Wendelien Vantieghem
Biographic Data
| ID | 303046 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Wendelien Vantieghem |
| GIVEN NAMES | Wendelien |
| FAMILY NAME | Vantieghem |
| SIGNATURE | VANTIEGHEM W |
| AFFILIATIONS | Ghent University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5891-2131 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 31 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 50 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 31 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2014 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Invisible threads
As higher education (HE) systems become increasingly diverse, understanding the development of students’ sense of belonging (SoB) is crucial, particularly for ethnic-cultural minorities. Existing research on student belonging largely relies on cross-sectional designs, leaving a gap in understanding how belonging unfolds over time. This qualitative, longitudinal study examines how SoB develops dynamically over time within a relatively open-access …
Exploring the role of students’ ethnic-minority and socio-economic status in entering open-admissions higher education
This study contributes to research on higher education (HE) inequalities by exploring how ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES) shape HE decision-making within the context of an open-admissions HE-system (Flanders), where formal barriers are minimal, in contrast to more selective HE-systems. Drawing on Bourdieu’s cultural reproduction theory, we conducted a Reflexive Thematic Analysis of qualitative interviews with 31 ethnic-cultural minority …
Developing and Validating a Video-Based Measurement Instrument for Assessing Teachers’ Professional Vision of Language-Stimulation Interactions in the ECE Classroom
This study reports on the development and validation of a video-based instrument to assess early childhood education (ECE) teachers’ professional vision (PV) of language-stimulation (LS) interactions. PV refers to noticing and reasoning about key classroom interactions, a skill that can be trained and distinguishes experts from novices. The instrument targets the PV of three language-stimulation (LS) strategies: language input (LI), opportunities…
Teacher educators’ diversity-responsive practices
Teacher educators are pivotal in shaping how the educational field approaches matters of diversity and social inequality. This study addresses the lack of quantitative research in this topic by developing and validating a survey instrument to assess teacher educators’ diversity-responsive practices. Specifically, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and reliability analyses were performed on data collected from higher educat…
Teacher educators’ distinctive contribution to education that serves all
By preparing the future teachers, teacher educators impact how the educational field approaches diversity. Yet, their crucial role is often overlooked in educational literature. The limited knowledge on the practices teacher educators can implement, regardless of their (teaching) assignments, has not yet been synthesised. This systematic literature review fills this gap. Following PRISMA guidelines, two databases were screened (n = 268). Thematic…
Sense of belonging defined
It became apparent that academic retention in higher education (HE) is influenced beyond academic factors alone. Given sense of belonging’s (SoB’s) relationship with educational and broader outcomes, researchers have shifted their attention to studying SoB’s role in explaining social inequities in HE. However, there is little research that describes how ethnic-cultural minority (ECM) students themselves define and experience SoB, which questions …
Pardon my French, Turkish and Arabic! How Flemish headteachers and teachers respond to multilingualism in the classroom
A growing amount of ethnically diverse students is bringing a multitude of different languages into the classroom. In Flanders, most schools respond to this reality by adopting a monolingual approach, where proficiency in Dutch is encouraged and the home language of students perceived as a barrier for learning, within this monolingual system. However recent studies have found that teachers will vary in their level of tolerance for linguistic dive…
The dynamics of multilingual assessment
This study examines the impact of linguistic accommodations on the science performance of multilingual pupils. In a randomized controlled trial conducted in Flanders (Belgium), pupils aged 9–12 were assigned to one of three conditions: a control group taking a science test in the language of schooling ( n = 64), a group receiving a written bilingual test in both the pupils’ L1 and language of schooling ( n = 64), and a group with a written biling…
Navigating linguistic diversity
In response to the increasing linguistic diversity in educational settings resulting from migration waves into the Global North, this study delves into the beliefs of secondary teachers regarding multilingualism within predominantly monolingual policy schools in Flanders, Belgium. Despite the recognized benefits of multilingual pedagogies, entrenched monolingual policies persist in many Western schools, posing challenges for teachers striving to …
Diversity-responsive teacher educators in Flanders
