Introduction
We begin this book by tracing our own journeys toward a translanguaging perspective, and briefly identify challenges in schools for emergent bilinguals.
chapter 1:
Translanguaging: A Promising Approach for the Education of Emergent Bilinguals
Chapter 1 identifies and analyzes persisting issues and challenges in the education of emergent bilinguals, including demographic shifts and policy mandates. In this chapter, we expand our case for translanguaging pedagogy as a promising approach in dealing with these challenges and preparing stu- dents for active citizenship in the 21st century. Vignettes showcase every- day language practices of bi/multilinguals and demonstrate the potential of translanguaging in formal teaching and learning contexts.
Chapter 2
Meeting Academic Challenges
Chapter 2 addresses academic challenges EBs encounter in their education. A series of classroom vignettes of EBs in different ESL programs (pull- out, push-in, self-contained) and bilingual programs (transitional and dual language) present and analyze academic challenges EBs face as they attempt to meet grade-level expectations in terms of curriculum and standards. Contrasting vignettes from translanguaging classrooms show how teachers can create space and structures for EBs to maximize their learning potential and to be able to learn complex content at their grade level and develop academic English as needed in learning.
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chapter 3
Meeting Social Challenges
Chapter 3 turns to the social challenges that EBs encounter in school settings. We use stories of EB students to illustrate and analyze the social isolation and stigma they often face in classrooms and school communities due to language hierarchy and separation, as well as the remedial teaching approach in ESL and transitional bilingual programs. Then translanguaging classroom vignettes contrast with the above situations and show how EBs are involved with class activities in different learning settings (ESL or bilingual and mainstream) along with peers with different language backgrounds and English proficiencies.
chapter 4
Meeting School Challenges
Chapter 4 addresses challenges teachers and schools face in providing adequate and effective education for EBs from vastly different language and cultural backgrounds. Classroom vignettes of emerging bilingual students demonstrate how, in some settings, these students cannot receive the same support and assistance as other bi/multilingual students due to the lack of resources and personnel in the schools. Later, vignettes of translanguaging classrooms illustrate, in contrast, how teachers structure their teaching with a translanguaging approach to allow students to exibly use their language strengths to learn from and with each other in these classrooms.
Chapter 5
Translanguaging in Action
Chapter 5 provides take-away strategies and practical recommenda- tions for preservice and inservice teachers to implement a translanguaging approach in different educational contexts. In closing, we further demon- strate how translanguaging serves as a promising model in preparing stu- dents for 21st-century citizenship.
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Note of gratitude:
We are grateful to Veronica O'Leary, Xenia's Teaching Assistant, for her invaluable contributions toward the Chapter Resources on this website.
We are grateful to Veronica O'Leary, Xenia's Teaching Assistant, for her invaluable contributions toward the Chapter Resources on this website.