Attention Gentrification in Portuguese-English One-Way World-Language-Immersion Classrooms: Listening to Brazilian Reclassified English Learners

• In Event: Advancing Justice in Multilingual Education in the United States: Access, Belonging, and Translanguaging

Abstract

As one-way world language immersion programs expand, an equity lens is essential for addressing the needs of language-minoritized students. This case study examines three Brazilian immigrant adolescents who discussed support provided by the English and Portuguese elementary teachers when they were newcomers in a one-way immersion program. Participants looked back on their experiences as designated English learners and disclosed attention gentrification—inequities in which privileged students learning the partner language receive greater attention. There were two main findings: (1) English teachers mainly failed to provide adequate linguistic and academic support and delegated support to bilingual Brazilian students. (2) Portuguese teachers offered limited cultural and linguistic support, blocking Brazilians’ participation in class, and using them to help world-language students.

Authors

• Juan A. Freire, Brigham Young University

• Rose Renee Whitney, Brigham Young University