abstract: The English language is taught all over the world and changes immensely from place to place. As such, both L1 and L2 English Language Users all utilize English as a tool for creating meaning in their existence and to also form perspectives on how the language ought to be. What is interesting about this is that the language being used to do that is one birthed from a culture that many English speakers across the globe are separated from; that is, Anglo-Saxon culture. Since learning and using language is also learning and participating in culture the question is, then how separated are American English speakers from that of the culture that created the language they speak? Does Anglo-Saxon culture impact how worldviews are formed in contemporary English speakers? I propose that the first step to finding some answers is by investigating the language ideologies that American English speakers have through the inquiry of meanings that they prescribe to English words that derive from Old English and subsequently have Germanic origins. The following work details a study examining the language attitudes of American English speakers in hopes of shedding new light on these questions. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Applied Linguistics 2016

Magister Artium - MA / English is the most widely spoken language in the world and for this reason it would be of advantage for everyone to learn it. This thesis reports on the language ideologies and attitudes of Francophone learners towards English in the Central Province of Cameroon, a central African country. It offers a critical examination of the different attitudes and motivations of Francophone learners towards English as a third language at secondary schools in the city of Yaoundé. It also presents the most important factors that appear to play a role in shaping their attitudes towards English, a language that many of the respondents appear to find hard to learn. Central to these factors are the prevailing language ideologies in Cameroon. / South Africa

Socio-economic processes have long underlined the value of language and ethno-linguistic categories in Canada. The Quiet Revolution, widely considered to be one such process, has resulted in the production of Quebec's English-speaking minority. Although recent studies pertaining to Quebec's English-speaking minority have largely focused on the construction of identity, little research has explored the perceived value of language. While Quebec City’s English-speaking minority is increasingly bilingual, figures suggest that its youth continues to migrate. Through a critical perspective, this thesis explores how Quebec City’s English-speaking minority is navigating the uneven distribution and rising value of bilingualism. Using a qualitative approach, I conducted 15 interviews with participants who attended an English-language high school in Quebec City. Results revealed that participants mobilized ethnic and economic language ideologies as a means to negotiate the value of their linguistic practices and that these language ideologies structured mobility and enabled participants to reposition themselves within a new linguistic market.

abstract: This qualitative study follows an instructor and four Spanish Heritage Language (SHL) learners in an elementary-level, mixed Spanish course at a community college over the course of 11 class visits. In studying how language ideologies shape oral corrective feedback (oral CF) practices, data were collected through ethnographic observations (field notes, researcher memos), classroom audio recordings, and semi-structured interviews (student, teacher). Specifically, this study analyzes (1) language ideologies prevalent in the classroom context in relation to the conceptualization of errors, (2) the instructor’s goals for oral CF, (3) how the instructor provides oral CF and in what contexts, and (4) how the mixed class environment relates to oral CF. To do so, the data were analyzed via a bifocal approach in coding interview and classroom discourse (Razfar, 2003) and engaging in Critical Discourse Analysis (van Dijk, 2016) informed by frameworks in Linguistic Anthropology (Irvine, 1989; Kroskrity, 2004, 2010; Leeman, 2012) and Second Language Acquisition (Ellis, 2009; Li, 2017; Lyster & Ranta, 1997). The findings demonstrate how oral CF becomes ideologically charged in a classroom context primarily designed to impart foreign language instruction. Under the guise that SHL learners’ varieties represent negative characteristics (e.g., low socioeconomic strata, Mexicaness, immigration), oral CF is used to eradicate their Spanish varieties. Findings also illustrate the (in)congruency of the instructor and learners’ perceptions of oral CF and what takes place in the classroom. In some cases, SHL learners demonstrated language pride and resisted the imposition of a foreign variety but reported hegemonic beliefs about their own varieties. Exemplifying how the instructor and SHL learners contribute to the complex dynamics of ideologization of oral CF, this study advocates for the adoption of Critical Language Awareness frameworks (Martínez, 2003; Leeman, 2005) in mixed language classrooms that encompasses this practice (e.g., focus-on-form instruction). Additionally, in acknowledging that teachers and educational institutions play a key role in the (re)production of dominant language norms, this study calls for the creation of instructional guidelines for oral CF as a pedagogical practice. Such guidelines must include critical discussions with students about the relationship between “correct,” “correcting,” and “being corrected” and asymmetrical power relationships. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Spanish 2019

