The framework of translanguaging brings into discussion two important points that relate to language users’ ability to practice language(s) in a wide range of contexts:
- I see translanguaging as giving us, language teachers, the possibility to activate a social justice agenda in relation to language use. Besides recognizing that language is doing (i.e., a complex set of practices that people engage in dynamically and fluidly), for me translanguaging allows teachers to recalibrate the value of languages involved. If we want learners to be successful in their learning endeavors and value all their resources, they need to be able to see the value of all the things they can do with language(s). Translanguaging balances the power we often see attached to certain languages by proposing that we value all the communicative repertoires that we can draw on. Since any discussion of language power is so deeply connected to long-established ideologies, translanguaging gives us a continuous space for working out these relationships while trying to continuously trouble language hierarchies.
- The second aspect that is important for me goes in the direction of Canagarajah’s definition of translingualism: language is about the ecology of all the practices we use to communicate with one another. This definition includes the multimodal and integrated nature of languages in use. In light of recent scholarly work, the definition of language is expanding; yet, in practice, different modes and modalities are still somewhat at odds with the how we think of the language class. What’s more challenging is that we continue to understand modes and modalities in their own terms. Instead of trying to systematize modes and understand modalities through our own linguistic filters, I find it fascinating to think about what else we can learn about language if we engage more with other modalities of communication (which are already implicated in how we use language in the first place). These are all big challenges that demand our attention and require us to explore the complex nature of current communicative practices.
Looking forward to reading your posts as well,
Lavinia
-----
Lavinia Hirsu, Ph.D.
Applied Linguistics, Composition, and English as a Foreign Language
Social Justice, Place, and Lifelong Education Research Group
University of Glasgow
School of Education, St Andrew's Building
11 Eldon Street, Glasgow G3 6NH
http://laviniahirsu.weebly.com/
@Lavinia_Hirsu
________________________________________
From: ESOL-Research discussion forum and message board [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of ESOL-RESEARCH automatic digest system [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 02 February 2017 00:02
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 1 Feb 2017 (#2017-27)
There are 4 messages totaling 1153 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. TLang ESOL-Research e-seminar (3)
2. NATECLA North West Mini Conference - still time to book!
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Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2017 15:47:00 +0000
From: Emilee Moore De Luca <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: TLang ESOL-Research e-seminar
Hi all,
This is my quick contribution to the interesting discussion on superdiversity and translanguaging:
Question 1: What are some of the challenges and opportunities that contemporary diversity might present to teachers and curriculum planners working in the field of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)?
For me, the biggest challenge is to contest monolingual approaches to language teaching (i.e. one language only in the classroom) in developing pedagogies that are more in line with current sociolinguistic realities and the realities of speakers’ repertoires. It does not seem to make sense anymore (if it ever did) to teach students monolingually how to be (more) multilingual.
Question 2: English might be just one of many languages which ESOL students encounter day-to-day. They may well be developing their competence in a range of varieties of English as part of a multilingual repertoire, and may be translanguaging as a matter of course. How might ESOL teachers and their students address this multilingual reality in their classrooms?
I think that any pedagogical proposal that takes students beyond the classroom in contexts of superdiversity will necessarily lead them to encounter languages besides English as they go about solving learning tasks. I believe teachers need to think systematically about how different languages (and different modalities) might support the learning of English in teaching process connected to local realities. While a student project might end in a final production in English, the process could easily include linguistically diverse inputs and outputs. For example, students might be asked to interview local residents, who they might share other languages with, or to photograph the linguistic landscape of their area, and then report back on their findings in English, in some format.
I find the FREPA descriptors useful for expanding my view of the knowledge, skills and attitudes multilingual students bring with them, and of the repertoire teachers can help them to develop: http://carap.ecml.at/Accueil/tabid/3577/language/en-GB/Default.aspx
All the best, I look forward to reading other ideas on this.
