the Translanguaging Classroom

Prepared By: Mahdia Ahmad & Nicole Garcia Diaz

Leveraging Student Bilingualism for Learning

the Translanguaging Classroom

Fun fact: When this book was published, Kate Seltzer was a PhD student.

Kate Seltzer: Assistant professor in Rowe University. She teaches courses related to bilingual education and ESL methods and culturally sustaining pedagogy.

Susana Ibarra Johnson: Adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico. She has been facilitating professional learning in bilingual education program implementation, critical literacy, and bilingual acqusition.

Ofelia Garcia: Professor Emerita from the City University of New York. She is one of the pioneers of translanguaging as a pedagogy. She has published extensively on bilingualism.

About the Authors

Showing teachers, administrators, consultants and researchers how translanguaging is key to educating bilingual students in school in a way that: It supports students with complex content and texts It provides opportunities for students to develop linguistic practices It makes space for students’ bilingualism and ways of knowing It supports students socioemotional development

Purpose of the Book

About Group Project (Translanguaging)

"We find translanguaging a complex and multilayered concept that is complicated to define at times'' -Mahdia and Nicole

Dynamic spaces that enhance bilingual students' critical thinking and creativity. Teachers learn to expand and localize their teaching in ways that address all content and language standards , and integrate home, school and community.

How about translanguaging in the classroom?

A pedagogy but also a way of thinking on the language practices on bilingual people. Translanguaging holds the key to successfully educating bilinguals (Garcia et al. 2017)

What is translanguaging?

Translanguaging and Translanguaging Classroom

• Important and recurrent concepts along the book
• Makes reference to the natural flow of bilingualism and its dynamism
• Corriente means “current” like a river that is always flowing

The authors build a framework in comparing translanguaging with a "corriente que fluye". A flowing current of dynamism in language.

Translanguaging Corriente

Moreover, the authors refer to a Juntos Stance, which entails seeing bilingual students holistically. With the experiences they bring from home and the community. Down below is a short video of a videoconference of Garcia talking about the Juntos Stance which is an important concept in the book.

Juntos Stance

• Action oriented
• It was written having 4th-12th graders in mind
• Aim: Supporting bilingual students and their teachers
• Emphasizes on Latino students (but also provides insights for students from different cultures

About the Book

"The authors provided a variety of scenarios in terms of grades, teacher's knowledge and diverse students which was very useful" - M&N

*A 4th grade dual-language classroom bilingual teacher (Carla) *An 11th grade social studies monolingual teacher (Stephanie) * A 7th grade ESL teacher (Justin)

Three Different Classrooms

Teachers incorporate activities and strategies such as lesson planning, assignments, and classroom interactions to actively support students' bilingualism by encouraging them to use their entire linguistic repertoire to comprehend material, express themselves, and engage in learning

What does translanguaging look like in the classroom?

On Carla's class, students would use translanguaging techniques but kept them private since they did not wanted to be using the language that was not allowed.

Carla, as a dual language teacher, had specific moments where only English was allowed, or only Spanish was allowed. But she realized students would always sneak up to use the language they were more comfortable with. Instead of walking around the classroom and policing everyone was using the right language at the right time, Carla realized she could use both languages at the same time to leverage the students’ learning. She created class activity that allowed bilingualism called “Cuéntame algo” (tell me a story) were she motivated her students to build stories using their full language repertoire.

Brief Stories

Stephanie has a shelf of bilingual dictionaries, ipads meant to have the Spanish edition of their history book, and google Translate.

Stephanie, an 11th grade social studies teacher, puts effort into creating a multilingual ecology in the classroom. She works with bilingual staff and volunteers to create bilingual materials, since she is monolingual. In terms of resources, she has a shelf of bilingual dictionaries, ipads meant to have the Spanish edition of their history book, and google Translate. Moreover, she is advocate for making connections between different content areas, instead of labelling them strictly but making interdisciplinary connections.

Brief Stories

Justin’s class as a middle school English as a Second Language Teacher. His students are speakers of Spanish, Cantonese Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Mandingo, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Pular. For some activities, Justin groups students according to their home languages and mixed English abilities. He uses Google Translate to write instructions in students’ languages. He also encourages the students the ipads in class to look up words and translate passages. He has one student who is the only Korean speaker in class; therefore, uses Google Translate to make the material accessible to her and he encourages her to write notes in Korean so she sees the language she brings to the classroom is valuable.