Higher education-based teacher educators are a unique group of practitioners: not only what they teach, but also how they teach is of instructional significance to students who want to become teachers themselves. Nonetheless, they are often overlooked in the research on inclusion, equity and social justice in education. This explorative study expands the knowledge base on teacher educators’ contribution to education that genuinely serves all stud…
Professional vision as a mediator for inclusive education? Unravelling the interplay between teachers’ beliefs, professional vision and reported practice of differentiated instruction
To ensure inclusion and equity in education, both teacher beliefs and practice are cited as influential. However, the connection between beliefs on student diversity and inclusive practice is often more complex than straightforward. Professional vision is theorised to be important in aligning beliefs with practice. Hence, this study investigates whether teachers’ professional vision of differentiated instruction (DI) mediates between teachers’ be…
What prompts early childhood professionals to proffer advice to multilingual families? Investigating the association between language policy and perceived self-efficacy
Early childhood professionals can act as catalysts in encouraging home language maintenance in multilingual families. However, there is a dearth of research on whether these professionals advise parents to speak their home language(s) to their offspring, and furthermore, little is known about what prompts professionals to proffer language advice. To respond to these queries, we relied on two theoretical frameworks: Spolsky’s language policy model…
Teachers’ responses to ethnic discrimination
While most research has focussed on the experiences and consequences of ethnic discrimination for students, little is known about how teachers respond to ethnic discrimination. Teachers’ responses are important as they may affect the outcomes of ethnic discrimination for students. Additionally, many studies have shown that teachers find it difficult to respond or talk about these issues but we know very little about how they act or address these …
‘Let’s Teach as We Preach’
(1) Background: In preparing the next generation of teachers, teacher educators are key actors in fostering diversity-responsive education. However, evidence-informed professional development initiatives (PDIs) are needed to raise teacher educators’ awareness and increase their diversity-responsive practices. This study provides insight into the design of a PDI that addresses this need. (2) Methods: After consulting the educational literature to …
Order in the chaos. Nurses’ perceptions of multilingual families in a society marked by a monoglossic ideology
This paper explores the connection between nurses’ multilingual beliefs and their advice on multilingual parenting to families with young children. Data was gathered through video-stimulated reflection dialogues with 11 nurses employed at infant welfare clinics in Belgium. Our analysis disclosed two salient counter topics regarding participants’ multilingual beliefs: order versus chaos. The latter refers to nurses’ view of multilingualism as a li…
Uncovering the role of teacher educators in the reduction of inequalities in education
School actors navigating between implementor & arbiter – a qualitative study on the dynamics in multilingual schools’ language policy
Over the past two decades, heightened migration has increased linguistic diversity in schools. For schools to cope with this multilingualism, many governments impose a monolingual policy where only the language of instruction is allowed. Although many schools adopt such a policy, the classroom practices may differ since multilingual students often revert to translanguaging-as-practice. Drawing on three key conceptual language policy (LP) models (…
Diversity ideologies in Flemish education
As most studies focus on the outcomes of multiculturalism, assimilation and colourblindness (MAC) for students, little is known about why schools vary in the diversity approaches that they adopt and the role of the teacher in this process. This study explores how teachers implement MAC diversity approaches and what drives them in doing so. Based on a cluster analysis of 38 schools, three extreme cases were selected that either valued (multicultur…
A quantitative analysis of the language policy processes in early childhood professionals’ advice on multilingual parenting
Whereas early childhood professionals can play a pivotal role in fostering young children’s home language development, little is known about what determines the kind of multilingual parenting advice they offer families. The objective of this study was to deconstruct the processes culminating in two types of such recommendations: advice highlighting the usage of the home language in the family domain versus advice to include the dominant language.…
An empirical validation study of Spolsky's language policy model
This study investigates Spolsky's conception of language policy as the amalgam of language beliefs, language practices and language management. To the best of our knowledge, no quantitative evidence has ever been produced for his theoretical model. The current paper addressed this void, albeit specifically in the domain of Early Childhood Care and Education – scarce in terms of language policy research, but vital for children's (multilingual) lan…
