Title: Cross-national comparison: Appraisal analysis in action
Paper #4 in SS24 colloquium "Researching teacher attitudes and beliefs on multilingualism: A transnational comparative approach"
Abstract:
This paper presents a study of how teachers talk about multilingualism and migrant parents across eight countries (France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK). Here, we spotlight a cross-national comparison on how teachers use evaluative language to express their attitudes and beliefs. We have used appraisal analysis (Martin & White, 2005) for the coding of relevant linguistic expressions, as the method offers a framework for quantifying and comparing instances of evaluative language as well as for revealing ideological positions. We have concentrated on attitude (AFFECT, JUDGEMENT, and APPRECIATION) and graduation (FORCE or FOCUS), additionally coding attitude as inscribed or invoked and as positive or negative.
In the project, researchers have followed the same interview protocol. Ten interviews from each country were chosen, including teachers from both urban and rural schools, with varying levels of teaching experience, and from both highly multilingual schools and less diverse schools. Each country team conducted an appraisal analysis of the selected interviews according to a joint interrater-tested coding scheme. In our paper, we present quantitative comparisons as well as co-occurrences of coding.
Our preliminary findings indicate, e.g., that many teachers articulate normative assessments of parents’ behavior with negative JUDGEMENTS of their CAPACITY or NORMALITY, with parents judged as lacking proficiency in the majority language, as not understanding school culture, or as insistent on using their home languages. However, if parents have strong proficiency in the language of schooling, teachers see this as positive CAPACITY, which may be associated with SECURITY or INCLINATION. Some teachers also express positive APPRECIATION towards diversity, with multilingualism deemed as WORTHWHILE. The tensions in the teachers’ talk about migrant parents, as evident in the comparative appraisal analysis of about 80 interviews, will be exemplified in our presentation.
References:
Martin, J.R. and P.R.R. White (2005) The Language of Evaluation: Appraisal in English. Palgrave Macmillan: Basingstoke, Hampshire.
First presenter:
Paulsrud, B., School of Language, Literatures and Learning, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden
Co-authors:
Cunningham, C., School of Education, Language and Psychology, York St John University, York, UK
Jalali-Moghadam, N., Blekinge Centre of Competence, Blekinge County Council, Karlskrona, Sweden & Department of Psychiatry, Østfold Hospital Trust, Moss, Norway
Juvonen, P., Department of Swedish, Linnaeus University, Växjö, Sweden
Mary, L., Faculty of Education and Lifelong Learning (INSPE), University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
Mellenius, I., Department of Language Studies, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
Putjata, G., Institut für Pädagogik der Elementar- & Primarstufe, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
Reinhardt, K., Institut für Pädagogik der Elementar- & Primarstufe, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
Schalley, A. C., Department of Language, Literature and Intercultural Studies, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
Schwartz, M., Department of Research and Evaluation Authority, Oranim Academic College of Education, Haifa, Israel
Segev, M., Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
Turkan, S., School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Yagmur, K., Department of Culture Studies, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
Young, A., Faculty of Education and Lifelong Learning (INSPE), University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
2022.