Arizona Elementary Teachers' Attitudes Toward English Language Learners and the Use of Spanish in Classroom Instruction

Abstract

This study focused on the attitudes that elementary teachers have toward their English language learner (ELL) students' native languages (e.g., Spanish) and their use in instruction. A 27-item Likert-scale survey was administered to 152 first- through fourthgrade teachers from five school districts in Maricopa County, Arizona. These school districts have a large number of schools with students learning English as a second language. The researchers found that teachers' attitudes toward their ELL students differ significantly with the type of certification or endorsement they hold. The bilingual-certified teachers were more supportive of their ELL students using their native language in the classroom than were traditional and English as a Second Language–certified teachers. In contrast to previous studies, the researchers found that the more years a teacher taught, the more his or her attitude became negative toward his or her students' native language. Implications for training of bilingual teachers are discussed.