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A Cross Cultural Study of English Language Learners in Monolingual and Bilingual Israeli State Schools

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A Cross Cultural Study of English Language Learners in Monolingual and Bilingual Israeli State Schools Doing and Undoing Power: A Cross Cultural Study of English Language Learners in Monolingual and Bilingual Israeli State Schools Thesis submitted for the degree of “Doctor of Philosophy” By Julia Schlam Salman Submitted to the Senate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem December, 2011 This work was carried out under the supervision of Professor Elite Olshtain & Dr. Zvi Bekerman Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to thank my advisers Dr. Zvi Bekerman and Professor Elite Olshtein for their support throughout this entire process. Their unfaltering belief in this research project together with their willingness to engage at all hours in intellectual and practical dialogue, has undoubtedly contributed to the quality of this study. Thank you to the members of my dissertation committee, Professor Bernard Spolsky, Professor Elana Shohamy and Dr. Nava Nevo for your insights and input along the way. I would also like to thank Professor Gabriel Horenczyk, Dr. Valerie Jakar and Dr. Aliza Yahav for providing additional and different perspectives— ones that challenged me to consider other methods and directions. I thank the Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University for providing ample monetary support that ultimately enabled me to finish writing my dissertation. I am also indebted the Melton Centre for Jewish Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem for their generous financial support and for exemplifying the true spirit of collegiality. Their multidisciplinary approach to educational research enabled me to find unexpected collaborators across a wide range of fields and disciplines. I am grateful to the schools, teachers and students who agreed to take part in this study. Thank you especially to Avigdor Mantel, Rana Qaddoura and Judie Segal for allowing me to be a part of your classrooms. To the many students who participated in this study and shared your ideas and beliefs with me, I thank you. I am grateful to Rajaa Natour, Diana Shehade and Netanel Silverman for their help with Arabic translation. I would also like to thank the Chief Scientific Authority at the Ministry of Education for giving me permission to go into the schools and conduct research. More specifically, I would like to thank my English inspector and colleague Pat Talshir for her steadfast commitment to me and to English teachers throughout the country. On a personal level, I would like to thank my parents who instilled in me intellectual curiosity along with the pursuit of excellence. My father—may his memory be for a blessing— embodied scholarship and I am certain would have been proud of this accomplishment. Mom— thank you for your endless optimism, for supporting me every step of the way and for modeling what it means to be a lifelong learner in the truest sense of the word. Over the course of this doctorate, I have been blessed to have brought two children into the world. They continuously help me to stay mindful of the pinnacles along the way even as I strive towards future ambitions. Last, but certainly not least, thank you to my partner Nisim for your unconditional support, for the hours of occupying our children, for the meals cooked and the many dishes washed and most of all, for sharing this life with me in all its challenges and wonders. Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto. —Mercedes Sosa Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 1 Research Objectives .................................................................................................................................. 1 A Word about Employed Nomenclature ................................................................................................... 4 CHAPTER I: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ................................................................................................. 6 Social Constructionism ............................................................................................................................. 6 Social Constructionism & Language ..................................................................................................... 7 Social Constructionism, Language & Identity ...................................................................................... 8 Models of Language Learning ................................................................................................................ 12 English as a Global Language ................................................................................................................. 17 Outcomes of Language & Language Learning ....................................................................................... 21 Factors Affecting Language Learning Outcomes ................................................................................ 22 Perceived Language Status .................................................................................................................. 23 Linguistic Capital ................................................................................................................................ 24 Language Conflict ............................................................................................................................... 25 Motivation ........................................................................................................................................... 27 Monolingualism, Bilingualism & Trilingualism ................................................................................. 29 Language Learning and Identity Construction Processes ....................................................................... 31 Identity Construction Processes and Foreign Language Learning ...................................................... 33 Identity Construction Processes and English as an International Language ....................................... 34 Pedagogical Implications—Language Learning and Identity ............................................................. 36 Contextual Factors: Sociopolitics, Language & Education ..................................................................... 37 The National Context: History & Socio-Politics ................................................................................. 38 Languages in Israeli Society ................................................................................................................ 42 The Educational System in Israel ........................................................................................................ 47 English Language Learning in Israel ................................................................................................... 48 Authorial Voice ................................................................................................................................... 50 Summary & Conclusion: Review of Literature ....................................................................................... 51 CHAPTER II: METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................................. 53 Rationale for Employed Methodology .................................................................................................... 53 The Schools ............................................................................................................................................. 54 Model I: Monolingual-Majority School (Hebrew-English) ................................................................ 55 Model II: Monolingual-Minority School (Arabic-English) ................................................................ 55 Model III: Bilingual Minority-Majority School (Arabic-Hebrew-English) ........................................ 55 Study Participants .................................................................................................................................... 56 Data Collection Instruments .................................................................................................................... 57 Data Collection Process .......................................................................................................................... 59 Research Preparation ........................................................................................................................... 59 Preliminary Classroom Observations .................................................................................................. 60 In-depth, Semi-Structured Qualitative Interviews ............................................................................... 61 Focus Group Sessions ......................................................................................................................... 63 Data Analysis .......................................................................................................................................... 64 Limitations of Employed Methodology .................................................................................................. 68 CHAPTER III: FINDINGS & ANALYSIS ................................................................................................ 73 Introduction to the Findings & Analysis ................................................................................................. 73 Background to the Linguistic Context of the Study ............................................................................ 73 Statement
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