Emilee
***********************************
ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2017 16:58:11 +0000
From: "Jessica Bradley [RPG]" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: TLang ESOL-Research e-seminar
Thanks Emilee for this response - and thanks to Melanie, Dermot and Becky for starting off the conversation.
To pick up on a couple of Emilee's points, activities around the linguistic landscape can be so interesting as a starting point - and include multilingual activities even when the eventual 'output' is in English. We've been doing arts-based activities with children and young people in different areas of Leeds, using this as our starting point. Here is a link to some of the work that the participants produced: www.langscapecurators.tumblr.com<http://www.langscapecurators.tumblr.com>. We worked with them to become researchers over the course of three days...using arts-based methods, photography and film.
The children and young people we work with for this project in many cases have recently arrived in the UK. A large group were from Eritrea. They were encouraged to speak in Tigrinya and the staff at the centre where we're carrying out the workshops were also learning it – taught by the young people. Of course, the centre focuses on English-language and literacy. But the languages spoken by the young people were welcomed and the groups were encouraged to share languages. This kind of work and flexibility is more possible outside the restrictions of formal education of course. And yet, even during our workshops, where we were talking about our ‘multilingual repertoires’ the young people asked if they were allowed to speak in different languages in their groups – it was assumed that they couldn’t. I’d be interested in hearing other perspectives on how translanguaging approaches to ESOL and MFL might converge and intersect.
My background in educational engagement in MFL and in working with young people and teachers to try and promote ‘languages’, to try and encourage more young people not to drop MFL at key stage 4. This means one of my interests in translanguaging comes from wanting to find ways to encourage language learning and to move away from the idea that ‘English is enough’. I keep wondering – and these thoughts are not really fully formed yet - whether focusing on translanguaging might be a way to also work in this area. If we follow the kind of participatory model explained in the response, in which the authors describe how they can explore the migration trajectories, beliefs and ideologies, multilingualism, superdiversity, can we also create opportunities for ‘monolingual’ speakers to develop their ‘multilingual repertoires’? As the authors say, there are increasing levels of hostility around speaking languages other than English in the street. Can we approach MFL too in a way which might enable us to explore and unpack ideologies which are becoming more and more present and more and more visible and find out ways to work together to resist these? Put simply (and rather idealistically perhaps!) if we put languages at the core of the curriculum and shifted away from our ‘monolingual’ outlook, would we change attitudes and ideologies around language, English and multilingualism?
Jess
Jessica Bradley
Doctoral Researcher
School of Education, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT
[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Translation and Translanguaging: Investigating Linguistic and Cultural Transformations in Superdiverse Wards in Four UK Cities
http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/generic/tlang/index.aspx
https://leeds.academia.edu/JessicaBradley
________________________________
From: ESOL-Research discussion forum and message board <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Emilee Moore De Luca <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 1, 2017 3:47 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: TLang ESOL-Research e-seminar
Hi all,
This is my quick contribution to the interesting discussion on superdiversity and translanguaging:
Question 1: What are some of the challenges and opportunities that contemporary diversity might present to teachers and curriculum planners working in the field of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)?
For me, the biggest challenge is to contest monolingual approaches to language teaching (i.e. one language only in the classroom) in developing pedagogies that are more in line with current sociolinguistic realities and the realities of speakers’ repertoires. It does not seem to make sense anymore (if it ever did) to teach students monolingually how to be (more) multilingual.
Question 2: English might be just one of many languages which ESOL students encounter day-to-day. They may well be developing their competence in a range of varieties of English as part of a multilingual repertoire, and may be translanguaging as a matter of course. How might ESOL teachers and their students address this multilingual reality in their classrooms?
I think that any pedagogical proposal that takes students beyond the classroom in contexts of superdiversity will necessarily lead them to encounter languages besides English as they go about solving learning tasks. I believe teachers need to think systematically about how different languages (and different modalities) might support the learning of English in teaching process connected to local realities. While a student project might end in a final production in English, the process could easily include linguistically diverse inputs and outputs. For example, students might be asked to interview local residents, who they might share other languages with, or to photograph the linguistic landscape of their area, and then report back on their findings in English, in some format.
