Troyna and Williams argue that the main issue with language in schools is...

Troyna and Williams argue that the main issue with language in schools is...

• A. The children's language is inferior in essence.
• B. Teachers have negative attitudes toward the children's language.
• C. Language development should be prioritized over literacy.
• D. Language differences are irrelevant to achievement.

Answer: (B)

Troyna and Williams emphasize the social side of language in education. They argue that the real issue is how teachers perceive and treat students’ language varieties, not an intrinsic inferiority in the students’ speech. In classrooms, home languages or dialects are often valued less than a standard school language, and teachers’ negative attitudes can shape interactions, feedback, and expectations in ways that Marginalize students and reproduce achievement gaps. So the central idea is that teachers’ attitudes toward the children’s language—not the language itself—is the key problem. This helps explain why simply focusing on language development or literacy without addressing classroom beliefs and practices may fail to close gaps.

Troyna and Williams emphasize the social side of language in education. They argue that the real issue is how teachers perceive and treat students’ language varieties, not an intrinsic inferiority in the students’ speech. In classrooms, home languages or dialects are often valued less than a standard school language, and teachers’ negative attitudes can shape interactions, feedback, and expectations in ways that Marginalize students and reproduce achievement gaps. So the central idea is that teachers’ attitudes toward the children’s language—not the language itself—is the key problem. This helps explain why simply focusing on language development or literacy without addressing classroom beliefs and practices may fail to close gaps.