Limits of Co-Constructing Transnational Third Space in a Dual Immersion Classroom

• In Event: 14.044 - Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: 14.044-6 - Insights on Globalization, Culture, and Language Learning

Abstract

This essay reports on a one year ethnographic study we conducted in a first grade dual-language immersion classroom in Utah. Data was gathered in the form of classroom observations, teachers’ interviews, document collection, and the researchers’ journals. The purpose of the study was to identify whether or not the two-way DLI class setting would contribute to the construction of a third space and connected the transnational experiences of students with their hybridized local and global world (glocal). In light of the research findings, it appears that evident limitations can be found in the instruments used by the teachers involved in the co-construction of this transnational third space. We observed the potential to establish mutual cultural and language enrichment exchanges between Latin@ and White students, which still needed to be encouraged by teachers throughout the curriculum and the classroom instructions.

Authors

• Marialuisa Di Stefano, Utah State University

• G. Sue Kasun, Utah State University