Brief Stories

Stephanie’s Lesson on Environmentalism

• Students analyzed statistics of air pollution and
• Asthma, which was affecting Latinos disproportionately
• They made connections with the previous lesson on the Clean Air Act from 1970.
• She provided a U.S. map highlighting the counties that did not meet the standards of air pollutants

Stephanie’s Lesson on Environmentalism

• Students were organized into groups and encouraged
• To make connections. How does this data tell a story
• About the issue?
• Students could use English and Spanish to discuss and write notes

Stephanie’s Lesson on Environmentalism

"Las áreas oscuras están cerca de ciudades como Nueva York y Los Ángeles. Muchos latinos viven en esas ciudades."

Luis, who just came to the U.S. from El Salvador said:

Stephanie’s Lesson on Environmentalism

Yes, Latinos live in the dark areas on the map. Like in New York and Los Angeles.

Mariana, a student with proficiency in both languages And was in Luis’s group added:

Stephanie’s Lesson on Environmentalism

That was an example of linguistic flexibility in the classroom. Languages were used to discuss, negotiate, write down connections, synthesize a complex issue, and demonstrate their learning.

1. Engage with complex content and texts
2. Strengthen linguistic practices for academic contexts
3. Draw on their bilingualism and ways of knowing
4. Develop socio emotionally with strong bilingual identities

Translanguaging Classrooms

Luis transitioning from Spanish into a translanguaging and/or English class does not have to be abrupt; he still has valuable critical skills and makes observations pertinent to what was discussed in class. He was later able to listen to what he said in English through his classmates and make connections.

Take Away

Activity #1

https://padlet.com/ngarcia424/a-translanguaging-classroom-is-a-_________-classroom-7b9408usmk89ubcd

According to what we have discussed on Module 3 "Introduction to Translanguaging" and our Review on the book "Translanguaging in the Classroom" please fill in the blank to describe—in one word—what you think translanguaging brings to the classroom. To post just a word, just type it as a “subject."

Translanguaging Classrooms

Click here to see the recording

One Bilingual vs. Two Monolinguals:

Translanguaging Framework: Bilinguals are viewed under the translanguaging method as One Bilingual, which means that they employ their linguistic resources naturally and fluidly. This approach acknowledges the fluid, integrated nature of bilingualism and challenges the concept that each language should be treated independently.

Translanguaging Framework and Key Concepts

Click here to see the recording

Dynamic Bilingualism vs. Additive Bilingualism:

Translanguaging Framework: In order to optimize learning and engagement, the framework encourages dynamic bilingualism, in which languages are used in combination rather than simply being added on top of one another.

Translanguaging Framework and Key Concepts

Click here to see the recording

Translanguaging vs. Code-Switching:

Translanguaging Framework: Contrary to simply switching between languages as needed, the translanguaging concept within the framework promotes the fluid, simultaneous use of languages with the aim of fostering greater comprehension and critical engagement.

Translanguaging Framework and Key Concepts

Students' Translanguaging Performances:

1. Refers to how students utilize their entire linguistic repertoire (home language(s) and language of instruction).
2. When interacting with material, expressing ideas, and solving issues, students switch between languages easily.
3. promotes critical thinking, self-expression, and greater understanding.

Translanguaging Classroom Dimensions

Teachers' Translanguaging Pedagogy:

1. Examines how teachers create lessons and classroom activities that encourage students to use multiple languages.
2. Incorporate strategies that support language flexibility and validate students' linguistic identities.
3. Teachers foster a learning environment that encourages both emotional and academic engagement.

Translanguaging Classroom Dimensions

• Translanguaging in the classroom has to be with purpose, and strategically designed.
• Translanguaging is more than letting bilinguals students use any language they want, but making it meaningful
• Teachers can play with space to make it more collaborative among students
• (arranging desks in groups ir in a circle so it is easier to communicate with each other when the time pertains)

Design and Instruction

making language practices visible and present : - bilingual posters and signs -multilingual world walls -encouraging family and community members to tell their story to the classroom

Designing Multilingual Ecology in the Classroom

Design and Instruction

• 1. Essential questions
• 2.Content standards
• 3.Content and language objectives
• 4.Translanguaging objectives
• 5.Culminating projects and assessments
• 6.Texts

Essential parts of a Translanguaging Units:

Translanguaging Unit Plan Sample

• Let´s learn from Jonathan's Translanguaging Unit Plan: Geometry in our World

What does it look like in a Geometry ESL Middle School Class?

