Negotiating language ideologies: Pre-service teachers between pluralism and assimilation

This qualitative study examines the language ideologies of pre-service teachers enrolled in an elementary teacher preparation program and how these ideologies shape their perceptions of language use, bilingualism, and instruction for emergent bilingual students. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with five participants, the study analyzes how beliefs about language are constructed and negotiated. The findings reveal three interconnected themes: (1) Standard forms of language as institutional registers, (2) multilingualism valued instrumentally but subordinated to English, and (3) respect for linguistic identities alongside pressures toward assimilation. Participants expressed support for linguistic diversity while simultaneously reproducing hierarchical views that privilege standardized English and align with assimilationist orientations. The analysis identifies multiple coexisting language ideologies, including standardization, linguistic hegemony, instrumental pluralism, and linguistic assimilation, highlighting tensions between inclusive values and deficit-oriented assumptions. These findings underscore the role of teacher preparation programs as critical sites for examining and addressing language ideologies. The study suggests the need for more intentional preparation that fosters critical awareness and supports equity-oriented, linguistically responsive pedagogies.