"Somos Problem Solvers": Pedagogical Translanguaging in Two-Way Immersion Mathematics

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 21
  In Roundtable Session: Translanguaging: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Bilingual educators have been questioning the pedagogic validity of a standard, monolingual approach in two-way immersion (TWI) programs (Creese & Blackledge, 2010), and the need to modify practice to individual children’s linguistic needs (Genesee et al., 2011) in order to mediate content learning (Alvarez, 2012). Translanguaging may be one way to do this. Our mixed methods study examined seventeen TWI mathematics classrooms in California and Texas and found the mean frequency of translanguaging across all seventeen cases was 0.96 instances/minute with statistically significant correlations between the total instances/classroom and the number of instances supporting math content and math language development/classroom. Teachers are modeling translanguaging and allowing students to use translanguaging to support mathematical content, academic discourse and biliteracy development.

Authors

• Jolene Castillo, Denver Public Schools

• Yuzhu Xia, Boston Public Schools

• Brenda Sarmiento, The University of Texas - San Antonio

• Lina M. Martin Corredor, Metropolitan State College of Denver