Exploring pre-service teachers’ beliefs and practices about two inclusive frameworks
Toward More Inclusive Education
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) holds considerable promise to create inclusive educational environments. Nevertheless, the most recent theoretical UDL model, which includes both teachers' philosophy and praxis of teaching, has never been tested empirically. Therefore, this study aims to validate the UDL model as a "whole" among preservice teachers. Results show that the three philosophical constructs of UDL predict the performance of preservi…
Professional vision of inclusive classrooms
Connecting beliefs, noticing and differentiated teaching practices
The ability of identifying decisive classroom situations such as inclusive instructions, named ‘noticing’, has been identified as a crucial skill in the context of creating inclusive classrooms. To our knowledge, the associations between differentiated teacher beliefs (i.e. growth mindset and ethical compass), noticing abilities, and implementation of differentiated teaching practices have not been empirically explored. This study aims to explore…
The Impact of Gender Variance on Adolescents’ Wellbeing
Schools are often heteronormative environments, negatively influencing the wellbeing of LGB students. Less is known about the impact on gender-variant adolescents. Hence, this study investigates the wellbeing of gender-variant students-as evidenced by their gender (a)typicality and pressure for gender conformity- in different school cultures-as evidenced by the level of traditional gender role attitudes and homonegativity. We examine these contex…
Are Girls more Resilient to Gender-Conformity Pressure? The Association Between Gender-Conformity Pressure and Academic Self-Efficacy
The Impact of Gender Variance on Adolescents’ Wellbeing
Schools are often heteronormative environments, negatively influencing the wellbeing of LGB students. Less is known about the impact on gender-variant adolescents. Hence, this study investigates the wellbeing of gender-variant students-as evidenced by their gender (a)typicality and pressure for gender conformity- in different school cultures-as evidenced by the level of traditional gender role attitudes and homonegativity. We examine these contex…
Differences in Study Motivation Within and Between Genders
Despite boys' educational underachievement, gender differences in study motivation have received little research attention. Guided by self-determination theory and the identity-based motivation model, this study investigates differences in study motivation between boys and girls, as well as within each gender. To adequately consider these within-gender differences, we investigate gender and gender typicality interactions in a sample of 6,380 Flem…
Do Girls Make Boys Study? Gender Composition, Gender Role Culture, and Sense of Futility in Flemish Secondary Schools
This study examines whether the gender difference in sense of academic futility is related to the proportion of girls attending a school. We argue that the more progressive gender role culture in schools with a higher proportion of girls might influence especially boys' sense of futility. Multilevel analyses of data gathered in 2014 from 5,162 second-grade students in 57 secondary schools in Flanders confirm a small but significant gender differe…
Exploring pre-service teachers’ beliefs and practices about two inclusive frameworks
Diversity ideologies in Flemish education
As most studies focus on the outcomes of multiculturalism, assimilation and colourblindness (MAC) for students, little is known about why schools vary in the diversity approaches that they adopt and the role of the teacher in this process. This study explores how teachers implement MAC diversity approaches and what drives them in doing so. Based on a cluster analysis of 38 schools, three extreme cases were selected that either valued (multicultur…
An empirical validation study of Spolsky's language policy model
This study investigates Spolsky's conception of language policy as the amalgam of language beliefs, language practices and language management. To the best of our knowledge, no quantitative evidence has ever been produced for his theoretical model. The current paper addressed this void, albeit specifically in the domain of Early Childhood Care and Education – scarce in terms of language policy research, but vital for children's (multilingual) lan…
Why “Gender” disappeared from the gender gap
Toward More Inclusive Education
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) holds considerable promise to create inclusive educational environments. Nevertheless, the most recent theoretical UDL model, which includes both teachers' philosophy and praxis of teaching, has never been tested empirically. Therefore, this study aims to validate the UDL model as a "whole" among preservice teachers. Results show that the three philosophical constructs of UDL predict the performance of preservi…
Connecting beliefs, noticing and differentiated teaching practices
