An ethnographic study of language socialization and choice in a first and second grade English medium classroom in Finland

In this ethnographic study of language socialization I investigate how a monolingual language norm is instituted, maintained, monitored, resisted, and subverted by participants in a first and second grade English medium class in Finland. In this setting language choice and use are an integral part of membership in this class. This study foregrounds the social implications of managing a monolingual norm by examining student agency, resistance, the achievement of voice, the uptake of a teacher-like discourse, and the practice of repair. The end result is a detailed exploration of peer-talk among students engaged in a variety of activities, highlighting the diverse trajectories of individuals, and giving evidence of the creative and agentive use of language among young learners.