During the last decades, migration has changed realities in schools world-wide. This has also been reflected in research on multilingualism, although most studies have been done in North America. To gain a wider understanding, other countries and contexts should be investigated. Finland presents an interesting context for two reasons. First, compared to many other European countries, the proportion of migrant background inhabitants in Finland is relatively low (7%, Statistics Finland, 2019). Second, as a response to the growing number of migrant-background children in Finnish schools, the current Finnish National Core Curriculum for Basic education (EDUFI, 2016) is very progressive and promotes language awareness (van Lier, 2010). Language-awareness can be considered a key value within sustainability because it promotes equity and democracy. The language-aware approach can be understood as linguistically responsive teaching (LRT), which requires linguistic knowledge, as well as an understanding and willingness to interact and communicate responsibly (Lucas & Villegas, 2010).
The aim of the study was to examine the beliefs and competences pre-service language teachers have in LRT and their skills to promote linguistic equity in education. These beliefs and competences were investigated through responses to an online survey including 35 Likert scale statements and several open-ended questions. 48 language students participated in the survey. The responses to the Likert scale statements were analyzed statistically. The students' responses were compared based on three dichotomous background variables: 1) teacher's pedagogical studies, 2) living abroad and 3) studying in another language besides Finnish. The responses to two open-ended questions regarding LRT were analyzed by using theory-driven content analysis. The study is part of the EKKO project (Ethically Sustainable Language Teaching).
Based on the results, the development of linguistically responsive pedagogy takes time. The pre-service teacher's pedagogical training lasting one year is not long enough to prepare future language teachers to holistically include linguistically responsiveness in their teaching. Living abroad and studying in other languages besides first language can develop language students' beliefs regarding linguistically responsive pedagogy and their understanding about how language can promote equity. Teacher education should focus on offering pre-service teachers more information and practical skills in the role of language in all teaching and learning and in promoting linguistic equity. Also, students' possibilities to study abroad and to study in other languages besides their first languages should be supported even more than is currently done.
Bibliography
EDUFI (2016). The Finnish core curriculum for basic education. Finnish National Agency for Education. Available at:
https://www.oph.fi/sites/default/files/documents/perusopetuksen_opetussuunnitelman_perusteet_2014.pdf (24.6.22).
Ethically Sustainable Language Teaching. Available at: https://sites.utu.fi/ekko/en/ (27.6.2022).
van Lier, L. (2010). The ecology of language learning: Practice to theory, theory to to practice. Procedia – Social and behavioral sciences, 3, 2–6.
Lucas, T. & Villegas, A. M. (2010). The missing piece in teacher education: The preparation of linguistically responsive teachers. Yearbook of the national society for the study of education, 109(2): 297–318.
Statistics Finland (2019). Immigrants and integration. Available at stat.fi (24.6.2022)
