Translanguaging in a Post-English-Only Era in California Schools

• In Event: 61.028 - Counteracting Monolingualism in Preservice Teacher Education Through Translanguaging

Abstract

Objectives
This paper is based on a qualitative case study that challenges monoglossic teaching practices in mainstream classrooms with emergent bilingual learners (EBLs). I examine how pre-service teachers in a California teacher education course take up a culturally and linguistically sustaining pedagogy that centers students’ ways of knowing and the creation of translanguaging spaces. I discuss the challenges and opportunities that teacher candidates experience in their mainstream student-teaching placements as they plan and implement translanguaging. I assert that we must take advantage of the momentum in the current post English-only era that dominated California schools for nearly 20 years with Proposition 227, which was only recently overturned.

Perspectives
Translanguaging (García, 2009) provided the basis for the planning and implementation of the teacher preparation course that was central to the study. It is the primary pedagogy that teacher candidates engaged with during the course and in their student-teaching. Bourdieu’s (1986) Cultural Capital theory was also vital. EBLs have a cultural capital that is often seen as existing in opposition to school culture. Similarly, Paris’ (2012) and Paris and Alim’s (2017) culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) framework was crucial in the planning of the course and central to the teacher candidates’ development. CSP counters deficit approaches to teaching students of color and aims to “perpetuate and foster–to sustain–linguistic, literate, and cultural pluralism” in schooling (Paris, 2012, p. 93).

Methods
The data consisted of (1) teacher candidate artifacts and reflections; (2) interviews with five focal teacher candidates; (3) course materials; (4) and researcher memos. I performed a discourse (Gee, 2011) and thematic analysis to examine the reflections, interviews, and researcher memos, and a content analysis to review the course materials and artifacts.

Results
The data revealed that an examination of the teacher candidates’ ideologies on language and literacy practices was essential in developing a heightened critical consciousness in the teaching of EBLs. The data also showed that teacher candidates were already significantly engaging in translanguaging practices in their everyday lives, but had not engaged with it as a pedagogical approach. Additionally, teacher candidates reported a greater sense of awareness on the ways that EBLs in their student-teaching placements were already engaging in translanguaging. These field experiences paired with the theoretical understandings from the course led to the building of intentional translanguaging spaces for learning, as well as a collaborative place to reflect on those moments.

Significance
I argue that teacher education programs have a responsibility to prepare teachers in three major ways: by (1) providing a purposeful space for extensive reflection on teacher candidates’ own language and literacy practices, and how these impact their teaching; (2) teaching pedagogical approaches that center the cultural and linguistic practices of children; and (3) developing a strong sense of teacher agency and activism so that candidates not only advocate for themselves, but also for their students. We must continue to challenge monoglossic approaches to teaching emergent bilingual students in all classroom settings, and disrupt school curriculums that fall short in sustaining cultural and linguistic pluralism.

Author

• Luz Yadira Herrera, California State University - Fresno