Pre-Service Teachers' Attitudes Toward Language Diversity

This study examines pre-service teachers' attitudes toward language diversity and linguistically diverse students. Two hundred seventy-one teacher education students were surveyed to determine relative effects of demographic, mediating variables and psychosocial variables on language attitude as measured by the Language Attitudes of Teachers Scale (LATS). Independent variables include gender, age, race/ethnicity, teacher certification sought, region, psychological insecurity, cognitive sophistication, and helpfulness viewpoint. Research questions are established and methodology is outlined. A review of related literature places the study in the context of research with a broad interdisciplinary perspective and then links the study to other research relevant to the field of education. The findings of the study indicate that gender, race/ethnicity, teacher certification sought, political ideology, psychological insecurity, and cognitive sophistication contribute significantly to the variation found in attitude toward language diversity. The paper concludes with analyses and discussions of the significant variables and suggestions for application in teacher preparation.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2000

Author dc:creator

• Leek, Patricia A.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Day, Kaaren
• Cukor-Avila, Patricia
• Allen, Diane D.

• Language and education -- United States.
• Student teachers -- Attitudes.
• Linguistic minorities -- Education -- United States.
• language diversity
• Language Attitudes of Teachers Scale
• interdisciplinary studies
• pre-service teachers
• teacher preparation

Statement dc:rights

• Public
• Copyright
• Leek, Patricia A.
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 47382558
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2629/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc2629

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc2629