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Empowering Students of Different Ages Through Affirming Language in a Community-Engaged Bilingual Science Program

Fri, April 10, 1:45 to 3:15pm PDT (1:45 to 3:15pm PDT), JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: 3rd Floor, Georgia II

Abstract

Culturally-responsive, community-engaged research and teaching can transform science for minoritized students (Djonko-Moore et al., 2018; Malotky et al., 2020). For multilingual learners, participating in science activities centering their heritage language can be especially empowering (Infante & Licona, 2018). We focus on Nuestra Ciencia (NC), a bilingual science program at a California public university, and within the UC Links network. In NC, undergraduates teach microbiology lessons in Spanish to bilingual elementary students. NC is informed by the Culturally Responsive Practices framework (Gay, 2018; Ladson-Billings, 1995), affirming diverse language preferences, making content relevant, and supporting students’ self-efficacy. This presentation shows how NC affirms language and communication preferences of undergraduate and elementary students.

Using a participatory design-based approach (Bang & Vossoughi, 2016), undergraduates collect and analyze data in collaboration with researchers. At NC, “learners at the center” means empowering youth and learners at multiple stages of their educational trajectories including undergraduates, credential students, and inservice teachers. Our team’s intergenerational work is reflected in this co-presentation which includes scholars at multiple points in their career as researchers and educators.

Participants include 23 bilingual facilitators who answered reflection questions on the impact of teaching in Spanish personally (e.g., “How did it feel to you personally to teach science lessons in Spanish?”) and for the youth (e.g., “What message does it send to elementary students to be teaching science in Spanish?) during 2025. Four undergraduates and two faculty performed emergent coding on written reflections (Saldaña, 2013), identifying themes regarding how participation affirmed undergraduate and elementary students’ language.

Undergraduates felt empowered by using Spanish in an academic context, and proud in their ability to teach scientific content. Most described teaching science as a novel way to use Spanish. One said, “I didn’t think I could do it in the beginning”, while others described it as challenging or “scary but in a good way.” Tackling new scientific vocabulary and successfully leading activities meant they were capable and showed Spanish is “not just a home language”.

Additionally, the program validated diverse childhood language experiences. Two participants who attended bilingual schools described NC as “a full circle moment” from learning to teaching in Spanish. Conversely, others reflected on being discouraged from speaking Spanish in school or unable to explain science to Spanish-speaking families. They described teaching in Spanish as “healing” for giving the opportunity to offer an experience they had lacked.

Participants also emphasized the impact for bilingual youth. Undergraduates felt NC affirmed the language of elementary students through seeing Spanish-speaking college students as mentors and that students came away believing that “science is for everyone no matter what your background or language.” Seeing diverse Spanish-speaking models helped elementary students “open their minds to the idea that they can be scientists” and “pursue college education.” Learning in Spanish also allowed youth to connect with their families by providing vocabulary to share what they learned.

By documenting undergraduate students’ experiences in NC, we hope to provide recommendations for educators and policymakers on how to better support Latinx undergraduates in teaching science.

Authors