A Preservice Teacher's Use of Biographical Reflexivity to Develop a Translanguaging Stance

• In Event: Meeting the Needs: Centering Multiple Dimensions of Language

Abstract

This qualitative study investigated how a TESOL pre-service foreign language teacher’s perspective of translanguaging evolved throughout a 6-week minimester course focused on translanguaging. To support understanding of how Mel, the focal teacher, considered perspectives with which she previously disagreed, we drew on the concept of biographical reflexivity. We used thematic analysis to analyze data, which included the course syllabus and Mel’s oral contributions that were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Findings show that as she worked to make sense of translanguaging as a theory, practice, and pedagogy by reflecting on her own experiences and juxtaposing them with course content, Mel wavered between agreement and disagreement regarding inequality, linguistic imperialism, discrimination, and identity development. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Authors

• Ryan W. Pontier, Florida International University

• Ehsan Abbasi, Florida International University