Whose English counts? Language ideologies in Turkish TESOL teacher education

This mixed methods study examines how English teacher candidates in Türkiye construct teacher linguistic legitimacy around English accents through Global Englishes and raciolinguistic perspectives. A verbal-guise task (N = 59) and semi-structured interviews (n = 5) showed a consistent hierarchy. Standardised North American and British Englishes and German English were rated higher, while Turkish and Arabic Englishes were rated lower. Quantitative data were analysed using linear mixed-effects models, and interview data were analysed through thematic coding complemented by micro-discourse analysis. Prior Global Englishes coursework did not significantly moderate ratings. Interview discourse showed that preferences were often reframed as “intelligibility,” and hierarchies were reproduced through staffing, curricula, and racialised marketing. Exposure to multiple Englishes alone was insufficient to disrupt entrenched hierarchies of linguistic legitimacy, pointing to sustained identity-oriented curricular work.