Educational Ideologies of Southeast Asian Bilingual Teachers. Exploring the Elusive.

The ideologies, beliefs, and perceived roles of Southeast Asian bilingual teachers working in the Merrimack Valley (Massachusetts) were studied. The focus is on the city of Lowell, where there has been a rapid influx and a large concentration of Cambodians, Laotians, and Vietnamese students of limited English proficiency. Thirteen male and 13 female Southeast Asian bilingual teachers, many of whom substituted prior teaching experience for teaching certificates, were asked about (1) educational priorities; (2) professional development and improvement beliefs and plans; (3) vision and ideals about the school and their expectations; (4) teaching effectiveness; and (5) their ideas about the teacher's role. Educational priorities were usually discipline, positive attitudes, motivation, native language skills, and English proficiency. The aim of education and the teacher's role was seen as going beyond the cognitive to include the affective domain. Teachers believed students should be educated without distinction of gender. They intended to improve themselves professionally and were aware of limitations caused by their lack of certification. Twenty-two tables present survey findings. (Contains 10 references.) (SLD)