Adolescent Language Learners Engaging in Literacy Practices: Multilingual Pathways to Writing

Session Submission Type: Symposium

Abstract

This symposium brings together qualitative studies of literacy practices among adolescent English learners that inform our theoretical understanding of second-language/multilingual writing development and offer practical implications for multilingual writing instruction. Studies in this session shed light on literacy experiences of language learners across young-adulthood, examining writing practices from a cross-cross-curricular and multilingual perspective, in non-traditional as well as traditional educational settings. Discussion will consider directions for future research and implications for transforming literacy instruction for adolescent English learners from critical and sociocultural perspectives.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Writing and Literacies

Chair

• Melinda E. Martin-Beltran, University of Maryland - College Park

Papers

• Raising Standards and Reducing Literacy: Writing Practices in New Mainstream Subject-Matter Classrooms - Kerry Anne Enright, University of California - Davis

• Revealing and Mobilizing Multilingual Funds of Knowledge Among Adolescent Language Learners - Melinda E. Martin-Beltran, University of Maryland - College Park

• From Middle School to El Noviciado (The Novitiate): An Adolescent English Language Learners’ Multilingual Journey in Writing - Amanda Kibler, University of Virginia

• The Role of ELL (English Language Learner) Students’ First Language (L1) in Their English Writing Development - Danling Fu, University of Florida

Discussants

• Linda Harklau, University of Georgia

• Margaret R. Hawkins, University of Wisconsin - Madison