The English language holds a status of a global Lingua Franca that is geographically and historically unique, and English dominance and the language ideologies surrounding it have been the subject of extensive research and discussions. Two contrasting viewpoints significant for these discussions are the idea of the global spread of English as a form of linguistic imperialism, and the idea of the global spread of English as a natural, and mostly positive, consequence of globalisation. In light of this dispute, it is of particular interest to examine the ideologies surrounding the spread of English in countries with a recent history of non-anglophone linguistic imperialism. Such countries are, for example, the former republics of the Soviet Union.  This study investigates attitudes to English in Lithuania and analyses them in relation to its history of linguistic Russification during the Soviet Union. The analysis is based on data sampled through a questionnaire targeting Lithuanians. The data is analysed using a qualitative thematic analysis method and discussed in relation to previous studies on the same topic. Three recurring trends that correspond to findings in previous studies were detected, namely English as an opportunity, English as a threat and English as an alternative to Russian. In order to draw any general conclusions regarding attitudes to English in Lithuania, further studies with larger sample sizes would be recommended.

Endangered languages are those that are spoken by a very small percentage of the population and are at risk of disappearing with all the knowledge and diversity they contain. Endangered languages often become endangered because the speakers and the society perceive the language as low status or of little use, and a positive change in perception of the language could aid in revitalizing the language. Institutions such as governments, businesses, and universities have recently begun supporting endangered languages in several areas, and this support could greatly affect language ideologies, perceptions of and attitudes about the language. In this research project, I intend to explore the effects on how an endangered language is viewed by both speakers and non-speakers when it is supported by linguistically dominant institutions such as business and higher education. This research was conducted in various areas of Scotland and Ireland and consists of survey data, ethnographic interviews, and participant observation. Specifically, this research aims to answer the following research questions: 1) What is the relationship between institutional support and language ideologies? 2) How do different forms of institutional support affect language ideologies? Institutional support of endangered languages could provide these languages with validity and recognition as a language, as well as offer economic and status advantages to speakers, creating positive attitudes about speaking and learning the languages. This positive change in the way these languages are perceived could be a crucial step in revitalizing endangered languages and preserving the linguistic diversity of the world.

Language is a fundamental component of one's identity, as well as a means of surviving in a globalizing world. This study draws upon sixteen narratives of first-generation Mexican and Puerto Rican parents in Central Florida to answer the research question: What are the language ideologies of Mexican and Puerto Rican immigrant parents towards the English Language acquisition and Spanish Language retention of their children? The information was gathered through semi-structured interviews and it aimed to learn how and if they value English and Spanish bilingualism and whether it was desired for their children. On the one hand, they are aware of the necessity of being fluent in English to properly navigate themselves in the United States and to secure better opportunities for education and careers. However, Spanish retention is just as important as a means to remember ones raices, or roots, which was a statement that was voiced throughout the respondents. Demographic information, language use in different contexts, access to resources, and whether they faced any forms of language discrimination are all factors that were also analyzed to determine a more holistic account of the parents' language ideologies. My results reflect how Latinx family's experiences in the United States have shaped their language ideologies and the language use outcomes of future generations. El lenguaje es un componente fundamental de nuestra identidad, y también un medio para sobrevivir en un mundo globalizado. Este estudio se basa en dieciséis narrativas de padres mexicanos y puertorriqueños de primera generación en Florida Central para responder a la pregunta de investigación: ¿Cuáles son las ideologías del idioma de los padres inmigrantes mexicanos y puertorriqueños hacia la adquisición de inglés y la retención de español de sus hijos? La información fue conseguido a través de entrevistas semiestructuradas, y el objetivo es para aprender cómo y si valoran el bilingüe (inglés y español), y si deseaban esta habilidad para sus hijos. Por un lado, los padres son conscientes de la necesidad de ser fluentes en inglés para navegar adecuadamente por los Estados Unidos y para asegurar mejores oportunidades para su educación y carreras. Sin embargo, la retención de español es importante como un medio para recordar los raices de su cultura; que fue una declaración que se expresó en todo los encuestados. La información demográfica, el uso del lenguaje en diferentes contextos, el acceso a los recursos y si se enfrentaron a alguna forma de discriminación del lenguaje son factores que también se analizaron para determinar un relato más holístico de las ideologías del idioma de los padres. Mis resultados reflejan cómo las experiencias de las familias Latinx en los Estados Unidos han dado forma a sus ideologías de lenguaje y al uso del lenguaje para las futuras generaciones.

