An ethnographic approach exploring teacher beliefs and practices for Modern Foreign Language teaching in a Scottish primary school

Abstract Summary

Abstract :

In 2012, Scotland attempted to dilute its identity as a ‘monolingual country’ by establishing, for the first time, a language policy, the “1+2 Language Approach”. This language policy has created opportunities, and also imbalances. This paper aims to explore the complexities of teacher practices in a Scottish primary school operating under the auspices of the “1+2 Language Approach”.







Using Nexus Analysis as scalar ethnographic tool for educational linguistics (Hult, 2017) teachers’ opinions and perceptions of their own competences and skills, pedagogic knowledge and policy interpretations were analysed and explored. The language policy, and its accompanying and supporting documents, as well as teacher and student interactions in modern foreign language inputs, and pupils’ learning diaries, were also analysed. The paper shows how policy, and teacher viewpoints, although they are interconnected, appear to be antagonistic. Pupils’ learning dairies present dynamic, multilingual behaviour as pupils reflect on Language and engage with language analysis of English and French, perhaps seeing both languages in a holistic manner. Teachers appear to hesitate to take on modern foreign languages inputs as they rehearse their own conceptualisations of language teaching and often conflicting policy mantras. Monolingual practices and ideologies in language teaching, in language teacher training, in language curricula, and in language teaching methodologies are strengthened, and thereby thoroughly permeate educational practice. The resultant theoretical reinvention of policy recasts professional discourse and teaching practice by, often, promoting neoliberal ideologies, and reaffirming monolingual rather than multilingual language ecologies.















Hult, F. (2017) Nexus analysis as scalar ethnography for educational linguistics, in M. Martin-Jones and D. Martin (eds.) Researching Multilingualism Critical and Ethnographic Perspectives, London: Routledge.

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