The ability of identifying decisive classroom situations such as inclusive instructions, named ‘noticing’, has been identified as a crucial skill in the context of creating inclusive classrooms. To our knowledge, the associations between differentiated teacher beliefs (i.e. growth mindset and ethical compass), noticing abilities, and implementation of differentiated teaching practices have not been empirically explored. This study aims to explore…
Why “Gender” disappeared from the gender gap
What Are You Reading
Are Girls more Resilient to Gender-Conformity Pressure? The Association Between Gender-Conformity Pressure and Academic Self-Efficacy
Measuring professional vision of inclusive classrooms in secondary education through video-based comparative judgement
Differences in Study Motivation Within and Between Genders
Despite boys' educational underachievement, gender differences in study motivation have received little research attention. Guided by self-determination theory and the identity-based motivation model, this study investigates differences in study motivation between boys and girls, as well as within each gender. To adequately consider these within-gender differences, we investigate gender and gender typicality interactions in a sample of 6,380 Flem…
Professional vision of inclusive classrooms
Connecting beliefs, noticing and differentiated teaching practices
The ability of identifying decisive classroom situations such as inclusive instructions, named ‘noticing’, has been identified as a crucial skill in the context of creating inclusive classrooms. To our knowledge, the associations between differentiated teacher beliefs (i.e. growth mindset and ethical compass), noticing abilities, and implementation of differentiated teaching practices have not been empirically explored. This study aims to explore…
The Impact of Gender Variance on Adolescents’ Wellbeing
Schools are often heteronormative environments, negatively influencing the wellbeing of LGB students. Less is known about the impact on gender-variant adolescents. Hence, this study investigates the wellbeing of gender-variant students-as evidenced by their gender (a)typicality and pressure for gender conformity- in different school cultures-as evidenced by the level of traditional gender role attitudes and homonegativity. We examine these contex…
Do Girls Make Boys Study? Gender Composition, Gender Role Culture, and Sense of Futility in Flemish Secondary Schools
This study examines whether the gender difference in sense of academic futility is related to the proportion of girls attending a school. We argue that the more progressive gender role culture in schools with a higher proportion of girls might influence especially boys' sense of futility. Multilevel analyses of data gathered in 2014 from 5,162 second-grade students in 57 secondary schools in Flanders confirm a small but significant gender differe…
An empirical validation study of Spolsky's language policy model
This study investigates Spolsky's conception of language policy as the amalgam of language beliefs, language practices and language management. To the best of our knowledge, no quantitative evidence has ever been produced for his theoretical model. The current paper addressed this void, albeit specifically in the domain of Early Childhood Care and Education – scarce in terms of language policy research, but vital for children's (multilingual) lan…
Exploring pre-service teachers’ beliefs and practices about two inclusive frameworks
Toward More Inclusive Education
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) holds considerable promise to create inclusive educational environments. Nevertheless, the most recent theoretical UDL model, which includes both teachers' philosophy and praxis of teaching, has never been tested empirically. Therefore, this study aims to validate the UDL model as a "whole" among preservice teachers. Results show that the three philosophical constructs of UDL predict the performance of preservi…
A quantitative analysis of the language policy processes in early childhood professionals’ advice on multilingual parenting
Whereas early childhood professionals can play a pivotal role in fostering young children’s home language development, little is known about what determines the kind of multilingual parenting advice they offer families. The objective of this study was to deconstruct the processes culminating in two types of such recommendations: advice highlighting the usage of the home language in the family domain versus advice to include the dominant language.…
‘Let’s Teach as We Preach’
(1) Background: In preparing the next generation of teachers, teacher educators are key actors in fostering diversity-responsive education. However, evidence-informed professional development initiatives (PDIs) are needed to raise teacher educators’ awareness and increase their diversity-responsive practices. This study provides insight into the design of a PDI that addresses this need. (2) Methods: After consulting the educational literature to …
Order in the chaos. Nurses’ perceptions of multilingual families in a society marked by a monoglossic ideology
This paper explores the connection between nurses’ multilingual beliefs and their advice on multilingual parenting to families with young children. Data was gathered through video-stimulated reflection dialogues with 11 nurses employed at infant welfare clinics in Belgium. Our analysis disclosed two salient counter topics regarding participants’ multilingual beliefs: order versus chaos. The latter refers to nurses’ view of multilingualism as a li…
