Bridging Language and Content: How K–12 Teachers Reimagine Translanguaging Through a Virtual Workshop

• In Event: Reimagining Language Teaching: Wellness, Identity, & Equity in Professional Learning

Abstract

This qualitative study explores how a three-hour virtual professional development (PD) workshop influenced K–12 in-service teachers’ understanding of translanguaging in content instruction. Guided by a qualitative descriptive design, the study analyzes data from 30 teachers through two pre-workshop and one post-workshop surveys (14 open-ended questions total), along with reflective infographics. Thematic analysis revealed a shift from surface-level to deeper conceptual, pedagogical, and identity-affirming understandings of translanguaging. Despite gains, participants identified challenges such as policy constraints, lack of multilingual resources, and uncertainties about implementation across disciplines. Findings provide insights into the role of short-term PD in transforming instructional perspectives and highlight the need for ongoing, contextualized support.

Authors

• Yixin Zan, George Mason University

• Sujin Kim, George Mason University

• Dai Gu, George Mason University

• Bilgehan Ayik, George Mason University

• Woomee Kim, George Mason University