Translanguaging

Translanguaging is a term that can refer to different aspects of multilingualism. It can describe the way bilinguals and multilinguals use their linguistic resources to make sense of and interact with the world around them.^[1] It can also refer to a pedagogical approach that utilizes more than one language within a classroom lesson.^[2] The term "translanguaging" was coined in the 1980s by Cen Williams (applied in Welsh as trawsieithu) in his unpublished thesis titled “An Evaluation of Teaching and Learning Methods in the Context of Bilingual Secondary Education.”^[3]^[4] Williams used the term to describe the practice of using two languages in the same lesson, which differed from many previous methods of bilingual education that tried to separate languages by class, time, or day.^[5] In addition, Vogel and Garcia argued that translanguaging theory posits that rather than possessing two or more autonomous language systems, as previously thought when scholars described bilingual or multilingual speakers, bilinguals and multilingual speakers select and deploy their languages from a unitary linguistic repertoire.^[6] However, the dissemination of the term, and of the related concept, gained traction decades later due in part to published research by Ofelia García, among others.^[3] In this context, translanguaging is an extension of the concept of languaging, the discursive practices of language speakers, but with the additional feature of using multiple languages, often simultaneously.^[7] It is a dynamic process in which multilingual speakers navigate complex social and cognitive demands through strategic employment of multiple languages.^[8]

Translanguaging involves issues of language production, effective communication, the function of language, and the thought processes behind language use.^[9] Translanguaging is a result of bilingualism. The term is often employed in a pedagogical setting,^[10] but also has applications to any situation experienced by multilingual speakers, who constitute most language communities in the world.^[7] This includes complex linguistic family dynamics, and the use of code-switching and how that usage relates to one's understanding of their own multilingualism.^[7]

This article provides an overview of translanguaging, major debates around translaguaging, and the pedagogical methods to teach translanguaging in multicultural educational settings.

^ Wei, Li (2017-10-26). "Translanguaging as a Practical Theory of Language". Applied Linguistics. 39 (1): 9–30. doi:10.1093/applin/amx039. hdl:11059/14465. ISSN 0142-6001.
^ García, Ofelia; Li, Wei (5 December 2015). Translanguaging: Language, Bilingualism and Education (1st ed.). Palgrave Pivot London. doi:10.1057/9781137385765. ISBN 9781137385765.
^ ^a ^b Moreno-Fernández, Francisco (2020). Yo-Yo Boing! Or Literature as a Translingual Practice (Poets, Philosophers, Lovers). Aldama, Frederick Luis; Stavans, Iland. Pittsburgh, Pa.: U Pittsburgh. pp. 55–65. ISBN 978-0-8229-4618-2. OCLC 1143649021.
^ Lewis, Gwyn; Jones, Bryn; Baker, Colin (2012-10-01). "Translanguaging: origins and development from school to street and beyond". Educational Research and Evaluation. 18 (7): 641–654. doi:10.1080/13803611.2012.718488. ISSN 1380-3611. S2CID 144549165.
^ Cenoz, Jasone; Gorter, Durk (2020-08-01). "Pedagogical translanguaging: An introduction". System. Pedagogical translanguaging: navigating between languages at school and at the university. 92: 102269. doi:10.1016/j.system.2020.102269. ISSN 0346-251X. S2CID 219059964.
^ Vogel, Sara; García, Ofelia (2017-12-19), "Translanguaging", Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.013.181, hdl:11059/14017, ISBN 978-0-19-026409-3, retrieved 2022-09-27
^ ^a ^b ^c García, Ofelia (2009). Bilingual Education in the 21st Century: A Global Perspective. Oxford: Blackwell. p. 78.
^ Ofelia Garcia and Li Wei (2014) Translanguaging: Language, Bilingualism and Education. Palgrave Macmillan
^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Mazzaferro, Gerardo (2018). Translanguaging as Everyday Practice. Cham Springer. ISBN 978-3-319-94851-5.

[1] Wei, Li (2017-10-26). "Translanguaging as a Practical Theory of Language". Applied Linguistics. 39 (1): 9–30. doi:10.1093/applin/amx039. hdl:11059/14465. ISSN 0142-6001.

[2] García, Ofelia; Li, Wei (5 December 2015). Translanguaging: Language, Bilingualism and Education (1st ed.). Palgrave Pivot London. doi:10.1057/9781137385765. ISBN 9781137385765.

[:16-3] Moreno-Fernández, Francisco (2020). Yo-Yo Boing! Or Literature as a Translingual Practice (Poets, Philosophers, Lovers). Aldama, Frederick Luis; Stavans, Iland. Pittsburgh, Pa.: U Pittsburgh. pp. 55–65. ISBN 978-0-8229-4618-2. OCLC 1143649021.

[4] Lewis, Gwyn; Jones, Bryn; Baker, Colin (2012-10-01). "Translanguaging: origins and development from school to street and beyond". Educational Research and Evaluation. 18 (7): 641–654. doi:10.1080/13803611.2012.718488. ISSN 1380-3611. S2CID 144549165.

[5] Cenoz, Jasone; Gorter, Durk (2020-08-01). "Pedagogical translanguaging: An introduction". System. Pedagogical translanguaging: navigating between languages at school and at the university. 92: 102269. doi:10.1016/j.system.2020.102269. ISSN 0346-251X. S2CID 219059964.

[6] Vogel, Sara; García, Ofelia (2017-12-19), "Translanguaging", Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.013.181, hdl:11059/14017, ISBN 978-0-19-026409-3, retrieved 2022-09-27

[:11-7] García, Ofelia (2009). Bilingual Education in the 21st Century: A Global Perspective. Oxford: Blackwell. p. 78.

[8] Ofelia Garcia and Li Wei (2014) Translanguaging: Language, Bilingualism and Education. Palgrave Macmillan

[:1-9] Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[:14-10] Mazzaferro, Gerardo (2018). Translanguaging as Everyday Practice. Cham Springer. ISBN 978-3-319-94851-5.

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