Page 215 - Ana Kozina and Nora Wiium, eds. ▪︎ Positive Youth Development in Contexts. Ljubljana: Educational Research Institute, 2021. Digital Library, Dissertationes (Scientific Monographs), 42.
P. 215
mobilising the potential held by one’s entire linguistic repertoire ...
multilingualism and bilingual education is translanguaging (Garcia &
Wei 2014).4 By focusing on speakers and their communication practic-
es, translanguaging is concerned with the notions of code-switching (i.e.,
switching back and forth between two languages as autonomous and sep-
arate systems), especially code-meshing (i.e., mixing different local, ver-
nacular, colloquial and world dialects of one language), yet stands apart
from them in terms of its solid reference to the diverse bi-/multilingual lan-
guage use of all actors in the pedagogical process, one which rises above
the monoglossic perspective of the separate existence and use of two lan-
guages. Garcia (2009), who broadened the scope of the term, sees translan-
guaging as a process involving multiple discursive practices and refers to
the complex language practices of individuals and communities and the
pedagogical approaches to integrating these practices in formal school set-
tings. When perceived as the standard and socially non-problematic mode
of communication, translanguaging allows speakers to freely use the en-
tire linguistic repertoire of their idiolects at any time, “without regard for
watchful adherence to the socially and politically defined boundaries of
named (and usually national and state) languages” (Otheguy et al., 2015, p.
283).
García and Kano remind us that translanguaging in education should
be seen as:
a process by which students and teachers engage in complex dis-
cursive practices that include ALL the language practices of ALL
students in a class to develop new language practices and sus-
tain old ones, communicate and appropriate knowledge, and give
voice to new sociopolitical realities by interrogating linguistic in-
equality. (García & Kano 2014, p. 261, capitalised emphases by
authors)
We believe this is a key aspect because such practices promote a deep-
er understanding of the learning content, which improves when the indi-
vidual’s whole linguistic repertoire is activated in the pedagogical process
(Cenoz, 2013a). Further, introducing translanguaging practices into the
classroom (or whole school environment) also establishes a new relationship
4 The term translanguaging was coined in Welsh by Cen Williams. It referred to a
pedagogical practice of deliberately changing the language of input and output to
increase understanding and augment one’s activity in both languages. The idea of
translanguaging was further developed to the idea of the general communicative
practice of multilinguals (see Garcia & Wei, 2014).
215
multilingualism and bilingual education is translanguaging (Garcia &
Wei 2014).4 By focusing on speakers and their communication practic-
es, translanguaging is concerned with the notions of code-switching (i.e.,
switching back and forth between two languages as autonomous and sep-
arate systems), especially code-meshing (i.e., mixing different local, ver-
nacular, colloquial and world dialects of one language), yet stands apart
from them in terms of its solid reference to the diverse bi-/multilingual lan-
guage use of all actors in the pedagogical process, one which rises above
the monoglossic perspective of the separate existence and use of two lan-
guages. Garcia (2009), who broadened the scope of the term, sees translan-
guaging as a process involving multiple discursive practices and refers to
the complex language practices of individuals and communities and the
pedagogical approaches to integrating these practices in formal school set-
tings. When perceived as the standard and socially non-problematic mode
of communication, translanguaging allows speakers to freely use the en-
tire linguistic repertoire of their idiolects at any time, “without regard for
watchful adherence to the socially and politically defined boundaries of
named (and usually national and state) languages” (Otheguy et al., 2015, p.
283).
García and Kano remind us that translanguaging in education should
be seen as:
a process by which students and teachers engage in complex dis-
cursive practices that include ALL the language practices of ALL
students in a class to develop new language practices and sus-
tain old ones, communicate and appropriate knowledge, and give
voice to new sociopolitical realities by interrogating linguistic in-
equality. (García & Kano 2014, p. 261, capitalised emphases by
authors)
We believe this is a key aspect because such practices promote a deep-
er understanding of the learning content, which improves when the indi-
vidual’s whole linguistic repertoire is activated in the pedagogical process
(Cenoz, 2013a). Further, introducing translanguaging practices into the
classroom (or whole school environment) also establishes a new relationship
4 The term translanguaging was coined in Welsh by Cen Williams. It referred to a
pedagogical practice of deliberately changing the language of input and output to
increase understanding and augment one’s activity in both languages. The idea of
translanguaging was further developed to the idea of the general communicative
practice of multilinguals (see Garcia & Wei, 2014).
215