Translanguaging Unit Plan Sample

We consider generating inquiry amongst the students as an effective practice for intentional learning and genuine interest and connection on the unit content-

Where do we see geometry in our lives? Why is it important to understand Geometry in this world?

1. Esential Questions

Translanguaging Unit Plan Sample

-CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.G.8.4. Know the formulas for the area and circumference of a circle and use them to solve problems, give an informal derivation of the relationship between the circumference and area of a circle CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.G.8.6: Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving area, volume, and surface area of two- and three-dimensional objects composed of triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, cubes, and right prisms.

2. Content Standards

Translanguaging Unit Plan Sample

Content Objectives: *Use formulas measuring the area, volume, and surface area for different geometry objects *Accurately draw Geometric Shapes *Connect their mathematical understanding to real-world applications

3. Content and Language Objectives

Translanguaging Unit Plan Sample

Language Objectives: *Summarize solutions to real-world math problems both orally and in writing *Synthesize their understanding of geometry into stories that are linguistically appropriate for elementary school students *Use nominalizations in English in their summaries and stories Language-specific *Students will be able to *Explain their choices of measurement using appropriate content-area vocabulary in English *Use nominalization in their summaries and stories

3.1 Language Objectives

Translanguaging Unit Plan Sample

• Recognize and track math vocabulary cognates
• Solve math problems in groups using both English and their home languages
• Use both English and their home languages to write children's books about geometry
• Explain their language choices in oral presentations
• Read their books to bilingual children, expanding on their ideas and asking younger students questions in both languages

4. Translanguaging Objectives

Translanguaging Unit Plan Sample

5. Project: Creation and presentation of bilingual children’s book 6.Other Assessments: Reading from magazines, newspapers and websites on and connecting geometry to the real world. Texts: Math textbooks in English Geometry text on home language

Projects, other Assessments and Texts

Translanguaging Unit Plan Sample

https://padlet.com/ngarcia424/add-your-brainstorming-topic-here-9xtxpxu3t9enxwxh

Describe how you would incorporate some of these translanguaging practices into your practice? It doesn't have to be a full plan of study just a few ideas! :)

Let's try it

Activity #2

It is a hour long podcast where Dr. Garcia help us understand translanguaging and it approaches to enhance language learning.

The joys of translanguaging with Dr. Ofelia García

Podcast

We also emphasize that translanguaging classrooms do not simply work for individual bilingual student's success. Remember that a translanguaging classroom goes beyond traditional definitions of a monolingual or bilingual classroom. And a teacher in a translanguaging classroom goes beyond the definitions of a monolingual or a bilingual teacher. Translanguaging has the potential to develop bilingual students' sense of critical consciousness. Trans-languaging classrooms can prepare teachers and students juntos to identify inequities at school and in society, and then challenge and potentially transform them.

This book is what we presented here and so much more. Translanguaging is not only a learning strategy but the humanization of immigrant and refugees students. The book includes more chapters on socio-emotional learning, social justice, biliteracy, literacy and more.

Closing Thoughts

Translanguaging has the potential to develop bilingual students' sense of critical consciousness. Trans-languaging classrooms can prepare teachers and students juntos to identify inequities at school and in society, and then challenge and potentially transform them" (Garcia, Ibarra Johnson & Seltzer, 2017, p.167).

"We also emphasize that translanguaging classrooms do not simply work for individual bilingual student's success. Remember that a translanguaging classroom goes beyond traditional definitions of a monolingual or bilingual classroom. And a teacher in a translanguaging classroom goes beyond the definitions of a monolingual or a bilingual teacher.

Closing Thoughts

García, O., Ibarra Johnson, S., Seltzer, K., & Valdés, G. (2017). The translanguaging classroom: Leveraging student bilingualism for learning. Caslon.

Book Reference

Mahdia Ahmadi: mahmadi2@kent.edu Nicole Garcia D.: ngarcia4@kent.edu

Thank you very much!