Teachers' attitudes about language diversity

This paper addresses regular-classroom teachers' attitudes toward language diversity and linguistically diverse students. We examined salient contextual variables hypothesized in the research literature to be associated with language attitudes-experience with linguistically diverse students, region of the country, formal training in second-language learning, graduate education, and grade level taught. The respondents ( N=191) were teachers selected from three states: Arizona, Utah, and Virginia. Our findings show that region of the country, experience working with language-minority children, a completed graduate degree, and formal training were related to positive language attitudes. These findings are discussed in relation to strategies for attitude change in teachers. (DIPF/abstract taken from the original)