposed to address this need, although much still needs to be learned about actual practice in preservice teacher preparation programs. In this article, I caution against the monolingual bias in preservice teacher preparation and argue for the mandate for developing a multilingual stance for all teachers of EAL students.

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Author Biography

Ester J. de Jong, University of Florida, USA

Ester de Jong is a professor in ESOL/bilingual education and the director of the School of Teaching and Learning at the University of Florida. Her research focuses on bilingual education and preparing teachers to work with bilingual learners. Dr. de Jong was the 2017–2018 President of TESOL International Association. Her book, Foundations of Multilingualism in Education: From Policy to Practice published by Caslon Publishing, considers a principled approach to school, program, and classroom decision-making for multilingual learners.

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