Countering monolingual ideologies: Pre-service teachers' perspectives on multilingualism in Canada

Authors

  • Sonya Sachar University of Alberta
  • Omoregie Abiemwense Edokpayi University of Alberta

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18806/tesl.v43i1/1441

Keywords:

identity, language ideology, multilingualism, pre-service teachers (PSTs), teacher education

Abstract

UNESCO’s 2024 report recognizes multilingualism as a global norm, transforming classrooms into complex and dynamic teaching and learning environments. This study explores pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) beliefs and attitudes toward multilingualism in education in Alberta. Specifically, it examines how PSTs' personal and professional identities shape their understanding of multilingualism and influence their teaching approaches to culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Data were collected from 78 PSTs through an anonymous online survey that included both closed and open-ended questions, providing both quantitative and qualitative insights. The findings underscore the importance of PSTs embracing multilingualism in their professional identities and addressing students’ linguistic backgrounds. The study also suggests how teacher education programs can better prepare PSTs to foster inclusive, linguistically responsive classrooms that value linguistic diversity.

Author Biographies

Sonya Sachar, University of Alberta

Dr. Sonya Sachar is an Assistant Professor in Elementary Education in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. Prior to joining the University of Alberta, she taught in the Bachelor of Education program and the Writing Department at York University. Alongside her post-secondary teaching, she also worked as an elementary school teacher with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Her research focuses on applied linguistics and is grounded in anti-racist and anti-oppressive frameworks. She is committed to advancing equity in language and literacy education by supporting the needs of linguistically diverse students, families, and communities.

Omoregie Abiemwense Edokpayi, University of Alberta

Omoregie Abiemwense Edokpayi is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Alberta, where his research examines decolonizing citizenship and citizenship education through the lens of relational ontology. He holds an M.A. from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, with a thesis focused on restorative justice in education—a foundation that informs his current doctoral work. As a researcher on the SSHRC-funded Historical Thinking Project, he contributes to advancing reconciliation in Indigenous education.

Edokpayi’s professional trajectory spans multiple disciplines, beginning with military service, where he developed expertise in counterterrorism education. He later transitioned to secondary education, teaching grades 10–12 before shifting to academia. His current research explores Black studies, Afrocentric education, the philosophy of citizenship, and migration/immigrant studies.

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Published

2026-03-23

How to Cite

Sachar, S., & Edokpayi, O. A. (2026). Countering monolingual ideologies: Pre-service teachers’ perspectives on multilingualism in Canada. TESL Canada Journal, 43(1). https://doi.org/10.18806/tesl.v43i1/1441

Issue

Vol. 43 No. 1 (2026): Early View: Vol. 43 No. 1

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 TESL Canada Journal

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.