Translanguaging in the Classroom: Implications of the Language Practices of Bilingual Youth in Texas

• In Event: Co-Constructing Notions of Linguistic Prestige

Abstract

This paper presents the concept of translanguaging as an alternate way for teachers to conceptualize the bilingual language practices of their students. In South Texas, the linguistic repertoires of Latino students arriving to classrooms include varieties of Spanish, English and a combination of the two commonly referred to as Spanglish or TexMex. Although the mixed vernacular and “non-standard” variety of English and Spanish are commonly used in bilingual communities, in schools they are rarely seen as a linguistic resource by educators. Additionally, bilingual programs that aim at keeping languages separate often reinforce a standard or monoglossic language ideology (García, 2009; Wiley, 1996); teachers seek to “correct” the students’ bilingual or non-standard vernacular. Language separation approaches can misconstrue the students’ real home language, and devalue and stigmatize the language practices of bilingual communities.

Drawing on ethonographic data from two elementary bilingual classrooms (2nd and 3rd grade) in South Texas, we demonstrate that translanguaging is a useful framework for teachers to reorient their pedagogy to acknowledge the instructional potential of students’ diverse language practices (Blackledge & Creese, 2014; García, 2009; Palmer, Martínez, Mateus & Henderson). We locate translanguaging pedagogy within a perspective that seeks to develop teachers’ critical language awareness (Alim 2010; Martínez, 2003). We examine this in two ways. First, we consider the identities and ideologies of both teachers, and how this led to the co-construction of classroom spaces accepting, valuing and leveraging the language practices of bilingual students. Next, we turn to focus on the actual language practices during academic classroom activities. Bilingual languaging is a means for students to mediate and access academic content through language mixing (Sayer, 2013; Swain 2006). We present student and student-teacher interaction data, which shows how bilingual students process cognitively demanding content by drawing on their full linguistic repertoires. Finally, we make connections between our findings to consider the power and potential of a translanguaging teacher pedagogy.

Latino families and communities in South Texas continue to use Spanish well beyond the typical three-generation pattern of immigrants language assimilation to English in the U.S. What has emerged is a stable contact variety of Spanish characterized by code-switching, English loan words, and non-standard features; as well as a high degree of fluid bilingualism in many communities where the local variety serves important social functions across a range of domains. Nevertheless, the history of forced linguistic assimilation of Tejanos in schools in Texas, and the continued ideological pressures towards English have stigmatized Spanish and contributed to language shift in South Texas. Whereas pedagogical models in bilingual education that separate languages are premised on a view of static bilingualism, or what Heller (1999) refers to as “double monolingualism,” translanguaging is a recognition of the students’ fluid bilingualism. This approach better reflects the home language by considering language practices both along a Spanish-English and standard-vernacular continuum. We argue that teachers who are able to ideologically embrace this translanguaging approach can yield both academic and socio-cultural student benefits. Implications for teacher preparation, professional development, and bilingual program development are discussed.

Authors

• Peter Sayer, The University of Texas - San Antonio

• Kathryn I. Henderson, The University of Texas - San Antonio