Overview

Through an ethnographic study that took place in highly diverse primary school classrooms in London and the East of England, UK, this book engages with teachers’ perspectives and children's descriptions of their plurilingual experiences, as it explores what constitutes, hinders and potentially facilitates teachers’ agency in multilingual pedagogies. The concept of teacher agency offers a powerful lens for critical reflections on the – often monolingual – status quo and on possible transformations in schools, where teachers seek to create pedagogical spaces that acknowledge, engage and promote pupils’ plurilingual repertoires. This book develops a nuanced framework for understanding and enhancing teacher agency in multilingual pedagogies. It also encourages teacher educators and policymakers to recognise multilingual pedagogies as an integral part of (primary) school pedagogy and to support the capacity of present and future teachers to build on their professional knowledge and experiences, when normalising multilingual pedagogies in mainstream schools.

Full Product Details

9781800416079

Table of Contents

Reviews

Through authentic narratives and critical insights, Thomas Quehl’s book illuminates the untapped potential of teacher agency in multilingual classrooms, inspiring educators to embrace linguistic diversity as a vehicle for educational transformation. It bridges gaps between research and practice, empowering teachers and students alike to navigate and thrive in a superdiverse world. Having seen Thomas Quehl actually experimenting with what he now describes in this book makes reading it even more special. * Joana Duarte, University of Groningen, The Netherlands * Children’s own languages are routinely celebrated as a valued asset in school policy statements, yet teachers often find it difficult to support multilingualism in our linguistically diverse schools. Through clear-eyed observations and perceptive analyses of everyday teaching practices, Thomas Quehl shows us the navigational affordances and delimitations teachers have to deal with in an overwhelmingly monolingual English-centric curriculum environment. Teachers, teacher educators and policy makers interested in promoting multilingualism and linguistic justice will find this highly accessible book a work of immense practical relevance. * Constant Leung, King's College London, UK * Drawing on rich ethnographic data, Thomas Quehl’s study provides invaluable insights into what constitutes teacher agency in multilingual pedagogies, and how it can be hindered – or fostered. With stunning analysis and great care for the everday affordances of primary school teachers, this book paves a careful, real and actionable way for the empowerment of teachers and students alike. * M Knappik, University of Wuppertal, Germany *

Author Information

Thomas Quehl is a primary school teacher and Visiting Research and Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the Centre for Language, Culture and Learning at Goldsmiths, University of London, UK. His research interests include multilingual pedagogies and teacher professionalisation.

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