Uncovering the role of teacher educators in the reduction of inequalities in education
School actors navigating between implementor & arbiter – a qualitative study on the dynamics in multilingual schools’ language policy
Over the past two decades, heightened migration has increased linguistic diversity in schools. For schools to cope with this multilingualism, many governments impose a monolingual policy where only the language of instruction is allowed. Although many schools adopt such a policy, the classroom practices may differ since multilingual students often revert to translanguaging-as-practice. Drawing on three key conceptual language policy (LP) models (…
Diversity ideologies in Flemish education
As most studies focus on the outcomes of multiculturalism, assimilation and colourblindness (MAC) for students, little is known about why schools vary in the diversity approaches that they adopt and the role of the teacher in this process. This study explores how teachers implement MAC diversity approaches and what drives them in doing so. Based on a cluster analysis of 38 schools, three extreme cases were selected that either valued (multicultur…
The dynamics of multilingual assessment
This study examines the impact of linguistic accommodations on the science performance of multilingual pupils. In a randomized controlled trial conducted in Flanders (Belgium), pupils aged 9–12 were assigned to one of three conditions: a control group taking a science test in the language of schooling ( n = 64), a group receiving a written bilingual test in both the pupils’ L1 and language of schooling ( n = 64), and a group with a written biling…
Navigating linguistic diversity
In response to the increasing linguistic diversity in educational settings resulting from migration waves into the Global North, this study delves into the beliefs of secondary teachers regarding multilingualism within predominantly monolingual policy schools in Flanders, Belgium. Despite the recognized benefits of multilingual pedagogies, entrenched monolingual policies persist in many Western schools, posing challenges for teachers striving to …
Diversity-responsive teacher educators in Flanders
Higher education-based teacher educators are a unique group of practitioners: not only what they teach, but also how they teach is of instructional significance to students who want to become teachers themselves. Nonetheless, they are often overlooked in the research on inclusion, equity and social justice in education. This explorative study expands the knowledge base on teacher educators’ contribution to education that genuinely serves all stud…
Professional vision as a mediator for inclusive education? Unravelling the interplay between teachers’ beliefs, professional vision and reported practice of differentiated instruction
To ensure inclusion and equity in education, both teacher beliefs and practice are cited as influential. However, the connection between beliefs on student diversity and inclusive practice is often more complex than straightforward. Professional vision is theorised to be important in aligning beliefs with practice. Hence, this study investigates whether teachers’ professional vision of differentiated instruction (DI) mediates between teachers’ be…
What prompts early childhood professionals to proffer advice to multilingual families? Investigating the association between language policy and perceived self-efficacy
Early childhood professionals can act as catalysts in encouraging home language maintenance in multilingual families. However, there is a dearth of research on whether these professionals advise parents to speak their home language(s) to their offspring, and furthermore, little is known about what prompts professionals to proffer language advice. To respond to these queries, we relied on two theoretical frameworks: Spolsky’s language policy model…
Teachers’ responses to ethnic discrimination
While most research has focussed on the experiences and consequences of ethnic discrimination for students, little is known about how teachers respond to ethnic discrimination. Teachers’ responses are important as they may affect the outcomes of ethnic discrimination for students. Additionally, many studies have shown that teachers find it difficult to respond or talk about these issues but we know very little about how they act or address these …
Developing and Validating a Video-Based Measurement Instrument for Assessing Teachers’ Professional Vision of Language-Stimulation Interactions in the ECE Classroom
This study reports on the development and validation of a video-based instrument to assess early childhood education (ECE) teachers’ professional vision (PV) of language-stimulation (LS) interactions. PV refers to noticing and reasoning about key classroom interactions, a skill that can be trained and distinguishes experts from novices. The instrument targets the PV of three language-stimulation (LS) strategies: language input (LI), opportunities…
Psychology (28 works) · Pedagogy (22 works) · Sociology (15 works) · Mathematics education (14 works) · Computer Science (12 works) · Social Psychology (11 works) · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies (11 works) · Linguistics (9 works) · Developmental psychology (8 works) · Multilingual Education and Policy (8 works)