Opinions and attitudes of trainee Teachers towards plurilingualism : the 'hidden' role of language repertoires

Abstract

Teachers‘ opinions and attitudes are crucial in shaping educational practices, though their analysis remains complex due to internal and external influences, such as training and socio-biographical background. Recent large-scale European studies identified significant gaps in teacher preparation regarding plurilingualism and related classroom practices. In order to delve deeper into this issue, the current research investigates trainee teachers‘ opinions and attitudes on these topics in Malta, a dynamic plurilingual setting shaped by a strong English influence and rising levels of migration. Using data collected by means of a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, we explored variations in opinions and attitudes between trainee teachers specialising in languages and others from different, non-language related, areas of studies. The subjects‘ language competences, specifically their fluency in two languages or more were also taken into consideration and findings, somewhat unexpectedly, revealed that these competences were more pivotal when considering opinions and attitudes towards plurilingual education than their area of specialisation. A further insight emerging from the study is the mismatch between awareness and practices, highlighting the need to address this discrepancy. Furthermore, the specificity of the sociolinguistic landscape appears to decisively shape trainee teachers‘ pedagogical choices, reinforcing the urgency of sustained and context-sensitive teacher training strategies.