Transforming Urban and Rural Teacher Education: The City University of New York and Upstate New York

• In Event: Translanguaging and Transformative Teaching for Emergent Bilingual Students: Lessons From the City University of New York–New York State Initiative on Emergent Bilinguals Project

Abstract

Objectives: In this paper, we discuss how transformative shifts in our own understanding of bilingualism, as a result of our participation in CUNY-NYSIEB, spurred changes in the teacher education programs at each of our respective institutions and across geographical regions. While translanguaging pedagogy was being implemented in schools PreK-12, we recognized the need to ensure that students in higher education, in particular in the teacher education programs at our institutions, not only learned about translanguaging pedagogy but also experienced it. We chart the ways in which we took up translanguaging pedagogies to ensure that our students understood the power of translanguaging pedagogies not only from an academic standpoint, but also personally through their experience.

Theoretical Framework: We frame this study through two complementary frameworks: translanguaging theory and a raciolinguistic framework. These theories emphasize the importance of considering how monoglossic and raciolinguistic ideologies permeate pedagogy, curriculum, and relationships between teachers and students. García and Li Wei (2014) argue that the transgressive potential of translanguaging lies in understanding how monoglossic ideologies shape disciplinary boundaries, curricular priorities, programmatic decisions, and even teacher-student interactions and countering these ideologies in favor of multilingualism. Flores and Rosa’s (2015) raciolinguistic framework draws attention to how the white listening subject can ignore and erase the resources that racialized emergent bilinguals bring to school. Both frameworks provide critical lenses to view how our curriculum and support of pre- and in-service teachers works to counter monoglossic ideologies that are prevalent in schools.

Methods & Data Sources: We conducted a retrospective self-study to determine how our curriculum, syllabi, and assignments shifted as a result of our work with CUNY-NYSIEB. As a self-study we evaluated course syllabi, student assignments, student artifacts, and programmatic documents to understand how curricular and programmatic choices impacted student learning. After conducting individual analysis at how these changes occurred at each institution, we examine trends across our different institutions.

Results: The transformation of our bilingual and TESOL teacher education is not only reflected in the addition of new content, but also in our own understanding about bilingualism. Our teacher education programs focus on students’ languaging within schools and society, rather than solely preparing educators to formulate discrete strategies to acquire language. We educate teachers to create learning environments and instructional practices where emergent bilinguals’ authentic languaging is an integral part of their learning and is viewed as the norm, while simultaneously addressing and challenging power relationships which do not allow emergent bilinguals to thrive in educational settings. We also grapple with how to support pre-service and practicing teachers implement translanguaging pedagogy in dual language bilingual programs that continue to insist on language separation.

Significance: Translanguaging pedagogy has taken hold across classrooms Pre-K through grades 12. While the potential for translanguaging pedagogies to transform education for emergent bilinguals at these grades are evident, how translanguaging pedagogies unfold for pre-service and practicing teachers who work with emergent bilinguals has been less explored. This study contributes to understanding what programmatic changes in higher education can support teacher education in favor of multilingualism.

Authors

• Laura Ascenzi-Moreno, Brooklyn College - CUNY

• Erin Kearney, University at Buffalo - SUNY

• Tatyana Kleyn, City College of New York - CUNY