Building a Community of Practice to Overcome the Marginalization of Adolescent Language Learners

• In Event: Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: Multiliteracies and Multimodal Learning From Early Childhood Through Adolescence

Abstract

This study examines how language-minority and language-majority students and their teachers create a community of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991) which allows for meaningful participation of language learners. Drawing from situated learning theory, we analyzed student discourse during student interaction in an extracurricular language exchange program in a high school. Findings reveal discourse patterns that contributed to the mutual engagement, joint enterprise, and shared repertoire necessary for establishment of a community of practice that allowed all students, including language minority students, to participate actively in literacy and language knowledge construction. This study has implications for educators and researchers who seek contexts that expand language and literacy learning opportunities for all students.

Authors

• Natalia Guzman, University of Maryland - College Park

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

• Tabitha Kidwell, University of Maryland - College Park