"Que nos devemo de ir paratras a Mexico": Identity, Linguistic Violence, and Latina/o Bilingual Adolescents

• In Event: 18.050 - Bilingual Education Programs, Policies, and Practices

Abstract

Research has shown that bilingual/bicultural children construct their own voices and identities reflecting their immediate communities such as schools, neighborhoods, and/or families (see e.g., Tellez, 1999; Weisman, 2001). Informed by a linguistic ideologies framework (Kroskrity, 2000; Schieffelin, Woolard, & Kroskrity, 1998), anthropolitical linguistics (Zentella, 1997) that focuses on the political aspects of language/literacy development of marginalized groups, and the Community of Practice approach (Lave & Wenger, 1991) this paper presents the voices of Latina/o bilingual adolescents that have been enrolled in a Two-Way Dual-Language program for more than six years. Findings are grouped into three categories: (1) languacultural identity, (2), bilingualism as a problem, and (3) linguistic violence. Important implications and recommendations for teachers and teacher educators are discussed.

Author

• Armando Garza, California State University - Fullerton