ABSTRACT
This chapter is about language ideologies in early childhood teacher education, more specifically ideologies in textbooks. Textbooks are often considered authoritative and crucial resources for student’s learning outcomes, but they are by no means neutral transmitters of information. On the basis of García’s theoretical framework for bilingual education, I discuss how course syllabi in Finland, Norway and Sweden can be linked to monoglossic and heteroglossic language ideologies. The textbooks and syllabi, with one exception, seems to be based on monoglossic ideologies, focusing on supporting individual emergent multilingual’s second language development rather than how linguistic diversity can be an asset to all children. I discuss the ideologies in the light of institutional language policies and expected learning outcomes, and point out the complexities and paradoxes that the teacher educator encounters. Finally, I discuss the importance of a critical multilingual awareness of the language ideologies in teacher education.
