Educational Equality

Mitigating Linguistic Discrimination in Second Language Teaching

Abstract

This article examines the impact of linguistic discrimination on learner’s academic performance in the context of teaching English as a second or foreign language (TESL/TEFL). Standard English ideology has permeated the education system in a way that affects many facets of English language teaching and learning. Three learner affective factors related to anxiety, motivation and self-confidence will be discussed to illustrate ways in which students are impacted by linguistic discrimination. In light of the evidence that linguistic discrimination is detrimental to learner’s academic performance, two methods will be discussed as ways in which linguistic discrimination can be mitigated. These methods, anti-racist education and plurilingualism, have been selected based on their potential to address linguistic discrimination at a more systemic level.