
National Association for Language Development In the Curriculm (NALDIC) 17 Ofelia Garcia Reimagining Bilingualism in Education for the 21st Century
Ofelia Garcia Video One
Professor Ofelia Garcia from City University New York delivers the keynote speech at NALDIC's 17th Annual Conference on 14 November 2009 at the University of Reading. NALDIC is indebted to Ofelia for her kind permission to share her inspiring presentation with a wider audience.
Ofelia Garcia Video Two
In the second part of her presentation to NALDIC 17 'Reimagining bilingualism in education for the 21st century' , Ofelia Garcia of City University New York, explains the concept of translanguaging, that is, the multiple discursive practices of students and teachers which characterize multilingual classrooms today. In this extract she discusses translanguaging in everyday life.
Ofelia Garcia Video Three
In the third part of her presentation to NALDIC 17 'Reimagining bilingualism in education for the 21st century' , Ofelia Garcia of City University New York, discusses children's perspective on translanguaging.
Ofelia Garcia Video Four
In the fourth part of her presentation 'Reimagining bilingualism in education for the 21st century' , Ofelia Garcia of City University New York discusses translanguaging in the classroom context.
Ofelia Garcia Video Five
In the final part of her presentation 'Reimagining bilingualism in education for the 21st century' , Ofelia Garcia of City University New York discusses translanguaging in the classroom context and how it is part of a very complex dynamic bilingual repetoire.
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Garcia, O., & Leiva, C. (2012). Theorizing and Enacting Translanguaging
for Social Justics. Heteroglossia as practice and Pedagogy. 1-30.
"Shouldn’t English only be used to teach English? Shouldn’t Spanish only be used when teaching Spanish?
For many years this was the assumption. And this assumption has been the basis of many bilingual education and English as a second language programs. But in the last two decades, international research has conclusively established that new language practices only emerge in interrelationship with old language practices. Thus, bilingual education programs, as well as English as a second language programs, are creating opportunities for students to use their entire linguistic repertoire and not just part of it to develop bilingualism and/or develop language practices that conform to the academic uses of language in school, as well as to learn rigorous content.
How does translanguaging as a pedagogical tool affirm the identities of bilingual students?
A bilingual person is not two monolinguals in one, with each language linked to a separate culture. Instead a bilingual person is one person with complex language and cultural practices that are fluid and changing depending on the particular situation and the local practice. Translanguaging supports the ability of bilingual students to have multiple identities that are not exactly like those constructed in monolingual contexts or in other contexts. It actually buttresses the multiple and fluid identities of bilingual students.
Why is translanguaging particularly effective with bilingual students?
Bilingual students’ language practices, in English or their home languages, are often stigmatized. For example, many US Latino students are told that they speak “Spanglish,” connoting poor command of the language, when the features that US Latinos display may have more to do with normal contact with English. Translanguaging permits students’ and teachers’ to acknowledge and use the full range of linguistic practices of bilinguals, and to use these practices for improved teaching and learning.
How does translanguaging help students develop metalinguistic awareness?
Putting language practices alongside each other makes possible for students to explicitly notice language features, an awareness needed to develop linguistic abilities."