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Research in identity and heritage language (HL) education focuses on the experiences of heritage speakers (HS) and how certain classroom discourses can devalue the skills and proficiencies that they bring with them to the class (García & Torres-Guevara, 2010; Leeman, 2012; Showstack, 2016). These dominant and monoglossic language discourses often focus on the teaching and acquisition of a “standard Spanish language” (Train, 2007; del Valle, 2000). Although scholarship on HL education has long advocated for separate specialized courses to meet the needs of HSs (Potowski, 2002; Valdés, 1997), many HSs remain in courses designed for second language (L2) learners because institutions do not consistently offer specialized instruction. Some research has investigated the experiences of HSs in mixed L2-HL classes (Harklau, 2009; Potowski, 2002), but there is a need for an examination of the classroom discursive practices in courses tailored for L2 learners and how those practices shape how HSs of diverse backgrounds position themselves as Spanish speakers within and outside of the classroom. The present study explores the representation of identity among HSs enrolled in university-level Spanish language classes. This investigation examined the relationship between HSs’ perceived instructional objectives in a Spanish as a second language class, the ways HSs positioned themselves as knowledgeable of the language concerning these objectives, and finally, their subsequent investment in their Spanish studies. The data come from a classroom ethnography and were analyzed within a grounded theory methods approach (Glasser & Strauss, 1967) and showed the extent to which classroom activities were inclusive to HSs’ pedagogical needs. Further, from a social identity and positioning lens, I considered how language ideologies that value the standard linguistic repertoires of monolingual native speakers’ affected individuals’ perceptions and relationships to their heritage community, and the expert or novice identities they negotiated during social interaction. Classroom observations and interviews revealed that the instruction that HSs received often promoted a linguistic hierarchy that devalued the non-standard language forms that reflected the participants’ ethnolinguistic backgrounds. The findings show that each HS navigated classroom discursive practices and negotiated multilingual identities in interaction with their peers, teachers, and the curriculum in different ways. Some of the participants became ambivalent toward the language and its speakers as their backgrounds went unacknowledged in classroom practice, while others found value in the Spanish classes because of past experiences. Findings suggest that there is a need for methodologies in mixed-group classrooms that reflect and acknowledge the sociolinguistic variation of the class (Gutiérrez & Fairclough, 2006). / Spanish

Thesis advisor: Rebecca Lowenhaupt / Diversity in U.S. schools has increased significantly over the last decades. One in four children under 18 live with at least one immigrant parent, and 22% of U.S. residents aged five or older report speaking a language other than English at home (Esterline & Batalova, 2022). The experiences of immigrant-origin students vary depending on contextual factors such as individual school's policies and practices, the community where the school is located, as well as national and state legislation (Portes & Rumbaut, 2014; Golash-Boza & Valdez, 2018). This three-paper dissertation aims to understand the nuances of educating immigrant-origin students from the perspective of educators in distinct contexts. The first paper is a qualitative interview study in a Texas school district near the US/Mexico border. I investigated the language ideologies that underlie educators' perspectives on language separation in Dual Language Bilingual Education (DLBE) classrooms. Educators in this study held complex ideologies about language separation in DL classrooms, informed by their view on the district’s students and families, the dynamic language practices of their border community, professional development, and testing and district policy requirements. The second paper presents a case study of a highly diverse school district in Illinois that established a district-wide ESL endorsement requirement. For this study, I interviewed educators and analyzed district documentation to understand the policy goals that guided the district to create this policy and how educators made sense of it. While policy goals were shared by educators in all roles, there was not enough space for collective sensemaking for teachers, who were critical of how policy implementation affected them. The third paper offers a comparative interview study of two school districts in Texas and Illinois with very different geographical locations, student demographics, and racial/ethnic makeup of their teacher force. This study examines how context shaped educators' attitudes and beliefs toward immigrant-origin students and families. Despite differences, educators from both districts who had experience working with immigrant populations shared similar and positive attitudes regarding immigrant-origin students and families’ assets, needs, and dispositions toward school. These results may help inform district language policy, policy implementation, and hiring decisions. / Thesis (EdD) — Boston College, 2024. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teaching, Curriculum, and Society.