Leveling the Language of Multilingual/Multicultural Students: Toward Pluralizing Definitions of Academic Language and Humanizing Pedagogy

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

This session addresses the call to challenge deficit notions of the language and culture of multilingual/multicultural students. While Common Core State Standards emphasize the development of academic language, this is often translated as a variety of Standard English that privileges certain discourses commonly associated with White middle class perspectives (Delpit & Dowdy, 2002; Michaels, 2005). Recent research in sociolinguistics provides evidence of the multilingual nature of language, even Standard English(es) (Canagarajah, 2007; Young, 2010). The papers in this symposium provide evidence from classroom-based research about the ways young people use a variety of languages and discourses, code-mesh, in complex and sophisticated ways. The students’ language use highlights the inadequacy of the standards in acknowledging their linguistic/cultural repertoires.

Sub Unit

• Division G - Social Context of Education / Section 2: Education in Multicultural Contexts Within and Across Subject Areas

Chair

• Mariana Souto-Manning, Teachers College, Columbia University

Papers

• Privileging the English of Latino Students: A Case Study of a “Long-Term English Learner” - Maneka Deanna Brooks, Texas State University

• What Happened to Language in the Language Arts? Latina/o Middle School Youth on Language - Danny C. Martinez, University of California - Davis; Elizabeth Montaño, University of California - Davis

• Constructing and Complicating Youth Identities: Navigating Language Interactions Within and About a Native American Literature Classroom - Timothy Jose San Pedro, The Ohio State University

• Leveraging Students’ Culture and Language in the Writing Classroom: One Teacher’s Call Toward More Responsive Teaching - Margarita Zisselsberger, Loyola University Maryland

Discussant

• Ramon Antonio Martinez, The University of Texas - Austin