Preservice Teachers' Attitudes toward Language Diversity in South Texas

This article presents a study of preservice teachers' attitudes to language diversity. Using a modified version of the Language Attitude for Teachers Scale (Byrnes & Kiger, 1994), we surveyed preservice teachers (N = 518) before their multicultural education course. The pilot study sample included White college students and Mexican American college students with different degrees of bilinguality and varying age groups. Analysis showed that ethnicity, bilingualism, and the interaction of birthplace and ethnicity, as well as the interaction of birthplace, age, and bilingualism, may mediate attitudes toward linguistically and culturally diverse populations. Findings, however, revealed only moderate positive attitudes across all ethnic groups. For this reason, teacher educators should not assume that benefits from language and cultural diversity training are limited to White students only. (Contains 8 tables.)