I find the FREPA descriptors useful for expanding my view of the knowledge, skills and attitudes multilingual students bring with them, and of the repertoire teachers can help them to develop: http://carap.ecml.at/Accueil/tabid/3577/language/en-GB/Default.aspx
All the best, I look forward to reading other ideas on this.
Emilee
*********************************** ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds. To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html To contact the list owner, send an email to [log in to unmask]
***********************************
ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html
To contact the list owner, send an email to
[log in to unmask]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2017 18:56:02 +0000
From: Laura Plotnek-Jones <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: NATECLA North West Mini Conference - still time to book!
There's still time to secure your tickets for one of the first events run by the newly formed NATECLA North West Branch for ESOL practitioners in the region:
* DATE: Saturday, 4th February
* TIME: 9.30 (registration/coffee) - 13:00
* LOCATION: Longsight Library, 519 Stockport Road, Longsight, Manchester M12 4NE<https:[log in to unmask],-2.2037478,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x487bb17d9be3b91f:0xedf9a91ce91ee3b0!8m2!3d53.4580768!4d-2.2015591>
* COST: £10 members and £20 non-members and we had a discounted £5 rate for volunteers/unwaged
* This practical programme of workshops, networking opportunities and the chance to explore our resources exhibition will be an unmissable morning of CPD for ESOL practitioners. The event will allow your to choose from the following workshops:
* Exploring the Use of Narrative Storytelling and Personal Anecdotes in Language and Literacy skills development, by Sarah Telfer <http://www.natecla.org.uk/event/744/NATECLA-North-West-Mini-Conference---still-time-to-book!#narrative>
* Bringing the outside in, by Sam Shepherd<http://www.natecla.org.uk/event/744/NATECLA-North-West-Mini-Conference---still-time-to-book!#outside>
* Teaching spelling: some practical ideas, by Christine Tudor-Jones<http://www.natecla.org.uk/event/744/NATECLA-North-West-Mini-Conference---still-time-to-book!#spelling>
>> Book <http://www.natecla.org.uk/form.aspx?id=32> online<http://www.natecla.org.uk/event/744/NATECLA-North-West-Mini-Conference---still-time-to-book!> today
***********************************
ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html
To contact the list owner, send an email to
[log in to unmask]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2017 19:49:54 +0000
From: Michael Gilbey <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: TLang ESOL-Research e-seminar
As a newly trained ESOL teacher (second career) but also as one brought up speaking one language at home, one at school, and a third with friends around the house I find this fascinating at various levels and for various reasons.
Two short initial points from me.
Instinctively we require people who are learning English only to speak English in the classroom. I think the orthodoxy of English teaching also supports that view. But on reflection and in the light of my short experience with a group of adults with a range of mother tongues, I am not sure that's either helpful or respectful.
As as second and entirely unrelated point, I can say from my own experience and that of my siblings that moving between languages in daily life as children was never confusing, and in retrospect it added richness to our expression. I believe there is also evidence of other benefits.
Michael
> On 1 Feb 2017, at 16:58, Jessica Bradley [RPG] <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Thanks Emilee for this response - and thanks to Melanie, Dermot and Becky for starting off the conversation.
>
>
> To pick up on a couple of Emilee's points, activities around the linguistic landscape can be so interesting as a starting point - and include multilingual activities even when the eventual 'output' is in English. We've been doing arts-based activities with children and young people in different areas of Leeds, using this as our starting point. Here is a link to some of the work that the participants produced: www.langscapecurators.tumblr.com. We worked with them to become researchers over the course of three days...using arts-based methods, photography and film.
