+“Translingual Education as a Phenomenon, a Methodology and an Ideology to Promote Social Justice and educational renewal”

National Network for Educational Renewal 2011 Annual Conference

David Schwarzer – Mary Fuchs – Chris HermosillaMontclair State University

+The purposes of this presentation

The purpose of this presentation is to re-frame the concept of

language and literacy development in transnational and

multilingual glocalized learning communities. We propose the

term – translingual education.

This talk will have 4 sections:

Linguistic landscapes – Harrison New jersey (transligualism?).

Transligualism as a new phenomenon – fluid instead of static.

Transligualism as a methodology – 2 concrete examples from the English classroom.

Translingualism as an ideology for social justice and educational renewal.

+Linguistic Landscapes – Multiliteracy dig – Environmental Print Linguistic objects that mark the public space (Ben-Rafael

et al., 2006).

LL reveal social realities as they are evidence of socio-political forces, cultural identities, and linguistic heritage language representations relates to issues of the relative power and status of the different languages in a specific sociolinguistic context (Cenoz & Gorter, 2008)

"private" vs. "public" signs - signs issued by public authorities (like government, municipalities or public agencies) and signs issued by individuals, associations, or firms acting more or less autonomously in the limits authorized by official regulations (Ben-Rafael et al., 2006)

+Linguistic Landscape of Harrison, NJ

3 schools and 1,783 students

180 (approx. 10%) are classified as LEP

Student population is: 9% Asian, 1% African-American, 58% Hispanic, 32% Caucasian

19% of students below poverty level

The districts spends $400,000 on bilingual education annually

+ Translingualism in Harrison

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+What is it? Five metaphors

Language and literacy development (unmarked)

Language and Literacy defined by its context

Political, Hegemonic and resistance powers of English

Beyond monolingual views of language and literacy development

Attempts for more fluid conceptualizations

+Language and Literacy defined by its context

Migrant

Immigrant

Borderland epistemology

Binational

Multinational

+Political, Hegemonic and Resistance powers of English

English as a Second Language

English as an additional language

English language learner

Limited English Proficient

English as a world language

+Beyond monolingual views of language and literacy development Second Language Acquisition

Bilingual – emergent bilingual

Trilingual

Multilingual

+More fluid interpretaions

Hybridity

Third space literacy (Gutierrez)

Dynamic bilingualism

World minded educator

Linguisitic flows

Transnational literacies

Translingual education

+Trans-language learner? Jonietz (1994)

“If the traditional terms are not really applicable, is there a more appropriate term? Is it possible that these learners are ‘trans-language learners’ (TLL)? Trans-language learner is a term which describes an individual who moves from a maternal/native language to competence in an additional environmental/instructional language and culture.” (p.43)

+Translingual Writers –Kellman (2003)

Translingual authors as “those who write in more than one language or in a language other than their primary one.” (p. ix)

By expressing themselves in multiple verbal systems, [translingual writers] flaunt their freedom from the constrains of the culture into which they happen to be born (ix). Kellman (2003)

+Cutter, M. J. (2005) Book (review of Kellman 2003)

Translingualism as a subject is certainly worthy of theorization and study… However, the definition of translingualism presented here is very broad and the collection as a whole therefore remains rather diffuse and unfocused. Problematically, Kellman never distinguishes translingualism from bilingualism, multilingualism, or ambibilingualism. (p.199)

+Proposing a new definition: translingualism/transliteracy

1. Languages and literacies that develop while interacting with each other in a dynamic and fluid way

2. while moving back and forth between real and “imagined” glocalized borders

3. and transacting with different cultural identities within a unified self. (Schwarzer, in preparation)

Transliteracy Education

+Translingual Methodologies

The purpose of this section is the talk about two concrete examples of a pre-service teacher moving from a multilingual approach to language and literacy to a translingual one.

+My Journey to Becoming a Translingual Teacher

Moving from “multicultural” to “translingual.”

Establish a framework with a set of overarching plans. The teacher as conductor, “letting go.” First, survey class to discover languages spoken, and

how students engage them (home, community, etc.). Find my “language agents” (library staff, coworkers,

church leaders, etc.) to contact as resources.

2 sample English classroom activities, based on Preview-View-Review (Freeman & Freeman, 1998):

Native language → English → Native language.

+Lesson 1: Building a Translingual Word Wall

Context: 8th grade LA class in Harrison. 27 students, 4 languages (10 students primarily speak English, 7 Spanish, 5 Portuguese, and 5 Chinese).

Goal: Students will gain an understanding of the cultural implications and characteristics of 5 different animals in their native languages prior to reading George Orwell’s Animal Farm.

Preparation: Teacher will find versions of the text in all 4 languages (Simplified Chinese written text online, an animated version dubbed in Spanish, etc.) and prepare the research tools for students to use (library staff, Internet searches, etc.).

+Assembling the Wall Together

The class builds a wall together, and students create their own “bricks” in their native language. One example:

Animal Name

Picture/Graphic Represen-tation

Typical Western Qualities

Qualities in Your Own Traditions

In-Text Sentence Describing Animal

Does This Match My Tradition’s Qualities?

Pig | Cerdo | Porco | 猪

[provided] - Clever- Fat

[Student fills in]

[Student fills in] [Yes / No]

5 different animals, each in 4 different languages – all brought together at the end for presentation.

Students use research tools to discover animal qualities, then examine text in their own languages for content.

+Lesson 2: Online Reading Discussion

Context: 7th grade LA class in Harrison, predominantly homogenous English-language (22 English-only students, 1 student who speaks both English and Tamil).

Goal: Students will discuss and explore themes and symbolism of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird through pre- and post-reading discussions in their native languages.

Preparation: Teacher will arrange meeting time and place for Tamil-speaking student to have an online video conference with a peer or adult also reading the book and willing to discuss with student in Tamil.

+Guiding Questions for Online Reading Discussion

Questions include two bolded questions that can apply to any reading – no need to reinvent the wheel.

Preview Questions Review Questions

1: Based on the book’s title and cover, what do you think it might talk about?

1: Who was your favorite character in the reading, and why? Describe him/her.

2: Skim the chapter titles and back of book text. Any other context clues?

2: What were two of the bigger themes or lessons you learned from the reading?

3: Define “racism.” What are some of the emotions and ideas around that concept?

3: Who is Boo Radley? Did how you feel about him change throughout the book?

4: Do you think adults and children look at sensitive issues such as race differently?

4: Describe Atticus Finch as a father and lawyer. Why does he agree to defend Tom?

5: Have you ever seen a U.S. courtroom trial? What is a jury, and what do they do?

5: What does the mockingbird as a symbol mean? Why is killing one “a sin”?

+Translingual ideologies for Social Justice and Educational Renewal Translingual teacher as an orchestrator

Translingual linguistic landscape project

Visits by community members

Multilingual word wall

Written assignments in heritage language

Family Language Use Tree

Community Language Use Tree

Identity Texts

+Conclusion: A Challenge For the Future

Translingual education: Complementary, not supplementary.

Challenging ourselves to go beyond “multicultural” and become translingual educators.

The key to designing translingual activities is setting up a proper framework to “let go,” give students the agency and freedom to learn, and push them to do so.

Have new ideas for activities, or want to discover some more? Visit our Translingualism Ning!