Translanguaging in Action: A Single Case Study of Pedagogical Acts in a Newcomer Classroom

• In Event: Multilingual Realities: Translanguaging in Schools

Abstract

In response to the growing need for equity in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms, this single-case study investigates how a middle school ESL teacher in a rural Midwestern setting enacts pedagogical translanguaging and Biography-Driven Instruction (BDI) to support newcomer students. Centering students’ biopsychosocial histories, the teacher challenges deficit-based paradigms and cultivates inclusive learning spaces where language, identity, and academic content converge. Two central themes emerge: Instructional patterns and biography-informed practices. Findings demonstrate how strategic, dynamic translanguaging affirms identities, honors educational roots, fosters engagement and academic rigor, enhances linguistic development and promotes social-emotional wellbeing. This study offers practical insights into cultural responsiveness and relevance of instruction and positions translanguaging as a transformative tool for reimagining newcomer education through asset-oriented, humanizing practices.

Authors

• Jinhua Wang, Kansas State University

• Socorro Herrera, Kansas State University

• Kendra Herrera, Kansas State University