Teacher Agency in Multilingual Pedagogies - (New Perspectives on Language and Education) by Thomas Quehl (Paperback)

About the Book

Through an ethnographic study that took place in highly diverse primary school classrooms in London and the East of England, this book engages with teachers' perspectives and children's descriptions of their plurilingual experiences, as it explores what constitutes, hinders and potentially facilitates teachers' agency in multilingual pedagogies.

Book Synopsis

Through an ethnographic study that took place in highly diverse primary school classrooms in London and the East of England, this book engages with teachers' perspectives and children's descriptions of their plurilingual experiences, as it explores what constitutes, hinders and potentially facilitates teachers' agency in multilingual pedagogies.

Review Quotes

Drawing on rich ethnographic data, Thomas Quehl's study provides invaluable insights into what constitutes teacher agency in multilingual pedagogies, and how it can be hindered - or fostered. With stunning analysis and great care for the everyday affordances of primary school teachers, this book paves a careful, real and actionable way for the empowerment of teachers and students alike.

Children's own languages are routinely celebrated as a valued asset in school policy statements, yet teachers often find it difficult to support multilingualism in our linguistically diverse schools. Through clear-eyed observations and perceptive analyses of everyday teaching practices, Thomas Quehl shows us the navigational affordances and delimitations teachers have to deal with in an overwhelmingly monolingual English-centric curriculum environment. Teachers, teacher educators and policy makers interested in promoting multilingualism and linguistic justice will find this highly accessible book a work of immense practical relevance.

Through authentic narratives and critical insights, Thomas Quehl's book illuminates the untapped potential of teacher agency in multilingual classrooms, inspiring educators to embrace linguistic diversity as a vehicle for educational transformation. It bridges gaps between research and practice, empowering teachers and students alike to navigate and thrive in a superdiverse world. Having seen Thomas Quehl actually experimenting with what he now describes in this book makes reading it even more special.

Drawing on rich ethnographic data, Thomas Quehl's study provides invaluable insights into what constitutes teacher agency in multilingual pedagogies, and how it can be hindered - or fostered. With stunning analysis and great care for the everyday affordances of primary school teachers, this book paves a careful, real and actionable way for the empowerment of teachers and students alike.

-- "M Knappik, University of Wuppertal, Germany"

Children's own languages are routinely celebrated as a valued asset in school policy statements, yet teachers often find it difficult to support multilingualism in our linguistically diverse schools. Through clear-eyed observations and perceptive analyses of everyday teaching practices, Thomas Quehl shows us the navigational affordances and delimitations teachers have to deal with in an overwhelmingly monolingual English-centric curriculum environment. Teachers, teacher educators and policy makers interested in promoting multilingualism and linguistic justice will find this highly accessible book a work of immense practical relevance.-- "Constant Leung, King's College London, UK"

Through authentic narratives and critical insights, Thomas Quehl's book illuminates the untapped potential of teacher agency in multilingual classrooms, inspiring educators to embrace linguistic diversity as a vehicle for educational transformation. It bridges gaps between research and practice, empowering teachers and students alike to navigate and thrive in a superdiverse world. Having seen Thomas Quehl actually experimenting with what he now describes in this book makes reading it even more special.-- "Joana Duarte, University of Groningen, The Netherlands"

About the Author

Thomas Quehl is a primary school teacher and Visiting Research and Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the Centre for Language, Culture and Learning at Goldsmiths, University of London, UK. His research interests include multilingual pedagogies and teacher professionalisation.