Towards a more nuance understanding of white teachers of english learners: Increasing capacity and capabilities

Abstract

Predicated on the idea that race, racialization, and racism are major factors that shape language teaching and learning, this paper draws on the second wave White teacher identity studies to argue for a more nuanced understandings on White monolingual teachers’ racial identities by exploring their perspectives on English learners’ (ELs’) learning experiences by asking the following research questions: (1) From the EL teachers’ perspectives, what contribute to EL’s struggles in school? (2) What effects do the EL teachers’ perspective have on ELs’ school experiences? (3) Are there any consistencies or inconsistencies among the participants’ perspectives and what do they mean? The findings report that tensions and contradictions arising from inconsistencies across the participants’ perspectives as well as within each teacher’s perspective reflect co-existence of race evasive and race conscious identities that in turn can serve as an important locus to transform their perspectives toward more equitable pedagogical practices for ELs.