Linguistic Landscapes: Windows Into the Multilingual Life of a Bilingual School "in the [New York City] Heights"

• In Event: When in New York City . . . : Bilingual Education Programs, Practices, and Contexts

Abstract

The study of "linguistic landscape" —“[inquiry into] the presence, representation, meaning, and interpretation of language display in public spaces” (Shohamy, 2012, p. 538)— has become a prominent area of research in multilingualism across the globe. However, little research has been conducted on the linguistic landscape of bi-multi-lingual school contexts in the U.S. By presenting the results of a qualitative visual research study (Newbury, 2011; Pauwels, 2011) that examined the "linguistic landscape" of an elementary bilingual urban school in New York City, this paper fills a significant gap in the literature.

Three interrelated research questions mediated the process of data collection and analysis: (1) What does the “linguistic landscape” of the bilingual school look like? (2) What message(s) does the school’s “linguistic landscape” send? (3) How is the identity of the school articulated by means of its “linguistic landscape”?

After analyzing over 50 pictures of school signage and coding these by emergent themes, we selected nine pictures representative of the three main categories identified: signage that signaled aspects of: (a) school culture; (b) teaching and learning practices; and (c) student work/achievement. We also conducted focus groups with two groups of second grade students (i.e., an English dominant and a Spanish dominant group).

During the focus group students were asked semi-structured interview questions to share the meaning they gave to the images, and how they believed the images were connected to the culture and learning of the school. Finally, they were asked to identify a favorite photograph and explain why they identified with it. Students were given the option to reply to these questions in English, Spanish, and/or bilingually. We simultaneously took notes, transcribed, and coded interview data for main themes.

Results suggest that (1) multiple languages (i.e., Spanish, English) are displayed within the school for symbolic and functional purposes and that (2) a balanced use of bilingual repertoires mediates the construction and representation of (a) school culture, (b) teaching and learning practices, and (c) student work/achievement. Interview data suggest students are keenly aware of the distinctiveness and value of an education that is bilingual and of how school actors contribute to making this innovative and relevant approach to education explicit through bilingual signage and display practices.

This study is significant in that it provides the field with an understanding of how a bilingual school enacts and articulates an inclusive multilingual school identity through signage that represents the varied language practices of its urban student body. In addition, this study provides insights into how research into how “linguistic landscapes” research (e.g. Bogatto & Hélot, 2010; Gorter, 2006; Sayer, 2009; Shohamy & Gorter, 2009; Shohamy, 2012, amongst others) can help educational researchers in bilingual education understand how bilingual schools construct, enact, and make visible their inclusive multilingual mission, vision, and identity.

Authors

• Cristian R. Aquino-Sterling, San Diego State University

• Tatyana Kleyn, City College of New York - CUNY

• Yesenia Moreno, New York City Department of Education