Discourses on encountering multilingual learners in Finnish schools

The study examines the narratives of Finnish lower secondary school teachers working in linguistically diverse schools by analysing their narratives’ discourses on encountering multilingual learners. The study reflects the current period when the Finnish education system is experiencing growth in linguistic diversity and a change in educational policies that require language-awareness from all teachers. In the study, 16 teachers participated in semi-structured group interviews. The teachers’ narratives were analysed by applying a framework for linguistically responsive teaching (Lucas & Villegas, 2013) in combination with discourse analytical methods. The analysis resulted in six discourses concerning agency, acceptance, and change in the school culture. The findings provide insights into the complex and multivoiced ways in which teaching multilingual learners is discussed. By revealing contradictory and overlapping voices, the study deepens the understanding of the process of developing teachers’ preparedness for linguistically diverse classrooms.