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ABSTRACT FILSON, NICOLETTE AMES. Exploring English Language Arts Pre-Service Teachers' Standard Language Ideologies

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ABSTRACT FILSON, NICOLETTE AMES. Exploring English Language Arts Pre-Service Teachers' Standard Language Ideologies ABSTRACT FILSON, NICOLETTE AMES. Exploring English Language Arts Pre-Service Teachers’ Standard Language Ideologies: A Mixed Methods Study. (Under the direction of Dr. Carl Young). Within this study, I explored English language arts (ELA) pre-service teachers’ (PST) language beliefs, specifically the ways in which they align with and diverge from the standard language ideology (SLI) beliefs laid out in the language subordination model (LSM) (Lippi- Green, 2012). The participants were ELA PSTs in both middle grades and high school teacher educations programs at a university in the Southeastern United States (N = 58). A sequential explanatory mixed methods design (Creswell & Clark, 2011) (QUAN qual) was used to examine PSTs’ language beliefs regarding the ways in which language is mystified (Mystification), language is claimed (Authority), language is misrepresented (Misinformation), vernacular dialects are trivialized (Trivialization), speakers are judged (Conformers/Non- Conformers), and outcomes for language use are guaranteed (Promises/Threats). A survey was developed on these various SLI beliefs, called the Survey for the Standard Language Ideology (SSLI), and was then employed to collect the quantitative data; subsequently interviews were conducted with six survey participants who, based on their composite survey scores, had varying degrees of alignment with the SLI. The mixed methods analysis revealed that participants exhibited the most alignment with the SLI on Mystification and the most divergence from the SLI on Misinformation; additionally, there was evidence of cognitive dissonance for beliefs on Mystification, Authority, and Trivialization as participants demonstrated inconsistences in their attitudes. Regression results indicated that participation in a linguistics course, political affiliation, and academic program were predictors for various SLI beliefs. Interview responses suggested that the combination of experiences in a linguistics course, meaningful interactions with diverse populations, and prior introduction to social justice issues had the potential to most positively impact participants’ language ideologies. Implications for practice and research are discussed. © Copyright 2018 by Nicolette Ames Filson All Rights Reserved Exploring English Language Arts Pre-Service Teachers’ Standard Language Ideologies: A Mixed Methods Study by Nicolette Ames Filson A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Carolina State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Curriculum and Instruction Raleigh, North Carolina 2018 APPROVED BY: _______________________________ _______________________________ Dr. Carl Young Dr. Jeffrey Reaser Committee Chair _______________________________ _______________________________ Dr. Teomara Rutherford Dr. Michelle Falter ii DEDICATION To Della, in hope for a better world. iii BIOGRAPHY I was born in Winchester, Kentucky and moved to Hendersonville, North Carolina a year after where I was lucky enough to grow up in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Throughout school, I always loved learning about language; I enjoyed analyzing an author’s word choice in the literature of my English classes and exploring the grammar and vocabulary of Spanish in my foreign language classes. In turn, after graduating from high school, I moved to Raleigh to attend N.C. State University where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary English Education; during this time, I took a course titled Language and Writing with Dr. Jeffrey Reaser that introduced me to the field of linguistics, transformed my understanding of how language works, and reshaped my perception of how to effectively and equitably approach language in the classroom. Following graduation, I moved to La Serena, Chile where I lived for six months and continued to learn about the relationship between language, culture, and identity as a volunteer English teacher at a local orphanage and school. Then, aiming to further my education in linguistics, I returned to N.C. State University and earned a Master’s degree in English with a concentration in linguistics; in this program, I not only developed a deeper understanding of linguistic concepts but participated in outreach initiatives with The Language and Life Project at N.C. State that sought to document and share information about various dialects in the United States. Furthermore, I strengthened my ability to incorporate linguistics into the classroom by developing a language awareness and exploration curriculum for high school students. After graduation, I moved abroad again to San José, Costa Rica where I lived for six months and applied my knowledge of linguistics to help the Costa Rican Lutheran Church develop English programs in impoverished communities. When I returned to North Carolina, I worked as a public high school English teacher in Apex and Asheville where I was able to implement linguistically- iv informed pedagogy into my language arts instruction. After three years, I decided to return to N.C. State University to pursue my doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in English Education and Literacy in hopes of learning more about and contributing to the body of research that advocates for a descriptive approach to language study and a development of critical language awareness within education. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank Dr. Carl Young for his inexhaustible compassion, Dr. Jeffrey Reaser for his unending support, Dr. Teomara Rutherford for her indispensable feedback, Dr. Michelle Falter for her thoughtful guidance, Kindra Taylor for her unconditional love, Kevin Filson for his constant encouragement, Sue Filson for her sweet comfort, Butler Taylor for his dear friendship, Dr. Christine Smith for her rejuvenating enthusiasm, Christopher Smith for his kind confidence, Rachael Debnam-O’Dea for her irreplaceable camaraderie, Dr. Casey Medlock Paul for her unwavering counsel, Charlotte Roberts for her reassuring companionship, the crew for their motivating mockery, MoeJoe’s Burger Joint for their accommodating service, Sir Walter Coffee for their patient attendance, and Noam Pikelny for his inspiring instrumentals. Most importantly, I thank God for the peace and light of His love, which made possible the accomplishment of this formidable endeavor. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................... xii LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... xv Chapter 1: Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 Background ........................................................................................................................ 2 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................... 7 Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................................ 11 Research Questions .......................................................................................................... 13 Scope of the Study ........................................................................................................... 14 Population ............................................................................................................ 14 Context ................................................................................................................. 16 Content ................................................................................................................. 17 Definition of Terms ........................................................................................................ 18 Chapter 2: Literature Review ................................................................................................... 20 Language Ideologies ....................................................................................................... 20 Conceptualizing Ideology .................................................................................... 20 Conceptualizing Language Ideologies ................................................................. 22 Defining Language Ideologies ................................................................. 22 Fundamental Elements ............................................................................. 24 Standard Language Ideology (SLI) .......................................................... 26 Language Subordination ................................................................................................. 26 The Language Subordination Model (LSM)........................................................ 27 Language Ideologies and Language Subordination in Education .................................. 28 Research Context ................................................................................................. 29 Methods.................................................................................................... 30 Populations ............................................................................................... 31 Content ..................................................................................................... 31 Correlations .............................................................................................
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