>
>
>
> The children and young people we work with for this project in many cases have recently arrived in the UK. A large group were from Eritrea. They were encouraged to speak in Tigrinya and the staff at the centre where we're carrying out the workshops were also learning it – taught by the young people. Of course, the centre focuses on English-language and literacy. But the languages spoken by the young people were welcomed and the groups were encouraged to share languages. This kind of work and flexibility is more possible outside the restrictions of formal education of course. And yet, even during our workshops, where we were talking about our ‘multilingual repertoires’ the young people asked if they were allowed to speak in different languages in their groups – it was assumed that they couldn’t. I’d be interested in hearing other perspectives on how translanguaging approaches to ESOL and MFL might converge and intersect.
>
>
>
> My background in educational engagement in MFL and in working with young people and teachers to try and promote ‘languages’, to try and encourage more young people not to drop MFL at key stage 4. This means one of my interests in translanguaging comes from wanting to find ways to encourage language learning and to move away from the idea that ‘English is enough’. I keep wondering – and these thoughts are not really fully formed yet - whether focusing on translanguaging might be a way to also work in this area. If we follow the kind of participatory model explained in the response, in which the authors describe how they can explore the migration trajectories, beliefs and ideologies, multilingualism, superdiversity, can we also create opportunities for ‘monolingual’ speakers to develop their ‘multilingual repertoires’? As the authors say, there are increasing levels of hostility around speaking languages other than English in the street. Can we approach MFL too in a way which might enable us to explore and unpack ideologies which are becoming more and more present and more and more visible and find out ways to work together to resist these? Put simply (and rather idealistically perhaps!) if we put languages at the core of the curriculum and shifted away from our ‘monolingual’ outlook, would we change attitudes and ideologies around language, English and multilingualism?
>
>
>
> Jess
>
>
>
>
> Jessica Bradley
>
> Doctoral Researcher
>
> School of Education, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
> Translation and Translanguaging: Investigating Linguistic and Cultural Transformations in Superdiverse Wards in Four UK Cities
>
> http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/generic/tlang/index.aspx
>
> https://leeds.academia.edu/JessicaBradley
>
>
> From: ESOL-Research discussion forum and message board <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Emilee Moore De Luca <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 1, 2017 3:47 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: TLang ESOL-Research e-seminar
>
> Hi all,
>
> This is my quick contribution to the interesting discussion on superdiversity and translanguaging:
>
> Question 1: What are some of the challenges and opportunities that contemporary diversity might present to teachers and curriculum planners working in the field of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)?
>
> For me, the biggest challenge is to contest monolingual approaches to language teaching (i.e. one language only in the classroom) in developing pedagogies that are more in line with current sociolinguistic realities and the realities of speakers’ repertoires. It does not seem to make sense anymore (if it ever did) to teach students monolingually how to be (more) multilingual.
>
> Question 2: English might be just one of many languages which ESOL students encounter day-to-day. They may well be developing their competence in a range of varieties of English as part of a multilingual repertoire, and may be translanguaging as a matter of course. How might ESOL teachers and their students address this multilingual reality in their classrooms?
>
> I think that any pedagogical proposal that takes students beyond the classroom in contexts of superdiversity will necessarily lead them to encounter languages besides English as they go about solving learning tasks. I believe teachers need to think systematically about how different languages (and different modalities) might support the learning of English in teaching process connected to local realities. While a student project might end in a final production in English, the process could easily include linguistically diverse inputs and outputs. For example, students might be asked to interview local residents, who they might share other languages with, or to photograph the linguistic landscape of their area, and then report back on their findings in English, in some format.
>
> I find the FREPA descriptors useful for expanding my view of the knowledge, skills and attitudes multilingual students bring with them, and of the repertoire teachers can help them to develop: http://carap.ecml.at/Accueil/tabid/3577/language/en-GB/Default.aspx
>
> All the best, I look forward to reading other ideas on this.
>
> Emilee
>
>
>
> *********************************** ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds. To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html To contact the list owner, send an email to [log in to unmask]
> *********************************** ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds. To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html To contact the list owner, send an email to [log in to unmask]
***********************************
ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html
To contact the list owner, send an email to
[log in to unmask]
------------------------------
End of ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 1 Feb 2017 (#2017-27)
***************************************************
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ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
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