Centering Critical Consciousness and Translanguaging in Mandarin/English Dual-Language Bilingual Education Programs

• In Event: Critical Issues in Dual-Language Education

Abstract

Despite an increasing number of studies in U.S. Chinese/English DLBE programs, little attention is paid to the development of sociocultural competence and critical consciousness in these programs that we argue are central to cultivating equitable educational systems for the 21st century and justice-oriented bilingual pedagogy. In this conceptual paper, we firstly provide a brief overview of Chinese language education in the U.S. and review recent literature. Then we provide examples of innovative approaches to translanguaging pedagogy and cultivating critical consciousness in Chinese/English DLBE contexts. We conclude with a call on teacher educators and DLBE community members to advance these initiatives to examine structural inequities that continue to marginalize students of color even in additive and enrichment DLBE programs.

Authors

• Zhongfeng Tian, The University of Texas at San Antonio

• Suzanne García-Mateus, California State University - Monterey Bay

• Joanna W. Wong, California State University - Monterey Bay